Though losing ball possession on a dribbling error by Jonas Villanueva with eight seconds left in the contest, the Tamaraws kept their composure and denied the Archers a good look at the basket to escape with the one-point win that kept them atop the heap, half-a-game in front of the University of the East Warriors.
The Warriors, earlier in the day, toughened up in the fourth quarter and overcame a lethargic game in the first 30 minutes of play, scoring a 66-53 win over Santo Tomas.
FEU and UE stayed running 1-2 in the tourney with the Tams sporting an 8-1 win-loss record and the Warriors carrying an 8-2 card.
Arwind Santos had a near triple-double game with 16 points, 16 rebounds and a season-high eight blocks but that sterling performance nearly went for naught on their fumbling finish.
The Tams committed three crucial errors in the final 1:20 of play, the last one giving the Archers a chance to win the game in the dying seconds.
But FEU worked on a good defense, forcing Joseph Yeo to take a shot from way out, triggering a frenzied celebration from the Tams’ fans and supporters.
Ryan Rizada pulled down the defensive rebound, clinching the repeat of their 69-62 drubbing of the Archers in their previous meeting in the tourney.
"Hindi kami maka-execute offensively at endgame. But as I’ve always been telling the boys, whatever happens if you play good defense, you have a chance to win. That’s what happened today," said FEU coach Bert Flores.
"Mark Isip and Jeff Chan struggled today but the team worked hard together in defense and that proved to be the key in this victory," Flores added. Santos, Ryan Rizada and Jonas Villanueva carried much of the Tams’ offensive load as they combined for 39 points.
The three themselves spearheaded FEU’s assault as the Tams took a 26-9 spread in the first quarter. But the Archers got their act together starting the second quarter, rallying to within 36-39 at halftime. The Warriors shook off a tentative game in the fourth quarter as they likewise made it two in a row over the Tigers in the season.
"We committed so many turnovers on our flat start that’s why the game was close through the first three quarters of play," said UE coach Dindo Pumaren.