FEU standout Mark Belo goes for a one-hander against UST’s Kim Lo. ARNOLD ALMACEN
FAR EASTERN University and defending champion La Salle blasted separate opponents to grab a share of the lead in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament yesterday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Tamaraws zoomed to a 27-7 start and kept a double-digit lead the rest of the way in a 66-55 drubbing of University of Santo Tomas, which missed the injured crack gunner Kevin Ferrer.
“It was a big factor that he wasn’t there,” FEU coach Nash Racela said of Ferrer, who may be out for the rest of the season due to a fractured left hand.
“More than the confidence we gained, it’s the confidence they lost.”
The Green Archers, finding rhythm in the third quarter, cruised to an 86-65 rout of University of the Philippines for their seventh straight victory.
“It wasn’t just a slow start, but I think some guys weren’t ready to play,” said La Salle coach Juno Sauler. “We weren’t focused mentally in terms of what we wanted to achieve in our game plan, offensively and defensively.”
Both La Salle and FEU joined Ateneo on top at 7-2.
The Tigers fell to 4-5, while the Maroons officially bowed out of Final Four contention with a 1-8 card.
Roger Pogoy got the Tamaraws off to a dominant start by dropping 11 of his team-high 19 points in the first half.
Mac Belo added 12 points and eight boards for the Tamaraws, who coasted past the Tigers even as topnotch guard Mike Tolomia, who felt “under the weather,” sat out most of the second half.
The scores:
First Game
LA SALLE 86—Vosotros 21, Teng 15, Perkins 13, Van Opstal 12, Tratter 7, Sargent 6, Montalbo 4, Torres 4, Andrada 2, Bolick 2, Mustre 0, Rivero 0, Salem 0.
UP 65—Gallaraza 18, Reyes 14, Moralde 11,Juruena 9, Asilum 5, Gingerich 2, Vito 2, Gonzales 2, Harris 2, Lao 0.
Quarters: 20-15, 40-34, 68-53, 86-65
Second Game
FEU 66—Pogoy 19, Belo 12, Jose 8, Iñigo 8, Escoto 5, Hargrove 5, Tolomia 4, Tamsi 2, Dennison 2, Ugsang 1, Cruz 0, Delfinado 0, Denila 0, Lee Yo 0, David 0.
UST 55—Abdul 24, Vigil 17, Sheriff 8, Daquioag 4, Basibas 2, Lao 0, Lo 0, Mariano 0, Pe 0, Subido 0.
Quarters: 24-7, 42-25, 59-37, 66-55