WHAT AN ESCAPE!: Tigers growl past Bulldogs

Games today:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

4:30 p.m. — UP vs FEU

6:30 p.m. — La Salle vs UE

Forthsky Padrigao delivered at crunch time to rescue University of Santo Tomas (UST) from hard-biting National University (NU) in a thrilling 67-64 escape in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Tied at 64, the transferee guard shook off Kenshin Padrones with a smooth crossover move for the go-ahead top of the key step-back jumper in the last 29 seconds before icing the Tigers’ bounceback win with a split from the line.

UST improved to a 3-1 win-loss record to surpass its total victories last year and snapped a six-game head-to-head losing skid to the Bulldogs since Season 84.

Padrigao scored eight points on 3-of-6 field goal shooting, dished out five assists and grabbed three boards for the Tigers, who recovered from a sorry loss to Adamson University last Sunday.

“I guess I just took the opportunity to take my shot. A few possessions back, I’m really trying to create for my teammates. Then come that possession, in that last possession, they switched. So, I just did the right thing and thank you Lord, it went in,” Padrigao said.

Mo Tounkara led the Tigers with 15 points and 10 rebounds, Christian Manaytay added 14 points while Nic Cabanero got 10 points including the go-ahead trey in the last 1:57 of the game that capped a telling 11-1 run for a 64-61 lead.

Bulldogs guard Jolo Manansala tied the game at 64 with a bank-shot triple in the final 1:31 of the game before Padrigao’s jumper.

Jake Figueroa had a chance to knot the score but missed his short stab and his follow-up shot off an offensive board as NU was forced to bring Padrigao on the line.

He sank his first and intentionally missed his second to send the Bulldogs to their second straight defeat for a 1-3 slate.

“This is just total team effort. Everyone contributed. Forthsky’s shot and our last two possessions are just breaks of the game that favored us,” UST coach Pido Jarencio said.

UST tried to swing the momentum to its side with five straight points to open the second quarter following a 16-16 deadlock to close the opening period.

But NU nipped the Tigers’ run in the bud and turned the second quarter into a mirror of the first. The Bulldogs entered halftime protecting a slim, 34-32, advantage.

Steve Nash Enriquez produced 17 points while Figueroa had 11 for NU.

Meanwhile, defending champion De La Salle University and University of the Philippines eye their fourth straight win and a firmer grip at the top spot against separate foes today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Green Archers and Fighting Maroons share the lead after going unbeaten in three games.

UP battles winless Far Eastern University at 4:30 p.m. while La Salle shoots to keep its perfect record intact against a dangerous University of the East side at 6:30 p.m.

The Tamaraws have yet to taste victory after dropping all of their first three assignments off painful late-game meltdowns.

On the other hand, the Red Warriors will come into the game to challenge the mighty Green Archers carrying the momentum of their 56-51 win over FEU last Wednesday to arrest a two-game skid.