9/11/2004
Tams 11-3 on 9/11
| September 11 this year for FEU men’s basketball coach Koy Banal and his Tamaraws would be a memorable one. Other than getting even on nemesis Ateneo de Manila University, 65-51, they also grabbed solo first for the first time this year plus first seed in the UAAP men’s basketball Final Four.
Close for most of the game, Far Eastern University scored the last 12 points of the third quarter to break away, 49-35, courtesy of Arwind Santos and Jed Cutler. From there, it was FEU all the way as they had their biggest lead of 20 midway in the fourth period when Mark Isip fired a jump shot from the corner, 57-37, that silenced the dominant Ateneo crowd in the Araneta Coliseum. Santos could very well be the MVP this UAAP Season 2004 as he finished with a game high 18 rebounds, 15 points, and five monstrous blocks, outplaying fellow contender LA Tenorio who only had seven markers on 1/8 shooting in the three-point area, and an insurmountable amount of errors with eight. Dennis Miranda, playing with foul trouble most of the way, had a decent output of ten points, five boards, four assists, and three steals. On the other hand, Paolo Bugia led the way for Ateneo with 16 points, the only Eagle in double digits, along with seven caroms and four turnovers. “Gusto natin mag-top seed entering into the Final Four,” emphasized the devout mentor. Banal would also want to give shout outs to his players, especially the veterans, for stepping up. “Noong halftime, we were a changed team,” Banal pointed out. “Pambungad ko pagpasok ko sa dugout, iyun kaagad ang sinabi ko, ‘He who doubts dies.’” “Ang goal namin is to stay basic,” Koy quipped. “Ang basic naka-focus ka lang sa game. “Ang basic is not to force the shot. Yung extra pass will make us a better team.” Banal also made special mention of Jed Cutler, who scored his only points of the game during the third quarter rally. “Thank God for Jed. Alam natin na inspired siya kapag kalaban ang Ateneo because he studied in Ateneo in Davao.” Starting hot from the gates, Far Eastern roared with an 11-2 start with Rizada at the helm. Then the atmosphere started to change as whistles started blowing and the Ateneans gaining composure. ADMU tied the game for the first time when Macky Escalona scored a jumper off Miranda, 16-all, and later grabbed the lead when Doug Kramer split his freethrows. Nvertheless, Jeffrei Chan and Miranda spearheaded a mini-rally to get the advantage back, 21-17, with still half a quarter left before halftime. Tenorio, with his usual theatrics, acted his way for Miranda’s second personal foul. With just a few seconds left before the break, Tenorio was not yet through as he forced Miranda to commit his third foul. At the same instant, both Badjie del Rosario and RJ Rizada were assessed with a double technical, which was also the latter’s third. As the wily Ateneo point guard converted both charities, Ateneo had the upperhand, 29-25, as the buzzer finally sounded and the Blue and White crowd booing the FEU bench with much gusto. Playing without Miranda and Rizada at the start of the second half, the Tamaraws exchanged baskets with the Katipunan-based squad. Santos found a cutting Chan wide open as the power forward gifted an assist to the latter for an easy lay-in and Far Eastern ahead, 31-29, two minutes into the new half. A couple of minutes later, Santos received a pass from Miranda and converted a corner jumper. However, that would one of the few good moments for Miranda as Tenorio flopped after he was allegedly poked by the Green and Gold court general for his fourth foul. A trio of Tamaraws had a weird sequence later as Cutler was supposed to pass the ball to Jobim Garcia, who flubbed the leather, bounced off him, and landed straight into Don Yabut, who in one motion made a running one-hander, 37-33, with 4:47 in the penultimate period. From then on, the closest the Eagles could get was when Bugia scored a jumper, 35-37, four and a half minutes remaining. It was then that the Tams scorched the nets starting with Rizada going right then spinning left, slicing into the middle to evade Membrere for a driving lay. This was followed half a minute later when Santos shot over the outstretched arms of JC Intal. Cutler then notched the first of his two threes coming from a pass off a posting Yabut with 1:26 remaining and the Tamaraws ahead by nine, 44-35. Last year’s Defensive Player of the Year followed a Marlon Adolfo miss to pad the gap to 11 and then cleanly rejected a del Rosario attempt in the next sequence. Cutler finally capped the period with his second trifecta three ticks left, 49-35. Cutler’s third quarter romp exorcised of his past ghosts when he failed to deliver against the De La Salle Green Archers in their first round encounter, thus giving his squad their first defeat. “Sabi ko (to Cutler), now this is your chance (to redeem yourself),” consoled his bespectacled guru. Ateneo was then held scoreless for almost three minutes in the fourth as the Tamaraws posted their highest lead, 57-37. Although the Eagles tried for one last gasp, the Nicanor Reyes-based squad coasted to victory and eventually the top spot at the end of the eliminations. FEU are to face Dindo Pumaren’s University of the East Tamaraws this September 16 with a twice-to-beat advantage. “Coach Dindo has done a wonderful job in UE. In-erase niya lahat ng doubt,” commented Banal about his adversary. |
// posted by Unknown @ 23:38 
