FEU beats DLSU: by the numbers
A look at some salient figures pertaining to last Wednesday's contest between the Tamaraws and the Archers, won by FEU 74-70. The victory catapults them to the top of the standings with an 8-2 slate.
39.6 – Degrees, centigrade: the temperature of FEU guard Mike Tolomia's fever during his recent illness, which was diagnosed as tonsillitis.
The Zamboangueño fell ill after FEU's win over UST last Saturday, (obviously ailing already, he only scored four points.) He then was hospitalized right after the game. Tolomia got well enough to be released on Tuesday and came to that day's practice, late.
On Wednesday afternoon Tolomia was “sick” in the good sense, exploding in the second half with 19 of his 22 points, with eleven coming in the payoff period. He filled his column of the scoring ledger with a variety of moves, from darting slashes into the paint to elegant fallaway jumpers to clever one-handed improvisations. Not bad for a kid recovering from sick bay.
Yes, the guy deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Kiefer Ravena and Roi Sumang in the discussion of the league's elite guards.
ALSO READ: Seldom-used player steps up as UST beats UP.
26 – Points. That's the measly total that FEU mustered in the entire first half, which they equaled in the third quarter, turning a nine-point halftime deficit into a one-point advantage, 52-51.
“It was very obvious that they were tentative in the first half,” said Racela afterwards. “You cannot be tentative going up against a very strong team. In the third quarter FEU just played their game.”
6 – Turnovers by La Salle in the fourth quarter. They finished with a total of 19, ten more than FEU. DLSU are the defending champs who had won seven games in a row after an 0-2 start. But they played anything like champions for much of the final period, gifting the Tams with the ball time and time and again. However it was on the very last possession that DLSU also made an error...
5- Precious seconds (roughly) that the Archers wasted by not fouling late in the game. La Salle forked over the ball with about 20 seconds to go and just trailing by one, 69-68. Coach Juno Sauler furiously banged his right hand on his left arm begging his team to foul immediately but they were only able to hack Tolomia with 14.8 seconds left. Tolomia did swish those charities for a 71-68 lead, ending a courageous 7-0 La Salle run. It's a small thing, but those extra ticks just might have helped DLSU.
100 – Percent. What DLSU is not, according to Racela. The Archers still can't play the injured Thomas Torres and other players appear to playing through pain. FEU has swept them in the regular season but the boss is still wary.
“La Salle is not yet 100%,” asserts the coach. “This is not the La Salle na alam natin. In the future you cannot be confident going up against them. Coach Juno has been coaching them well, kahit undermanned, nagagawan niya ng paraan.”
ALSO READ: USA and Spain on course for FIBA World Cup showdown.
1 – The difference in the number of free throws taken between the two sides; 24 for DLSU and 23 for Far Eastern. DLSU also got to penalty much earlier than FEU did in the second and third quarters. This goes towards disproving the notion, held by UE's Sumang, that Ateneo and La Salle inherently have the favor of the referees in this league.
Incidentally, neither team maxed out their chances from the stripe. DLSU went 15 of 24 for 62.5% while FEU was even worse, hitting only 14 of 23 for just under 61%.
33 – The number of very tired vertebrae owned by Jeron Teng. The DLSU star put his team on his back and carried them all the way into the last few seconds with a brilliant effort in defeat. 28 points from 37 minutes, including three from six from beyond the arc. Only Norbert Torres, with 13 markers, joined Teng with double-digits for the Green Archers.
Jeron hit 50% from the field and nailed all three free throws. Teng also compiled four assists and hauled down eight boards. Teng's big layup late in the game got La Salle to within one, 71-70.
What else could La Salle fans have asked from him? Um, get the rebound off Tolomia's missed free throw with seconds to go, maybe. La Salle's inability to prevent Tolomia's short stab that put FEU four ahead sealed the Archers' fate.
10 – The number of wins FEU will likely have by this time next week. The Tams take on 1-9 UP on Saturday and winless Adamson next Wednesday. Racela will miss both games for Gilas coaching duties. FEU will be a favorite against UE on September 7 before closing out their second round against Ateneo on September 13.
Far Eastern has pretty much done the heavy lifting already in this regular season. 11-3 or even 12-2 is eminently doable, so the coveted twice-to-beat advantage is tantalizingly close for Tolomia and his mates.
20 – The number of hours Racela will have to travel to meet up with Gilas Pilipinas in Spain. Racela is an assistant to head coach Chot Reyes. It was reported that Racela went straight to the airport after the game to fly to Dubai. From there it's another flight to Madrid and a train to Seville, where the Philippines will square off against Croatia on Saturday to open their World Cup bid.
0 – The number of sheep Racela will count on the way to Spain.
“Buti nanalo,” said the coach of Wednesday's matchup. “Kung natalo baka di ako makatulog thinking of the game.”
Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH.
