REMEMBER when Sean Chambers said near the end of the first round that young Far Eastern University is going to be a problem for the UAAP?
Well, he didn't need to wait long to be proven correct.
His Tamaraws are already giving headaches early in Round 2 of the Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, this time repulsing National University, 65-58, on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Royce Alforque delivered crucial hits in the last two minutes before Jorick Bautista took FEU home with a stepback three from the top of the arc with 9.7 seconds left to ice the game at 64-58, and seal the back-to-back wins.
Tamaraws charging
Bautista unloaded 17 points on 3-of-7 shooting from distance, to go with four rebounds, as Alforque got nine points and seven boards for the boys from Morayta who have now won three of their last four games to move up to 3-6.
Mo Konateh also imposed his will down low with 22 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks, as the Gambian center feasted down low against an all-Filipino Bulldog squad, with Veejay Pre also chiming in 12 points, six boards, and five assists in the win.
“We’re getting comfortable, we’re getting acclimated, and we’re understanding our desires and goals, and it all starts with our defensive effort,” said Chambers, praising the Tamaraw defense which forced National U to commit five of its 13 turnovers and shoot 4-of-13 from the field in the last 10 minutes.
This makes up for their heartbreaking first round loss, 62-60, last Sept. 14 where Janrey Pasaol missed three crucial freebies that could have won the game.
Lucky for FEU now, they didn’t need to face the same quandary.
The Tamaraws came alive in the fourth quarter, starting off with a 13-6 charge to flip the game from a 48-44 deficit to a 57-52 lead thanks to a Bautista fadeaway with 4:39 left.
Jolo Manansala and Jake Figueroa kept coming for NU, with the Bulldogs trailing by only one, 57-56, with 2:17 on the clock, before Alforque and Bautista took over.
Manansala led the Jhocson side with 11 points and four rebounds, PJ Palacielo got 10 points and six boards, and Figueroa did it all with nine points, 13 rebounds, and four assists.
The back-to-back defeats brought the blue-and-gold down to 2-7, as it has now lost six of its last seven games.
The Scores:
FEU 65 – Konateh 22, Bautista 17, Pre 12, Alforque 9, Montemayor 2, Pasaol 2, Ona 1, Anonuevo 0, Daa 0, Nakai 0.
NU 58 – Manansala 11, Palacielo 10, Figueroa 9, Garcia 8, Jumamoy 6, Francisco 5, Perciano 4, Parks 3, Enriquez 2, Yu 0, Padrones 0, Lim 0, Santiago 0, Dela Cruz 0, Tulabut 0.
Quarters: 10-12, 29-24, 44-48, 65-58.
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