Tigers bolster Final 4 dream

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UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas is looking good in its drive to return to the Final Four after a five-year absence.

Having snapped a mini three-game slide, Growling Tigers veteran coach Pido Jarencio said they are now focused on their last four games.

“Basta kami ang iniisip namin ay iyong last four games, parang ano ito, do-or-die game ang mindset namin. Kaya iyong mga bata, they really worked hard para manalo lang today,” Jarencio said after his team downed Far Eastern University 79-70 last Sunday night to get back on track in the 87th UAAP basketball tournament.

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“It’s a total team effort. Lahat nag-contribute, coaching staff, mga player. Three-game losing streak kaya kailangang makabalik. Nag-trabaho iyong mga bata tapos breakout game ni Kyle Paranada,” he added.

The win enabled UST to rise to 5-6 as the race for the remaining two slots in the Last Four heats up.

“At para ito sa management, which is iyong UST, mga Kaparian, na dire-diretso suporta sa amin, mga sponsors namin, si boss Al (Alfrancis Chua) nandiyan sumusuporta,” Jarencio, who drew 16 points from Nic Cabañero and 14 markers and five rebounds from Forthsky Padrigao, said.

“Ang regret ko lang…iyong mga true fans namin na nandiyan, iyong mga UST fans na manalo o matalo nandiyan, kaunti na sila ngayon dahil puro kami talo. Kapag nananalo, nandiyan silang lahat.”

Mo Tounkara also had 11 and 12 for the Tigers, who cut short the Tamaraws’ two-game winning skein that dropped them to 3-7 in a tie with Adamson University and Ateneo.

Jarencio issued these words for their supporters and his naysayers.

“Ang dami kong bashers, I love you all. Mamatay na kayong lahat. Ganoon lang. Basta sa akin, basta kami, laban lang, laro lang kami. Laban kami. Itong team na ito. Laban lang ito,” Jarencio said. “Sa mga fans namin na tunay, manood kayo. Kung hindi kayo tunay, okay lang, kahit limang libo lang iyong nanonood sa amin ngayon. Okay lang kami doon.”

Can UST finally end an agonizing semifinal dry spell? Listen to Cabañero.

“In the locker room all we can say is that we’re aiming for the Final Four. With that word from the coaches, doon na kami na-motivate kaagad,” he said.

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