Xyrus Torres delivered for Far Eastern University when it needed it the most, lifting the Tamaraws to a much-needed 59-57 win over the National University Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 84 Men’s Basketball Tournament, Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
With the win, there is now a logjam in the fourth spot.
It was a poetic, vengeful win for the Tamaraws, who suffered a come-from-behind 68-73 loss to the Bulldogs last April 2.
And it was Emman Ojuola and Xyrus Torres who delivered the big buckets for an FEU side that was down by as much as 14 points in the pivotal tilt.
With 37.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Michael Malonzo successfully converted a three-point play to give the Bulldogs a 57-55 advantage. L-Jay Gonzales went to the charity stripe after a foul from Issa Gaye, but split his free throws to trim NU’s lead to a single point.
Ojuola was able to steal an NU outlet late. That led Gonzales to find Torres, who drained the game-winning three-ball in the corner with 2.2 seconds left to give the Tamaraws a 59-57 edge.
Torres also made his presence felt in the final possession after successfully challenging John Lloyd Clemente’s desperation shot. That ultimately gave FEU the heart-stopping victory.
“Ito ‘yung crucial na game na kailangan namin ipanalo eh. We were looking at the standings and ‘yung gusto talaga namin is umangat sa standings… We really needed this win kasi eto ‘yung hinahabol namin eh. I’m so proud of how we played today. We didn’t give up, especially in the second half,” Racela claimed.
With the win, both FEU and NU are now level in the standings with twin 4-6 slates for fourth. The two teams have four games remaining in their respective campaigns.
Torres ended the game as the Tamaraws’ leading scorer with 16 points built on four three-pointers. Ojuola followed with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Xymone Sandagon added 10 points of his own.
Both teams were evenly matched as FEU produced 40 starters points and 19 bench points as compared to NU’s 38 and 14. The Tamaraws also gained a slight edge in points off turnovers after outscoring the Bulldogs, 16-14.
Clemente led NU with 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Shaun Ildefonso compiled nine points while Enzo Joson contributed eight points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Both schools shall next play on Saturday at the SM MOA Arena. National University (4-6) matches up against Ateneo De Manila University (10-0) at 12:30 PM; meanwhile, Far Eastern University (4-6) takes on University of the East (0-9) at 7:00 PM.
The Scores:
FEU 59 – Torres 16, Ojuola 11, Sandagon 10, Gonzales 7, Tempra 4, Sleat 3, Abarrientos 9, Bienes 6, Alforque 5, Li 0, Celzo 0, Sajonia 0.
NU 57 – Clemente 13, Ildefonso 9, Joson 8, Minerva 6, Malonzo 5, Felicilda 5, Torres 3, Figueroa 2, Gaye 2, Mahinay 2, Manansala 2, Yu 0, Enriquez 0.
Quarterscores: 14-15, 22-33, 40-49, 59-57.
—
All UAAP games stream live on GigaPlay presented by Yamaha. Download it now on Android or IOS.
