Belo’s ‘unforgettable moment’ pushes FEU past La Salle and into finals

Mac Belo of FEU sinks his winning three-point shot at the buzzer. NOY MORCOSO lll/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Mac Belo sank the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer and Far Eastern University booked a return trip to the finals with a dramatic 67-64 win over De La Salle in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Belo carried the Tamaraws, who will be making their first finals appearance since Season 74, down the stretch — scoring 12 of his team’s 16 points in the fourth quarter.

“The last play was really designed for Mike Tolomia but in the end he made the most important decision of his basketball career,” FEU head coach Nash Racela said. “He didn’t force it. He saw an open Mac Belo and I think we were so blessed that Mac hit two 3-pointers in the last one minute.”

“That point, coach told me to just be in the corner and when I saw Perkins helped on Mike (Tolomia), I knew Mike was going to pass me the ball,” the 6-foot-4 forward Belo recalled of his game-winning shot from the right corner in Filipino. “Unforgettable moment for me. I feel so blessed.”

Guard Mike Tolomia bounced back from a subpar outing in a blowout loss to the Green Archers that paved the way for the rubber match with 14 points, 10 coming in the first half. He also dished out six assists while coming off the bench.

Belo also hit a go-ahead trey, 64-61, with 1:05 remaining before a free throw by Jason Perkins and a gimme by Norbert Torres off a feed from Jeron Teng knotted the game at 64 with 24.4 ticks left.

Teng had a blistering start but cooled off and scored just four points in the last three quarters to end up with 13. Perkins had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

In the first game, fourth-seed National University ousted No. 1 Ateneo, 65-63, that sent the Bulldogs to their first finals appearance in 44 years.

Game 1 of a best-of-three showdown between FEU and NU starts on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena — marking the first time neither La Salle nor Ateneo will see action in a championship series since 1992.

“I think this is the best thing that ever happened to the UAAP having FEU and NU in the finals,” said Racela. “Just like how we witnessed today, I think NU could bring the crowd and FEU could bring the crowd so it’s not only Ateneo and La Salle.