Mac Belo the hero once more. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
It’s Mac Belo’s sequel.
Just like what happened last season, the versatile forward once again hit the buzzer beater to send Far Eastern University to the UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals, this time breaking the hearts of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
The buzzer-beating-savvy Tamaraws forward was there to clean up Mike Tolomia’s missed layup and converted the game-winner for FEU with half of a second left to play for 76-74 victory.
READ: FEU ousts Ateneo, returns to UAAP Finals on Belo’s last second basket
Belo did a similar feat in the semifinals of Season 77, hitting a buzzer-beating triple from the right corner for a 67-64 win that eliminated La Salle and advanced FEU to the Finals.
An elated Belo, though his face seemed nonchalant, said the buzzer-beater struck a different chord in his heart as he knows they still have a chance for a championship.
“I’m extremely happy, not just for me but for the whole FEU community,” Belo said. “I know we still have a chance.”
FEU head coach Nash Racela hopes Belo pulls off such heroic once again when there is a need for it in the finals, where the Tamaraws could face either last year’s tormentor National University or University of Santo Tomas.
“I hope he makes another buzzer-beater in the Finals,” Racela said.
Belo, who was wise to get out of the hype train, said “it just happens.”
“I don’t plan on doing it, it just happens.”