Save for a
not-so-fast start, the full arsenal of the FEU Tamaraws was on display in their
massacre of the rattled and tattered Fighting Maroons, 75-57.
Starring
rookie sensation Kyles Lao, the Maroons stuck close to the Tams till midway in
the second quarter, 21-27. It was a little unexpected, of course, since UP was
no longer with starting PG Mikee Reyes and FEU was coming off a great win
against the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles.
 |
| RR Garcia and the Tamaraws won their third straight against the hapless Maroons. |
Without a
clear-cut leader, the UP quintet was supposed to run like headless chickens
against a dangerous FEU side, but with Lao and big man Raul Soyud hitting their
stride, the Moraytans just couldn’t get significant separation.
By the 3:46
mark of the second canto, Lao, who has starred for Xavier School ever since his
grade school days, actually seemed to keep in-step with FEU’s Terrence Romeo,
who also had 7 markers at that point.
And then the
fiery FEU guard teamed up with RR Garcia, Carl Cruz, and Mike Tolomia to mount a
14-0 blast to go into the lockers with a 20-point advantage. As for Lao, he would
not score again in the game.
Nothing
significant really followed after that as the Tams coasted for much of the
third period, leading by as many as 29 points (62-33) with under three minutes
before the payoff period began.
UP did make
things a little interesting with a shocking 17-0 run bridging the third and
fourth quarters, but Romeo once again came to fore, scoring three straight
buckets to shatter any semblance of a monumental UP fightback.
By game’s
end, seven Tamaraws netted 6 or more points. Romeo led all scorers with 20
points while also hauling down 12 rebounds. Garcia backed him up with 15
points, 7 boards, and 4 dimes, while Mike Tolomia contributed 10 markers and 5
ribbies. Even mich-maligned big man Christian Sentcheu stepped up, grabbing 6
rebounds and blocking 5 UP shots.
Needless to
say, coach Nash Racela should be happy with his team’s three-game winning
streak, though he hardly showed it when he was asked about how he felt during
the postgame presscon.
He knows
that a three-win start means nothing if FEU cannot get into the Final Four, and
that’s what he’s focusing on. Remember last season, kids?
What’s
interesting is that UP actually outrebounded FEU, 63-52. Soyud combined with
Chris Ball to collar 29 caroms, but the Maroons failed to exploit this
advantage by shooting under 29% from the field and under 54% from the stripe.
What this
game made apparent is that the FEU Tamaraws are just too good to lose to UP
this season, and that it’s too bad that UP just cannot catch a break. Heck, it’s
been a few seasons since they last caught one.
 |
| Chris Ball stops the drive of FEU's Jeson Delfinado. |
 |
| Christian Sentcheu was solid at the slot for the Green & Gold. |
FEU TAMARAWS over UP FIGHTING MAROONS, 75-57
FEU 75 - Romeo 20, Garcia 15, Tolomia 10, Cruz
8, Mendoza 6, Jose 6, Belo 6, Inigo 2, Aguilon 2, Sentcheu 0, Pogoy 0, Luz 0,
Lee Yu 0, Hargrove 0, Delfinado 0
UP 57 - Soyud 10, Ball 9, Lao 7, Amar 6, Wong
4, Marata 4, Gallarza 4, Desiderio 4, Gingerich 3, Suarez 2, Pascual 2, Paras
0, Ligad 0, Harris 0
QS: 23-12, 41-21, 62-41, 75-57
All images by Jan Dizon/Inboundpass.com.
0 Comment