Surgin’ Tamaraws defang Tigers: Move win shy of clinching UAAP crown

MANILA, Philippines - Far Eastern University operated better under gripping championship pressure, shattering University of Santo Tomas with a decisive late game burst of 14 straight points and a tough defense to take Game One, 75-64, of the UAAP men’s basketball finals before a roaring crowd in yellow and green at the MOA Arena in Pasay City yesterday.

It was actually a showdown of surges and flurries with the Tigers, trailing majority of the way, rolling back into the game with offensive thrusts late in the third and early in the fourth and the Tamaraws responding with their own rapid-fire onslaught down the stretch that took the fight out of the España-based squad and decided the contest, the first finals meeting between the league’s winningest teams in 36 years.

The Tams gun for the clincher, their 20th championship, on Saturday.

The Tamaraws outplayed the Tigers with better ball movement and offensive built around their big men to seize initiative in the first half until UST, struggling with their quartercourt shooting that was so lethal in the elims to the Final Four, found its rhythm and range bridging the last two quarters.

Awesome with their offense, the Tams also proved they’re as potent defensively, choking the Tigers to only two points in the last 5:52, turning what was expected to be a tight, down-to-the-wire finish into a runaway triumph.

“I think it was our defense for 40 minutes,” said FEU coach Nash Racela, whose wards can wrap up the diadem with another victory on Saturday.

“This team has been an underrated defensive team but these boys really work hard on the defensive end. And it showed today,” he added.

The Tams held the Tigers to a 36.23 percent clip and specifically put the cuffs on UST ace Ed

Daquioag, who coughed up four markers on a 1-of-7 shooting.

Racela turned to a wide cast of heroes – from double-digit scorers Roger Pogoy (15), Mike Tolomia (14), Mac Belo (13 points, 13 rebounds), Russel Escoto (12) and Price Orizu (10 markers, nine boards) to defensive specialist Ron Dennison and workhorse Raymar Jose – in drawing first blood against the top-seeded UST before a crowd of 18,450.

Only Karim Abdul (19 in 36 minutes) and Kevin Ferrer (15 in 33 minutes) finished in twin figures for UST, whose key players seemed drained from playing heavy minutes during the final push.

FEU actually raced to a 14-point spread but allowed UST to claw back and even take a 62-61 lead on a bucket by Louie Vigil less than six minutes left.

Racela then sued for time to regroup and his wards responded with a 14-2 counter assault, completing the mopping up operations by relentlessly crashing the board and forcing the dog-tired Tigers to lose possession.

“More than the fatigue factor, it was the consecutive stops made by these players. They made a couple of interceptions which resulted in layups and that took the fight out of them (UST),” said Racela.  

FEU made a killing in rebounding, 56-32, enjoying a whopping 22-11 margin on the offensive glass.

With a 1-0 lead in the series, the Tams are on the threshold of their first title since 2005 and 20th overall.

Racela said they’re looking at the situation with caution, remembering the fate that befell them last year when they jumped the gun on National U only to lose Games 2 and 3 to settle for runner-up honors.

“I think we learned our lesson from last year’s finals. It’s a good reminder for us to be humble and continue to work to correct things so that we’ll get another win,” said Racela.

Mike Tolomia of FEU steps back for a jumper against Karim Abdul and Sheak Sheriff of UST. JOVEN CAGANDE