FilOil: Teng, UST Growling Tigers too much for Forrester-less Arellano Chiefs

(Updated 4:46pm) The University of Santo Tomas Tigers overpowered the Arellano University Chiefs, 83-73, in the FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup quarterfinals, Monday, at the FilOil Flying V Arena, to advance to the next round.

After a see-saw battle throughout the first half, the Tigers put their stamp on the game with a 20-10 run in the last five minutes of the third period, to take a 62-53 lead into the fourth quarter. This time the Tigers put together a solid defensive performance, keeping the Chiefs away by at least nine points for the rest of the way.

"Ayaw magpatalo ng mga bata," said Tigers mentor Pido Jarencio. "At the same time yung experience tsaka yung pagka-beterano, lumabas.

"Sabi ko sa kanila, by now dapat pumi-pick up na tayo," he added.

After being originally slated to play on Wednesday, Jarencio added that the change in schedule threw them off a bit, but he expressed satisfaction that they were able to recover.

Jarencio also welcomed a solid performance from Karim Abdul, who posted 18 points and 14 rebounds today, pointing out, "Kailangan niyang mag-step up this game kasi hindi makita yung character namin at kung saan tayo papunta."

Jeric Teng led all scorers with 23 markers, while Kevin Ferrer chipped in 14 points and six boards. Ed Daquioag notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds while issuing four assists.

Daquioag said that the coaching staff was still deciding between him and Clark Bautista as their new starting point guard.

Bautista did not suit up for this game due to a back injury. Arellano's leading scorer, swingman James Forrester, was also out. A meniscus tear will sideline the latter for three weeks.

The Tigers, who were pulled up to third place in Group B after Ateneo's withdrawal from the tourney, will face the winner of the Adamson Falcons-UE Red Warriors match-up.

In the first quarter UST looked in control of the game, showing good ball movement and getting transition chances from Ed Daquioag and Jeric Teng. However a disorganized Chiefs squad kept close, burying jumpers to complete broken plays, trailing 15-11.

Arellano, plagued by tight defense from the Tigers, found themselves turning the ball over often. Teng made them pay on the other end, burying a triple en route to six points in an 8-2 swing with two and a half minutes to play.

Allen Enriquez and Gio Jalalon scrapped for points in the final minute, but their momentum was killed when Nard Pinto was whistled for an unsportsmanlike foul. Kevin Ferrer split the awarded charities, and Bryan So capped the Tigers' quarter with an and-one play with 22 seconds remaining, staking a 26-17 lead.

The Chiefs turned the tables in the second as Pinto's aggressive play spearheaded a 7-2 run, cutting their deficit to 28-24. But similar to the earlier quarter, an unsportsmanlike foul, this time on forward Nico Bangga, shorted their run. The breather allowed the Tigers to regroup and find shots at the rim, courtesy of Karim Abdul and Paolo Pe, 36-26.

However the Tigers got little production from anyone apart from their Cameroonian center. A fast break bucket by Levi Hernandez with two and a half minutes left ended a five-minute draught for Arellano.

The Chiefs slowly pieced together their halfcourt sets for an 11-4 run to end the first half, as Pinto poured in six points and fished Aljon Mariano's fourth personal foul in the process, for a 40-37 tally at halftime.

UST shot 11-of-33 (33 percent) through the first two quarters, while the Chiefs were 15-of-33 (45 percent). However the Tigers benefited from a 17-of-24 (71 percent) clip from the free throw line, compared to Arellano's 6-of-10 mark (60 percent).


Hernandez gave his team a welcome jolt when the game resumed, and his energetic play rubbed off his teammates to produce a 43-42 lead. But the action was short-lived as both teams channeled more energy onto the defensive end for most of the first five minutes.

UST broke loose midway through the period as successive baskets by Teng and Daquioag swung the lead back to their side. The Tigers flexed their options on offense in a 16-6 run, with Abdul and Pe contributing down low anew. Ferrer drilled in a triple with two minutes to play, and fed Daquioag on the break for an and-one, 58-49.

Arellano's offense came in flashes in the final minute, as jumpers by Pinto and Bangga answered split free throws by Robert Hainga. But Teng had the final say of the period as he nailed a long triple with 13 seconds to play, giving the Tigers a 62-53 lead heading into the final quarter.

Mariano came back in the fourth and anchored a 7-3 spurt for the Tigers, who denied the Chiefs the lane and limited them to outside attempts, 69-56. The Chiefs found a groove late as a pick-and-roll with Bangga punctuated a 7-3 counter of their own to get within single digits, 72-63, with three and a half minutes left

Makes by Ferrer and Teng kept the Chiefs at bay, though what should have been an uneventful finish was marred by double technical fouls on Hernandez and Teng, as the latter charged at Hernandez after receiving what he thought was excessive contact during a penetration move.

The Tigers finished shooting 26-of-68 (38 percent) from the field and 26-of-40 (65 percent) from the free throw line. Arellano made 30-of-73 field goals (41 percent) but shot only 8-of-14 (57 percent) on chartiies.

Nard Pinto scored 13 points, four rebounds and four assists to lead the Chiefs. Nico Bangga added 10 points and six boards, while Levi Hernandez, Zachary Nicholls and Keith Agovida racked up eight points apiece. Agovida also added eight rebounds. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

UST 83: Teng 23, Abdul 18, Ferrer 14, Daquioag 11, Pe, 6, Mariano 5, Lo 3, So 2, Hainga 1, Marata 0, Tan 0, Lao 0, Macasaet 0

AU 73: Pinto 13, Bangga 10, Hernandez 8, Nicholls, Agovida 8, Jalalon 7, Salcedo 5, Enriquez 4, Margallo 3, Gumaru 3, Caperal 2, Cadavis 2

Quarter scoring: 26-17, 40-37, 62-53, 83-73