NU routs San Beda, UE completes 2nd half comeback over Santo Tomas.
(FCF / Vyn Radovan)
For the second straight year, it’s an all-UAAP duel for the metro’s elite summer collegiate championship.
Following their close call in the quarterfinals, defending champions National University bucked the fatigue of playing consecutive top-level games in three days with a 74-57 rout of three-time defending NCAA champions San Beda College in the main game of the 2013 Filoil Flying V Pre-Season Premier Cup semifinals on Friday at The Arena in San Juan City.
Led by the sniping Dennice Villamor, who posted 18 points and six assists, the Bulldogs will defend their title on Independence Day in a one-game showdown at 4:00pm.
Third year guard Gelo Alolino put up a solid performance of 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while Bobby Ray Parks played through an ankle injury suffered in their recent Australia training camp and a shoulder injury during the first half of the match to post 12 points.
“We were really disciplined and we were really focused today. We forced them to 38 percent field goal percentage, we were able to control the rebounds and limit their transition baskets,” said NU head coach Eric Altamirano.
NU barely led by the break in a very close first half encounter that saw multiple lead changes by the tail end of the second period. But the Bulldogs refused to budge in the second half, growing their lead to 15 by the early stages of the fourth quarter and staved off any possible run similar to the one that San Beda pulled off against De La Salle in the quarterfinal round.
In the other semifinal match, University of the East overcame a huge third quarter deficit to barely oust University of Santo Tomas, 77-75, to book just their second finals appearance in the seven-year history of the tournament.
The trio of Roi Sumang, Charles Mammie, and JM Noble all shared the scoring chores, each finishing with 16 points apiece. Veteran guard Sumang reportedly did not practice in the last two days due to illness, but managed to played through the pain.
“We’ve been arrogant lately. These guys need waking up,” said UE head coach Boycie Zamar. “The momentum was with UST, but we took it away from them.”
Already counted out when UST took a commanding 16 point advantage at the midway point of the third period, the Red Warriors slowly shaved away their deficit and took the lead on a crucial defensive stop by Noble to give them their first taste of the lead in the second half.
But when UST’s trio of Karim Abdul, Jeric Teng, and Kevin Ferrer dropping like flies after fouling out, luck ran out for the Growling Tigers and saw Eduardo Daquioag put up an off-target three-pointer at the buzzer off a broken play as their exit from summer league play.
Ferrer finished with 19 points, Abdul added 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Teng and Aljon Mariano had 12 points apiece.
With their loss, Santo Tomas will figure with San Beda for third place at 2:00pm on Wednesday.
