UAAP: FEU manhandles UP, stays undefeated at 3-0

(Updated 1:17pm) The Far Eastern University Tamaraws won their third game in a row at the expense of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 75-57, in the first elimination round of the UAAP Season 76 men's basketball tournament, Sunday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

[Review the play-by-play of this game here]

The Tamaraws led wire-to-wire, and by as much as 29 points, behind the hot-shooting duo of RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo. The Maroons tried to make it a fight by scoring 17 unanswered points bridging the latter two quarters, 62-50. However, they couldn't maintain their pace, and were limited to just seven points in the last eight minutes of the game.

FEU strengthened their hold at the top of the standings, 3-0, while the Maroons fell to the bottom and remain winless after three tries.

Terrence Romeo logged 20 points and 12 rebounds, while RR Garcia added 15 points, seven boards, and four assists. Mike Tolomia notched 10 points and five rebounds.

FEU head coach Racela was pleased with the way Romeo and Garcia are starting to click on offense. "I think it's a work in progress. There were moments in the game na minsan nag-aagawan, but you can't change it overnight," he said. "But there was one time noong naghahabol [ang UP] that RR was calling a play for Terrence, and pagbalik naman Terrence was calling a play for RR. And I think that's something they're trying to learn."

"At this point you need to control your emotions," said Racela, commenting on his team's record. "That's something that we're trying to learn, to guard against complacency. Si UP kasi over the last few years has had losing seasons, but sinabi namin this year is a different UP team," he added, pointing out that the Maroons had the top recruits this year in Paul Desiderio, Kyles Lao, and Agustin Amar.

Gyrann Mendoza opened the game with a triple for the Tams, as they took advantage of UP's slow perimeter defense. Mike Tolomia had his way as well, scoring their next seven points for a 10-2 lead.

Raul Soyud came off the bench to give the Maroons some presence inside, to pull UP within four, 14-10. But FEU pulled away in the last two minutes, fueled by a Terrence Romeo triple, and lay-ups off turnovers by Romeo and Achie Inigo made it a 23-12 tally after the first period.

The Maroons made defensive adjustments in the second, forcing FEU to take low-percentage shots. Meanwhile they asserted themselves in the paint on the other end. Rookie guard Kyles Lao scored seven points in a 9-4 stretch, holding the Tamaraws to just two field goals in the first six minutes, 27-21.

However, turnovers did the Maroons in once more. Picked off passes led to baskets for FEU, highlighted by Romeo and RR Garcia three-pointers, as they closed the half with 14 unanswered points, 41-21.

At halftime, FEU shot 16-of-40 (40 percent) from the field. In contrast, the Maroons were 10-of-40 (25 percent), including 14 missed three-pointers. UP had 13 turnovers against FEU's seven, leading to a 15-4 disparity in turnover points in the Tamaraws' favor.


A pair of jumpers from Julius Wong and Kyle Suarez made it seem like the Maroons would get back in the game, and Soyud's post attempts briefly narrowed it to 45-28. Garcia though, who was just 2-of-8 in the first half, began to connect from the field, scoring 10 markers in a 17-5 run, punctuated by back-to-back triples by Romeo, 62-33.

The Maroons tried to make it a game as the quarter wound down, finding Chris Ball for five points in an 8-0 run in the final two minutes, trailing 62-41 after three quarters. The run then carried over into the fourth as a Moriah Gingerich trey complemented quick baskets off stops, and twin lay-ups by JR Gallarza, totaling a 17-0 blast, 62-50.

But FEU decided that there wouldn't be a comeback for the Maroons. Romeo nailed a tough jumper to quell the run, and came back moments later with a challenged three-pointer with five and a half minutes remaining. The Tamaraws then started to clear their bench, playing out the clock to formalize the win.

The Tams finished with a 28-of-77 (36.4 percent) field goal clip, while the Maroons were 24-of-84 (28.6 percent). FEU also outpaced the Maroons in turnover points (20-10), fast break points (13-9) and assists (16-11).

UP won the rebounding battle, 63-52, including 23-11 offensive, but led only 7-4 in second-chance points.

Raul Soyud notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Chris Ball had nine points and 19 rebounds. - CLP, GMA News


The scores:

FEU 75: Romeo 20, Garcia 15, Tolomia 10, Cruz 8, Mendoza 6, Jose 6, Belo 6, Inigo 2, Aguilon 2, Sentcheu 0, Pogoy 0, Luz 0, Lee Yu 0, Hargrove 0, Delfinado 0

UP 57: Soyud 10, Ball 9, Lao 7, Amar 6, Wong 4, Marata 4, Gallarza 4, Desiderio 4, Gingerich 3, Suarez 2, Pascual 2, Paras 0, Ligad 0, Harris 0

Quarter scores: 23-12, 41-21, 62-41, 75-57