The FEU Tamaraws are for real

Just when we thought we’ve seen the best from the FEU Tamaraws, they come out with an even better game than the last one.

After impressive wins over UE, Ateneo and UP, the Tams seemed to be in very deep waters against the De La Salle Green Archers, trailing by 13 points with only 2:36 left in playtime. At this point, they could’ve easily just thrown in the towel and lived to fight another day. But the Tamaraws were not ready to have a taste of their first defeat in Season 76. They chose to fight on despite the tremendous odds.

What happened next was amazing, except if you’re a La Salle fan.

FEU unleashed a 15-2 run within two minutes to tie the count at 75-all at the end of regulation. Terrence Romeo hit back-to-back treys followed by a three-point play by Mac Belo, two converted foul shots by Carl Cruz, a turnover by Jeron Teng, a lay-up by RR Garcia, two missed free throws by Almond Vosotros, and an inside incursion by Belo.

And in overtime, the Tams displayed incredible poise and character. Garcia, Romeo and Roger Pogoy collaborated in an 8-4 blast to complete the amazing come-from-behind victory, 83-79. It was indeed a glorious moment for FEU, and an excruciating one for DLSU.

La Salle dropped to a 2-2 card. This loss was the second time the Archers bungled a comfortable lead in the dying minutes of the game. During the Fil Oil Cup pre-season tournament quarterfinals, they lost a 10-point edge in the last three minutes to the San Beda Red Lions, and eventually lost the game. A few days after, former head coach Gee Abanilla was replaced by current chief tactician Juno Sauler.

On the other hand, the Tams earned the respect and admiration of many, including their head coach, after rising from the ashes in that game. “This win shows the team has character. Even when we were down by 13 with two and a half minutes left, the boys never thought of giving up. They were able to execute our adjustments in the endgame,” said first-year coach Nash Racela.

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Now, FEU remains the only undefeated team in the UAAP with a 4-0 slate. Before the season started, nobody considered the Tams to be a contender, especially after a mediocre 4-4 record in the Fil Oil.

The team just had too many issues before the season opened.

First, there was talk about FEU’s two stars – Romeo and Garcia – skipping this season. Both had commitments in the PBA D-League during the pre-season. Romeo was with Big Chill, and Garcia with NLEX. FEU tried to get them to play for the Fruitas Shakers, which carried the FEU banner in the D-League, but failed. Garcia thought about just sticking with the Gilas cadet pool and joining the pros next year. Romeo was reported to be suspended by Racela for having violated some team rules during the summer.

Second, reliable big forward Russel Escoto sustained an ACL injury a few months before the UAAP, reducing even more FEU’s frontline size.

Third, Anthony Hargrove was arrested during the summer for alleged possession of marijuana. Although he was released a few days after, there were some doubts as whether Hargrove should be included in the roster this year or not.

Then, of course, there was the issue of the sour relationship between Romeo and Garcia, who both decided to suit up for the Tams just before the Fil Oil Cup. In 2010, sophomore Garcia won the UAAP MVP plum, while rookie Romeo took the Rookie of the Year honor. But last season, Romeo became the new take-charge guy for the Tams, averaging 18.5 points per game, the second highest in scoring after Bobby Ray Parks’ 20.7.

But so far this season, the two superstar guards are humming well on the court. Romeo’s pass to Garcia during a fast break play in overtime wrested the lead from DLSU, at 79-78, en route to the victory.

So what caused this big turnaround for the Tamaraws?

The answer is Nash Racela. He is exactly what the Tams needed. He is the type of coach who doesn’t play politics or favorites. He emphasizes the value of discipline and sacrificing for the good of the team. I know so because I’ve worked with him in the past. And I know that discipline is something that the Tams needed so badly.

Evidently, based on the four games FEU has played so far, the team has been moving like a well-oiled machine. And although Romeo has been scoring 22 markers per game, he has significantly reduced the usual forced shots. In fact, he leads the league in most assists per game, with 7.5. Garcia is also steady with his 15.5 points per game, while Mike Tolomia contributes 12 markers per outing. Hargrove, Pogoy, Cruz and Belo also add a combined 29.5 points per game.

Of course, it’s too early to say that the Tams will go all the way to the finals this season. It’s still a long way to go and they have yet to meet the other contenders like UST and NU, as well as dangerous Adamson. Besides, they don’t have a very deep bench this year. Worse, they have a very short frontline compared to the other squads.

But with the way they are currently playing, the Tamaraws are showing that they mean business this year and won’t be easy prey to anyone. And more importantly, they will not give up the fight even when the odds are against them, as proven in Saturday’s game.

Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.