UST hopes to keep dying F4 bid alive vs UP

By Josiah Albelda Posted Aug 27th 2014

They might look down and out, but University of Santo Tomas isn’t just about to give up.


The Growling Tigers hope to fan their dying Final Four hopes alive when they clash with University of the Philippines in the 77th UAAP men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.


After a short spurt of life in midway through the first round, the Espana cagers — runners-up in the past two seasons — looked lost anew and fell to Far Eastern University in a 66-55 loss where they never had a chance from the get-go.


“Hindi maganda (yung performance namin), pero hindi pa naman tapos,” said coach Bong dela Cruz after the match. “Meron pa kaming remaining games. Kelangan namin mag-bounce back at i-motivate yung mga bata.”


Adding to UST’s woes is the absence of forward Kevin Ferrer, who fractured his hand in a freak injury during practice and is out indefinitely.


Dela Cruz said he could be out for up to two weeks and hopes that the other Tigers, especially veterans like Aljon Mariano, Louie Vigil and Ed Daquioag, step up in his absence.


“Kelangan may mag step up talaga,” he shared. “Yung offense talaga namin down this year o tentative ba yung movement. Kelangan maging loose ng mga players.”


UST gets to try to do that against a Fighting Maroons side that has won only once this season.

The game will air live on ABS-CBN Sports+Action channel 23, BALLS HD SkyCable 167, uaapsports.tv, iwantv.com, TFC Bro and tfc.tv with a same day replay at 6 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable channel 34/ Destiny Cable channel 36.