By NIKOLE JAVIER
No easy win this time for University of the Philippines.
But in posting their fourth straight victory, the Maroons banked heavily on the heroics of rookies Janjan Felicilda and Francis Lopez to beat the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in overtime, 80-76, in the the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Maroons won their first three games in double figures but they had to grind it out on Wednesday, Oct. 11, before prevailing.
Felicilda topscored for UP with 17 points on a near perfect 6-of-7 shooting from the field, while CJ Cansino contributed 14 points as the Maroons notched their fourth straight win.
In a show of might, Malick Diouf also put on a gem of a performance on both ends with 11 points and 20 rebounds this time, while rookie Lopez flirted with a double-double of 9 points and 11 rebounds.
Like the Maroons, the Ateneo Eagles also encountered stiff resistance from the University of East Warriors before pulling off a 76-69 win – thanks largely to Kai Ballungay.
The hard-working forward had another sterling performance with 18 points and 11 rebounds on an efficient 7-of-14 shooting as the Eagles picked up their second win in four starts – the same win-loss record of the Warriors.
Joseph Obasa and Jared Brown, for their parts, finished with 16 and 11 points, respectively.
Ateneo could barely pull away in the first three quarters and was even behind 56-54 late in the third.
But it proved to be UE’s last gallant stand.
The Fighting Maroons and the Tamaraws were on a stalemate at 65-all with 2:41 left in regulation before Felicilda completed a three-point for a 68-65 lead.
But the Tamaraws refused to roll over and die as Jorick Bautista came through with a three-pointer with 30.3 seconds to spare to put the match in another deadlock.
The Maroons could have won the game outright but Harold Alarcon missed his jumper on the other end with 11 ticks to go.
In the return play, Ljay Gonzales went the other way and found Miguel Ona down low but he overpassed it to James Tempra at the top of the key that gave FEU a backcourt violation with 1.7 seconds, giving UP one last chance.
Off a timeout, Alarcon found Francis Lopez on the right wing for a turnaround jumper, which he made as time expired, but Malick Diouf was called for an offensive basket interference to send the game to overtime.
In the extra period, both squads engaged in another nip-and-tuck affair, 73-all, but Diouf unloaded four straight points to take the lead for good.
Bautista, though, drilled another triple to pull FEU within one with half a minute to go.
However, Felicilda iced the game with a layup.
“Every game is a chance to improve coming to the fourth game. There was some stuff we wanted to emphasize somewhere and it’s part of our growth as a team. As we watch the game and as the players reflect offensively and defensively papasok ng next game namin ma-apply namin iyong mga ‘yon,” said UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon.
Bautista led all scorers and finished with 26 points in the losing cause, while LJ Gonzales had 19 points of his own.
The scores:
First Game
UP 80 – Felicilda 17, Cansino 14, Diouf 11, Lopez 9, Alarcon 8, Torres 6, Torculas 6, Cagulangan 5, Alter 4, Pablo 0, Gonzales 0, Briones 0, Belmonte 0.
FEU 76 – Bautista 26, Gonzales 19, Torres 9, Ona 8, Sleat 7, Torres 4, Alforque 3, Faty 0, Bagunu 0, Buenaventura 0, Competente 0, Montemayor 0.
Quarters: 17-13, 35-38, 54-56, 68-68, 80-76.
Second Game
Ateneo 76 – Ballungay 18, Obasa 16, Brown 11, Koon 7, Amos 6, Lazaro 5, Tuano 4, Quitevis 4, Nieto 3, Bongo 2, Espinosa 0, Gomez 0.
UE 69 – Galang 12, Momowei 12, Lingolingo 12, Remogat 9, Cruz-Dumont 8, Wilson 7, Sawat 7, Tulabut 2, Gilbuena 0, Alcantara 0, Fikes 0.
Quarters: 18-22, 43-38, 59-58, 76-69.
