FEU outguns UST for share of 3rd place

MANILA, Philippines – The FEU Tamaraws outgunned the UST Growling Tigers, 72-58, in a heated UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball match at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, October 13.

With the win, the Tamaraws rose to 5-5 for the season, mirroring the Tigers’ record for a share of 3rd place in the standings.

The Tamaraws unveiled a surprise package in Royce Alforque, who pumped in a career-high 16 points – 11 coming in the second half – on a near-perfect 7-of-8 clip from the field.  

L-Jay Gonzales also fired 17 markers for the Tamaraws in the crucial win as both teams had to work harder for their shots in the grind-out affair. 

However, FEU managed to get an eight-point lead in the 4th, 53-45, off a Gonzales layup from a pinpoint Ken Tuffin pass at the 7:13 mark.

While UST immediately got within two, 51-53, off consecutive threes from Rhenz Abando and Mark Nonoy, the Tamaraws quickly responded off a pair of triples of their own from Xyrus Torres and Ino Comboy, 59-52.

Feeling the momentum on their side, Rey Bienes, Alforque and Gonzales joined the run with 7 more points to complete a 13-2 FEU attack for a 66-53 lead in the last two minutes.

Bienes then sealed the deal with two more triples for a 72-58 buffer in the waning seconds of the contest. 

Brent Paraiso paced the struggling Tigers with 12 points while Abando added 11 markers on just a 4-of-12 shooting. 

“Every win counts in the second round. For us, every game is a do-or-die game and we treated this game like that, and they responded,” said FEU coach Olsen Racela.

The Scores

FEU 72 – Gonzales 17, Alforque 16, Stockton 10, Bienes 9, Comboy 7, Torres 5, Cani 4, Tuffin 3, Tchuente 1, Ebona 0, Mantua 0.

UST 58 – Paraiso 12, Abando 11, Huang 11, Chabi Yo 7, Nonoy 6, Cansino 5, Subido 4, Concepcion 2, Ando 0, Bataller 0, Bordeos 0, Cosejo 0, Cuajao 0.

Quarters: 14-10, 26-23, 45-39, 72-58.

– Rappler.com