Teng goes for 25 as La Salle downs UP for 4th straight win

MANILA, Philippines – Already playing without their suspended head coach, matters got worse for UP when Jeron Teng decided to have his best game of the season to date. 

The 2013 UAAP Finals MVP finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds, leading his De La Salle Green Archers to their fourth straight win, 74-53, against the UP Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, August 6, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. 

The victory also pushed La Salle’s winning streak over UP to nine, a record dating back to 2009. 

Following his two-point output against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Saturday, August 2, Teng was locked and loaded from the get-go against the Fighting Maroons by punishing UP’s paltry interior D with floaters and layups. 

Teng, whose jumper has been criticized in the past, also converted a couple of outside shots and nailed four free throws. DLSU marksman Almond Vosotros also had an impressive output, registering 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, while breaking out of his shooting slump.

“Generally, how we’re playing, we’re playing better now than how we started the season. It’s not the winning streak,” said DLSU head coach Juno Sauler after the game.  

The game kicked off sloppy, as both teams were plagued with turnovers. Four quick points by Norbert Torres put La Salle ahead early, but a three-pointer by Mikee Reyes kept things close, 5-4.

After the first game time-out, DLSU secured the ball better on offense and put up five straight points on three possessions. UP, on the other hand, failed to hit their jumpers despite being open, making way for a 10-4 score in favor of the Green Archers. 

After La Salle pushed their lead to 10, Coach Sauler went small by putting Jason Perkins at the 5 and Prince Rivero at the 4. Nonetheless, it didn’t matter as Teng continued to produce from the floor, finishing the first quarter with 7 points. 

The Fighting Maroons, in turn, struggled to find any rhythm on offense whatsoever, limping to a 26-9 deficit at the end of the first period – thanks to 8 points in the final few minutes from Vosotros and Rivero.

The opening of the second period was no different from the first, as La Salle ran rampant over UP. The Maroons struggled to get the ball inside and was forced to tough contested jumpers in the process, while DLSU got easy opportunities on the break to make the count 33-12.

A Kyles Lao and-one play stopped the drought for UP midway through the second period. Not long after, the Fighting Maroons turned to a press in hopes of containing DLSU’s offense. It didn’t work, as Teng continued to torch whoever was guarding him. 

At the half, Teng already had 20 points while La Salle sat comfortably ahead, 50-24.

The rest of the game went the Green Archers’ way, leading to an easy victory.

DLSU rookies Abu Tratter and Rivero finished with 6 points each, while Perkins registered 6 markers and 6 boards. 

UP was led by Lao, who had 13 points and was the squad’s lone double-digit scorer. 

La Salle outrebounded UP, 54-47 and had more assists than their opponents, 16-5. Majority of the Green Archers’ scoring came from their starters, who finished with 57 combined points. 

DLSU played their second straight game without center Arnold Van Opstal, who hasn’t practiced with the team yet, according to Coach Sauler.  

UP, now standing at 0-6, will aim to get their first win of the season on Saturday, August 9, when they take on Adamson, who has a 0-5 record. La Salle, meanwhile, will try to close their first round with a fifth straight win against UST, currently 3-1, on Sunday, August 10.

– Rappler.com