UE CENTER Charles Mammie (center) disputes the rebound with La Salle’s Kib Montalbo (left), Yutien Andrada (partly hidden) and Arnold Van Opstal (right) in yesterday’s game at Mall of Asia Arena. EDWIN BELLOSILLO
MANILA, Philippines—La Salle bucked a slew of turnovers and the absence of two vital cogs in the final stretch as the Green Archers hurdled the pesky University of the East Warriors, 60-58, in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Archers struggled against the Warriors’ defensive pressure and committed a whopping 36 turnovers but they managed to survive with Jeron Teng and rookie Prince Rivero combining for La Salle’s last seven points.
Rivero, the former star center of La Salle Green Hills, helped bail out the defending champions by burying the marginal basket off a Teng assist with 44.1 seconds left.
“We were lucky to pull through with 36 turnovers,” said coach Juno Sauler after his Archers nailed a second win in four games even as big men Arnold Van Opstal and Jason Perkins fouled out inside the last five minutes.
Earlier, Far Eastern U proved too strong for University of the Philippines with an 85-71 romp that raised its record to 2-1, in a tie with UE and University of Santo Tomas.
The Maroons, who dropped to 0-4, now have lost their last 25 games since 2012.
Mike Tolomia shot 7-of-8 from the field to topscore with 18 for the Tamaraws, who fired 25 points in the third quarter as the Maroons scored just eight on 1-of-16 shooting from the field.
“We always talked about inconsistencies—we could be very good at times and very bad at times,” said FEU coach Nash Racela. “
The third quarter was how the game should be played. We weren’t forcing anything, we were making the right decisions, finding the open guy and defending.”
Teng fired 18 points, including a key basket that gave the Archers a four-point buffer, 58-54, with 1:25 minutes left.
The scores:
First Game
FEU 85—Tolomia 18, Belo 12, Cruz 11, Pogoy 11, Hargrove 10, Dennison 7, Tamsi 4, Jose 4, Denila 3, Iñigo 3, Delfinado 2, Ru. Escoto 0, Lee Yu 0, Ugsang 0, Ri. Escoto 0, David 0.
UP 71—Gallarza 18, Moralde 14, Lao 10, Juruena 8, Amar 7, Asilum 6, Gingerich 3, Vito 3, Reyes 2, Dario 0.
Quarters: 28-21, 45-38, 70-46, 85-71
Second Game
LA SALLE 60—Teng 18, N. Torres 14, Vosotros 12, Rivero 8, Van Opstal 5, Perkins 2, Tratter 1, Andrada 0.
UE 58—Sumang 16, Mammie 8, Varilla 8, Olayon 7, Galanza 5, Alberto 4, Jumao-as 4, Arafat 3, Javier 2, De Leon 1.
Quarters: 12-14, 26-28, 36-46, 60-58