INQUIRER PHOTO
BASKETBALL glory is within reach again for Far Eastern University.
Riding on a huge second-half assault, the Tamaraws slipped past the National University Bulldogs, 75-70, yesterday to move within a win of the UAAP men’s basketball championship at the packed Mall of Asia Arena.
Mac Belo again buried the big shot at crunch time, but the Tamaraws also drew big games from Mike Tolomia, Roger Pogoy and Achie Iñigo, who shone in the final two quarters.
“Perfect play, perfect timing,” FEU coach Nash Racela said of Belo’s clutch basket with 44.6 seconds left. “Again, Mac is not afraid to take the big shots.”
Belo–who knocked in the buzzer-beating triple in FEU’s semifinal escape over La Salle–drove past NU’s Alfred Aroga to nail the decisive layup that padded the Tamaraws’ lead to 73-68 after the Bulldogs had threatened, 71-68, following Jay Alejandro’s corner triple.
Tolomia pumped in 15 points to lead the Tamaraws, who boast the most number of titles in the league with 19, but the last one came almost a decade ago in 2005.
The Tamaraws aim to wrap it up in Game 2 of the best-of-three series at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“I just reminded them to do the right things again–to be disciplined, play the right defense,” said Racela after his Tamaraws came back from as many as 12 points down, 18-30.
The Bulldogs’ undoing started in the third quarter where they only had three field goals and sank only six of 13 free throw attempts as the Tamaraws zoomed to leads as high as 13 points, 60-47, behind the hot-shooting Pogoy.
NU, though, made history in women’s action as the Lady Bulldogs downed the Lady Tamaraws, 59-48, to complete a perfect season and bag their first championship.
The scores:
First Game (Women)
NU 59—Miranda 14, Antiquiera 12, Tongco 12, Bernardino 6, Abriam 4, Gupilan 4, Paig 3, Escoto 2, Sison 2, Nabalan 0.
FEU 48—Valenzona 14, Siat 10, Tanaman 10, Arellado 8, Ventura 4, Castro 2, Baldonado 0, Gabriel 0, Chan 0, Lozano 0.
Quarters: 13-19, 29-30, 40-36, 59-48
Second Game (Men)
FEU 75—Tolomia 15, Pogoy 14, Iñigo 12, Jose 8, Belo 8, Hargrove 8, Dennison 5, Tamsi 3, Cruz 2, Escoto 0.
NU 70—Aroga 17, Alolino 14, Rosario 12, Khobuntin 9, Celda 7, Alejandro 3, Betayene 3, Javelona 3, Diputado 2, Neypes 0, Perez 0.
Quarters: 14-15, 35-38, 60-50, 75-70