Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Jeron Teng came through with a dazzling performance as if the piercing pain in his foot didn’t happen at all.
And yet, La Salle’s graduating team captain felt the Archers could had done better despite their impressive 9-0 record in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament.
“When we review this game, I’m sure we will see a lot of room for improvement,’’ said Teng after leading the Archers to a 78-72 win that snapped back-to-back victories by the UP Maroons over possible Final Four contenders.
Five wins away from a rare tournament sweep, it is no secret that the Archers are targeting that luxury which will shove them straight to the best-of-three championships.
“I can count my remaining games, so I’m giving my 100 percent every game,’’ said Teng, who came back with 20 points and five offensive rebounds after being sidelined for two games due to a minor operation on his left foot (bone spurs).
La Salle coach Aldin Ayo shared the same sentiment and vowed not to take their succeeding opponents lightly.
“As I’ve said, the more we win, the harder it gets because all of them are going to prepare for us,’’ said Ayo, who celebrated his 39th birthday Saturday.
True enough, UP was a tough nut to crack opposite La Salle’s hostile defense at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Maroons, who gave up 27 offensive rebounds and 26 points off turnovers, even figured out how to defend brutish forward Ben Mbala on a temporary basis.
Limited to a pair of field goals in the first half, Mbala powered his way to 17 points in the next two quarters and had 20 rebounds, 11 of them offensive boards that proved strikingly decisive on dealing UP’s seventh defeat in 10 games.
Dean Lee also found his range and swished consecutive threes in the second half that helped the UST Tigers pull off a 73-69 win over the NU Bulldogs in the other game.
The Tigers ended their losing run to five games for a 3-7 record while the Bulldogs struggled for the third straight game and fell to 4-5.
GAME 1: LA SALLE ARCHERS 78 – UP MAROONS 72
LA SALLE 78—Teng 21, Mbala 17, Torres 13, Melecio 9, Rivero R. 9, Rivero P. 4, Montalbo 3, Caracut 2, Tratter 0, Perkins 0, Baltazar 0, Go 0.
UP 72—Desiderio 16, Manuel 13, Gomez de Liano 11, Lim 8, Moralde 7, Harris 4, Prado 4, Lao 4, Espanola 3, Dario 2, Webb 0, Romero 0, Vito 0, Jaboneta 0.
Quarters: 25-14, 41-34, 55-48, 78-72
GAME 2: UST TIGERS 73 – NU BULLDOGS 69
UST 73—Lee 22, Vigil 20, Sheriff 19, Faundo 4, Arana 2, Basibas 2, Lao 2, Subido 2, Afoakwah 0, De Guzman 0, Huang 0, Macasaet 0.
NU 69—Salem 20, Aroga 13, J. Diputado 12, Gallego 8, Sinclair 8, Alejandro 3, Salim 3, Mosqueda 2, M. Diputado 0, Go 0, Morido 0, Pate 0, Rangel 0.
Quarters: 22-14, 34-all, 54-47, 73-69