FilOil: CSB Blazers surge past FEU Tams in the fourth

(Updated 7:10pm)  The College of Saint Benilde Blazers mounted a late fourth-quarter run against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, and it was enough to give them the 81-74 win, Friday at the FilOil Flying V Arena, as part of the FilOil Flying V Hanes Preseason Cup.

CSB picks up their third win, improving to 3-4, while FEU matches them in the standings with the same record.

Paolo Taha finished with 19 points and six rebounds, while three other Blazers scored in double-figures in a triumph that breathed life into Benilde’s flatlining postseason bid.

“This is a big win for us”, said CSB head coach Gabby Velasco, “I hope we can look forward positively in our NCAA campaign. And we’re still in the process of learning. If we execute properly, if we go with the system, with our offense, we will come out the winner here.”

The Blazers trailed by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, but regrouped just in time to put together a 32-19 scoring outburst in the fourth quarter. Swingman Paulo Taha scored nine of his team’s fourth quarter output, including the pull-up three-ball that cut the Tams’ lead to a single marker.

“Nung first three quarters impatient kami kaya hindi kami maka-execute”, said Taha of his team.

“Ang maganda dito, they [the Blazers] came out [to play]. We aren’t just relying on just [Paolo] Romero or [Luis] Sinco but now I can see slowly somebody’s stepping up. I hope these guys realize we need their help in offense. We cannot just play and rely on one or two people,” Velasco added, pleased with his team’s balanced scoring in this outing.

With his focus on the upcoming NCAA season, Velasco pointed out, “The barometer here is San Beda, they’re the reigning champions in the NCAA. Siguro we’re on fifth or sixth place pa. We want to improve on our standing. Malayo pa kami sa San Beda.”

CSB converted 29 of their 67 field goal attempts (43 percent) while making seven of their 19 long-distance tries. They also added 16 points off 27 shots at the free throw line and tallied 15 points off 18 FEU turnovers.

The Tams opened the game with aplomb, charging to a 7-0 run courtesy of baskets inside by Carl Bryan Cruz and Anthony Hargrove, plus a triple by versatile guard Mike Tolomia. Coach Velasco’s Blazers countered a run of their own, reeling off an 11-2 blast behind Rob Bartolo, Fons Saavedra, and Luis Sinco. FEU scored four straight points off a pull-up jumper from Ron Dennison and free throws from Mac Belo and Archie Inigo, 14-11, but charities via swingman Jonathan Grey kept CSB within striking distance at 14-13.

Coach Velasco then fielded a unit without key players Mark Romero, Sinco, and Taha, opting to go with Rj Argamino, JR Ongteco, and Saavedra in their place. It wasn't a good mix though, as FEU dominated the second quarter. After a jumper by Taha made it 15-14 prior to his subbing out, the green and gold went on to score six straight points, one from Sentcheu and five from Cruz, 20-15. Grey again rushed to the lane for a quick basket to keep the Tams honest, 20-17.

Augus Denila, rookie from Ateneo de Iloilo, scored off a quick basket to make it 22-17. After a split by Grey to make it 22-18, the Tams went on another 7-0 run, courtesy of a jumper and free throws by Roger Pogoy and an and-one play by Anthony Hargrove, 29-18. A hook by Hargrove gave them their biggest lead of the quarter at 13 points, which they maintained towards the end of the first half, after a last-minute lay-up by Hargrove, 35-22.

The Tams eked out 12 makes out of 30 attempts (40 percent), adding two triples and nine free throws out of 16 tries at the break. They out-rebounded the Blazers early, 27-18, and scored 13 turnovers points off nine Benilde turnovers. Hargrove cashed in 11 points, while Cruz followed with seven of his own.

The Blazers had a forgettable first half, converting only eight of their 33 tries (24 percent). They made none of their eight three-point attempts and added only six from the line, out of 11 attempts. Despite 13 FEU turnovers, they got five turnover points.

Bartolo and Grey paced their team at the half with five points apiece. Romero, who came in the game ranked sixth in the league in scoring with a 17.3 average, only scored his first basket off a lay-up at the 2:20 mark in the second canto. He was limited to only two points and made just one of his seven attempts.


The Tams’ defense crumbled in the third, as the Blazers went back to their run-and-gun game, anchored on Sinco, Saavedra, and Romero. The Tams led as much as 16 points, after Tolomia got it to 44-28, but the Blazers responded with consecutive triples from Dexter Garcia, Saavedra, and Sinco to cut the FEU lead to single digits at 49-41.

The referees handed Far Eastern reserve Christian Sentcheu an unsportsmanlike foul after an unusually physical scrum. Benilde bruiser Alyson Carlos made both free throws, but Hargrove was again unstoppable inside, drawing a foul while tipping the ball in. Hargrove went for four straight points after his stint at the line, to bring back his side's lead to double-digits, 53-43, but CSB responded with a 6-2 run, drawing five from Saavedra, as they made it a two-possession ballgame at 55-49.

After Taha, RR Garcia, and Hargrove traded free throws to make it 58-50 at the dawn of the fourth, Benilde went on a 12-2 run based off their fast-paced offense. They knotted the ball game after a split by Grey, 62-62, but Gryann Mendoza’s put-back gave FEU back the lead, 64-62. Paolo Taha countered by pulling up from 30 feet to give Benilde the lead for good, 65-64.

Grey scored off a backdoor play, 67-64, but Tolomia still kept the Tams in the game with a breakaway lay-up, 67-66. Then, Sinco, running out of options, pulled up from deep and drained a triple in Tolomia’s face to put them ahead 70-66.

Taha split his free throws anew, and banked in a crucial follow-up play off a dime from Grey, getting the harm as well. The score read 74-66 after the bonus point, with 1:56 left on the clock.

“Yun talaga yung play namin, yun yung sinabi ni coach. Sinunod ko lang,” said Grey of their execution.

Mark Belo found himself wide open on a fast break possession but his lay-up rimmed out. FEU resorted to fouling Grey, who made it a double-digit lead by nailing both free throws, 76-66. Off another fumble, the Blazers stole the Tams’ possession and the ball found itself in the hands of JR Ongteco, who banked it in while drawing a foul.

Ongteco’s miss gave back the Tams the ball, but Tolomia’s three-ball rimmed out. Sinco and Garcia traded buckets, only for time to expire as the Blazers took the win home.

Overall, the Tams made only 27 of their 75 attempts (36 percent) while netting in six out of 21 three-balls. Far Eastern also added 14 out of 26 attempts from the stripe and chipped in 20 turnovers points off 17 Benilde miscues. They also out-rebounded the Blazers 50-44.

Hargrove scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a losing cause, while Garcia and Tolomia produced 14 and 11 markers respectively.

The Tams are without key players Terrence Romeo and Russel Escoto, the former facing an indefinite suspension due to "some actions in the past few games" according to head coach Nash Racela, while Escoto is sitting out with an MCL injury sustained in a PBA D-League game.

The Blazers continue to soldier on this coming Monday, May 27, against NCAA powerhouse San Beda at 12pm, while the Tams go up against the JRU Heavy Bombers on Friday, May 31, at 12:45pm. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

CSB – Taha 19, Sinco 15, Saavedra 14, Grey 10, Bartolo 5, Garcia 5, Romero 4, Ongteco 4, Argamino 3, Carlos 2, De Guzman 0, Jonson 0, Deles 0, Lastimosa R. 0

FEU – Hargrove 18, Garcia 14, Tolomia 11, Cruz 7, Pogoy 6, Dennison 6, Belo 3, Mendoza 2, Inigo 2, Jose 2, Denila 2, Sentcheu 1, Aguilon 0, Luz 0

Quarter scoring: 13-14, 22-35, 49-55, 81-74