FilOil: Archers win ugly, shoot down Maroons

The De La Salle University Green Archers coasted to victory late, in a testy tiff versus the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 64-50 in their FilOil Flying V Pre-season Tournament game on Friday at the San Juan Arena. It was not the prettiest of wins, however, for De La Salle, as they turned the ball over 22 times. "We got a bit too fancy," said Archers coach Gee Abanilla. "At times we went away from what we were doing and that cost us points in transition and on fast breaks." UP in contrast, turned the ball over only nine times and capitalized with 15 points off the Archers' miscues. The Maroons managed to keep it close early on, trailing 19-13, after the first period. But the Archers suddenly looked unstoppable inside during the second quarter as Norbert Torres and Jovet Mendoza took turns scoring in the paint. Mark Lopez scored five points amidst the Archers’ run, and Alvin Padilla chipped in a pair of free throws to hold the deficit at 10 however, 34-24. In what was the first of many incidents, a mild confrontation broke out during a timeout that resulted in Archers Ponso Gotladera and Thomas Torres' ejections from the playing court. Both will serve one-game suspensions. Mark Tallo stripped Lopez on the following Maroons possession and scored on a break-away lay-up, but the Archers would fail to score in the next two minutes. A bucket by Mike Gamboa and an Alinko Mbah drive trimmed their deficit to eight points, but Gamboa missed a halfcourt heave at the buzzer, to preserve a 36-28 lead for the Green Archers. La Salle brought the lead back to 10 in the third quarter with a free throw from Norbert Torres and Lopez responded with a jumper from the right wing, but the Fil-Canadian countered off a pick and roll with Jed Manguera. Chis Ball showed flashes of brilliance in the third, baiting his match-up with an up and under move and converting on a pick and roll, to score four of six unanswered points for the Maroons. Gee Abanilla called for a timeout, and afterwards, reserve Aikki Hererra stepped up for the Green Archers, scoring on consecutive possessions. A contested jumper in the lane by Vosotros capped off an 8-1 swing for De La Salle. After several jousts at the rim though, Mbah tipped the ball in as the buzzer went off to draw the Maroons within single digits again, 50-41. The Maroons fired blanks in the first three minutes of the final period as Jeron Teng buried a trey and Vosotros sank a step-back jumper. Almost immediately, Mike Gamboa responded with four quick points against a DLSU reserve lineup. Fil-American Mike Silungan then laid the ball in while twisting away from the basket, drawing UP within eight points, 55-47. Coach Gee Abanilla quickly returned his starters, and Tallo converted on a long two from the right baseline. Ball scored in the lane with four and a half minutes left to play, but the Maroons couldn't notch another point until an Alvin Padilla free throw at the two minute mark. Almond Vosotros buried a jumper from the left wing on the next possession to shut the door on a prospective Maroons comeback, but on the next Maroons possession, he was hit in the face as Padilla contested his jump shot. Padilla was slapped with his second disqualifying foul, was ejected and will serve a one-game suspension. Half a minute later, Lopez and Vosotros exchanged words as well, and this time each of them received a technical. In response, Vosotros scored the Archers' last seven points to close out the contest. "The game gets physical," said coach Abanilla on the incidents. "But it doesn't matter if the contact was intentional or not. If you lose your head or mapikon ka, talo ka." Forward Jovet Mendoza tied Almond Vosotros for a team-high 13 points while hauling down nine rebounds. Center Norbert Torres added a double-double, notching 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Archers. Abanilla also credited his team's heart on defense. "Whether they play one minute or thirty minutes, we want to teach them to give it their all." The Archers forced the Maroons to miss all 10 of their attempts from beyond the arc and limited them to shooting at a 27 percent clip. The win improves La Salle's record to 3-1 in Group A play. The Maroons meanwhile notched their fourth loss in five tries in this tournament. - AMD, GMA News The scores: DLSU 64: Mendoza 13, Vosotros 13, N Torres 11, Teng 9, Tallo 6, Webb 5, Herrera 4, Herrera 3, Paredes 0, G Reyes 0, T Torres 0, Gotladera 0, M Reyes 0 UP 50: Ball 10, Lopez 9, Silungan 7, Padilla 6, Gamboa 6, Soyud 4, Mbah 4, Gallara 2, Hippolito 2, Montecastro 0, Asilum 0, Manuel 0, Romero 0 Quarter scores: 19-13, 36-28, 50-41, 64-50 FilOil 051112 DLSU vs UP