UAAP: Tolomia nails game-winning triple to lift FEU over UST

Karim Abdul of UST dives to save the ball from John Foronda of FEU. The Tamaraws came from behind to nip the Growling Tigers at the UAAP’s 74th Season of the men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Center Saturday, July 30, 2011. AUGUST DELA CRUZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines – Far Eastern University escaped University Santo Tomas, 62-59, as rookie Michael Tolomia nailed a match-clinching triple with 2.9 ticks left in the 74th UAAP Men’s basketball tournament Saturday.

Tolomia caught a timely kick-out pass from last year’s MVP RR Garcia, who drove to the lane with the time winding down, as the Tamaraws grabbed solo second in the standings with a 4-1 record.

The Tamaraws have defeated the Tigers for seven straight matches dating back to 2007.

Tolomia finished with 10 points while Garcia added nine.

The Tamaraws completed a stunning come from behind victory as they clawed back from 13 points down in the third quarter.

The last season’s runner up in the finals first got the taste of the lead since the first quarter when national team standout Aldrech Ramos nailed a mid-range jumper with under two minutes left.

UST’s marksman Jeric Fortuna then answered with a clutch triple, but that was before Garcia evened the game with a breakaway layin, 57-all.

Fortuna, who punched in 16 points for the Tigers, again came up with a big shot to tie the game at 59-all, before Tolomia’s game winning trey.

Jeric Teng paced UST, who dropped to 2-2, with 23 points in a losing cause.