La Salle’s Jeron Teng (21) goes for a reverse layup against National University. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
AFTER hurdling one of the biggest obstacles of the season, La Salle coach Aldin Ayo still refuses to entertain the possibility of a first-round sweep.
For the unassuming bench tactician, the Green Archers cannot even think beyond next week’s game against the Adamson Falcons.
“We expect a tough game against them (Adamson),” said Ayo after the Archers pulled off a 75-66 win over the NU Bulldogs in UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball yesterday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “They have the materials and a great coach who has a good system.”
That come-from-behind triumph was victory No. 4 for the unbeaten Archers, who had to lean on the heroics of Jeron Teng and Abu Tratter near the end to compensate for the bottled-up Ben Mbala.
“This is our first win against them the entire season,” said Ayo. “But we’re not thinking of a sweep. We just take this one game at a time.”
Far Eastern U later survived a highly physical encounter against University of the East, 67-59, where the late ejection of Wilson Bartolome ruined the chances of the Warriors.
Bartolome got thrown out after planting an elbow on FEU’s Ron Dennison’s kisser in a rebound scuffle with less than two minutes left and the Warriors trailing by just three.
Whenever the 6-foot-7 Mbala worked the paint, the Bulldogs forced the human wrecking ball out of his comfort zone.
But it hardly mattered as Teng and Tratter took over by scoring 10 straight points on the most decisive stretch that completely erased NU’s advantage for the Bulldogs’ first loss of the season in three games.
The scores:
First Game
LA SALLE 75—Teng 23, Mbala 16, Tratter 6, R. Rivero 6, Montalbo 5, Melecio 4, Torres 4, Go 3, Caracut 3, Baltazar 3, P. Rivero 2, Sargent 0.
NU 66—Salem 15, Alejandro 14, Diputado 10, Morido 7, Sinclair 6, Abatayo 4, Aquino 3, M. Diputado 2, Aroga 2, Salim 2, Mosqueda 1, Gallego 0, Rangel 0, Yu 0.
Quarters: 17-16, 37-all, 52-54, 75-66
Second Game
FEU 67—Arong 16, Inigo 12, Jose 11, Bayquin 6, Dennison 5, Ebona 4, Holmqvist 4, Trinidad 4, Tuffin 3, Orizu 2, Bienes 0.
UE 59—Olayon 12, Derige 9, Bartolome 6, Palma 6, Charcos 5, Pasaol 5, Varilla 4, Abanto 3, Batiller 3, Manalang 3, De Leon 2, Acuno 1, Armenion 0, Gagate 0, Larupay 0.
Quarters: 19-15, 42-32, 55-46, 67-59