Graduating Tamaraw Ron Dennison embraced the villain role in their first game this season when the FEU Tamaraws went up against bitter rivals De La Salle University Green Archers, Sunday night.
With the majority of the 12,000 fans clad in Green and White, they did not fail to express what they felt for FEU’s defensive specialist every time. And the La Sallians’ disdain against the 23-year-old stemmed from the bench-clearing brawl that occurred between both squads in Davao 16 days ago that saw him swing a haymaker that knocked down La Salle skipper Kib Montalbo.
But the Cebuano admitted that the boos actually fired him up.
“Bino-boo pala ako? Di ko naririnig eh. Akala ko chini-cheer ako kaya ginaganahan ako eh,” Dennison quipped after scoring a career-high 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
“Alam ko na yun, lalo na La Salle kasi against sila sa akin kaya pinakita ko sa kanila na marunong naman ako maglaro ng malinis at nakita naman yun.”
La Salle dominated the whole game but FEU threatened to comeback in the last frame. However, the Tamaraws’ late run in the fourth quarter wasn’t enough to overcome the Green Archers, falling 90-95.
And their comeback proved to be too late, admitted a defeated Dennison.
“Napakita naman namin na kaya pa rin pero yun nga, wala na, late na talaga. Yung iba baguhan pa lang, parang nanibago sa crowd. Iba kasi UAAP talaga,” the fifth-year student-athlete said.
But now with Dennison showing another dimension of his game as an offensive player, FEU looks to move to the winning column as they take UE on Wednesday in the Araneta Coliseum.
“Mag-aadjust naman kami. Move on na kami.
“Tapos naman na yung La Salle. Next game na lang kami, bounce back na lang kami,” the 6-foot guard closed.
By Danine Cruz
