In a few hours, the most-awaited UAAP game of the season will begin, and the two championship contenders will have one last chance to prove that they deserve the championship title.
But before the deciding game tips-off, let’s take a look at the UST Growling Tigers’ advantages and disadvantages, and how they can square off against the Tamaraws.
Disadvantages: Rebounding, second-chance opportunities
-In the past two games, the Tigers have been out-rebounded by the Tamaraws by at least half. In game one, FEU made 22 offensive rebounds, while UST got only 11; in game two, UST got seven, while FEU had 15 rebounds.
This is a big disadvantage for the Tigers: If FEU gets most of the rebounds, it means more scoring-opportunities for them.
-Getting second-chance points is also one of UST’s disadvantages. In game 2, the tigers only got two second-chance points to fall compared to  FEU’s seven points.
In a make-or-break game like tomorrow, second-chance opportunities are important; it gives the offensive team more possession of the ball and of course, a chance to turn missed shots into points. If UST can’t get those second-chance opportunities to convert, it’s going to be a problem for them.
Advantage: Strong Defense, Heavy Shooters
-The Tigers’ ability to force turnovers from FEU is one of their game advantages. In the past two games, The Tigers had lower turnovers than FEU, especially in game 2 (7 TOs for UST; 16 TOs for FEU). If UST can keep forcing FEU to turnover the ball, they can gain the upper hand when it comes to possible fast breaks and scoring opportunities.
-UST also has some massive scorers on the team. Kevin Ferrer’s 3-point shooting in game 2 was a real pain for the Tamaraws. And despite losing game 1, UST’s Kareem Abdul still scored a good 19 points compared to FEU top-scorer RR Pogoy’s 15 points.
If UST’s Heavy shooters make every possession count in tomorrow’s game, they’ll be giving the Tamaraws a really, really hard time.
What other observations do you think will make or break the Tigers’ game? you can see our look on the Tamaraws here.
