The FEU Tamaraws celebrate at center court after winning the UAAP men’s hoop title over UST yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena. (INQUIRER PHOTO)
Cebuano Roger Pogoy plays crucial role in helping Tamaraws end title drought in UAAP
Cebuano forward Roger Ray Pogoy put on a fitting finale to his collegiate career as he hit several killer shots down the stretch to lead the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws past the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, 67-62, and capture the championship in the 78th UAAP men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the rocking Mall of Asia Arena.
The Tamaraws held leads that went as high as 10 but suddenly fell prey to the rampaging Tigers, who seized the driver’s seat behind a blistering 16-0 run led by UST’s veteran combo guard Ed Daquioag, whose tip-in gave them a 59-53 lead with 4:31 to go.
But when all seemed bleak for FEU, in came Pogoy to save the day as he canned two straight buckets to trim the deficit to a candlestick, 58-59 with 2:31 left on the clock.
After UST big man Kent Lao split his charities to put his team ahead, 60-58, Pogoy came up with the biggest play of his storied UAAP career as he curled off a screen and shot in a straightaway three-pointer over the outstretched arms of Kevin Ferrer to give FEU back the lead, 61-58, at the 1:28 mark.
FEU kept the pressure up after UST failed to convert on the other end. Senior guard Mike Tolomia padded their lead to three with a transition lay-in. Daquioag then pulled UST to within one, 62-63, with two makes from the charity stripe but Tolomia countered by making one of two for a 64-62 FEU lead, time down to 48 seconds.
UST had several chances to tie the game but muffed them all. First, Daquioag dribbled the ball off his foot but UST regained possession after the referees were unable to determine who touched the ball last and called for a jumpball. Tigers big man Karim Abdul though, doomed UST as he later lost the ball out of bounds with just 21.7 ticks on the clock.
FEU forwards Mac Belo and Russell Escoto then sealed the win and the coveted title – their first in 10 years – with three free-throws down the stretch.
Pogoy, a former ace of the University of Cebu, finished with 14 points and six rebounds while Belo led the squad with 23 markers and eight boards. Tolomia, in spite shooting 4-of-17, added 13.
Daquioag had 21 for UST.