Games Sunday (Aaraneta Coliseum)
12 noon — FEU vs UE
5 p.m. — Ateneo vs La Salle

The troika of Dylan Ababou, rookie Jeric Teng and Khazim Mirza exploded in the third quarter to lead University of Santo Tomas to a 95-85 comeback victory over University of the Philippines Saturday in the 72nd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

With the Growling Tigers trailing by 14 points early in the third quarter, Ababou, Teng and Mirza led a telling 30-8 blitz that put to rest losses to La Salle and Far Eastern University.

Ababou recovered from a terrible shooting display the last time out by scoring 23 points, Teng posted a new career-high of 22 points along with eight rebounds while Mirza, who sealed the win with his third trey with 38.3 seconds left for a 91-85 lead, also had 22 points as UST finished the first round with a record of 4-3.

Veteran Woody Co hit 23 points while rookie Mikee Reyes, who averaged just 2.2 points through the first six games, registered a career-high 21 points for UP which fell to 1-6.

Earlier, National University extended the disappointment of Adamson with a 76-70 win.

The Bulldogs blew a 14-point second quarter lead and trailed by six points with less than five minutes to play but a stunning 12-0 windup enabled them to snap a five-game losing skid and finished the first round with a 2-5 record.

"Even though we lost a lot of games by huge margins, we kept our positive approach in ending the first round with a win," said NU head coach Manny Dandan. "Madami pa kaming adjustments na dapat gawin sa second round."

Mervin Baloran scored all of his 13 points in the first quarter with center Jewel Ponferrada tallied 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Ronald Roy chipped in 12 points, three rebounds and three assists.

But it was rookie Denmark Cabaluna who broke a 70-all tie on a three-pointer with roughly three minutes left to play while aPonferrada basket off an assist by guard Joseph Terso with 2:20 to go put the Sampaloc-based squad up by five, 75-70, and never looked back.

The scores:

First Game
NU 76 — Baloran 13, Ponferrada 12, Roy 12, Hermosisima 9, Terso 7, Cabaluna 6, Singh 6, Fabula 4, Manito 4, Luy 3, Batac 0, Magat 0, Malanday 0, Tungcul 0.
Adamson 70 — Canuday 16, Margallo 13, Cañada 12, Colina 6, Nuyles 5, Santos 5, Alvarez
4, Cabrera 4, Basilio 3, Camson 2, Galinato 0, Lozada 0.

Quarters: 24-19, 46-42, 62-59, 76-70.

Second UST 95 — Ababou 23, Teng 22, Mirza 22, Camus
8, Bautista 7, Fortuna 4, Aytona 3, Afuang 3, Maliksi 2, Green 1.
UP 85 — Co 23, Reyes Mi. 21, Reyes Ma. 17, Sison 8, Padilla 8, Lopez 3, Braganza 3, Gomez 2, Maniego 0, Juruena 0, De Asis 0.
Quarters: 21-31, 44-51, 76-68, 95-85.