UAAP: Tamaraw bigs key in late rally, as Falcons fail to fly late

(Updated 4:40pm) Terrence Romeo's hot shooting sparked the Far Eastern University Tamaraws early, but it was  Anthony Hargrove and Arvie Bringas who carried them late against the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, 76-68, Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, in the 75th season of the UAAP. The Falcons were held scoreless between 4:56 and 0:48 in the final quarter, allowing FEU to outscore them, 16-3, snatching the lead and the win. Terrence Romeo led FEU with a career-high 27 points, including 16 in the second quarter, along with seven three-pointers. Roger Pogoy added 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists. RR Garcia notched 13 points as well, along with six assists. "Slow start nga eh, buti nalang na-convert namin yung mga threes namin laban sa kanilang zone," said FEU coach Bert Flores, speaking of Adamson's smaller line-up. "Binigyan ako ng chance ni coach na makabawi [sa slow start namin]," said forward Arvie Bringas, who was crucial in the clutch for the Tams, where he scored all his seven points. In a fast-paced first quarter, Adamson and FEU seemingly scored at will on cuts and drives in the paint. The Tamaraws held the outside scoring advantage however, as Terrence Romeo  punched in back-to-back triples, while Roger Pogoy scored his second bucket to pull FEU ahead, 12-8, halfway through the quarter. However, the Tamaraws slipped on the offensive end, committing three straight turnovers, which gave way to an 11-0 run by the Falcons, capped by a put-back play by Jansen Rios, 19-12. The Falcons kept up the pressure, going up 33-26 on a jumper by Al-Raouf Julkipli with 4:53 remaining in the first half. There was Romeo though to tow his side back, hitting his fifth and sixth triples as part of a solo 8-0 blast to regain the lead. Adamson still fought and tied the game anew on an Eric Camson basket, 40-all at the break. Adamson began the half with six unanswered points, punctuated with Camson cleaning up a broken play. The Tamaraws didn't score until the 6:37 mark, when Garcia drained a jumper from the right wing. Romeo followed up the effort with his seventh triple on the next play to trail by one, 46-45. A put-back play by Cruz started a 7-2 stretch for Adamson, as the Tams' offense ground to a halt. Pogoy came to FEU's rescue in the last two minutes to score their next seven, but good spacing for the Falcons found Ryan Monteclaro for the team's third triple, and Camson split from the line. On the next possession, Garcia was fouled with three seconds left and made both charities, pulling FEU within one, 57-56. FEU would only score on a baseline jumper by Gryann Mendoza in the first five minutes of the final period, but Adamson's offense produced just eight points, seven from Camson. But the Tamaraws returned the favor in the next minute and a half: Hargrove scored twice at the rim, and Garcia knocked in a triple from the left wing to draw even with the Falcons, 65-all, forcing coach Leo Austria to call a timeout with three and a half minutes to play. Arvie Bringas scored his first points of the game at 2:57. A minute later, Jansen Rios was sent to the line, where he missed both free throws. The officials called a double-lane violation, and FEU won the ensuing jumpball. Adamson secured the defensive rebound, but Bringas was there to intercept the pass and completed an and-one play, 70-65. Adamson broke a five-minute scoring drought when Trollano was fouled on the next possession. He missed second free throw, but Roider Cabrera made the put-back play. The Tamaraws broke Adamson's inbounds press and found Bringas again beneath the basket for an easy layup, 72-68, with 36 seconds remaining. The Falcons came up empty anew on the offensive end and they were forced to foul Garcia, who made two from the line. Garcia would make another meaningless layup in the dying seconds of game to complete the final tally. Adamson actually held the advantage in terms of rebounding (43-39), second-chance points (16-6) and points off turnovers (13-11), but the Tamaraws converted better from deep (9-of-25, against 4-of-27), spaced the floor better and showed better composure in the endgame. EJ Camson recorded a career-best 24 points and 13 rebounds. Jericho Cruz chipped in 16 points, while seldom-used reserve Don Trollano had nine points in nineteen minutes of play. Falcons center Rodney Brondial served a one-game suspension for throwing a punch on Thursday against NU. Mike Agustin got the starting nod in his place. FEU moved a half-game behind the league-leading ADMU Blue Eagles at 7-2, while Adamson sank to 1-8. - AMD, GMA News The scores: FEU 76: Romeo 27, Pogoy 13, Garcia 13, Hargrove 9, Mendoza 7, A Bringas 7, Sentchu 0, Inigo 0, Cruz 0, Bringas 0 ADU 68: Camson 24, Cruz 16, Trollano 9, Agustin 6, Monteclaro 5, Rios 4, Cabrera 2, Julkipli 2, Etrone 0, Abrigo 0, Petilos 0 Quarter scoring: 18-23, 40-40, 56-57, 76-68