The UST Tiger Cubs cruised past the UPIS Junior Fighting Maroons, 93-64, to stay at the third seed in the UAAP Season 86 boys’ basketball tournament on Jan. 17 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

The Tiger Cubs used a lopsided 27-9 third-quarter run to break a tie at 37 in halftime and pull away for good.

Sam Reyes led the way for the Tiger Cubs with 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field, along with six rebounds.

Andrei Dungo and Koji Buenaflor also added 17 markers each as the Tiger Cubs improved their record to 7-4.

The Junior Maroons led by as much as 11 points in the second quarter, but the Tiger Cubs caught up with a 16-5 run to knot the score at 37 by halftime.

UST came out on a 16-1 burst in the third quarter and never looked back, outdueling the Maroons in every department of the game.

The Tiger Cubs outrebounded UPIS, 47-35, while having more assists, 25-12.

Rocco Melicor scored 23 points for UPIS, while the league’s top-scorer Daryl Valdeavilla only put up 13 markers on a lackluster 4-for-23 shooting.

UPIS remained at the bottom of the standings at 1-10.

UST will face the UE Junior Red Warriors next on Jan. 21 at the same venue.