Despite a roller-coaster ride so far in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, University of Santo Tomas is managing to hang on to a spot in the top four—albeit very precariously.

With the Growling Tigers clinging to fourth place after arresting a three-game slide only last week, they know that every game counts from here on.

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“All we can say is that we’re aiming for the Final Four. That’s it,” Nic Cabañero said as he tries to again lead the Tigers at 6:30 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena against the resurgent National University Bulldogs. “Those (three straight) losses became our motivation.”

Both sides will actually be coming into the contest fresh from coming out of the rut, with the Bulldogs slaying top contender University of the Philippines (UP) by 20 points over the weekend, an upset that put the Fighting Maroons’ hopes of finishing No. 1 in peril.

But unlike the Tigers, the Bulldogs have little hope of crashing the semifinals—but can very well take joy in the fact that they are spoiling the chances of many, like what they did to the Maroons.

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“We can’t do anything about it (semifinal chances) anymore, we’re undermanned, but as long as we still compete, that’s what’s important,” coach Jeff Napa said with a mix of Filipino after the win over UP.

“I told them to finish this season strong, that’s our mindset for now.”

As things stand, Santo Tomas has a 5-6 card, just a game ahead of joint fifth-placers Adamson and Far Eastern.

Blown opportunities

Ateneo and National, meanwhile, are at 3-8.

The Tigers have been showing promise all season long, narrowly losing games they had every chance of winning like when they led the Maroons all game in the second round only to lose steam in the final moments.

The España-based crew also managed to erase a 20-point deficit against the rock-solid defending champion La Salle Green Archers, only to lose in overtime after big men Mo Tounkara and Christian Manaytay left the game because of fouls.

The Green Archers, who haven’t lost since a stunning 74-58 setback dealt by third-running University of the East in the first round, are assured of the first twice-to-beat bonus in the Final Four.

La Salle guns for an eighth straight win and basically gets the chance to act as executioner of Far Eastern when they battle in the 3:30 p.m. contest.

After National U, Santo Tomas still has the Red Warriors and Adamson left—basically must-win games for a clear path to the Final Four.

“We are thinking of every game as our championship game,” Cabañero went on. “We don’t have the luxury of relaxing.” INQ