A PLAYER entering his prime already winning his fourth Most Valuable Player award. Let that sink in.
FOUL trouble took its toll on the University of the East Warriors in the fourth period.
And it came at a time when the Far Eastern University Tamaraws’ three-point shots starting falling and connecting.
The Morayta-based dribblers went on to post an 88-81 smashing of the UE Warriors Sunday in the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
Triples from Hubert Cani and Arvin Tolentino set the tone for a big scoring run as the Tams broke the game wide open in the last 7:58.
Their outside sniping shattered the game’s last deadlock, 49-all and gave them a four-point edge, 55-51.
A three-point play from Prinze Orizu and two freebies from Jasper Parker in the remaining 5:48 followed as FEU started puling away, 60-55.
The Tams, who made 11 of 28 three-point attempts the whole afternoon, then found themselves ahead by 12, 69-57, after Parker struck with another trey with 3:37 left.
Parker and Orizu led with 18 and 14 points, respectively, for the Tams, who picked up the win after bowing to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 56-59.
The Tams now have a 6-6record, keeping them in contention in the race for the last Final Four seat with UP.
UE, with Alvin Pasaol shooting 18 points and Mark Olayon making 14, is down in seventh place at 3-10.
“After our loss to UP, we really needed this win. We need more wins in our remaining games. But I think this is a good confidence booster for us going into the home stretch,” said FEU coach Olsen Racela.
The Tams need to hurdle their matches against National University and Adamson to have a place in the Final Four. Peter Atencio
The Scores
FEU 79 – Parker 18, Orizu 14, Tolentino 10, Dennison 9, Trinidad 9, Cani 8, Tuffin 4, Escoto 3, Comboy 2, Bayquin 2, Inigo 0, Ebona 0, Ramirez 0
UE 63 – Pasaol 18, Olayon 14, Maloles 8, Acuno 8, Manalang 7, Bartolome 4, Conner 4, Derige 0, Varilla 0, Cullar 0, Toribio 0, Abanto 0
QUARTER SCORES: 18-22, 29-33, 49-49, 79-63