UAAP: NU clobbers FEU to force winner-take-all match

National University forced an ultimate match for the UAAP Season 77 men's basketball crown with a 62-47 win over Far Eastern University in Game Two of their championship series on Wednesday at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The Bulldogs led by 15 points at the start of the fourth quarter, but FEU rallied behind Mac Belo's heroics to slowly trim the lead. A Mike Tolomia jumper put the Tamaraws within six, 50-44, but Gelo Alolino drained back to back treys to dampen FEU's hopes of a late comeback.

Tolomia answered with his own triple with 1:13 left, but NU exerted their might on defense and knocked down six free throws down the stretch to force the do-or-die affair next Wednesday.

Most Improved Player Troy Rosario posted a huge double-double performance of 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Glenn Khobuntin scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds. Gelo Alolino added 12 points and seven boards.

Belo lead the Tamaraws with 17 points on a 5-of-13 shooting while Tolomia finished with 15 points, but received little help from the rest of the team.


The Bulldogs trailed just once in the game, 2-0, before rattling off 10 straight points to cruise to the victory. Their defensive might limited the Tamaraws to six points in the first quarter, and then posted their biggest lead of the game early in the second at 22-6 behind Rosario's explosive shooting.

Tolomia revived FEU to come close 26-18 at the half, but NU kept choking the Tamaraws' shot attempts to limit them to a 12-point production on the third. The Bulldogs then attacked relentlessly on their side, their defensive stops powering their offense to lead 43-30 going into the fourth en route to their win.

NU lorded over the rebounds, 58-39, including 27 offensive boards to control the paint. — JST, GMA News