Tamaraws essay amazing comeback to stun Archers in OT
Not even a strong showing from pumped-up La Salle could derail the rampaging Far Eastern University Saturday.
The Tamaraws wiped out a big 13-point deficit in the stretch then outlasted the Green Archers in the extra period for a gutsy 83-79 victory–their fourth straight–in the UAAP Season 76 men’s cage wars at the MOA Arena.
Staring at a whopping 60-73 deficit in the last 2:36 of regulation, FEU dug deep into its bag of tricks, dropping a jarring 15-2 onslaught that forced an extra five-minute period before taking control for good in overtime as La Sallians were left stunned.
The win extended the Tamaraws’ run to four consecutive games while the Green Archers saw their two-game mini-run come to a halt, dropping to an even 2-2 slate.
Terrence Romeo sizzled with 25 points while former league MVP RR Garcia scattered 15 of his 19 markers in the final 25 minutes for FEU, which also got big contributions from Mac Belo and Roger Pogoy, with the two combining for 19 points and 22 rebounds.
Jeron Teng collected game-highs of 25 points and 15 rebounds but missed eight of his 11 attempts from the line, four coming in overtime, while center Arnold Van Opstal also had a double-double outing of 20 markers and 11 boards for the Green Archers.
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The Main Man: RR Garcia is not a one-time league MVP for nothing.
The crafty playmaker too charge in the fourth canto, stringing up eight big points and feeding a wide-open Mac Belo underneath that tied the game at 75-apiece with 14.3 ticks left in regulation.
Not yet done, Garcia also made a clutch lay-up that put FEU ahead anew 79-78 before his teammates finished the job.
Honorable Mentions: Although Romeo once again flourished offensively, it was the instant offense coupled with an lockdown defense shown by Belo and Pogoy that also spelled the key for the Tamaraws.
Pitted against the taller Green Archers frontline led by the 6-foot-7 Van Opstal, Pogoy and Belo, both standing 6-foot-3, held their own in the paint, accounting for 22 of the team’s 51 boards.
More importantly, the two FEU forwards also had done a decent job hounding Teng and Co. in the crunch.
Game Turning Point: From a nip-and-tuck game, La Salle went on a big tear in the fourth canto and a triple by Luigi De La Paz put the Green Archers ahead 73-60.
With the La Sallian crowd already celebrating what looked like a big win, the Tamaraws refused to give up, scoring 15 of the next 17 points capped by a Belo lay-up that eventually sent the game into overtime.
A split by Teng last gave La Salle the taste of the lead at 78-77 then Garcia, Pogoy and Romeo delivered the marginal baskets to complete their incredible comeback.
He Said It:
FEU coach Nash Racela: “It (the win) says a lot about the character of this team. Hindi ko pa talaga gaanong kilala ‘yung team ko. But today, I learned a lot from them. It was a total team effort. La Salle had a very, very good game plan. It took us a while before we were really able to adjust.”
The scores:
FEU (83) – Romeo 25, Garcia 19, Belo 10, Tolomia 9, Pogoy 9, Hargrove 4, Cruz 4, Mendoza 2, Jose 1, Sencheu 0.
La Salle (79) – Teng 25, van Opstal 20, Perkins 10, De La Paz 9, Vosotros 8, T. Torres 4, Revilla 3, N. Torres 0, Tampus 0, Reyes 0, Montalbo 0, Bolick 0.
Quarterscores: 17-21, 35-34, 54-58, 75-75, 83-79 (OT).
