FAR Eastern University (FEU) relied on nerves of steel as two of its teams nosed out determined opponents in the Nike Summer League basketball tournament Saturday at the FEU Gym.

John Alisbo buried a three-pointer with 35 seconds left in the game and the Tamaraws doused a late comeback by University of the East to escape with a 72-69 victory.

The Tamaraws’ victory was their seventh straight, completing a preliminary round sweep of Group C and giving them passage to the quarterfinals.

In the women’s division, Josielyn Sernal hit a jumper with 1.8 seconds left in the game to give the FEU Lady Tams a 51-50 squeaker win over the RP Youth team.

Chovi Borja scored 19 points to go with nine rebounds and four steals to lead FEU, but it was Sernal’s clutch shot that sealed the Lady Tams’ eighth-consecutive win and pushed them safely into the quarterfinals.

In juniors play, Ateneo closed the group stages with a perfect record after winning via default over Notre Dame. Jesus Is Lord Foundation (4-1) and San Beda (3-1) are left to dispute the second semis seat in Group C.

Today (Monday), two undefeated women’s teams collide in a marquee game with solo leadership at stake in Group B.

Adamson, which has a 6-0 record, and University of Santo Tomas, owner of a 5-0 card, meet at 11:30 a.m.

The top four teams in the two women’s groups advance to the quarterfinals, with five from Group B having a realistic shot at advancing. Besides Adamson and UST, Lyceum (5-1), La Salle (3-1) and University of the Philippines (5-2) are in contention for quarters bids.

Lyceum and La Salle play at the 8:30 a.m. curtain-raiser today also at the FEU Gym.

Seventh (Game) Heaven

Pro football unquestionably has become America’s sporting obsession. There’s no offseason anymore. There’s no month when the National Football League (NFL) isn’t front and center in the culture’s consciousness.

F.E.U. men, women march in Nike tourney

FAR Eastern University (FEU) relied on nerves of steel as two of its teams nosed out determined opponents in the Nike Summer League basketball tournament Saturday at the FEU Gym.

GABE NORWOOD, the do-it-all Filipino-American of Hapee Toothpaste, turned out as the major stumbling block in Jason Castro’s dream of cornering his third Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

TOP officials of Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) urged BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) president Manny V. Pangilinan to honor the Bangkok Agreement to have a “true, unified basketball federation” in the country.

THE Philippines did not lose a match in the 2008 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifiers in Iloilo, but still failed to qualify for the tournament proper set from July 30 to August 10 in Hyderabad, India.

Willy Wang did the country proud again after flashing his old deadly form to win a gold medal in the seventh Asian Wushu Championship Thursday at the TaShi Gymnasium in Macau.

University of St. La Salle (USLS)-Bacolod spoiled University of San Jose-Recoletos’ (USJ-R) bid for a crack at the last semifinal berth as it fashioned out a 25-23, 23-25, 25-11, 25-13 victory Sunday to pave the way for Lyceum’s stint in the next round at the close of the quarterfinal phase in the Shakey’s V-League Season 5 at The Arena in San Juan.

WHEN those 1970’s Boston Celtics ran onto the court of their opponent’s arena, Paul Silas would routinely ask the sportswriters how many people they thought were in attendance.