New-look UST routs UE as Padrigao, Paranada debut

MANILA, Philippines – The UST Growling Tigers came out of the gates roaring to kick off their UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball campaign, drubbing the hard-luck UE Red Warriors, 70-55, at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, September 8.

Nic Cabañero, as he has done the entire Season 86 campaign, led the scoring column with 14 points in 23 minutes. Unlike the previous year, however, the spitfire swingman had plenty of help this time around, with foreign student-athlete Mo Tounkara adding 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Christian Manaytay made the most of his 15-minute run before fouling out with 10 points on a perfect 5-of-5 clip, controversial former Ateneo star Forthsky Padrigao scattered 5 points, 7 assists, and 6 boards, and fellow new recruit Kyle Paranada chipped in 4 points, 5 dimes, and 3 boards in 13 minutes.

Seizing momentum off a highly dominant first half, UST continued to step on the gas with another hot-shooting third frame, capped at a 20-point lead, 45-25, off a long Padrigao three at the 3:31 mark.

Although Ethan Galang sparked a small 10-1 run for UE to get back within 11, 46-35, in the same frame, the rest of the Red Warriors failed to backstop his efforts as UST again ballooned its gap in the fourth, peaking at 22 points, 68-46, off a Cabañero spin and score in the last two minutes of regulation.

Super sophomore Precious Momowei paced the loss with a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double with 4 assists, albeit with 5 turnovers in 34 minutes, while Galang scored 11 on a 3-of-6 clip from three.

Fil-Am Devin Fikes, coming off a left ACL injury that put him out of commission for the entire Season 86, added 9 points and 6 boards before again going down with an apparent left knee injury at the 4:41 mark of the fourth.

The Scores

UST 70 – Cabanero 14, Tounkara 13, Manaytay 10, Llemit 9, Padrigao 5, Pangilinan 5, Crisostomo 4, Paranada 4, Robinson 2, Acido 2, Lane 2, Estacio 0, Laure 0, Mahmood 0.

UE 55 – Momowei 12, Galang 11, Fikes 9, Wilson 9, Lingolongo 4, Abate 2, J. Cruz-Dumont 2, Mulingtapang 2, Maga 2, Malaga 2, H. Cruz-Dumont 0, Go 0, Spandonis 0, Robles 0.

Quarters: 18-8, 36-19, 50-35, 70-55.

– Rappler.com