ALJON MARIANO once again came up big for the University of Sto. Tomas Growling Tigers as he scored the game-winning layup that lifted them to a 58-57 overtime win over the National University Bulldogs in the 75th UAAP men’s basketball tournament last Sunday evening at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Mariano broke down NU’s Kyle Neypes with a gorgeous-looking spin move and got straight to the basket for the layin. NU had a shot at snatching the win but Bobby Ray Parks failed to get a shot off as time expired, giving UST its seventh win in nine games, while dropping the Bulldogs to 5-4 (win-loss).
Mariano finished with a game-high 22 points and was backstopped by Karim Abdul’s 10 markers.
The victory was yet another in what has been a long line of comebacks this season for the Tigers. This time, they roared back from a 17-point halftime deficit, 14-31. After a long pursuit, UST was finally able to tie the game and send it to overtime after guard Jeric Fortuna hit a three-pointer at the end of regulation.
For a while, it seemed as if the Tigers was in for another long night especially after they were defeated, 60-87, by Far Eastern University in their last game. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio