FEU grabs F4 berth
Games today (Mall of Asia Arena) 2 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU 4 p.m. – UP vs UST
It was far from the performance that Far Eastern University (FEU) coach Nash Racela hoped for. But in the end, it was the result that mattered most.
The Tamaraws became the first team to clinch a final four spot in the UAAP basketball tournament as it survived yet another close shave, this time eking out a 71-67 victory over the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
It was the Tamaraws’ eighth straight victory, the ninth in 10 games as they moved a game ahead of idle University of Santo Tomas (UST) which sits at second place with an 8-2 record.
The win, however, came at a cost as they lost Mike Tolomia in the final minute of the third quarter after the star guard sprained his left ankle after a bad landing.
With Tolomia out, other veterans like Mac Belo and Roger Pogoy had to dig deep in order to fend off a determined UE squad which is already fighting for dear life as its final four hopes start to flicker.
Trailing 55-53 heading into the payoff period, Belo and Pogoy combined for 10 points, making big shots amid a blistering UE rally while also making key defensive stops in the end game.
Pogoy’s three with 1:32 to go gave FEU a comfortable 69-65 cushion while Belo took care of the defensive duties, coming up with two big blocks in that stretch. UE’s Nick Abanto tried to make the game more interesting, as his basket trimmed the FEU lead to two, 69-67 with 46.7 seconds left in the game.
An empty Tamaraw possession left the window open for the Warriors to go for the win or force overtime, but Edgar Charcos’ three and Paul Varilla’s long jumper both went long as Achie Inigo corralled the board and sealed the match with two freebies.
Belo finished with 16 points and six rebounds while Pogoy had 12 points, eit boards and three assists. Inigo played big, particularly in the first half, as he finished with 11 points.
In a thrilling encounter, Joseph Nalos came back from a one-game suspension and led Adamson to its biggest victory in two years as it shocked La Salle, 75-74, in the first game.
Down by as many as 16 points in the third period, Nalos decided to take matters into his own hands in the payoff period by scattering 12 of his 20 markers, including a floater that leveled the score at 68 with 3:45 remaining.
Nalos, the Cebu-bred guard, was coming off a one-game suspension for his rough play against Vince Tolentino of Ateneo last week.
Thomas Torres responded with a three pointer moments later but Nico Capote instantly tied the score at 71 with a three of his own with 2:41 left in the game.
After that, it was the Falcons’ powerhouse Cameroonian recruit in Papi Sarr’s turn to take over the game as he scored the next four points, including the go-ahead foul shots with 18 seconds left in the game after Prince Rivero tied the count at 73.
Sarr 23, Nalos 20, Garcia J 13, Capote 6, Fernandez 5, Bernardo 2, Garcia C 2, Polican 2, Villanueva 2, Camacho 0, Escalambre 0, Miranda 0, Ochea 0, Tungcab 0.
Rivero 23, Teng 22, Langston 8, Torres 7, Torralba 4, Caracut 3, Muyang 3, Perkins 3, Tratter 1, Go 0, Sargent 0.
Quarters: 16-19; 34-37; 48-59; 75-74.
Belo 16, Pogoy 12, Inigo 11, Orizu 8, Jose 8, Ru. Escoto 6, Ri. Escoto 4, Tolomia 4, Arong 2, Comboy 0, Dennison 0, Tamsi 0, Trinidad 0
Batiller 13, Charcos 10, P. Varilla 10, Abanto 8, Derige 8, J. Varilla 7, Javier 5, Manalang 3, Palma 2, De Leon 1, Gonzales 0, Sta.Ana 0
Quarters: 18-19; 34-34; 53-55; 71-67