FAR Eastern University (FEU) and University of Santo Tomas (UST) remained tied for the top spot after beating their respective foes on Sunday in Season 78 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tamaraws downed Ateneo de Manila, 66-61, in the first game while the Growling Tigers crawled back from an 11-point deficit and stunned De La Salle, 81-79, to keep the top spot with identical 7-1 win-loss slates.
Karim Abdul and Kevin Ferrer led UST’s surge in the fourth period with double-double performances, as the Growling Tigers repeated their 77-61 win against the Green Archers in the first round.
Abdul had his best game in the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Ferrer, who missed his first eight attempts, came alive in the payoff period and finished with 15 markers and 11 boards to lead the España-based team.
Trailing 59-66 entering the fourth canto, Ed Daquiaog, Ferrer and Abdul unleashed a 14-2 run to take a 73-68 lead before La Salle responded with its own 5-0 swing to tie the game for the last time at 73-all with 4:31 remaining.
But UST capitalized on the Green Archers’ turnovers and scored the next six points, with Ferrer capping the run with two free throws, 79-73, to seal the game for the Growling Tigers.
Jeron Teng, who hit a long heave to end the game, had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists for La Salle, which dropped to 4-4.
The Tamaraws banked on their solid defense all game long as the Blue Eagles could not get the offensive rhythm they wanted and absorbed another heartbreak loss to FEU to slide to 4-4.
But still, FEU Head Coach Nash Racela was not satisfied with their performance against Ateneo, which they blew, 88-64, in the first round.
“There’s still a lot to improve, especially on the defensive end. We did not achieve our goal in this game,” said Racela, who drew double figures from three players.
“Coach Bo [Perasol] did a good job of making the adjustments. It’s a good thing na ‘yung ibang taong ipinasok ko nag-deliver,” he added.
Mac Belo finished with 12 points and was responsible in containing the reigning Most Valuable Player Kiefer Ravena, who still got 15 markers but shot five-of-15 from the floor.
“Matalinong player si Kiefer, mahirap depensahan. Ang goal ko na lang is to limit his touches,” Belo said.
Russel Escoto and RR Pogoy each had 10 markers for the Tamaraws, who were comfortably ahead at 54-47 when Ateneo sliced the lead to 56-57 behind Ravena’s seven of the Blue Eagles’ 9-3 assault with 3:42 remaining.
Belo then scored a jumper over Ravena and Escoto sank three free throws to give FEU a 62-56 lead, but again Ateneo threatened at 61-64 with 36.5 ticks left.
Escoto and Pogoy had a split and the Blue Eagles failed to convert in the remaining time.
Adrian Wong tallied a personal-best of 14 points for Ateneo, while Von Pessumal, Perasol’s designated hitman, was held down to just eight points in two-of-10 shooting from the field.
In women’s play, National University demolished University of the East, 80-40, while La Salle downed UST, 70-63. University of the Philippines edged Adamson, 46-39, while Ateneo reasserted its mastery of FEU, 60-51.