University of Santo Tomas took one year and 21 days to finally get a taste of victory in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.
The Tigers, admittedly, almost forgot what it felt like leaving the floor with their heads held up high after being at the losing end of 19 straight matches stretching to last season.
So, when the final buzzer sounded with UST beating Far Eastern University, 68-62, to end the first round of UAAP Season 86 yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena, Nic Cabanero and Christian Manaytay, who worked hard the whole game, couldn’t help but get overwhelmed by emotions.
“I felt like crying. It’s been a long time since we last won a game last season. It took us a long time to get our first win so it’s really overwhelming for me,” Manaytay, who had a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, said.
The Tigers arrested a six-game skid this season to close the opening round with a 1-6 won-loss record.
UST lost 19 straight games after opening Season 85 with a 66-60 victory over Adamson University back on 1 October 2022.
Nic Cabanero, just like in the Tigers’ first and last victory last season, delivered the goods to bring the school back into the win column.
“I’m super happy. It’s overwhelming just like what Christian said, overwhelmed — same feeling,” Cabanero, who finished with 23 points, said.
Cabanero led the Tigers’ offense in the first three quarters but when the Tamaraws locked their defense on him, the rest of his UST teammates stepped up to deliver the victory for returning coach Pido Jarencio.
“We rediscovered what it is to win. It’s been a long time since we last won a game. Finally, we got to feel again how good it is to win and I do hope we can carry this momentum into the second round,” Cabanero said.
Manaytay shared the same sentiment, hoping that the win would really be the start of something big for UST.
“We really need this to uplift our morale for our next games. This will give us the confidence boost,” he said.
UST begins its second-round campaign on Wednesday at the same venue.
“We’re going back to work again because we know the second round starts on Wednesday,” Cabanero said. “Let’s see what our adjustment will be and continue to show our ‘Pride, puso, palaban.’”
