Kevin Quiambao’s career-high 29 points powered the De La Salle Green Archers against the gritty UST Growling Tigers in overtime of UAAP Season 87 Round 2.
The DLSU Green Archers avoided the upset axe as they fended off the gritty UST Growling Tigers in overtime, 94-87, to make it five in a row in UAAP Season 87 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday night.
Kevin Quiambao came out with a career-best 29 points in the victory to bail out the Archers after squandering a lead as big as 20, 40-20 in the first half of the game.
La Salle clamped down on offense in the extra period where they limited UST to just seven points in five minutes.
A crucial miss from UST point guard Forthsky Padrigao late in regulation resulted in an 80-all deadlock where the Tigers fought back from a 13-point deficit, 74-61, with 6:26 ticks left in the fourth quarter.
But Padrigao, who drew an unsportsmanlike foul on La Salle big man Mike Phillips in that sequence, split at the line with 24 seconds remaining in regulation. UST then was unable to convert on a shot in the next possession.
Phillips was able to redeem himself in the extra period as he scored for La Salle to push the lead to 10, 91-81, with 1:54 remaining.
UST had to buck the absence of foreign student athlete Mo Tounkara who was ejected from the game after incurring two technical fouls at the 3:38 mark of the fourth quarter.
Though UST made things interesting when they sent the game to overtime, they were unable to get over the hump as they did not lead all-game long.
The best the Growling Tigers could muster, after La Salle started 14-0 powered by a perfect start from Quiambao, was the game’s one and only deadlock at 80 points apiece.
Apart from his 29 points, Quiambao also had nine rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Phillips, meanwhile, had a double-double of 16 points, 13 rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
Nic Cabañero was the top scorer for UST with 23 points in the losing effort. He also had 12 rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
La Salle improved to 8-1 for the year while UST goes below .500 at 4-5 with a two-game losing streak.