University of Santo Tomas (UST) made a strong opening statement across both divisions as the Tiger Cubs and Junior Tiger Cubs hurdled their respective opponents to kickstart their title bids in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) high school boys and junior high school boys 3x3 basketball tournaments on Monday at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque.

In the boys’ division, UST leaned on its champion core of Carl Manding, Koji Buenaflor, Charles Bucsit, and Charles Esteban to dispatch University of the East (UE), 19-13, while in the inaugural junior high division, Andwele Cabañero, Miguel Jubilado, Dustin Bathan and Roi Balague exacted sweet revenge on the Junior Warriors’ 16U squad with a 13-11 triumph.

“Our coaches told us before the game to just play our game. We really prepared for this because we knew UE was strong, so we really gave it our all,” Cabañero, a Season 87 Mythical Team member, said.

Joining UST on the winners’ board were Far Eastern University (FEU)-Diliman, Adamson University and National University-Nazareth School in the boys’ division, and National University-Nazareth, University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS), and Ateneo de Manila University in the junior high level in this tournament supported by Molten.

The Baby Tamaraws, powered by Salangsang’s seven points and four rebounds and Cabs Cabonilas’ clutch showing, outlasted Ateneo, 18-15.

A layup by Ateneo’s Lans Lagdamen trimmed FEU’s lead to 14-13 with 1:04 remaining, but Burgos calmly sank two free throws before Cabonilas iced the game with a dagger layup.

“We need to improve our communication because sometimes we don’t talk to each other on the court, and we lose our defensive shape. For us, we just have to do our best and win the championship so we can repeat,” Cabonilas, the runner-up in the 5-on-5 Most Valuable Player race, said.

In other boys’ division games, the Baby Falcons composed of Mark Esperanza, Johnray Abayon, Earl Medina and Zahir Sajili took care of business against UPIS, 21-13, while the redemption-seeking Bullpups of Mac Alfanta, Migs Palanca, Tomas Pillado, and Dat Usop survived De La Salle Zobel, 22-20, in an overtime thriller behind Pillado’s 10-point eruption.