2019 UST Growling Tigers men's basketball team
Game Date • Time Opponent Result Record High points High rebounds Location
1 Jan 12 • 9:30 am T.I.P . Engineers W 66-55 1-0 Abando ( 11 ) Chabi Yo ( 8 ) Trinity University of Asia
2 Feb 3 • 8:30 am Lyceum Pirates W 74-73 2-0 Lee ( 19 ) Concepcion ( 9 ) Trinity University of Asia
3 Jan 26 • 9:00 am Trinity University Stallions L 40-59 2-1 Mahinay ( 15 ) Mahinay ( 13 ) Trinity University of Asia
4 Feb 16 • 11:30 am STI Balagtas Olympians W 74-60 3-1 Marcos ( 13 ) Cosejo ( 9 ) Lourdes School
5 Feb 23 • 8:15 am UP Fighting Maroons L 66-92 3-2 Marzan ( 14 ) Trinity University of Asia
6 Mar 2 • 8:30 am University of Caloocan City W 4-2 Trinity University of Asia
7 Mar 3 • 8:15 am NU Bulldogs L 52-59 4-3 Trinity University of Asia
The 2019 UST Growling Tigers men's basketball team represented University of Santo Tomas in the 82nd season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The men's basketball tournament for the academic year 2019-20 began on September 4, 2019 and the host school for the season was Ateneo de Manila University. The Tigers made it back to the playoffs for the first time since Season 78 after finishing the double-round eliminations at fourth place with 8 wins against 6 losses. The FEU Tamaraws had the same win-loss record but were ranked higher on a superior +6 quotient over UST. They then eliminated FEU in the first round of the stepladder semifinals and went on to defeat the second seeded UP Fighting Maroons who held a twice-to-beat advantage over them in the next round to advance to the finals against the undefeated Ateneo Blue Eagles. The Blue Eagles went on to sweep the finals series for an unprecedented 16-0 season and capped a three-peat championship run that began in Season 80. UST, who had nine new players in their roster was the only team to have lost to Ateneo by a solitary point this season. Their first round match ended with a score of 70-71. Beninese center Soulémane Chabi Yo was named Most valuable player of the season, while former Tiger Cubs' one-and-done and mythical team member Mark Nonoy won the Rookie of the Year award. This was the first time in a decade for players from UST to win the MVP and the Rookie of the Year awards. Dylan Ababou was the MVP, while Jeric Teng was the Rookie of the Year in 2009. Abando, a swingman who is a transferee from Pangasinan's Philippine College of Science and Technology was chosen Player of the Week by the UAAP Press Corps for the duration of September 4-8, while Team captain CJ Cansino, who had a season-ending ACL injury the previous year got the citation during the week of October 16-20, 2019.