Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur—Title favorites Far Eastern University (FEU) bolstered its chances of contending for the crown after it survived the University the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 72-63, yesterday in the Mayor Kim Lope A. Asis 1st Collegiate Invitational Basketball Tournament at the Lope Asis Memorial Gymnasium here.
The Madjaw Construction-backed Tamaraws improved to 3-0 (win-loss), while the ARQ Builders-sponsored Green Lancers slipped to 2-1.
The two teams were scheduled to play separate opponents in yesterday evening’s matches in a pair of games staking the two championship berths.
UV was to take on the 7A’s-University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, while FEU was slated to battle the Jimberns Builders-San Beda Red Lions.
Aside from UV and FEU, San Beda is also in contention for the crown as it pocketed its second win in three games via an 81-73 spanking of the Bayugan LGU-Holy Trinity College Wildcats in the main game of yesterday’s morning games.
FEU and UV figured in a tight contest in the first half but the latter suffered a major blow when Liberian import Bassiere Sackor picked up his fourth foul with 19.6 seconds left in the second stanza and the Green Lancers leading, 38-35.
Sackor sat out the entire third period, leaving a gaping hole in the middle for UV, which also played without key big man Michael Macion.
Macion served his one-game suspension which he got after he was thrown out for incurring two technical fouls in UV’s 62-57 win over San Beda last Monday night.
“That was a big factor that Sackor missed the entire third period. Macion could have also helped us,” said UV head coach Gary Cortes.
The Tamaraws pounced on UV’s thinned frontline as Cebuano guard Monbert Arong keyed a 9-4 run that put FEU on top, 45-42. UV tied the contest at 45-all before FEU took the lead for good behind an 8-0 blast.
Sackor checked back into the game at the start of the fourth but FEU already built a comfortable lead and kept its composure down the stretch to preserve the win.
FEU’s Fil-Kiwi forward Ken Tuffin provided the game’s highlight reel in the final 23.7 seconds after dunking over UV’s athletic guard Rey Suerte.
“I didn’t mean to posterize someone, I just tried to go hard to complete the play,” said the 19-year-old Tuffin.
Tuffin revealed that he had won at least two slam-dunk contests in his high school days in New Zealand.
Richard Escoto led the way for FEU with 13 points, while Nigerian reinforcement Prince Orinzu chipped in 11.
Suerte spearheaded UV with 13 markers, while Jerome Napao and Sheldon Gahi pitched in 12 apiece.
THE SCORES
FEU (72)- Escoto 13, Orizu 11, Arong 9, Trinidad 9, Jose 8, Holmqvist 6, Delos Santos 5, Tuffin 4, Dennison 2, Comboy 2.
UV(63)- Suerte 13, Napao 12, Gahi 12, Albina 12, Sackor 7, Soliva 4, Balabag 3.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
