ALMOST a year after, De La Salle finally got back at Far Eastern University.
Jeron Teng fired 19 points as the Green Archers knocked off the Tamaraws and book a return trip to the finals of the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup on Friday at The Arena in San Juan.
Thomas Torres finished with 18 points, Jahal Tratter had 12, and Jason Perkins with 11 for the defending champion Archers, who will meet reigning NCAA champion San Beda in the championship match.
The victory, fashioned out in the absence of FEU coach Nash Racela and star player Mac Belo, avenged the Archers’ semifinal loss to the Tamaraws in last year’s UAAP Final Four.
Racela and Belo are with the national men’s basketball team in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.
La Salle coach Juno Sauler however, stressed the second Finals stint is not about defending the Archers’ title, but for the team to keep on improving in preparation for the coming UAAP season.
“It’s not about defending the title but to work on a lot of things and improve for the coming UAAP,” said Sauler following the semifinal win.
“The UAAP is three months away, but I hope that we get to be consistent by then,” he added.
The Green Archers raced to an early 26-12 lead and held a 67-57 edge entering the final quarter.
The Tamaraws cut the deficit to eight at the start of the payoff period, but went silent in a four-minute stretch as the Green Archers scored eight unanswered points to remain on top, 75-59.
Roger Pogoy finished with 22 points for FEU, which got a combined 23 points from Raymar Jose and Mike Tolomia.
The scores:
La Salle (84) - Teng 19, Torres 18, TRatter12, Perkins 11, Caracut 9, Muyang 7, Torralba 4, Go 2, Sargent 2, Gob 0.
FEU (71) - Pogoy 22, Jose 12, Tolomia 11, Escoto 5, Bienes 5, Trinidad 4, Orizu 3, Tamsi 3, Liwag 2, Arong 2, Comboy 2, Inigo 0, Dennison 0.
Quarterscores: 26-17; 42-29; 62-49; 84-71.
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