By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--Despite missing out on a UAAP men's basketball title, UST's appearance in the championship series was enough for the school to take the lead in the seniors' general championship race as the first semester of Season 78 comes to an end.
The Growling Tigers' runners-up finish, equivalent to 12 points in the overall title scoring, pushed them above the De La Salle Green Archers with 155 total points.
The Archers, who missed the playoffs for the first time with Jeron Teng around, are in second with 153 points, keeping in step with the Tigers for the general seniors pennant.
Both UST and La Salle had three championships each this semester with UST winning the men's taekwondo, poomsae, and women's judo titles and La Salle taking home the bacon in the women's beach volleyball and both the men's and the women's table tennis plums.
Ateneo made a statement this first semester, winning the most championships with four, and that catapulted the team to third with 140 points.
Host school UP, which maintained its dominance in women's badminton action, placed fourth with 115 points.
FEU, the eventual men's basketball champion, took the fifth spot with 90 points, while NU, which took the other seniors basketball title at stake, the women's championship, took the sixth spot with 82 points.
UE, which made a surprise by winning the women's taekwondo title, placed seventh with 79 points, while Adamson, the only team without a title after the first semester, settled for the last spot with 37 points.
Meanwhile, La Salle-Zobel and UST are also engaging in a close general championship race in the juniors division with La Salle-Zobel leading UST by just four points, 78-74.
UE, a perennial high school powerhouse, is third with 64 points, while NSNU is fourth with 52.
Ateneo is fifth with 35 point, while UPIS is closely behind with 30 points.
FEU-FERN is at seventh spot with 24 points, while Adamson is at eighth with 14.
The juniors basketball and football seasons are ongoing with the second round taking place early next month.
In the seniors' side, action in the second semester begins on Jan. 30 with the volleyball and the baseball events.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
.jpg)
