FEU clips La Salle to open UAAP Season 81 campaign

FEU’s Jasper Parker goes for a layup against the outstretched arms of DLSU’s Santi Santillan in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon

Far Eastern University opened its year by edging De La Salle, 68-61, in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Tamaraws managed to clamp down on the Green Archers while also staging some quality offense in the fourth quarter after a 48-tie in the third.

FEU managed to hit its groove in latter part of the fourth quarter mounting a crucial 7-0 run that effectively put the Green Archers down for good.

Arvin Tolentino hit a big 3-point shot that gave the Tamaraws a 58-56 lead with 3:19 left before Jasper Parker and Hubert scored back-to-back buckets for a 62-56 buffer with 1:55 remaining in the game.

“I actually liked the way the game was played during halftime because it wasn’t a high scoring one and that was to our advantage,” said FEU head coach Olsen Racela in Filipino.

“And I like how my players stuck to my game plan and kept their discipline. I just told them that the offense will come and it eventually happened in the second half.”

Toelntino had a team-high 13 points for the Tamaraws while Kenneth Tuffin and Axel Iñigo had 11 and 10 points apiece.

Santi Santillan led La Salle with 19 points and 10 boards.