MANILA, Philippines–La Salle got the job done after Far Eastern University gave the Archers a lift as the UAAP Final Four cast in the men’s basketball tournament was finalized yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Struggling for most of the season, Joshua Webb played his best game as the Green Archers eliminated the University of Santo Tomas, 78-69, and sealed La Salle’s Final Four return after missing the semifinals for the first time last year.
“A lot of people are saying that we’re a young team, but we proved them wrong,” said La Salle coach Dindo Pumaren.
La Salle also drew help from the Tamaraws, who earlier snuffed out the Final Four hopes of the fifth-running National U Bulldogs with a 77-62 rout in the first game.
The Tamaraws picked up their 10th victory in 12 games to keep the solo lead and move within a win of claiming the first semifinal bonus.
La Salle joined idle Adamson at third at 8-4, just a game behind defending champion Ateneo (9-3).
All four semifinalists still have a shot at the twice-to-beat advantage, the incentive given to the top two teams at the end of the eliminations.
“This whole year we had the monkey on our back for not making it to the Final Four last season,” said Webb, who buried 14 points.
“We’re happy that we made it but we can’t stop here. We have a chance to get the No. 2 seat, so we’re going to work on that.”
The Bulldogs, who dropped to 5-7, ended their Final Four bid along with the Tigers, who fell to 4-8.
RR Garcia helped the Tamaraws defuse the Bulldogs’ third-quarter assault, before finishing with a game-high 23 points.
The Tamaraws surged ahead by 16 in the first half, 30-14, but the Bulldogs came back in the third with a 13-2 rampage to grab the lead, 42-41.
“They (Bulldogs) had three fouls in the first half and no fouls in the third quarter, I think that’s the story there,” said FEU coach Glen Capacio, who again complained of spotty officiating. “They closed in because there were no fouls.”
The Bulldogs’ registered the least number of fouls in a single game in the last eight seasons with just seven.
Webb, whose performances dipped this season and averaged 5.7 points a game, nailed all but one of his six attempts from the field to share scoring honors with Simon Atkins, who also had 14 points.
“I told the boys to execute because in the first quarter we were so tentative and committed eight turnovers right away,” said Pumaren.
Responding quickly, the Archers had the game in control by the second quarter, 36-24, and repelled UST’s comeback attempts in the second half behind Webb and Atkins.
Maui Villanueva had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds to help the Archers go up by as many as 16 points, 66-50, in the third period.
Garcia, this season’s top MVP candidate, drilled three of his five triples in the last five minutes of the third quarter that got the Tamaraws back on top, 59-52.
Aldrech Ramos and Cameroonian forward Pipo Noundou chipped in 11 points apiece.
“La Salle used the zone defense against us and we couldn’t execute, so NU did the same,” said Capacio.
In junior action, Kevin Ferrer had 17 points and 17 rebounds as the Tiger Cubs downed the Adamson Baby Falcons, 63-59, to forge a knockout for the lone semifinal bonus.
The Tiger Cubs and the Bullpups, tied at second at 10-4, will dispute the the No. 2 spot and the twice-to-beat bonus in the stepladder semifinals.
Defending champion Ateneo claimed an outright finals berth after sweeping the 14-game eliminations.
The Baby Tamaraws and the De La Salle Zobel Juniors Archers, tied at 7-7, will also fight for the last semifinal berth at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday after the 8:30 UST-NU duel at the FilOil-Flying V Arena.
In the stepladder semifinals, the No. 3 and No. 4 teams will clash in a knockout game for the right to meet the No. 2 squad. Photo by Mark Giongco
The scores:
First Game
FEU 77—Garcia 23, Ramos 11, Noundou 11, Romeo 6, Sanga 6, Cawaling 5, Cruz 4, Bringas 4, Knuttel 4, Cervantes 3.
NATIONAL U 62—Terso 18, Mbe 11, Ponferrada 10, Hermosisima 10, Baloran 8, Khobuntin 3, Tungcul 2, Ludovice 0, Javillonar 0, Singh 0, Malanday 0, Magat 0.
Quarters: 26-12, 39-29, 59-52, 77-62
First Game
FEU 77—Garcia 23, Ramos 11, Noundou 11, Romeo 6, Sanga 6, Cawaling 5, Cruz 4, Bringas 4, Knuttel 4, Cervantes 3.
NATIONAL U 62—Terso 18, Mbe 11, Ponferrada 10, Hermosisima 10, Baloran 8, Khobuntin 3, Tungcul 2, Ludovice 0, Javillonar 0, Singh 0, Malanday 0, Magat 0.
Quarters: 26-12, 39-29, 59-52, 77-62
Second Game
LA SALLE 78—Webb 14, Atkins 14, Villanueva 11, Marata 9, Mendoza 8, Tolentino 7, Ferdinand 7, Andrada 7, Dela Paz 1, Vosotros 0, Tampus 0, Paredes 0.
UST 69—Afuang 19, Teng 14, Fortuna 13, Mariano 10, Bautista 9, Camus 4, Pe 0, Lo 0, Daquioag 0, Aytona 0.
Quarters: 17-18, 36-27, 53-46, 78-69
LA SALLE 78—Webb 14, Atkins 14, Villanueva 11, Marata 9, Mendoza 8, Tolentino 7, Ferdinand 7, Andrada 7, Dela Paz 1, Vosotros 0, Tampus 0, Paredes 0.
UST 69—Afuang 19, Teng 14, Fortuna 13, Mariano 10, Bautista 9, Camus 4, Pe 0, Lo 0, Daquioag 0, Aytona 0.
Quarters: 17-18, 36-27, 53-46, 78-69
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