From one rivalry to another, Tampus still makes a difference

Down by a seemingly insurmountable nine-point lead, La Salle desperately needed something, someone, to spark their flat-lining bid with only four minutes left in its first clash against rival Ateneo Saturday.

Considering those stakes, coach Dindo Pumaren picking rookie Jarelan Tampus for the rescue job seemed like one big gamble.

Tampus, who is averaging merely 4.5 minutes in two outings, ably sparked the run that silenced an entire half of the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum Saturday.

The 5-foot-10 guard readily knocked down back-to-back fast break baskets spurring from crucial turnovers that inched La Salle to within five, with just, well, five ticks chopped off from the time.

That was all it took for La Salle, armed with renewed confidence and ample time to boot, to orchestrate one of the more impressive and emotional comebacks in Season 73 of the UAAP. Sam Marata may have hit the decisive triples, but it was Tampus’ quick strike that set everything in motion.

“Tampus made the difference,” said Pumaren of his prized rookie, who was a part of championship program in high school playing for the Letran Squires.

The rookie hailing from Cebu admitted to have struggled in adjusting to La Salle’s system in his first few months, so when his time came to show what he can bring to the table, he was actually surprised with his own performance.

“I still don’t know how I was able to pull off those shots,” said a laughing Tampus, who is actually familiar with the intense atmosphere, defeaning roars and the sizeable crowd having been part of another longstanding rivalry in college basketball, San Beda and Letran.

As La Salle escaped with a telling 66-63 victory over Ateneo, Pumaren was aware that they could have easily gone home with a loss. But for now, the Archers are one up on their fiercest rivals.