It was the UST Growling Tigers who had a survivor mentality, as Nic Cabañero led his team with a season-high outing against the UE Red Warriors in UAAP Season 87.
Nic Cabañero delivered a standout performance to lead the UST Growling Tigers past the UE Red Warriors, 76-67, in their UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball matchup on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Cabañero posted a season-high 27 points, along with eight rebounds and one assist, helping UST hold on to fourth place with a 6-7 record, one game ahead of FEU.
The Tigers jumped to an early 27-point lead in the second quarter, largely thanks to Cabañero’s scoring, but had to fend off a determined comeback from UE in the final minutes.
The Red Warriors’ rally was hampered by the ejection of their foreign student-athlete with 5:13 left after two unsportsmanlike fouls on Mo Tounkara and Gelo Crisostomo.
Despite Jack Cruz-Dumont’s 19-point effort for UE, now 6-6, Cabañero’s leadership proved crucial as UST secured a key win in the race for a Final Four spot.