ALL-TIME HIGH. Super rookie Jeron Teng and last year’s super rookie Bobby Ray Parks scored career-highs 35 points each in today’s game. (Ericka Alcantara)

Super rookie fires 35 for Archers’ double OT win

The hype is finally a reality.

It did not matter if 43 minutes could consume an average player’s stamina, but super rookie Jeron Teng nonetheless fired 35 points, which included two booming triples after regulation, to lift the De La Salle Green Archers to an 87-86 double overtime victory against hosts National University (NU) Bulldogs in UAAP hoops action today at the Araneta Coliseum.

It was the first breakout game for Teng, who has been scoring an average of at least 15 points prior to today’s game.

“I needed to step up in the absence of LA Revilla,” Teng said after the game, referring to the Archer starting point guard who played limited minutes due to an ankle sprain.

Also stepping up for Revilla is backup point guard Almond Vosotros, who scored 18 points, including a trey to open a 6-0 La Salle run in the second overtime, and the final free throw to secure a four-point lead for the Archers with seven seconds left in the game.

It was never an easy game for Gang Green as the Bulldogs fought hard through the offensive exploits of reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Bobby Ray Parks and second-chance scoring from centers Emmanuel Mbe and Troy Rosario.

It was the second double overtime game for the Archers, losing to the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 82-84, on August 5. La Salle ends the season’s first round tied with NU at fourth place with a 4-3 record.

The Bulldogs were led by Parks, who also scored 35 points.

Role players lift Ateneo past FEU

In the rematch of last year’s finals, the Ateneo Blue Eagles drew significant help from its role players to repulse the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, 74-71, in the second game.

Facing a 27-37 halftime deficit, Tiongson’s back-to-back trey sparked an Eagle comeback midway in the third quarter.

This inspired fellow role players JP Erram and Nico Elorde to keep the fight for the four-peat champs as the Eagles cut the deficit to four, 49-53, at the end of the third quarter.

2010 Finals MVP Ryan Buenafe then scored on a three-point play to cut the lead to one early in the fourth quarter, in time for star player Nico Salva’s go-ahead basket at the eight-minute mark.

Both teams traded baskets along the way but early foul trouble ultimately cost the game for the Tamaraws, giving out 10 free throw points to the Eagles in the last four minutes.

Greg Slaughter led the way for the Eagles with 17 points and five blocks while Tiongson and Buenafe contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.

2010 MVP RR Garcia re-emerged as King Tamaraw with 21 points while center Anthony Hargrove added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Ateneo ended the first round temporarily leading the tournament with a 6-1 record while the Tamaraws drop to solo third place at 5-2.

Box scores

First game:

La Salle-87– Teng 35, Vosotros 18, Andrada 8, Van Opstal 7, Torres, N. 6, Torres, T. 5, Mendoza 4, Revilla 3, Manguera 1, Gotladera 0, Tallo 0, Webb 0.

NU-86– Parks 35, Rosario 14, Mbe 12, Javillonar 6, Rono 5, Alolino 4, Villamor 3, Khobuntin 3, Singh 2, De Guzman 2, Labing-Isa 0, Betayene 0

Quarterscores: 25-14, 42-37, 59-52, 69-69, 79-79 (OT), 87-86 (2 OT)

Second game:

ADMU, 74: Slaughter 17, Tiongson 12, Ravena 12, Buenafe 10, Salva 6, Erram 6, Elorde 6, Sumalinog 3, Chua 2, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0

FEU, 71: Garcia 21, Hargrove 12, Romeo 10, Bringas A. 10, Bringas M. 7, Belo 6, Tolomia 3, Pogoy 2, Sentcheu 0, Mendoza 0, Cruz 0

Quarter scores: 18-21, 27-37, 49-53, 74-71