MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATED) For the second time in the UAAP Season 80 men's basketball tournament, University of the Philippines (UP) escaped with a thrilling victory over the hard-luck University of Santo Tomas (UST).

The Fighting Maroons weathered a late fight-back by the Growling Tigers, 71-69, to snap a three-game losing streak and return to the win column for the first time since their upset over defending champion De La Salle University last September 23.

A free throw by Jun Manzo with 9.2 seconds to go pegged the final score, but not before Marvin Lee's potential game-winning three-pointer swirled in and out of the basket.

The Tigers actually had one more chance at a game-winner after Zach Huang secured the offensive rebound, but Lee's final heave came well after the buzzer, allowing UP to escape with another cardiac win.

The Fighting Maroons improved to 4-4, while dooming the Growling Tigers to their eighth loss in a row.

UST remains the only winless team in the tournament, while also getting their hearts broken by UP anew. Paul Desiderio memorably knocked down a game-winning triple when they played in the first round for a slim 74-73 victory.

"Every time we go up against UST, it's always going to be a classic for us," said UP coach Bo Perasol. "I just made sure that they understood how dangerous UST is, despite their winless slate.

"We just wanted to get another win after the three losses that we had," he added. "This is something that can perk us up, make us believe again that we can still do this."

Starting for the first time in his UAAP career, Jan Jaboneta came through with 12 points, making all four of the three-pointers that he took. Manzo shook off an ankle injury to finish with 11 points, while Desiderio came through with 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

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The Fighting Maroons led by as much as 11 points, 13-2, in the opening frame, only for UST to come right back and take a 17-15 lead at the end of the first quarter. UP then outscored the Tigers, 25-15, in the second period to take control, 40-32, at the half.

UP was able to maintain that lead throughout a brutal fourth quarter, where the Maroons found themselves in the penalty situation with still 6:28 left to play. UP's foul trouble allowed the Tigers to inch their way back, before Lee conspired with Jorem Soriano to anchor UST's final rally.

Soriano banked in a triple with 1:40 left to make it a four-point game, 68-64, before Ibrahim Ouattara's lay-up restored a six-point advantage, 70-64, with just 1:16 to go.

But a bucket by Marvin Romero, plus a booming triple by Lee with just 11 seconds to go made it a one-point game, 70-69, and gave the Growling Tigers hope of pulling off the upset. Forced to foul Manzo in the next possession, the shifty guard from Agusan del Norte made the first but bricked the second, and UST secured possession, thanks to Steve Akomo's 20th rebound of the game.

Lee, brimming with confidence after his clutch triple earlier, pulled up in transition for another attempt, and the ball was halfway down the rim before eventually rimming out. Huang was able to get the ball, but spent too much time looking for Lee in the perimeter as time ran out on the Tigers.

"We were able to make a stop in the last possession, and we're just happy about that," said Perasol.

It was a defensive grind of a game, with UP shooting 33.77% from the field and UST making 36.07% of their field goals. But the Growling Tigers did not help themselves by committing 23 turnovers that UP translated into 24 points, while also missing a whopping 14 free throws out of 34 attempts.

Lee finished with 17 points, six boards, and four assists, while Soriano contributed 14 markers and seven boards. Jordan Sta. Ana had 13 points, while Akomo scored seven points to go with his 20 boards.

The scores:

UP 71 - Jaboneta 12, Manzo 11, Desiderio 10, Ju. Gomez de Liano 9, Ouattara 9, Lin 6, Vito 6, Ja. Gomez de Liano 4, Romero 2, Prado 2, Ricafort 0, Lao 0, Dario 0.

UST 69 - Lee 17, Soriano 14, Sta. Ana 13, Akomo 7, Basibas 5, Macasaet 5, Romero 4, Huang 2, Faundo 2, De Guzman 0, Caunan 0, Kwawukumey 0, Garcia 0.

Quarter scores: 15-17, 40-32, 61-55, 71-69.

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