A week ago, CESAFI runners-up Southwestern University shocked De La Salle University with a rousing late-game comeback to take their Philippine Collegiate Champions League final four round robin matchup a week ago. But with the same scenario presenting itself in the late stages of Game 1 of their best-of-three finals series, the UAAP champions got their act together to muff the Cobras’ advances.
Taking a 64-54 win on Monday at The Arena in San Juan City, the Green Archers are a win away from securing their second PCCL title — one they last held back in 2008 against archrival Ateneo.
Jeron Teng, who was named as the SMART Player of the Year in yesterday’s UAAP-NCAA Press Corps Collegiate Basketball Awards, scored 18 points with six rebounds and five assists. Thomas Torres, whose three-point play with 1:18 left ended a three minute scoring drought to break the Cobras, added 15 points.
De La Salle took a 22-point advantage heading into the final period, one they allowed to dissipate to just nine by the 3:15 mark, on the strength of Landry Sanjo’s dominance both inside the paint and in the mid-range area.
But that was the last gasp allowed by the Taft Avenue-based squad, as head coach Juno Sauler reminded them to end the game the same way they started.
“[We] played careless [in the] last minutes. Turned the ball over too much, [SWU] scored off those [turnovers]. [We] gave up and-one plays, then second-chance baskets. I just told them when they got back in to finish the game and make smarter decisions,” said Sauler.
Coach Yayoy Alcoseba, whose wards came out of the gates with a horrendous 2-12 start, said that the team has to go back to the team concept that has been the formula of their success.
“[In] the first three quarters we were tentative sa offense, not aggressive on defense, [and] we were competing [against] each other to make points. If Macmac Tallo gets the ball, he’ll take the shot. If [Monbert] Arong gets the ball, he wants the shot. They have to share the ball,” he said.
Sanjo led the Cobras’ attack with 16 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Arong’s 11 points.
Game 2 of the title series is slated for a 4:00pm start on Tuesday at The Arena in San Juan City.
