INQUIRER Sports

GAME THURSDAY (Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City)
3:30 p.m.?FEU vs Ateneo

REDEMPTION IS within reach for the Far Eastern University Tamaraws.

RR Garcia found his range when it mattered most, lifting the Tamaraws to a 75-70 thumping of back-to-back UAAP champion Ateneo wednesday in Game 1 of their best-of-three series for the Philippine Collegiate Champions League title at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Shackled in the first three periods, the rookie guard from Zamboanga came alive in the fourth, where he poured in 12 of his game-high 22 points to help FEU move on the verge of their fourth title in the tournament that gathers the country?s best collegiate teams.

?I saw great character in the team,? said FEU coach Glenn Capacio. ?It?s the kind of character that I have been looking for the past three years. I just hope we won?t lose any of that intensity we showed today.?

The Tamaraws shoot for a two-game sweep of the Eagles, who missed UAAP Finals MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini, in Game 2 today.

Earlier, the San Beda Red Lions copped third place in the tournament sponsored by PLDT and Smart following a 91-85 decision of NCAA champion San Sebastian Stags.

Garcia, who was coming off a 28-point performance in the semifinal victory over San Sebastian, joined forces with Paul Sanga as the Tamaraws erased a 51-60 deficit late in the third period.

The duo combined for the Tamaraws? first 13 points in the fourth quarter with Garcia?s triple, time down to 3:12, giving FEU the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game, 67-64.

Garcia buried another trey for a 72-67 FEU advantage with two minutes left that proved enough to hold off the Eagles, who played without a solid inside threat with national developmental team member Al-Hussaini again failing to show up.

Ateneo led by as many as 14, 26-12, in the first three minutes of the second quarter before a torrent of FEU triples trimmed it to 37-39 at halftime.

The scores:

First Game:

SAN BEDA 91?Tecson 19, Pascual 19, Gamalinda 18, Lanete 11, Sorela 10, Dela Rosa 8, Villanueva 6, Lim 0, Soliman 0, Caram 0.

SAN SEBASTIAN 85?Aquino 20, Sangalang 12, Najorda 10, Raymundo 10, Pascual 10, Abueva 8, Maconocido 7, Bulawan 4, Del Rio 3, Semira 1, Gatchalian 0.

Quarters: 24-24, 44-41, 66-63, 91-85

Second Game:

FEU 75?Garcia 22, Sanga 15, Cervantes 14, Noundou 12, Cawaling 10, Ramos 2, Guerrero 0, Excimiano 0, Vinluan 0, Knuttel 0, Manalo 0.

ATENEO 70?Reyes 18, Salva 14, Sumalinog 11, Baclao 7, Golla 6, Buenafe 6, Salamat 6, Long 2, Chua 0, Austria 0, Monfort 0.

Quarters: 12-24, 37-39, 54-60, 75-70