UST stuns Ateneo, 87-74

Defending champion University of Santos Tomas (UST) turned a close game into a rout as it subdued Saturday a stunned Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles, 87-74, in the second game of the 70th UAAP men's basketball tournament before a noisy crowd at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. MVP contender Jervy Cruz typified the Tigers' dominance of the Blue Eagles after he scored 14 points and 22 monster rebounds for another double-double effort. Center-forward Khasim Mirza also contributed well for the España-based Tigers after he scattered a game high 24-points, including 12 points in the final quarter. He was also perfect in the three-point range going 4/4 from down town. With the victory, UST closed out its first round campaign on a bright note as it improved its win-loss record at 4-3, in a tie with the Blue Eagles for third place. The game was close from the first and third periods with no team leading by double digits. Ateneo's biggest lead came in the third canto when it erected a six point lead at 59-56 with less than four minutes left. Prior to that, UST was leading by a precarious four points at 55-51 courtesy of a basket by Francis Allera with under six minutes to go. The start of the fourth period was completely a different story as the Tigers, behind Mirza, Cruz, Dylan Ababou ad Mark Canlas, unleashed mind-boggling 18-3 run to turn the game apart as they pulled away from the Blue Eagles with a score of 82-64, with less than four minutes left. Ateneo Coach Norman Black has to shuffle his men in an attempt to stop their offensive bleeding, but to no avail as his boys continued to shoot blanks from both outside and inside the paint. Coach Pido Pumaren praised his boys for the victory, crediting them for also playing terrific defense at the start of the fourth. "They did what I told them and that is to play defense. Their hard work paid off as we were able to limit the scoring of Ateneo at the start of the fourth period," Jarencio said. The game was close in both the first and second quarters with Ateneo leading the first canto by a slim three points, 24-21. UST managed to make a run in the second canto as they put the game in a deadlock at 45-all. UST led by only one point after the third period. Meanwhile, first round actions will officially close on Sunday with a pair of games at the Araneta Coliseum. The FEU Tamaraws tries to keep in step with both Ateneo and UST as they battle the winless UP Fighting Maroons at 2 p.m. UE, meanwhile, shoots for a sweep of its first round assignments as it battles Adamson University at 4 p.m. FEU has an even 3-3 record while UP remained winless at 0-6. UE is in first place in the standings with 6-0 card while Adamson has a 1-5 record. Quarterscore: 24-21, 45-all, 61-62, 87-74 - GMANews.TV