In a dramatic turn of events, the UST Growling Tigers secured a spot in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament by defeating the top-seeded NU Bulldogs 80‑71 on Sunday.
Despite trailing 53‑48 with just under three minutes left in the third quarter, UST erupted with a decisive run to flip the momentum. The Tigers closed the period with the lead and kept the pressure on through the final quarter to seal their place in the semifinals.
Key contributors for UST included Gelo Crisostomo (13 points, 5 rebounds), Collins Akowe (11 points, 11 rebounds), Mark Llemit, and Amiel Acido (each 11 points).
For NU, despite the loss, they maintain their top-seed status, closing the elimination round with a strong record.
With this win, UST earns the third seed and prepares to face the UP Fighting Maroons in the next round.