Tams down Archers in OT nail title slot; Eaglets rip Tiger Cubs

MANILA, Philippines–A prized rookie bailed out the veteran-laden Far Eastern University Tamaraws, who claimed the first UAAP men’s basketball championship berth yesterday. Terrence Romeo, the league’s top neophyte, knocked in the big baskets in overtime as the Tamaraws slipped past the gung-ho La Salle Green Archers, 69-59, in the league’s first Final Four match at the Araneta Coliseum. Romeo, who also helped forge the extension at 55-all,  buried five straight points in the extra period, the last on a triple that gave the Tamaraws a 62-59 advantage with two minutes remaining. “The boys showed a lot of character down the stretch,” said FEU coach Glenn Capacio after the league’s top-seeded team reached the Finals for the first time since bagging the 2005 crown. “We had a hard time with La Salle’s pressure defense, and I also told the boys not to be distracted by the referees’ calls. I told them to be patient, stop by stop.” Romeo also nailed a clutch trey that tied the game for the first time at 52 in the second half, before Paul Sanga forged the extra period with another three-pointer, 55-55, with 30.9 seconds. The Tamaraws trailed by nine, 42-51, before mounting a rally in the last six minutes of regulation. “FEU played well in the last three to four minutes and we made some lapses in our decision-making,” said La Salle coach Dindo Pumaren. “FEU’s experience also prevailed. They outrebounded us (64-46), that’s also the key there.” Defending champion Ateneo, the second seed also toting a twice-to-beat advantage, shoots for the remaining title slot against No. 3 Adamson at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Earlier, Kiefer Ravena pumped in 32 points as the Ateneo Blue Eaglets avenged their first loss of the season with a 76-66 triumph over the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs in Game 2 of the junior basketball Finals. “We’ve seen it for the past four years, Kiefer Ravena makes the entire team look good,” said coach Jamike Jarin, after his Eaglets moved within a win of bagging their third straight championship.  Romeo—who’s set to receive the Rookie of the Year plum a season after starring as a Baby Tam by firing 83 points in one game—topscored with 12 points to share scoring honors with Sanga. League MVP RR Garcia finished a rebound shy of a double-double withe 11 points and nine boards. “I really wanted to  play in the Finals,” said the 18-year-old Romeo. “I was confident with my shots.” The Tamaraws also bucked the ejection of veteran forward JR Cawaling, who was slapped with unsportsmanlike and technical fouls during his altercation with La Salle’s Simon Atkins at the 4:27 mark of the second quarter. It was actually a disastrous second period for the Tamaraws, who only had a single field goal in that quarter to trail at 22-30. The Archers crumbled in overtime, nailing only one of eight attempts from the field and missing all but one of their four free throws. “I’m still proud of my boys,” said Pumaren of his fourth-ranked Archers. “Nobody believed that we can make it to the Final Four.” The Tamaraws cushioned their lead in the final minute by canning five free throws, followed by a Pipo Noundou slam at the buzzer. The Eaglets held Kevin Ferrer to nine points just two days after the league MVP fired 35 in the Cubs’ 77-71 Game 1 triumph. The Eaglets only need to win two games to bag the title as bonus for sweeping the eliminations. The scores: First Game (Jrs)
ATENEO 76—Ravena 32, Pessumal 9, Mercado 7, Romero 5, Sacluti 4, Javelosa 4, Dumrique 4, Lim 3, Tenorio 3, Suarez 2, Puno 2, Austria 1, Vitangcol 0, Gamboa 0, Gadia 0.
UST 66—Corre 25, Cabauatan 16, Ferrer 9, Gooh 5, Ilarde 4, Lazaro 3, Florentin 2, Mison 2.
Quarters: 13-20, 38-31, 55-50, 76-66
Second Game (Srs)
FEU 69—Romeo 12, Sanga 12, Garcia 11, Ramos 9, Cervantes 9, Noundou 8, Mendoza 2, Bringas 2, Knuttel 2, Exciminiano 2, Cruz 0, Cawaling 0.
LA SALLE 59—Webb 15, Mendoza 7, Atkins 7, Andrada 7, Tolentino 6, Marata 6, Dela Paz 5, Vosotros 2, Tampus 2, Villanueva 2, Paredes 0, Ferdinand 0.
Quarters: 20-12, 26-32, 40-44, 55-55 (reg) 69-59 (OT)