11 November 2018
By Maxine Louise Lagman
Manila, Philippines – The Far Eastern University squad was all out in their game against hapless National University that saw them take a convincing 79-74 win in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Team captain Kenneth Tuffin and veteran Arvin Tolentino led FEU for a demanding 25-10 run in the second quarter to stretch their lead to 16, 44-28.
Big man Prince Orizu, who suffered a left ankle sprain in their game against the Ateneo De Manila University, was back in the game and managed to produce six points and five assists in nine minutes.
It looked like an easy win for FEU until John Lloyd Clemente blasted back-to-back baskets for NU to cut the lead to eight, 61-69.
FEU strengthened their defense to stop the bleeding, as Tuffin and L-Jay Gonzales did the final touches to clinch the win.
Tolentino tallied 16 points, all of which he made in the first half, while Tuffin finished with 15 markers.
With the win, the Tamaraws kept their Final Four bid alive and now stands at fourth place with the University of the Philippines with a 7-6 win-loss record.
FEU will have to win against second seed Adamson University on Sunday and for De La Salle University to defeat UP on their Wednesday’s game to automatically claim a semifinal berth. If the Tams and Fighting Maroons still end up with an identical 7-7 slate, they will have to face each other again in a knockout game to see who will take the last Final Four slot.
Meanwhile, Clemente dropped 38 points in the game, which was the most number of points tallied in the season. Dave Ildefonso added a double-double record of 12 markers and 10 boards as NU dropped to a 3-10 slate.
The Scores:
FEU 79 – Tolentino 16, Tuffin 15, Gonzales 9, Stockton 7, Parker 6, Inigo 6, Orizu 6, Bienes 5, Ebona 4, Comboy 3, Bayquin 2, Cani 0, Escoto 0
NU 74 – Clemente 38, Ildefonso D 12, Diputado 4, Yu 4, Rike 2, Aquino 2, Tibayan 2, Galinato 2, Gallego 2, Salim 2, Gaye 2, Ildefonso S 1, Malonzo 1, Joson 0, Sinclair 0
QUARTER SCORES: 19-18, 44-28, 69-61, 79-74
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