UST squeaks past La Salle, takes Game 1
One more win.
Thanks to Karim Abdul’s big defensive stop in the waning moments, University of Santo Tomas hung tough to a thrilling 73-72 victory over erstwhile streaking La Salle Wednesday to move a step closer from clinching the UAAP Season 76 men’s basketball crown at the jampacked Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Lanky forward Kevin Ferrer sizzled with 20 points, spiked by five triples–the last a booming one from beyond the arc for a 73-69 cushion, before the 6-foot-6 Abdul partially deflected a potential game-winning lay-up by La Salle guard LA Revilla and denied the Green Archers’ fightback just before time expired.
More than snapping La Salle’s nine-game winning streak, UST gained a golden chance of hoisting the men’s crown for the first time since 2006 with another victory on Saturday also at the Big Dome.
Four players, led by diminutive gunner Almond Vosotros’ 20 markers, scored at least 11 points for the Green Archers, who clawed back from 17 points down in the early goings, only to come up short against the Tigers’ resolute defensive stance in the crunch.
The Main Man: Kevin Ferrer is on a big roll and so are the Growling Tigers.
Ranged against another prized wingman in La Salle’s Jeron Teng, the lanky forward made a good account of himself by pumping in 15 of his 20 points from beyond the arc, highlighted by a dagger one from the top of the key that pushed UST ahead 73-69 inside the final minute.
Ferrer, who sizzled with 12 quick points in UST’s 21-4 start, also had six rebounds and did a solid job making life miserable for Jeron Teng, who had 15 points but shot just 5-of-16 from the field.
Honorable Mentions: If not for Karim Abdul’s gem of a defensive stop, the Tigers could have lost the game.
More than his double-double output of 19 points and 12 rebounds, the 6-foot-6 Cameroonian came through with a huge deflection on the potentially game-winning lay-up by La Salle guard LA Revilla just before the time expired.
Not to be outdone was skipper Jeric Teng, who finished with 17 markers while emerging as the Tigers’ catalyst in a steady fourth-quarter showing.
Game Turning Point: After Jeron Teng completed a three-point play that pulled them within a point going to the last 29.1 seconds, the Archers gained a golden chance to steal the win when Tigers forward Aljon Mariano fumbled an inbounds pass from Kevin Ferrer, leading to a Jeron Teng steal.
With their fans up on their feet, Almond Vosotros took a crack at the game winner when he fired a triple, only to hit the rim. LA Revilla got the leather back and had a good look for a lay-up but Karim Abdul stood on his way then soared for the block just as the buzzer sounded.
They Said It:
UST coach Pido Jarencio: “What a game! Breaks of the game lang talaga. Ibang klase ‘yung storya. Buti happy ending (on our part). Hindi ko akalain na one win away na lang kami para sa korona. Upset-conscious lang talaga ang team ko.”
UST guard Jeric Teng: “There’s no substitute for experience. The breaks of the game went our way. We really need to win.”
The scores:
UST (73) – Ferrer 20, Abdul 19, Teng 17, Sheriff 6, Daquioag 4, Bautista 3, Mariano 2, Lao 2, Pe 0, Lo 0.
La Salle (72) – Vosotros 20, Teng 15, Van Opstal 13, Perkins 11, T. Torres 7, Revilla 4, N. Torres 2, Tampus 0, Montalbo 0, Reyes 0, De La Paz 0.
Quarterscores: 23-13, 38-31, 50-54, 73-72.
