The UST Tiger Cubs opened their UAAP Season 86 High School Boys’ Basketball campaign with an 81-95 loss against the Adamson Baby Falcons on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at the Amoranto Sports Complex.

Unable to upend the Baby Falcons’ lead for most of the way, the Tiger Cubs struggled to stir a scoring run in the second half, falling to an opening loss.

Charles Bucsit lifted the Tiger Cubs with 18 points on four three-pointers, leading the team on their fourth-quarter run that shrunk the lead to five with less than five minutes left before Adamson ended the game with an 11-2 run, securing the win.

Doy Dungo also shone for UST with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Koji Buenaflor and six-foot-10 center Brix Verzosa added 12 points each.

The Baby Falcons zoomed to a rousing start in the first quarter, outsourcing the Tiger Cubs, 31-17, as Adamson’s three-point shots generated off drives, allowing them to pull away early.

Adamson’s lead blew to as large as 18 points, but the Tiger Cubs constantly pulled closer but were unable to overcome the Baby Falcons’ double-digit edge throughout the game.

Gabe De Jesus led Adamson with 20 points and six rebounds, predicated on five three-pointers that helped derail the Tiger Cubs’ runs in the matchup.

Meanwhile, Earl Medina backed him up with 17 markers, five rebounds, six assists, and six steals as his all-around display proved vital in Adamson’s win.

The Tiger Cubs paraded a retooled squad with new recruits Nathan Velasquez and Joaquin Ludovice, who both played for the national team in recent international tournaments, together with Dungo, Lanze Ronquillio, and Sam Reyes.

The game was also the coaching debut of Manu Iñigo after being unceremoniously removed from the San Beda-Taytay program in the NCAA last season.