Galanza helps UE beat FEU to complicate Final Four scenarios
The University of the East Red Warriors are not ready to give up on their Final Four hopes just yet. The hosts of the current UAAP season defeated the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, 94-71, Sunday evening at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum to complicate the race for the final two spots in the top four.
The Red Warriors have not defeated a top four team prior to their last win against the National University Bulldogs. They made it two in a row against the erstwhile league-leaders thanks to a dominant fourth quarter. UE outscored FEU 30-10 in what must have been the best quarter of their entire UAAP season.
The game between UE and FEU felt like it was going down the wire but Roi Sumang, Bong Galanza, and Chales Mammie powered the Red Warriors to an offensive explosion in the opening minutes of the fourth. The Tamaraws did not know what hit them. FEU head coach Nash Racela, fresh from his trip to Spain, could only shake his head in disbelief.
Galanza led the Warriors with a career high 26 points on an outstanding 9 of 16 shooting from the field while adding four assists and three steals.
Mark Belo led FEU with 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and a block.He also had the game’s biggest highlight with a huge dunk in the third quarter. FEU point guards Alejandro Inigo and Mike Tolomia scored a combined 19 points.
Holding a 7-5 win-loss tally, UE is now right behind La Salle at 9-3 and NU at 8-4.
A lot could still happen for the last two spots in the Final Four but UE will need La Salle to lose two games or NU to lose one in order to get a better shot at advancing. Luckily for UE, NU and DLSU have yet to face each other in the second round.
UE will play a crucial match against La Salle on Wednesday before closing out their schedule against UST.
FEU could have gotten at least a playoff for the twice-to-beat advantage if they defeated the Red Warriors but at 10-3, they will need to defeat the Blue Eagles in their last game or for DLSU to lose both its remaining games to get the crucial advantage.
UE and FEU played in a highly entertaining game throughout the three quarters. Both teams got their own runs to the delight of their equally rabid fans. UE held a slim 64-61 lead entering the fourth but it felt like the Tamaraws had the momentum.
After getting suspended in their last game for missing practice, Sumang played limited minutes in the first half of the game. However, he finally exploded in the fourth quarter as he put together a quick eight points to start the period. Sumang’s second triple of the quarter gave UE a 76-65 lead with 7:25 left.
FEU called a timeout to try and halt the bleeding but they turned the ball over four straight times to allow the Red Warriors’ lead to balloon to 18 points, 83-65.
The Main Man: Galanza wanted a win against FEU before the end of his UAAP career. He got exactly that and a bonus as he scored a career high against the team he has never beaten.
Honorable Mentions: Mammie had 18 points and seven rebounds to back up Galanza while Dan Alberto 10 points, two rebounds, and two assists. Sumang scored nine points and added three assists.
Game Turning Point: The Red Warriors are playing their best basketball of the season just when they needed to. Buoyed by the return of Sumang at the start of the fourth quarter, the Red Warriors went on a 21-4 run in the first six minutes of the final quarter to blow the game wide open.
He Said It:
UE head coach Derrick Pumaren: We tried to stop FEU and that's what we did tonight. That's the best we've played this season.
The scores:
UE 94: Galanza 26,Mammie 18, Alberto 10, De Leon 9, Sumang 9, Javier 7, Varilla 5, olayon 2, Arafat 2, Jumao-as 2, Palma 2, Hernandez 2, Guiang 0, Charcos 0, Cudal 0.
FEU 71: Belo 16, Inigo 10, Tolomia 9, Hargrove 9, Cruz 8, Tamsi 6, Pogoy 5, Ugsang 5, Jose 3, Escoto 0, Lee Yu 0, Denila 0, David 0.
Quarters: 21-17, 44-37, 64-61, 94-71.
