UNIVERSITY of the Philippines had to get its act together late to clinch a Final Four spot with a 72-69 victory over La Salle in the UAAP Season 84 men's basketball tournament Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
UP vs La Salle recap
Carl Tamayo poured a career-best 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Ricci Rivero finished with 11 points, eight boards, and three steals as his split from the line in the final 8.6 seconds gave the Fighting Maroons the much needed three-point breathing room to escape with the gritty victory.
Mark Nonoy still had a shot to force overtime, but his left corner three only hit the top of the board as the time expired during the rebound scramble.
UP has now locked up a spot in the semifinals with its 9-2 record, while also securing leaders Ateneo (11-0) a top two spot in the process.
It was a tense victory for the Fighting Maroons which lost grip of a 16-point second quarter lead, 42-26, just to see the Green Archers roar back and trim it to five, 64-59, after a Schonny Winston bucket with 5:07 left.
UP responded with seven unanswered points as Malick Diouf put UP up by 12, 71-59 in the last 1:52, but Winston triggered a 10-0 blast capped off by Michael Phillips' putback to keep things interesting at 71-69 with 10.5 seconds remaining before Rivero's split from the free throw line in the endgame.
Diouf tallied a double-double with his 15 points and 18 rebounds, as Zavier Lucero got nine points and eight boards in the triumph as the Fighting Maroons bounced back from their shock 66-58 loss to Adamson two games back.
"Actually yung game namin compared sa last game, very different. We had very good ball movement from the start, sharing the ball and finding the open man. The things we're working on, nakita na namin kanina. We just have to improve yung free throws namin," said coach Goldwin Monteverde, happy to pull off the win yet still lamenting the team's 7-of-16 free throw shooting.
Justine Baltazar shouldered the load for La Salle with 16 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks, as Winston came alive in the payoff period and got 16 points and four rebounds to his name.
Kurt Lojera also contributed 13 points, four rebounds, and four steals as the Green Archers dropped to a 7-4 slate.
The Scores:
UP 72 -- Tamayo 23, Diouf 15, Rivero 11, Lucero 9, Fortea 8, Cagulangan 4, Spencer 2, Abadiano 0, Cansino 0, Alarcon 0, Lina 0.
LA SALLE 69 -- Baltazar 16, Winston 16, Lojera 13, M. Phillips 8, Nelle 7, Nonoy 7, B. Phillips 2, Manuel 0, Escandor 0, Nwankwo 0, Cuajao 0.
Quarters: 18-17, 42-31, 56-49, 72-69.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph