University of Santo Tomas flexed its depth and balanced lineup to overcome Colegio de San Juan de Letran in a hard-fought four-set victory, 25-23, 25-12, 20-25, 25-18, in the 2024 V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge on Wednesday at Paco Arena, Manila.
Rookie sensation Al-Bukharie Sali and middle blocker Trevor Valera led the charge for the Golden Spikers with 14 points each, while three other UST players scored in double digits, helping the team secure their third consecutive win and tie the National University Bulldogs at third in the standings.
Far Eastern University and De La Salle University currently share the top spot with 4-1 records.
The 6-foot-5 Sali showcased his attacking prowess by converting 13 of his 25 spikes, while Valera anchored the defense with a game-high six blocks.
Popoy Colinares added 13 points, and Gboy De Vega and JJ Macam chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the España-based squad.
Despite the victory, UST head coach Odjie Mamon expressed his dissatisfaction with the team's inconsistency, particularly in the third set where they committed 13 of their 33 total errors, allowing the Knights to extend the match.
“These are not the things I want to see. We have two days to review and refocus on what we’ve been working on,” said Mamon, who was back on the sidelines after missing the previous match due to commitments with Alas Pilipinas.
UST is set to face Emilio Aguinaldo College on Sunday at 12 noon.
For Letran, Vince Himzon, the 2023 Spikers’ Turf Invitationals MVP, was the standout performer with 16 points, including 15 attacks.
Steven Sta. Maria and Bem Bautista contributed seven points each, but the Knights fell to 2-3, placing them sixth in the standings. Letran will look to bounce back on Sunday against FEU at 2 p.m.
