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| RR Garcia and FEU used their vast amount of experience to disappoint the NU Bulldogs. (image from UAAPSports.tv) |
FEU Tamaraws over the NU Bulldogs, 62-59
How can a team come from behind and win by scoring just 9 points in the fourth quarter? Simple. Make the opposition score much less than that – 5 points to be exact.
Of course, it also helped that erstwhile league-wide scoring leader Ray Parks was reduced to just an 11-point performance.
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| Bobby Ray Parks had his worst scoring performance so far. (image from UAAPSports.tv) |
In a game as closely-fought as this one, oftentimes the most critical factor is something intangible – something the statisticians have not yet been able to quantify. It’s something the FEU Tamaraws have loads of, but something Parks and the rest of the NU Bulldogs are still severely lacking.
Experience.
Experience enabled the Tams to make the proper defensive adjustments late in the game, and it enable Terrence Romeo to hit the big shot that ensured victory down the stretch.
Experience.
It separates the men from the boys, the winners from the wannabes and the contenders from the pretenders.
For all the talent and athleticism NU can muster, they are still found sorely wanting in experience, which is the reason I believe they are not “there” yet in terms of the Final Four. Too early to tell? Perhaps.
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| Rookie Gelo Alolino hit some big shots, but he ultimately fell short in the end. (image from UAAPSports.tv) |
But look at where they are now – the only team they’ve beaten is UP, they failed their “big game” tests against Ateneo & FEU, and they were also beaten by a lower-seeded UST five. Can things drastically change in 10 games? Possible, but don’t bet on it. And who’s next for the Bulldogs? DLSU & Adamson. Yikes.
And for FEU? It was a close shave, but the important thing is they actually pulled it out, which I think will be the story of the whole season for the Tams. Because their frontline isn’t set yet (the jury is still out on who’ll get the bulk of the minuted in each game – Sentcheu? Cruz? Bringas? Foronda?), they will continue to be vulnerable to any team (even UE gave them fits in the 1st quarter of their game). In the end, however, the same thing that propelled them to come back against UE, which is the same thing that helped them over the hump here against NU, will take them through to another Final Four appearance.
Experience.
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| Ping Exciminiano was an all-around blitz, finishing with 5pts, 12rebs, 2asts, 2stls, and 1blk. (image from UAAPSports.tv) |
FEU 62 – Garcia 17, Ramos 9, Tolomia 7, Romeo 7, Sentecheu 7, Cawaling 6, Exciminiano 5, Foronda 2, Cruz 2, Escoto 0, Bringas 0, Mendoza 0
NU 59 – Alolino 12, Parks 11, Terso 10, Ignacio 10, Celiz 4, Mbe 3, Singh 3, Eman 2, Khobuntin 2, Javillonar 2, Celda 0, Villamor 0, Magat 0, Neypes 0
QS: 23-17, 35-37, 53-54, 62-59
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