The UST Junior Tiger Cubs yielded to the UE Junior Warriors, 70-76, in game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School basketball finals on Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Mythical Five awardee Jhon Canapi led UST with a double-double performance, tallying 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Miguel Jubilado also racked up 21 points with eight rebounds, followed by Dustin Bathan, who finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in the losing effort.

Another mythical five cast Tiger Cub Nickson Cabañero was ejected three minutes into the ball game after a scuffle against a Junior Warrior during a loose ball, with the Recto-based squad up, 6-8.

Both teams continued to duke it out as Canapi drained two free throw shots to end the first quarter and keep UE’s lead within reach, 19-21.

Junior Warrior Goodluck Okebata opened the second frame with a lay-up plus one, extending UE’s lead to five, 19-24.

Jubilado responded with an easy drive to the basket, but consecutive buckets from Neil Garcia and Enrico Bungar allowed UE to stretch their lead to seven, 21-28.

The Tiger Cubs continued to keep up but were kept at bay by the Red Warriors, who kept a five-point lead by halftime, 35-40.

Bathan led UST’s fight back, scoring nine of his 20 points in the third quarter alone, to help the Tigers take a three-point lead at the end of the third quarter, 56-53.

UE stayed within striking distance as Mav Mesina nailed a three-pointer, followed by a mid-range shot to tally a deadlock in the fourth canto, 58-58.

Mesina and Bathan continued to duel for the win, but the former ultimately came out on top, as he caught fire late in the fourth quarter to close the game at 70-76.

Gab Delos Reyes was hailed player of the game with 11 points and 21 rebounds, leading the Junior Warriors to extend the series.

The date and the venue for the do-or-die game are yet to be announced by the UAAP.