FEU overcomes 20-point deficit, downs UP for 7th straight win

FEU Tamaraws vs UP Maroons. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Defending champion Far Eastern University rose from 20 points down to beat a rejuvenated University of the Philippines side, 63-60, in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Raymar Jose scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the second half that went with 12 rebounds for the Tamaraws, who overcame their worst start this season when they fell behind, 28-8, after the first quarter.

“We knew from the start that it would be a really, really hard game playing a team like UP,” said FEU head coach Nash Racela.

“Sa bad start namin, masyado kaming passive. So sa second half, we just worked for it,” said team captain Jose.

FEU extended its winning run to seven games and solidified its hold of the second spot at 8-2.

The Tamaraws tightened their defensive screws in the last three quarters that had the Fighting Maroons scoring just 48 points with only 6:25 left after their 28-point first period.

Jet Manuel led UP with 16 points and his last 3-pointer trimmed FEU’s lead down to three, 63-60, with exactly a minute remaining. Paul Desiderio added 13 but he missed a potential game-tying triple.

Still down three, UP guard Dave Moralde threw away a baseline inbound pass before Jose secured the offensive rebound off his two missed free throws with 2.9 ticks left to preserve the victory.

FEU won despite having only nine assists with 15 turnovers and missing nine of its 21 attempts at the free throw line.