BY Gwen Bergado
THIS time around, the greater gold was the one laced with green.
Fueled by its first-round heartbreak, Far Eastern University-Diliman exacted revenge on University of Santo Tomas, 67-60, Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
After a hotly-contested first half, the Baby Tamaraws took the fourth quarter as their time to break away from the Tiger Cubs’ grip for a slim 63-58 margin with two minutes left.
Liam Salangsang then proved clutch from the free throw line to lift the green-and-gold to 7-3 in the standings of the UAAP Season 87 boys' basketball tournament.
Cabs Cabonilas stayed reliable as ever with a double-double of 22 markers and 13 rebounds backed by Yosef Raneses who drained 13, more than half of FEU-Diliman's 24 bench points.
Despite tallying eight threes in the second half, UST just couldn’t get the defensive stops it needed to see its eight-game winning streak come to a close. They remain at solo second at 8-2.
Still alone atop the leaderboard is NU-Nazareth School, as it pounded on hapless De La Salle Zobel, 86-60.
Collins Akowe kept up his double-double streak with 20 points and 23 rebounds, while Iver Napa had 15 points, including four three-pointers, to shoot the Bullpups to the first semifinals spot with a clean record of 10-0.
Ateneo, Adamson fly high
Ateneo and Adamson then scored much-welcome triumphs over separate opponents.
Propped by their fourth quarter efforts, the Blue Eagles pecked playoff hopeful University of the East, 64-56, for their second win in the tournament.
Consistent as ever, Jay M Leal delivered with a 15-point, 18-rebound showing, as Ateneo improved to 2-8.
The Baby Falcons, meantime, jumped all over still-winless University of the Philippines Integrated School, 84-67, to pump more life into their playoff hopes at 5-5.
Spearheading the now solo fourth defending champions were Allen Perez with 16 points, while getting ample help from Earl Medina (12), Mark Esperanza (11), and Sanir Sajili (10).
Chasing Adamson tied at fifth and sixth are the Jr. Archers and Jr. Warriors at 4-6.
DLSZ was paced by Kieffer Alas' 18 points and five boards, backed by Christian Mben and Bonn Daja who registered 11 and 10, respectively, while UE was fronted by Martin Almanza (16) and Edry Alejandro (11).
The Scores:
First Game
NUNS 86— Akowe 20, Napa 15, Locsin 7, Pillado 7, Palanca 7, Figueroa 6, Cartel 5, Alfanta 4, Nepacena 4, Solomon 4, Bouzina 3, Matias 2, Lucido 2, Natinga 0, Usop 0, Casala 0
DLSZ 60— Alas 18, Mben 11, Daja 10, Lopez 6, Gubat 5, Dabao 4, Arejola 2, Alpapara 2, Borrero 2, Atienza 0, Alpapara 0, Tailan 0, Favis 0, Espinosa 0, Dimayuga 0, Reguera 0
Quarters: 20-14, 40-21, 67-42, 86-60.
Second Game
FEU-DILIMAN 67— Kane 15, Manding 13, Ludovice 9, Bucsit 9, Acido 6, Solon 5, Canete 3, Esteban 0, Cinco 0
UST 60— Cabonilas 22, Raneses 13, Salangsang 12, Burgos 11, Esperanza 6, Pascual 3, Gemao 0, Godoy 0, De Guzman 0, Hall 0, Delos Santos 0
Quarters: 18-16, 36-28, 48-44, 67-60
Third Game
ADAMSON 84— Perez 16, Medina 12, Esperanza 11, Sajili 10, De Jesus 9, Tumaneng 9, Decatoria 8, Umali 6, Jenodia 3, Abayon 0, Caspe 0, Matilliano 0, Garcia 0, Penafiel 0
UPIS 67— Tubongbanua 25, Melicor 12, Hallare 12, Egea 8, Gomez de Liano 5, Coronel 3, Uvero 2, Poquiz 0, Rosete 0, Gepitan 0, Pascual 0
Quarters: 11-16, 33-30, 63-52, 84-67
Fourth Game
ATENEO 64— Leal 15, Tan 9, Urbina 9, Delos Santos 9, Kallos 6, Lagdamen 5, Aquino 3, Ymasa 3, Asistio 3, Lacsamana 2, Kaw 0
UE 56— Almanza 16, Alejandro 11, Aguas 7, Bual 6, Lorenzo 6, Sabroso 4, Bana 4, Diaz 2, Lagat 0, Timbol 0, Cuevas 0, Chua 0
Quarters: 17-16, 35-33, 49-48, 64-56
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