The UST Growling Tigers suffered their first loss at the hands of the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 56-69, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday, Sept. 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Nic Cabañero paced UST in their loss, tallying 16 points and five boards, while Christian Manaytay and Mo Tounkara combined for 16 points in the losing effort.

The Growling Tigers unleashed a 10-4 rally in the opening minutes sparked by Cabañero and Tounkara’s back-to-back baskets.

UST’s Geremy Robinson and Miguel Pangilinan fired two consecutive threes to seal a seven-point lead in the first period, 20-13.

The Soaring Falcons outscored UST in the second salvo, 20-12, behind Anthony Fransman and Matthew Montebon’s combined 12 quarter points, leading the game by one point at halftime, 33-32.

Adamson’s defense in the paint neutralized any hopes of a momentum change for the Tigers, limiting them to only six points throughout the third canto.

The Soaring Falcons continued to impose their dominance in the third frame establishing a 17-1 run, propelled by Royce Mantua, Montebon, and Fransman to widen their advantage by 14, 52-38.

Despite besting the Falcons in the fourth, 18-17, UST’s efforts of a comeback were in vain.

Adamson held their ground until the last seconds of the period to tame the Growling Tigers, 69-56.

Montebon led the charge for the Soaring Falcons, pumping in 15 points, five rebounds, and 4 assists.

Fransman and Mantua also impressed for Adamson, turning in 11 markers each in the San Marcelina-based squad’s second win of the season.

The España-based team will try to bounce back as they try to hold their ground against the NU Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.