UST snaps two-game skid, dominates UE, 101-73

The UST Growling Tigers dominated the UE Red Warriors to bounce back after two straight losses, 101-73, Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Photo courtesy of UAAP

The España-based squad went hot early on, eventually taking the lead against the Warriors at the end of the first half, 55-29.  UE climbed back in the third with a 25-point performance against UST's 19, but the Tigers stayed on track in the fourth to get the win.

This is the first time that a team reached the century mark this season.

UST head coach Aldin Ayo said they just needed to relax and go back to their approach early in the season to get back in the win column, "I told them na kung paano tayo nag-start noong season, ganoon dapat yung approach," Ayo share during the post-game conference. "Even sa practice, we were more relaxed and I told them to have fun while playing and just enjoy the season," he added.

Zach Huang listed six triples and a career-high 22 points, while leading MVP candidate Soulemane Chabiyo registered 22 pts and 14 rebounds. Sherwin Concepcion and Brent Paraiso chipped in 10 apiece.

Zach Huang: I just lowered my expectations and we came in with the right mindset. pic.twitter.com/00UcChOJXT

— JK Carandang (@jk_carandang) October 9, 2019

"Unang-una, I just lowered my expectations. We put too much pressure on ourselves to play well and I think today, we just played with the right mindset,

UE big man Alex Diakhite topped the Warriors with 24 points and 12 rebounds.

With the win, the Tigers now sit at the third spot of the standings with 5-4 while UE stays at seventh with three wins and six losses.

UST will next face FEU on Sunday while UE will see action again on Saturday against the Bo Perasol-less UP.

NU overcomes FEU in OT

Earlier, the NU Bulldogs overcame the FEU Tamaraws in overtime, 85-79.

After trailing for three quarters, 62-47, the Tamaraws stormed the Bulldogs in the fourth period with 24 points against NU's nine to end regulation at 71. NU went ahead early in overtime with an 8-0 run to get the lead, eventually sealing the deal for NU with freebies from John Lloyd Clemente and Shaun Ildefonso.

Photo courtesy of UAAP

Dave Ildefonso scored six of his 27-point performance in the extra five minutes to lift the Sampaloc-based squad against the green-and-gold. The younger Ildefonso also made 11 rebounds. Issa Gaye also registered a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards.

NU head coach Jamike Jarin, in the post-game press conference said the key to their win was just going back to basics. "We just came back to basics into this game. What was the key, what was the formula? The formula was just basic believing, staying in level one," he shared.

"Siguro hangga’t may laro pa kami, lalaban lang talaga kami," said Ildefonso.

The NU Bulldogs are now at  2-7 while the Tamaraws hold a 4-5 win-loss card. — LA, GMA News