The De La Salle Green Archers may have dominated the game, but it was the FEU Tamaraws that won the match.
Photo Credits to: Peter Baltazar
After a late-game power play, the Tamaraws beat La Salle by a short 3-point margin, 71-68, to send the Archers packing and sealing the final four contenders advancing to the semifinals.
Leading by 10 points at halftime, the Archers made strong effort to secure their lead in the third quarter, moving as far as 15 points, hoping to keep their chances of entering the final four alive. By the end of the third, the Archers were leading by 9, 45-54.
But the tides turned in the fourth quarter. Taking advantage of the Archers’ missed baskets, the Tamaraws stepped up by shooting 10 unanswered points, cutting the Archers’ lead by two, 55-57.
The Tamaraws finally took over the lead, 63-61 with two and a half minutes left on the clock, thanks to Roger Pogoy’s shot from the 3-point line.
Things went downhill for the Archers from there, with the Tamaraws shutting down all their attempts to retake the lead. It was a final lay-up by Joe Trinidad that sealed the Archers’ fate at 71-68.
Monbert Arong led the Tamaraws with 13 points, while Pogoy’s three crucial shots behind the arc in the last quarter helped him score a good 11 points.
La Salle’s Jeron Teng made good numbers with 20 points, 9 boards, and 5 assists. While Prince Rivero slammed 16 points and 9 rebounds.
The Four teams moving into the semifinals are: UST (11-3), FEU (11-3), ADMU (9-5), and NU (7-7)
The Tamaraws will start their final four against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, November 21, with a twice-to-beat advantage.
Box Score Highlights:
FEU (71): Arong 13, Pogoy 11, Belo 10, Inigo 9, Escoto 8, Orizu 5, Escoto 4, Trinidad 3, Tamsi 2, Holmqvist 2, Tolomia 2, Holmqvist 2, Comboy 0, Ebona 0
DLSU (68): Teng 20, Rivero 16, Torralba 8, Torres 7, Perkins 6, Muyang 5, Caracut 3, Langston 3, Gob 0
Quarter scores: 22-19, 29-38, 45-54, 71-68
What can you say about the Tamaraws’ win?
