Coming off losses to Adamson and La Salle, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws vented their ire on a hapless and undermanned University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 96-70, Sunday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
FEU ended their two game losing streak, and now sport a 5-4 slate. Moreover, the Tamaraws handed the Growling Tigers their ninth straight loss for the season, and 13th overall. UST — a team that had been just in the Finals two years ago — are also only one loss away from being eliminated from Final Four contention.
The Growling Tigers did not have the services of Jordan Sta. Ana (right shoulder injury), who is averaging a team-high 13.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists; and Steve Akomo (illness), who is posting norms of 10.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks this season.
“Well, just too bad for UST, wala yung top two players nila, Akomo and Sta. Ana. I kept reminding the boys na yung mga losses ng UST, although before the game 0-8 sila, were close games,” said Tamaraws head coach Olsen Racela, “And siguro sinuwerte lang kami na wala yung top two players nila.
“It is what it is, so good win for us,” admitted the first-year FEU mentor.
Team captain Ken Tuffin led the balanced scoring for the Tamaraws with 14 points, while Jasper Parker provided with early spark with 10 points, three rebounds, and five assists.
But it was FEU’s ball movement that resulted in a season-high 27 assists that helped pave the way for the blowout.
“Yeah, yun ang sinabi ko sa kanila after the La Salle game. Though we lost that one, sabi ko gamitin namin as momentum going to the UST game, and we did that,” beamed Racela, “Maganda ang shooting namin today, and more than that, I like our unselfishness. Maganda ang pasahan namin.”
Tuffin and Parker took turns knocking down triples in the first half, as FEU held a 30 point lead in the second frame. And the bombarding continued in the third frame, as FEU led by as much as 36 points, 66-30, that saw Axel Iñigo score on a breakaway layup with 7:45 left in the quarter.
Arvin Tolentino, who had come off a one-game suspension, added 13 points, five rebounds, and three steals off the bench.
Oliver de Guzman and Jeepy Faundo tallied double-doubles in the whitewashing, with the former tallying 17 points and 10 rebounds, while the latter scored 17 as well to go along with 13 boards. Marvin Lee was limited to just nine points in 25 minutes of gametime.
FEU will next face the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles on Saturday, October 21, at 4:00pm. UST, on the other hand, will have a week off to at least salvage their Final Four hopes, as they take on the National University Bulldogs on Sunday, October 22 at 2:00pm. The former will take place at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, while the latter will be hosted at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The Scores:
FEU (96) – Tuffin 14, Tolentino 13, Parker 10, Dennison 9, Comboy 8, Ebona 8, Nunag 8, Cani 6, Escoto 5, Orizu 4, Trinidad 4, Ramirez 3, Inigo 2, Bienes 1, Stockton 1, Bayquin 0.
UST (70) – De Guzman 17, Faundo 17, Caunan 12, Lee 9, Macasaet 7, Huang 4, Basibas 2, Romero 2, Kwawukumey 0, Escalambre 0, Garcia 0, Soriano 0.
Quarterscores: 29-16, 53-27, 81-46, 96-70.
