CCL: Growling Tigers maul Red Lions, storm into Final 4

The UST Growling Tigers played with confidence and airtight defense to beat reigning NCAA champions San Beda Red Lions, 88-84, and advance to the semifinals of the 2007 Collegiate Champions League (CCL) Monday at the Arena in San Juan. The Tigers, the 2006 UAAP champions, showed killer instinct in the decisive fourth quarter as National Team member Jervy Cruz, Dylan Ababou, Mark Canlas, and Japs Cuan gradually pounded on the Lions on both ends of the court en route to an 11-7 closing run made more awesome with Cuan calmly sinking his two free throws for an 85-81 UST lead, with 36.7 seconds left. The Lions had a chance to inch closer in the next possession, but UST's swarming defense forced the back-to-back NCAA champions to turn the ball over that sealed the outcome. "I can't say more of how the players delivered today," coach Pido Jarencio said. "A lot of the players are not joining our practices these days because they have PBL and National Team commitments, but they know the system and knew what to do because they are always willing to play and sacrifice for UST." Jervy Cruz, who's bound for the Southeast Asian Games, just got back from a team-building session with the Nationals in Tagaytay. Anthony Espiritu, Dylan Ababou, Francis Allera, Mark Canlas, and Chester Taylor also had their respective mother teams to attend to in the ongoing PBL V-GO Extreme Energy Drink Cup. Espiritu split his charities off an intentional foul with 26 seconds remaining, and the Lions fired one three-pointer after another to no avail. Cuan, rather known for his passing abilities and his daredevil drives, went two-out-of-two from the free throw line for one last time to put the score at 88-81, in favor of the Tigers. San Beda's Pong Escobal made a trey as the time expired for the final count. UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz registered another monster game with 21 points and 15 rebounds to pace the Tigers, while Ababou and Allera chipped in 17 and 12 points, respectively. Sophomore guard Pong Escobal shot a game-high 22 points in a losing effort for the Lions, last year's Champions league runner-up to UAAP's University of the East Red Warriors. Earlier, the University of Visayas Green Lancers entered the Final Four as they defeated the helpless University of Mindanao Wildcats, 78-58. Scores First Game University of Visayas (78): Dennison 16, Berame 14, Luga 9, Diputado 9, Medana 8, Lanete 8, Villanil 7, Tancongco 5, Slaughter 2, Arda 0, Lao 0, Minigque 0, Pitogo 0, Sendrijas 0, Lasala 0 University of Mindanao (58): Awitin 20, Calatayud 8, Palomares 8, Calimpong 6, Angalan 6, Edulan 3, Ciceralde 3, Blanco 2, Silvarez 1, Apormeo 1, Cisneros 0, Guirigay 0 Quarters: 22-11, 43-22, 59-43, 78-58 Second Game UST (88): Cruz 21, Ababou 17, Allera 12, Espiritu 11, Cuan 9, Mirza 7, Canlas 6, Cortez 3, Taylor 2, Basa 0, Badua 0, Gile 0, Dizon 0 San Beda (84): Escobal 22, Hermida 21, Menor 19, Ekwe 12, Gamalinda 4, Taganas 2, Marcelo 2, Lanete 2, Maggay 0 Quarters: 18-22, 47-42, 65-70, 88-84

- Llanesca T. Panti, GMANews.TV