The FEU Tamaraws whoop it up after winning the championship crown of the Mayor Kim Lope A. Asis 1st Collegiate Invitational Basketball Tournament. (CDN PHOTO/CALVIN D. CORDOVA)
Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur — University of the Visayas (UV) Head Coach Gary Cortes pocketed P30,000 after winning a three-point shootout at halftime but his counterpart Nash Racela and the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws caught the bigger fish when they copped the championship trophy of the Mayor Kim Lope A. Asis 1st Collegiate Invitational Basketball Tournament yesterday at the Lope Asis Memorial Gymnasium here.
The Madjaw Construction-backed Tamaraws snatched the crown and the whopping P200,000 top purse by flattening the cold-shooting ARQ Builders-sponsored Green Lancers, 88-63, before a sellout crowd led by Bayugan City Mayot Kim Lope A. Asis.
The title run gave the Tamaraws a needed boost as they prepare to defend their crown in the UAAP Men’s basketball tournament set to start in September.
“I cannot say anything what does this win mean for our campaign in the UAAP but this tournament is an important tool for us,” said Racela.
The win duplicated FEU’s 72-63 elimination round win over UV.
“We just try to always do the right thing. We always try to be consistent, and my players passed the test in this competition,” added Nash.
The Green Lancers had their moments early in the second quarter when they built a 27-24 lead.
Hounded by FEU’s suffocating defense, the Green Lancers started firing blanks and the Tamaraws were quick to pounce on, launching a 14-0 attack to pull away, 38-27.
FEU’s defense didn’t let up as it held UV to just four points in a seven-minute span in the payoff period, enabling them to pad their lead to 86-56 in the 2:24.
“We lost six veterans who gave us an average of 53 points; that’s why I always point out to my players to always go hard on defense to compensate the scoring that we are going to miss,” said Racela.
Charles Ebona carried the offensive load for the Tamaraws by firing 17 points. Prince Orizu and Raymar Jose pitched in 12 apiece.
Rey Suerte notched 16 markers for UV, which took home P150,000 as a runner-up.
Bassiere Sackor and Joshue Segumpan contributed 14 and 12, respectively.
Meanwhile, Ricky Peromingan hit a three-pointer with five seconds left to lift the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars to a thrilling 82-80 win over the San Beda-Team B Red Lions in the battle-for-third place.
Peromingan’s booming triple capped a remarkable comeback by the Jaguars, who trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half.
With the win, the Jaguars got a consolation prize of P100,000, while the Red Lions received P75,000.
Asis, meantime, provided the fanfare when he put up various skill challenges with corresponding cash prizes in between breaks of the championship game.
USJ-R’s Miguel Gastador won P10,000 after topping the dunk contest via a double-pump, back-to-the basket dunk.
Losing finalist Suerte received P7,000. Orizu settled for third and got P5,000, while San Beda’s 6-foot-9 Nigerian import could only finish fourth-good for P3,000.
San Beda’s Cebuano Assistant Coach Joph Cleopas on Tuesday night netted P10,000 for making a halfcourt shot.