UAAP: FEU bolsters Final Four drive, closes door on UE's winless Season 88 campaign

Far Eastern University kept its UAAP Season 88 men's basketball Final Four ambitions alive after eking out a crucial 84-77 win against University of the East on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With back-to-back wins, including an 84-83 escape over De La Salle University last Sunday, the Tamaraws improved to 6-7 to stay in the hunt for a coveted semifinals spot.

Jorick Bautista, Mo Konateh, and Kirby Mongcopa saved FEU against the hungry Red Warriors, who erased a deficit as big as 16 before fading late to exit the tournament with a 0-14 win-loss card. 

Bautista led the offense with 17 points, six assists, three rebounds, and a steal while Konateh posted 15 markers and eight boards. Mongcopa  chipped in 14 together with 10 boards, six dimes, one steal, and one block to help FEU force a two-way tie with Adamson University. 

FEU made its intentions clear from the start, refusing to get complacent even against a team that had lost 18 straight games dating back to 2024 as the Tamaraws established a 41-25 lead late in the second period.

The Red Warriors, though, fought back with DJ Robles sinking three straight points to pull UE to within just six, 70-76, with 2:55 left in the fourth. 

But FEU hung tough with Neil Owens knocking down a clutch triple before Janrey Pasaol sank a layup and split his freebies to bring FEU back up by a double-digit lead, 82-72, in the final 1:26. 

Wello Lingolingo and Precious Momowei connived for a quick five-point swing, but Bautista sealed it from the line after completing two charities. 

Momowei posted a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds while Lingolingo churned out 14 markers, four boards, and two assists, but those were not enough as UE went home without a single victory. 

—JMB, GMA Integrated News