INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines ? Far Eastern University proved it can be lethal in the coming UAAP season.

The Tamaraws survived a furious chase by the University of the East Warriors, 84-78, to capture the 2009 Filoil Flying V Pre-Season MVP Cup before a sizeable crowd Monday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Smart Gilas Pilipinas National Team mainstays JR Cawaling and Mark Barroca shone with 20 and 18 points, respectively. but it was rookie Ryan Roose Garcia who delivered the killer blows to the Warriors, last year?s champions.

Garcia, named MVP of the tournament, canned two decisive charities with seven seconds left and a short jumper that halted the Warriors? comeback from 16 points down and silenced the pro-UE throng.

The Warriors, shorthanded with six of their players down with the flu, came storming back from 62-78 in the last three minutes through the gallant efforts of rookie Val Acuna and veterans Paul Lee and James Martinez.

Acuna buried two triples while Lee and Martinez combined for 13 points as the Warriors exploited a spate of errors committed by the Tamaraws and closed the gap, 78-80, with 16.3 seconds to play.

It was then that Garcia, a prized-find from Zamboanga City just like Barroca, took matters into his hands by scoring a pair of free throws and draining a jumper that won the title for the Tamaraws.

?We relaxed in the fourth when we had a big lead,?? said FEU coach Glenn Capacio. ``But we showed the character that the team needed to win big games such as this.??

Earlier, the San Sebastian Stags outlasted the San Beda Red Lions, 87-78 to clinch third place.

The Tamaraws built an imposing 47-25 at halftime, stayed comfortably on top at the end of the third quarter, 64-50, and appeared to be on their way to an easy win.

The Warriors played half of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter without head coach Lawrence Chongson, who was ejected at the 6:25 mark after repeatedly arguing with a referee?s call and entering the midcourt to stress his point.

But this appeared to have fired up the Warriors, who slowly inched closer beginning in the fourth quarter on back-to-back treys from Acuna and Martinez, 61-71, with still 4:21 to go.

Named to the Mythical Five during the awarding ceremony led by San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito were Garcia, Sudan Daniels of San Beda, Elmer Espiritu and Lee of UE and Reil Cervantes of FEU.

The Perpetual Help cheerdance squad also bagged the top honors in the cheerdancing competition, with University of the Philippines settling for runner-up and Jose Rizal University taking third place.

The scores:
First Game (for 3rd place)
SSC-R (87) ? Abueva 27 Najorda 15, Aquino 14, Pascual 14, Bulawan 12, Raymundo 5, Del Rio 2.

San Beda (78) ? Marcelo 20, Daniels 13, Gamalinda 11, Taganas 9, Pascual 8, Caram 6, Tecson 5, Soliman 4, Villanueva 2,

Quarterscores: 19-25, 48-37, 68-60, 87-78

Second Game (Championship)

FEU (84) ? Cawaling 20, Barroca 18, Garcia 17, Cervantes 13, Nounduo 10, Caluag 2, Tanuan 0, Exciminicido 0, Manalo 0.

UE (78) ? Lee 16, Acuna 15, Martinez 9, Espiritu 8, Reyes 7, Flores 6, Zamar 6, Acibar 4, Tagarda 3, Sumido 2, Duran 0.

Quarterscores: 27-16, 47-25, 64-50, 84-78