By Alder T. Almo
Manila – The Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws sent the De La Salle Green Archers to their first 0-2 start in 23 years. Playing with a lot of poise and composure, the Tamaraws rebounded from a tough loss with a masterful 65-51 win over the young Green Archers in the 72nd University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball at the Araneta Coliseum.
It was a humbling loss for La Salle, who had never experienced a 0-2 start under Franz Pumaren since he joined the team in 1998. The last time a La Salle team went 0-2 in its first two opening games was in 1986, the year the Green Archers made the jump to UAAP from rival National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).
The Tamaraws used a late second quarter run to widen the gap from a hotly contested first period. Smart Gilas-RP team member JR Cawaling teamed up with rookie RR Garcia in the big spurt that gave the Tamaraws a 12-point halftime lead, which the Green Archers failed to recover. “Sobrang gigil kasi magpakita ng mga players ko sa last game. Grabe ang pressure heading into this game but I’m happy na nakapag-execute sila and stayed focus,” FEU coach Glenn Capacio. Capacio adjusted his starting unit putting Reil Cervantes and rookie Garcia in his second unit and it paid off.
Andy Barroca led FEU with 15 points and drew big help from Cervantes, who had a double-double with 11 and 13 boards, and Garcia, who made 12 markers.
A big defensive effort from the Tamaraws held the Green Archers to below 15 points in each quarter. For the second straight game, not a single player from La Salle scored in double figures.
The Scores:
FEU 65 – Barroca 15, Garcia 12, Cervantes 11, Cawaling 10, Ramos 8, Noundou 4, Tanuan 2, Caluag 2, Manalo 1, Vinluan 0, Sanga 0, Knuttel 0, Excimiano 0.
La Salle 51 – Mangahas 8, Malabes 7, Marata 6, Barua 6, Bringas 5, Tolentino 4, Bagatsing 4, Atkins 4, Ferdinand 3, Webbb 2, Villanueva 2, Mendoza 0, Co 0, Banal 0.
Quarters: 14-12, 36-24, 51-37, 65-51.
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