The UST Growling Tigers erased a 13-point halftime deficit to beat the FEU Tamaraws, 81-69, in the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The win ended UST’s two-game slide and stopped FEU’s four-game winning streak.
UST Rallies in the Third Quarter
The Tamaraws were leading at the half, 41-28, before the Growling Tigers showed signs of life in the third quarter by outscoring the Tamaraws, 29-9, to carry a 57-50 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Tamaraws fought back and tied the game at 69 apiece, but Amiel Acido, Collins Akowe, and Mark Llemit took over and scored 12 points in the closing minutes of the game.
“It’s been a hell week for us, especially with those two losses, but the good thing is these guys were not affected that much. We just did what we had to do in the second half. You see the disparity in the first half and the second half,” said UST deputy coach Peter Martin.
Mark Llemit Stars in Comeback Win
Llemit led UST with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Akowe went scoreless on five attempts in the first half but finished with 14 points, 19 rebounds, and 4 assists. Rookie Andrew Chio also scored 14 points.
Mo Konateh led FEU with 18 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal. Jorick Bautista added 14 points and 3 assists, and Kirby Mongcopa scored 12 points.
The Growling Tigers will next face the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, October 17, 5:30 p.m. at the Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila. Meanwhile, FEU will next face the NU Bulldogs on Sunday, October 18, 2:30 p.m. at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
