DEFENDING CHAMPION LA SALLE SURVIVES A LATE FEU COMEBACK
By Maxine Louise Lagman
10 September 2017
The De La Salle University was able to make it through its debut game against the Far Eastern University, 95-90 on Sunday in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.
La Salle came out strong in the first half, but Wendel Comboy and Ron Dennison took turns for a basket and boosted the Tamaraws make a run in the third frame and cut the deficit to just seven points, 44-51.
Veteran Kib Montalbo answered back with three triples to extend La Salle’s lead again, 73-52, yet the Comboy-Dennison tandem continued to fire back with back-to-back threes as well, cutting the deficit to five, 90-85.
However, the Green Archers were not an easy team to tame as they sealed their first match with a win after FEU drew errors by the last minutes in the game.
“It was just an ordinary game and both teams really wanted to win. Sa side namin, we had crucial mistakes that I am confident, we will learn from it,” said La Salle Coach Aldin Ayo.
Without reigning UAAP MVP Ben Mbala, as he is playing for the Cameroon in the Fiba Afrobasket, Aljun Melecio led La Salle and finished with a career-high 29 points. Meanwhile, Andrei Caracut and Montalbo had 16 and 12 points, respectively.
On the other hand, Dennison led the Tamaraws with 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists in their loss, while Comboy added 13 points.
The Scores:
DLSU 95 – Melecio 29, Caracut 16, Montalbo 12, Tratter 11, Santillan 9, Rivero P 7, Baltazar 4, Go 3, Rivero R 2, Paraiso 2, Capacio 0.
FEU 90 – Dennison 21, Comboy 13, Orizu 12, Tuffin 10, Cani 7, Tolentino 7, Parker 7, Inigo 5, Escoto 5, Trinidad 3, Nunag 0, Ebona 0, Bienes 0.
Quarterscores: 29-11, 47-32, 73-54, 95-90
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DLSU Green Archers, FEU Tamaraws, Maxine Louise Lagman, SM Mall of Asia Arena, UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament
