Tams advance, nip Bulldogs

Far Eastern University tightened up on its defense when its offense turned sour as it outsteadied National University, 70-68, to clinch the third slot in the Final Four of the 64th UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

It took a basket by Mark Isip, a former student at the Philippine School of Business Administration, and two charities by veteran Leo Avenido in the dying seconds to help the Tamaraws secure an 8-6 card. FEU now joins defending champion La Salle and Ateneo in the semis.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, suffered their 7th loss in 14 games and fell into a tie with the UE Warriors at the close of the elims. The two squads square off on Thursday also at the Big Dome with the winner facing La Salle in the semis. NU and UE have split their first two games this season.

Ateneo and FEU, which finished second and third after the elims, begin their Final Four matchup also on Thursday with the Eagles only needing to win once to reach the finals.

The Archers cemented their hold on the top spot when they posted a convincing 76-63 victory over the Eagles in the second game. It was La Salle’s 12th win against only two losses while the loss was the fourth against 10 wins for Ateneo.

Gilbert Neo of NU sank two charities to forge the game’s final deadlock at 66-66 with 2:44 left. But the Bulldogs went silent in the ensuing plays, with pointguard Froilan Baguion missing a couple of triples, while allowing Isip and Avenido to come up with the marginal points.

"We played tough defense in the crucial stretch of the match," said FEU coach Coy Banal, whose charges are now on a three-game winning streak since dropping five games in a row at the halfway mark of the elims. "And the reserves stepped up."