4 September 2019
By Maxine Louise Lagman
Manila, Philippines – University of Santo Tomas got off to a rousing start at the start of the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament with a 95-82 win over University of the East at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.
With the leadership of reigning Rookie of the Year and now team captain CJ Cansino, plus the help of coach Aldin Ayo’s prized recruits Rhenz Abando and Brent Paraiso, UST is off to a promising start in the season.
“I’m very grateful na on our first game from the get-go lumabas ang laro ng mga bata. Ang importante yung kumpyansa. We have nine newcomers and these newcomers are coming from provinces. Yung mga players na ito yung under the radar. Walang nakakakilala sa kanila until naglaro na sa mga preseason tournaments. Lumabas ang laro nila. Im pretty sure na they’re going to handle this the right way, walang ibang gagawin kundi mag-focus sa objective namin this season,” Ayo said post-game.
Cansino, who finished last season with an ACL injury, has fully recovered and dropped the three-point bucket to extend the Growling Tiger’s lead to 23 in the final period, 78-55.
UE tried to rally back behind big man Alex Diakhite, whose jumper cut their deficit to 17, 66-83. Kris Pagsanjan and Rey Suerte followed suit for a 5-0 run, 71-83.
But Abando and Paraiso combined for a 5-0 run of their own, with the latter knocking down a triple to regain control, 88-71, with 2:30 minutes left in the game.
The Red Warriors never recovered as another prized recruit Mark Nonoy knocked down another trey for UST, stretching the lead to 13, 93-80.
“I think everybody knows that we have to run because we’re the smallest team. If we don’t run, anong makukuha mo?,” Ayo added. “I always tell my players to don’t be afraid to commit mistakes, tendency yan ng mga bata and newcomers, but don’t be afraid as long as you learn from those mistakes right away and as the season goes, sana mas mag-mature ang players.”
Abando led the scoring board with 22 points, 15 of which came from the first half of the game as he led the Tigers towards a 16-3 run in the first quarter alone. Meanwhile, former Colegio de San Lorenzo Griffins big man and Cameroonian Soulemane Chabi Yo added 19 markers in the win.
Paraiso and Sherwin Concepcion finished with 10 points each, while veterans Cansino and Renzo Subido, though low on the scoring board, made all the difference with their nine and five points, respectively.
On the other hand, UE suffered their first loss in their debut game despite big scores from Suerte, Diakhite, and Pagsanjan, who had 23, 20 and 15 points, respectively.
The Scores:
UST 95 – Abando 22, Chabi Yo 19, Paraiso 10, Concepcion 10, Cansino 9, Subido 5, Cuajao 5, Cosejo 5, Ando 4, Nonoy 3, Huang 3, Pangilinan 0, Bataller 0.
UE 82 – Suerte 23, Diakhite 20, Pagsanjan 15, Mendoza 10, Tolentino 6, Abanto 5, Manalang 3, Apacible 0, Antiporda 0, Sawat 0, Conner 0.
Quarters: 27-19, 51-39, 69-52, 95-82.
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