We got lucky in the end. We did not play our game in the first three and a half quarters and luckily our game picked up in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter.

UST’s Zach Huang soars to beat two NU players for the rebound. JOHN DAVID CUBANGBANG

University of Santo Tomas (UST) dealt National University (NU) another heart-breaking loss.

The Growling Tigers came back from five-points down in regulation and banked on the hot hands of rookie Rhenz Abando to pull off an 87-74 victory in overtime in Season 82 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“We got lucky in the end. We did not play our game in the first three and a half quarters and luckily our game picked up in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter,�? UST head coach Aldin Ayo said.

“Fortunately the players still gave their all especially in the last six seconds (of regulation). While our opponents were celebrating, we were able to convert and force an overtime,�? he added.

The win shoved the Growling Tigers to No. 2 spot with a 3-1 win-loss record and bounced back from a tough 70-71 loss to defending champion Ateneo de Manila University.

The 21-year old Abando, who was held down to just five points in the first half, fired two huge triples in extra period that broke the game wide open and handed the Bulldogs their third straight loss in as many games.

The La Union native finished with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field to support the 23-point, 20-rebound performance of Soulamane Chabi Yo.

Sherwin Concepcion also contributed big for the Espana-based team with 13 markers including a three-pointer that started the onslaught of UST in overtime.

It was another tough loss for NU, which lost to Adamson University on Lenda Douanga’s buzzer-beating trey in overtime, 83-84, and to La Salle on Kurt Lojera’s game-winner 82-83.

The Bulldogs appeared to have the game in the bag in regulation after Shaun Ildefonso followed up the missed drive of Enzo Joson to give NU a 68-63 lead with 42.3 seconds left.

But the Growling Tigers kept on coming back and Zach Huang’s split free throws tied the game at 68-all with 17.9 seconds left.

Joson redeemed himself with a nice drive for NU, 70-68, but Chabi You sent the game into overtime with an inside basket, 70-all.

It was all UST in the next five minutes as they held the Bulldogs to just four markers and Abando and Concepcion combining for 11 points.

Dave Ildefonso led NU with 16 points before fouling out while JL Clemente and RJ Minerva contributed 12 and 11 markers, respectively. Shaun Ildefonso, who had a career-high 26 markers against the Green Archers, finished with nine on 3-of-10 shooting.