Payback time for Tigers vs Blue Eagles

MANILA, Philippines - University of Santo Tomas hopes to complete its payback against Ateneo as it goes for a sweep of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League crown at The Arena in San Juan City today.

The Tigers leaned on clutch efforts by Kevin Ferrer and Jeric Teng in seizing Game One of their best-of-three series, 82-76, last Tuesday with the Espa˜Na-based squad going all-out for a sweep and evening things up with the Eagles, who swept them in the UAAP finals last month.

Interestingly, the Tigers won the series opener without coach Pido Jarencio, who was down with German measles.

Jarencio may still miss today’s match but the Tigers remain focused on finishing off the Eagles in their 4 p.m. encounter.

“We have to play Game Two the same way we did in the series opener,” said UST assistant mentor Estong Ballesteros in Filipino.

Ferrer and Teng were flawless the last time out with the former hitting all his nine perimeter shots to lead the way with 18 points and the latter canning all his eight charities for a 12-point output.

Cameroonian Karim Abdul, Aljon Mariano and Carmelo Afuang and Jeric Fortuna also did well in Game One by firing 12, 11, 10 and nine points, respectively.

UST is eyeing its first championship in this annual meet while Ateneo hopes to win its second straight championship in six finals appearances.

A decider, if necessary, is set at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the same venue.

For Ateneo, it will need a stronger performance from their main guys like seven-footer Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena, who were held to just 12 and 11 points, respectively, in their Game One defeat.

Ryan Buenafe, for his part, came out with his best effort of the tournament in the PCCL by erupting for 15 points.

Ateneo actually led, 73-70, going into the last two minutes of the game but UST rattled off eight unanswered points on two free throws by Fortuna from a technical foul by Slaughter, a jumper by Afuang, a putback by Abdul and a layup by Ferrer as the Tigers wrested a five-point lead.

Buenafe buried a triple to cut their deficit to two points but UST finished Ateneo off by making four foul shots including a pair by Teng.

“The players’ toughness especially in the final minutes helped us win Game One,” said Ballesteros.