This two-part article will take a look into the first-round performance of the UST Growling Tigers; from the positives, silver linings, and things to look forward to. But also the negatives, problems, and issues that the team needs to fix if they want to improve their performance moving into the second round of play.

We will first take an in-depth look into Nic Cabañero and Adama Faye and how the duo can help elevate the Growling Tigers to new heights. Next, we will highlight the contributions of veterans Miguel Pangilinan, Paul Manalang, and Jamba Garing. Lastly, we will talk about the potential of the youngsters Ivan Lazarte and Richi Calimag.

*TS% or True Shooting Percentage gives more weight to three-point shots than two-point shots and is a better way of measuring overall scoring efficiency

The King Tiger Cabañero

(Photo by Kenneth Cedric Landazabal/TomasinoWeb)

Basic Stats:

17.71 PPG (2nd in the UAAP)

3.14 APG *team-high

7.14 RPG (2.29 ORPG)

0.71 SPG

Shooting Splits:

38.98 FG% (46/118)

28.95 3FG% (11/38) *Team High

52.5 FT% (21/40)

45.7 TS%

Cabañero established himself as a UAAP superstar in just his second season in the league, and a large part of that is due to his ability to create and make shots off the dribble.

How well Cabañero executes his arsenal of advanced moves and steps is a testament to the younger generation of players’ skillfulness. From euro-steps to simple crossovers and then passing by defenders with the spin cycle, Cabañero going downhill is really hard to stop.

He has also demonstrated a mature floater game for his age and this is one of his counters when driving in the lane.

A thing to note in the clip is how Cabañero embraces the contact for smooth finishes. With a great touch in this type of shot, coupled with his height (six-foot-three) which is taller than most guards in the UAAP, he’ll be feasting on defenders and drop coverages in the pick-and-roll.

But really, at times Cabañero is just too strong, too big, and just plainly wants to put the ball in the basket more.

This is a quality that separates him from the rest, the split-second decisions and reactions when the defense crowds him and the sheer ability to make things happen in traffic.

Playing as a wing in his rookie season in the UAAP, he has developed into an off-ball threat utilizing fakes and feints to manipulate defenders for easy baskets.

It’s amazing how we watch Cabañero do this type of play regularly, almost without effort. This is a skill that will make him a versatile offensive player moving forward.

He has also shown flashes of a mid-range game and if he develops a consistent jumper, he’ll be really hard to stop.

As seen in the clip, Cabañero’s driving ability creates space where he can pick out spots to shoot over defenders. It also helps that he towers over his defenders more often which makes mid-range jumpers easier to make.

The three-point shot has been a great sign of improvement for Cabañero. Compared to last season when he only shot 12 three-point shots on 49 attempts, he now made 11 on 38 attempts in just the first round.

A good thing with his three-point shots so far is how he can shoot off the dribble and off the catch. Even his off-the-catch shots are movement shots, and these types of shots are not easy to make.

Just being a great scorer is not enough to run a team’s entire offense, you also need to have the ability to make the right reads and passes. While the UST offense has not been that forgiving for Cabañero (more on that in the second part of this article), he has made great strides in terms of his playmaking abilities.

During the early parts of the season, Cabañero mostly made simple kick-outs to shooters and passed the ball to easy targets in the paint. But he has slowly learned to hit precise and timely passes to the roll man who is often Adama Faye. While he has a tendency to rush his drives and decisions, he has slowly learned to adjust and probe patiently. This, paired with his scoring gravity, has resulted in great kick outs for open three-point shots.

The Big Bad Faye

(Photo by Kenneth Cedric Landazabal/TomasinoWeb)

Basic Stats:

11.67 PPG

1.17 APG

9.67 RPG *team high

0.67 SPG

1.67 BPG *team high

Shooting Splits:

46.97 FG% (31/66)

0 3FG% (0/3)

25% FT% (8/32)

43.7 TS%

Having a 6'8 center makes life easier for the four other guys on the court. Thankfully, UST has Adama Faye.

Faye’s size makes him both a lifeline for UST’s defense and a source of easy baskets in the paint. But he can also grab offensive boards for second-chance points.

The Cabañero-Faye partnership is a beauty to watch, especially in the pick-and-roll and transition.

This is where Faye is at his best, with Cabañero’s gravity, he can find open spots in the lane where Cabañero can dime it to him for an easy basket. This is one of the plays where UST should execute frequently.

Faye is one of the quicker bigs in the UAAP, and this results in easy baskets in transition. That last play is also something to keep an eye on.

But Faye is not limited as a player who just stays in the dunker spot or the painted area. He can create his own shots on post-ups, a rare ability for foreign student-athletes in the UAAP.

While the movements are awkward and the sample size is too small, Faye has good touch in the paint and the raw strength to bully his way towards the basket. This is an area of his game that UST can rely on to lessen the scoring pressure on Cabañero.

But it doesn’t end there. Surprisingly, Faye had more plays where he created his own shots off the dribble.

Again, the movements are awkward and the footwork is a bit wonky at times, but it has led to baskets for him.

Faye has the vision and the IQ to dish out cutters as seen in the clip. The sample size is still small, but you can’t count out Faye’s passing ability.

The Veterans

Miguel Pangilinan

(Photo by Kenneth Cedric Landazabal/TomasinoWeb)

Basic Stats:

6.43 PPG

1.86 APG

5.00 RPG

1.00 SPG

Shooting Splits:

26.92 FG% (14/52)

22.22 3FG% (6/27)

64.71% FT% (11/17)

37.8 TS%

Miguel Pangilinan is a great role player for the Growling Tigers and he has made the most out of his opportunities. Pangilinan has the quickness to create separation and hit tough shots.

An interesting stat to note is Pangilinan’s three-point shots. All of his makes from beyond the arc are catch-and-shoots. While the shooting splits are not that convincing, he is only one of the few players for UST that make these types of shots (with the others being Manalang and Calimag). The Growling Tigers will have to rely on these plays by Pangilinan if they want to improve their offense.

Paul Manalang

(Photo by Gian Kyle Pua/TomasinoWeb)

Basic Stats:

4.83 PPG

1.17 APG

1.67 RPG

0.33 SPG

Shooting Splits:

27.59 FG% (8/29)

27.27 3FG% (6/22)

70% FT% (7/10)

43.4 TS%

Paul Manalang is one of UST’s reliable guards this season. He has the ability to get in rhythm that allows him to be a pull-up jumper threat, something that the Growling Tigers need during stretches where Cabañero or Faye will take a rest.

Jamba Garing

(Photo from the UAAP Media Team)

Basic Stats:

3.57 PPG

1.43 APG

5.86 RPG

1.00 SPG

Shooting Splits:

31.03 FG% (9/29)

7.14 3FG% (1/14)

75% FT% (6/8)

38.4 TS%

Jamba Garing’s impact on the basketball court can’t be fully captured by the box score. The hustle and effort coupled with his quickness generates extra possessions and easy transition baskets which is crucial for the Growling Tigers.

The Building Blocks

Ivan Lazarte

(Photo by Gian Kyle Pua/TomasinoWeb)

Basic Stats:

6.14 PPG

0.29 APG

3.57 RPG

0.86 SPG

Shooting Splits:

30.00 FG% (12/40)

23.08 3FG% (3/13)

64% FT% (16/25)

42.2 TS%

Ivan Lazarte had a slow start in his rookie campaign but has since adapted to the UAAP atmosphere and has emerged as one of the reliable scorers for the Growling Tigers. Lazarte has crazy athleticism which makes him a tough assignment for guards to defend. He has the quickness to drive to the basket and pick out his spots and a high jump which makes his shots hard to block. The next thing for him is to develop a consistent jumper and a stronger body frame to be able to take in contact, if he does, then he’ll be one of UAAP’s best scorers.

Richi Calimag

(Photo by Kenneth Cedric Landazabal/TomasinoWeb)

Basic Stats:

2.86 PPG

0.29 APG

2.43 RPG

0.14 BPG

Shooting Splits:

33.33 FG% (7/21)

33.33 3FG% (5/15) *team high

50% FT% (1/2)

45.7 TS%

The upside on the young Richi Calimag is one that UST should look to develop. A 6’5 wing who has one of the smoothest shooting strokes, it’s no surprise at all that he is the Growling Tigers’ best shooter right now. Most of his points so far have been off the catch which the team really lacks as of the moment, so he’ll be a key piece moving forward. It’s worth noting though that he has slowly adjusted to the UAAP as he showcased some shot creation for himself, expect Calimag to increase his scoring output in the second round or next season.