FilOil: Tams snap Chiefs' win streak, even record at 2-2

With three more wins and no losses, as compared to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, the Arellano University Chiefs looked poised to make it five victories. Their UAAP opponents however had other plans.

Roger Pogoy stole a crucial pass from Prince Caperal, and Gryann Mendoza foiled a potential game-tying fast break, as the Tamaraws survived a furious comeback by the Chiefs, with the former winning 81-79, on Wednesday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Gio Jalalon missed a game-tying free throw, 78-77. Mendoza then made a jumper from the left elbow to put the Tamaraws up by 80-77, only for an undergoal stab by Arellano forward Keith Agovida cut the FEU lead to a single point, 80-79.

Pogoy, who has missed all his shots in the fourth quarter, similarly couldn't connect a five-foot shot with 40 seconds remaining. As Arellano continued to miss, Mike Tolomia found the ball in his hands and was fouled while streaking down the court. Tolomia split his charities, making it 81-79. Pogoy then stole the entry pass from Caperal but missed two free throws to ice the game. A steal by Mendoza with two seconds left cemented the win for the Tams.

Tolomia led his team with 18 points, followed by center-forward Russel Escoto with 13 points and RR Garcia with 11 points. The Tamaraws made 28 of their 63 shots for a 44 percent shooting clip, while converting nine out of their 18 tries from long distance, good enough for 50 percent. They carved out 16 turnover points off 22 Arellano miscues.

The FEU win deals Arellano their first loss of the season, putting them at 4-1, while the Tams evened their record at 2-2, putting them in the thick of Group A.

Coach Nash Racela started Russel Escoto, Jeson Delfinado, Gryann Mendoza, Carl Bryan Cruz, and RR Garcia for FEU, while Coach Koy Banal fielded Nard Pinto, Allen Enriquez, Ralph Salcedo, James Forrester and Prince Caperal as his first five.

Both teams kicked off the first quarter with a little back-and-forth, until the Tamaraws took charge, going on a 12-2 run, and drawing blood courtesy of three of their starters. Arellano scored five straight points off a jumper by Pinto and a triple by Forrester, 19-14, but the Tamaraws managed to extend the lead to six after a split by Belo 22-16.

The Chiefs managed to finish the first quarter strong after Enriquez got the hoop and the harm. He calmly sank the free throw as the Arellano University Pep Squad chanted “Ipasok mo yan!,” resulting in a first quarter score of 22-19.

The Tamaraws continued to charge, scoring six quick points from Pogoy, Mark Belo, and Raymar Jose, but Forrester countered with a quick triple and a fast break basket. The Tams continued to push the Chiefs’ backs against the wall, going up by double-digits after a triple by Ron Dennison, 40-29.

A lay-in by Keith Agovida cut the lead to eight, 40-32, but the Tams continued to make their shots, as Tolomia and Garcia contributed to a 9-3 run that ended the first half at 49-35.

FEU shot 56 percent in the first half, making 13 out of 23 two-point baskets. Their three-point shooting contributed to their halftime lead as well, thanks to a 5-of-9 clip. The Tams also managed to convert nine Arellano turnovers into 11 turnover points.

Guard Mike Tolomia led FEU at the half with 11 points, followed by Escoto with nine of his own, and Garcia with five points.

Arellano, despite their offensive arsenal, shot a modest 32 percent, making only 13 of their 41 shots. They only scored two second-chance points despite 10 offensive rebounds.

Forrester top-scored for the Chiefs at the half with 14 points, after having made three of his four triples.


Arellano tried to scrape into the lead in the third, whittling it down to nine after Agovida made a put-back slam for a 54-45 ballgame. Forrester then made two chase-down blocks on two fast break possessions, rejecting Mendoza and Belo to keep the lead at single digits, but an and-one play by Garcia put the Tams back up by 10, 57-47.

Pinto bailed the Chiefs out of their double-digit lead, after hitting five straight points on a triple and a pair of free throws, 62-56. A lay-up by Escoto put the Tams back up by eight. but a short jumper by Pinto closed the gap to 64-58 for the Chiefs, at the end the third quarter 64-58.

With the lead cut to only six points, the Chiefs launched a comeback early as Forrester hit a jumper, cutting FEU’s lead to only 64-60. Romeo made a triple to extend the lead to 67-60, but an undergoal stab by Caperal again ate into it, reducing to five points, 67-62.

The Chiefs’ wily starting guard took over late, as Pinto scored eight straight points to give AU its first lead since the first quarter, 74-71. Arellano looked to pull away after a lay-in by Caperal drove a four-point wedge between them and the Tams, 76-72, but FEU managed to even the game at 76-all after a triple by Tolomia. Free throws by Garcia put the Tams up 78-all, and the Chiefs failed to make anything from the field from then on, as the Tams hung tough to win the game at 81-79.

The Chiefs made only 29 of their 80 attempts (36 percent), limited by a pesky full court defense by FEU.

Arellano also out-rebounded their UAAP counterparts 52-40, and scored 11 second chance points.

Pinto scored 25 points in a losing cause, making seven out of 15 shots, followed by Forrester with 19 markers. Caperal and Agovida chipped in with 11 points apiece.

The Chiefs had beaten their previous opponents by a 9.75 point-differential in four games. Vital to their winning ways is 17.25 turnover points per contest, as the team’s press has mostly been effective in forcing the other team’s ball-handlers into giving up the ball.

The Tamaraws (2-2) are set to improve their record against the lowly University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Saturday, May 11 at 4pm, while the Chiefs (4-1) will resume preseason action in the earlier game, 2pm, versus the NU Bulldogs. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

FEU – Tolomia 18, Escoto 13, Garcia 11, Mendoza 8, Romeo 8, Cruz 7, Pogoy 6, Dennison 5, Belo 3, Jose 2, Sentcheu 0, Inigo 0

AU – Pinto 25, Forrester 19, Caperal 11, Agovida 11, Enriquez 3, Salcedo 2, Gumaru 2, Margallo 2, Cadavis 2, Jalalon 1, Nicholls 1, Hernandez 0, Bangga 0, Malanday 0

Quarter scoring: 22-19, 49-35, 64-58, 81-79