MANILA, Philippines – Better late than never.
That’s the case for the UE Red Warriors, who after opening their season at 3-4 have won four of their last five games and remain in the hunt for a berth in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament Final Four round.
UE’s lone loss in their last five outings came against Ateneo, 78-73. Out of their four wins, two were at the expense of playoff contenders NU and FEU, whom UE beat on Sunday, September 7, 94-71, thanks to a fourth quarter explosion on offense and the fantastic play of both Pedrito Galanza and import Charles Mammie.
The Red Warriors limited the Tamaraws to just 10 points on defense in the final period, while on the other side of the floor, Mammie and Galanza put the finishing touches on the contest after Roi Sumang put up 8 markers in the opening minutes of the quarter.
“Bong (Galanza) stepped up. Bong was good. Bong did great,” Mammie said after the game, complimenting his teammate who finished with a career-high 26 points and 4 assists.
Mammie registered 18 and 7 despite picking up two fouls early in the first quarter and being called for his third and fourth during the third period. After playing just 17.4 MPG in the first round, the second-year big man has seen his playing time increase to 23.4 MPG. He’s scored in double figures in his last seven games, leading UE to a 6-1 record during that span.
“From the first quarter to the last quarter, Bong was all over the place. He was shooting the ball. He has more confidence in his shot. Bong was good. Bong did great,” Mammie added.
At 7-5, UE is just one game behind NU, 8-4, in the loss column for the last Final Four spot. The Red Warriors also have the opportunity to catch up to the Green Archers, 9-3, who are currently in third place.
“We’re going for the challenge. We’re going for it. We can’t stop. We can’t stop fighting right now. We’re going for it. We’re fighting hard. We’re going to stop them,” Mammie said about his club’s chances against the current top four teams in the league standings.
University of the East will aim to win their fourth straight game on Wednesday, September 10, when they take on DLSU, the UAAP’s defending champions.
The last time both clubs battled on July 27, UE forced their opponents to 36 turnovers and led by double-digits in the fourth quarter before squandering their lead and succumbing to La Salle, 60-58, thanks to Jeron Teng’s 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Mammie had 8 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.
“Wednesday’s La Salle and we’re going for them,” Mammie said without fear or hesitation.
A Red Warriors win would put them just a game behind the Green Archers in the loss column, and potentially derail the latter’s chances of attaining a twice-to-beat seed in the Final Four.
“We aren’t scared of them. We’re going for them. We’re coming for them.” – Rappler.com
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