LA SALLE gunner Jeron Teng drives off Mark Tallo of SWU. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Southwestern University and Far Eastern University brought down reigning collegiate champions in a pair of upsets at the start of the round-robin Final Four of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) yesterday at Blue Eagle Gym in Ateneo.
Seldom-used Melvin Holper knocked in clutch triples as the SWU Cobras stunned the UAAP titlist La Salle Green Archers, 68-58, in overtime, while Mike Tolomia erupted for 23 points to lift the Tamaraws past four-time NCAA king San Beda, 62-56.
Holper’s back-to-back three-pointers pushed the Cobras ahead, 64-58, as the Archers wound up scoreless in the last two minutes of extra period.
“He was the game changer,” SWU coach Yayoy Alcoseba said of Holper, who played 13 of his 14 minutes in the fourth and overtime periods. “He’s just a reliever. This is his longest playing time ever.”
Mobert Arong paced the Cobras with 17 points and Mark Tallo, the MVP in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) who had a brief stint with La Salle, delivered 13 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Tolomia unloaded all but two of his 23 points in the second half, where the Tamaraws staged a 15-4 blast at the start of the third quarter to turn a 24-30 halftime deficit into a 39-34 edge.
The Tamaraws pulled off the upset minus veteran forward Mac Belo, who is playing for the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games, and head coach Nash Racela, who is also part of the national team coaching staff.
“Coach Nash reminded us to play 100 percent defense from start to finish,” said FEU deputy Eric Gonzales.
A Holper triple gave the Cobras their first lead, 44-43, at the 6:58-minute mark in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 10 points, 9-19, in the first half.
“To win against a UAAP champion is an honor, we have to take it,” said Alcoseba. “I think they weren’t able to scout us. And also in the first half, we were not making our shots.”
La Salle’s Almond Vosotros and Jason Perkins missed potential game-winners in regulation after a Jeron Teng free throw tied the count at 52, time down to 45.8 seconds left.
Thomas Torres topscored with 12 and Perkins had a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Archers, who missed the services of big man Arnold Van Opstal due to a hip injury.
The scores:
First Game
SOUTHWESTERN 68—Arong 17, Tallo 13, Mohammed 12, Sanjo 11, Holper 9, Goloran 4,Siewe 2, Pardo 0, Bautista 0, Panerio 0, Bregondo 0.
LA SALLE 58—T. Torres 12, Perkins 10, Teng 7, Salem 7, Vosotros 6, N. Torres 4, Tampus 4, Montalbo 2, Dela Paz 2, Reyes 2, Bollick 2.
Quarters: 9-16, 23-30, 33-37, 52-52 (reg.), 68-58 (OT)
Second Game
FEU 62—Tolomia 23, Cruz 11, Iñigo 8, Hargrove 8, Pogoy 4, Jose 4, Lee Yu 2, Mendoza 2, Dennison 0, Sentcheu 0.
SAN BEDA 56—Dela Cruz 13, Sara 12, Dela Rosa 10, Adeogun 9, A. Semerad 3, Amer 3, Pascual 2, Abarcar 2, D. Semerad 2, Ludovice 0, Koga 0.
Quarters: 14-14, 24-30, 46-40, 62-56