JERON TENG being able to slip past defender Kevin Ferrer and overcoming the mindgames of the University of Santo Tomas forward was a huge factor in La Salle’s 77-70 win on Saturday that forced the UAAP men's basketbal finals into a winner-take-all showdown.
Teng played consistent all game, scoring 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals to lead La Salle in Game Two of the best-of-three series at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Teng’s effort came despite being hounded all game long by Ferrer, easily gaining a reputation as one of the best defensive players in the league.
But the UST stalwart got into early foul trouble, giving Teng some room to maneuver.
“’Yung kay Ferrer, siyempre he is starting to get into my head. Pero hindi ako nag-back down and I played my usual game,” said last year's Rookie of the Year.
Despite his all-around effort, Teng also credited his teammates as La Salle opted to work on a seven-man rotation.
“Malaking bagay sila kasi nung first game, nag kanya-kanya kami. So our game plan was to share the ball,” said Teng.
For his part, Norbert Torres said it was the “no-tomorrow” attitude that helped him play a key role in Game Two.
Torres contributed a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, including seven in the third period to help La Salle pull off the victory.
“I think it’s a do-or-die so I have to play more aggressive with our backs against the wall,” said Torres.
The victory allowed Torres to play one more game for La Salle this season in next week's Game Three, even though he will miss his graduation ceremony set on the same day.
“Rebounding was really a big factor. That was a big key for us,” said Torres.
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