UAAP: Tamaraws edge Maroons late in controversial game

(Updated 5:03pm) The Far Eastern University Tamaraws escaped with a controversial win over the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 73-70, Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, in the 75th season of the UAAP. Anthony Hargrove attempted a shot block with three minutes remaining in the game, which the UP bench claimed was a goaltend. Referees however denied their appeal, even though video replays confirmed the Maroons' coaches claims. On the subsequent play, a split at the line by Terrence Romeo made it 71-66, with UP still within range. The Maroons drew closer thanks to some well-executed half court offense, as they found Alvin Padilla, who hit his fourth triple of the game to draw within a deuce, 71-69, 1:43 left. On the other side of the floor, FEU went once more to the former Rookie of the Year Romeo, whose off-balance leaner fell out of bounds. With sixteen seconds on the clock remaining and a chance at the last shot, UP got the ball into the hands of center Chris Ball, who attempted a mid-range jumper that missed. Mark Lopez hauled down the rebound however, and drew a foul from FEU rookie Mac Bello, sending him to the line. With five seconds left and a chance to send the game into overtime, Lopez missed the second charity, which the Tamaraws pounced upon. Forced to foul, UP sent Romeo to the line, where he made both. A long heave by Padilla then missed its mark, as fans were left stewing about the non-call that could have changed the complexion of the game. "Buti nalang savior si Terrence [Romeo], said FEU head coach Bert Flores, whose side avoided losing two in a row after suffering their first defeat against the NU Bulldogs last Thursday. "Game plan namin was to stop Silungan," he added, but with UP going to other players, Flores admitted that his side had a difficult time adjusting. "Nag-iimprove yung team na yun [UP], at kami pababa [performance level]." FEU got off to a fast start that included a two-handed dunk from Hargrove, as Terrence Romeo buried a trey to punctuate an 11-5 beginning for the Tamaraws. UP simply had no answer for FEU's height advantage, as Hargrove pulled off another dunk, and the rest of the FEU frontline scoring off put-backs, 18-11. The Maroons found some footing though by getting to the line, as Jett Manuel, Raul Suyod and Mike Silungan scored UP's last four in the quarter on a 4-of-6 clip. Mac Bello meanwhile did the damage for the other side, making it 22-15 in favor of the Tams after the first quarter. The Tams surged anew early in the second, pouring out a 7-0 run capped by a triple by Gryann Mendoza. Silungan countered with a triple of his own, and then found Alinko Mbah to get the lead back to single digits, 29-20, 6:38 remaining in the second. Romeo tried to lead another Tams surge with five straight, but UP's aggressive play got them opportunities in the shaded area, as the Maroons made it a nine-point game again, 37-28. A long jumper by Mark Lopez cut the lead to seven, but the Tams caught a break in the final minute of the half as Hargrove was fouled on a drive to the rim. The officials then slapped a technical foul on the Maroons' bench for complaining about the call. Hargrove and RR Garcia split the resulting free throws, and then on the bonus possession, Garcia laid the ball up and in, though Soyud managed to close the half out, 41-32. UP came alive after the break, as after a lob play for Hargrove, Silungan and the rest of the Maroons caught fire, chaining together a 12-2 run to get State U to within a single point, 45-44, 5:55 left in the third. However, they were unable to maintain their run, as Romeo stepped up to the plate by dropping two triples in a 7-1 run for FEU. Consecutive lay-ups by Jelo Montecastro ended a four-minute dry spell from the field, but the Tams broke out another dominant stretch, a 7-2 blast in the last two minutes that stretched their advantage back to nine, 60-51. Mike Tolomia and Romeo nailed a triple apiece as part of an early 8-2 run at the start of the fourth for FEU in the final quarter, putting them up by a seemingly insurmountable 15 points, 68-53, but UP hit the offensive boards to fuel seven unanswered, 68-60, 5:58 left. Terrence Romeo was once again FEU's antidote, hitting a pair of free throws, but UP went right at it, as they got to within four, 70-66, prior to the big no-call on the goaltend. The Tamaraws won despite not making a field goal in the last eight minutes of the game, and with Romeo accounting for his side's last five points. He finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals. RR Garcia was once again limited, due to his sprained ankle, scoring just five points. He was also feeling under the weather, according to coach Flores. Anthony Hargrove added 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Mike Silungan led UP with 12 points. Rookie forward Raul Soyud added 11 points and 11 rebounds. Mark Lopez added nine points, while Chris Ball, Alvin Padilla and Gelo Montecastro tallied eight markers apiece. FEU shot 8-of-17 from beyond the arc, five coming from Romeo, a big improvement from their 5-of-28 clip versus NU. UP on the other hand made just 4-of-21, with Silungan nailing all but one of their long bombs. The Tams stayed in step with reigning champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles at 5-1, while UP sank to 0-5. - AMD, GMA News The scores: FEU 73: Romeo 24, Hargrove 10, Tolomia 7, Mendoza 6, Belo 6, Garcia 5, A Bringas 5, Escoto 5, Cruz 3, Pogoy 2, M Bringas 0 UP 70: Silungan 12, Soyud 11, Lopez 9, Ball 8, Padilla 8, Montecastro 8, Manuel 5, Hipolito 4, Gamboa 3, Mbah 2, Romero 0, Asilum 0 Quarter scoring: 22-15, 41-32, 60-51,73-70