Tallo says hard foul fueled strong finish against UV

Tallo falls after being fouled by UV defenders. This was the play that motivated the two-time MVP to finish strong in their game at the jampacked Cebu Coliseum last Thursday. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/RON TOLIN).

As the saying goes, “let lying dogs lie.”

In a heated game that featured the south’s most bitter collegiate basketball rivalry, Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma guard Macmac Tallo said that he found fuel for his fire when he was made to hit the deck hard after a hard foul that was dished out by the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers.

Sweat still pouring long after the game’s outcome was decided in favor of the Cobras, 65-57, Tallo relayed to Cebu Daily News that he took note of that foul and even pointed to UV’s bench tactician Gary Cortes several times after he got up clutching his wrist after the aforementioned play.

“I was really mad. I was told by a former UV player that they really practice those kinds of plays so I really expected that to happen at some point in the game,” said a fuming Tallo, who delivered his payback late in the game when he scored seven straight points capped by a booming three pointer that brought his Cobras back from a 54-57 deficit.

“It was really extra motivation for me,” said the two-time Cesafi MVP, who is playing in his last year for the Cobras before trying his luck with the PBA D-League next year.
When asked about the particular play, Cortes said that there was nothing special to it and added that they were just trying to rile Tallo up.

“We like it better when Macmac (Tallo) goes hard. But really, it was the same Tallo before and after that play,” said Cortes, a defensive sentinel during his playing years for the Green Lancers.

More than Tallo, Cortes said that his team’s lack of focus and intensity did them in in the game that was watched by a jampacked crowd at the Cebu Coliseum.

“It wasn’t our night. It wasn’t our game. We were the ones who defeated ourselves. The team never really gave their best, not even in practice. They were content with the number of wins we had,” Cortes quipped.

Cortes also made mention that he had already warned his boys about their seemingly cavalier approach to the big game but clearly, the admonition fell on deaf ears.