Ex-national cager RR Garcia showed that he was once the league’s best. And he is still King Tamaraw.
Garcia, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) most valuable player (MVP) in 2010 and veteran of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, scored the winning basket for the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws to edge the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tigers, 73-72, in the second game of opening day of UAAP Season 75 at the Mall of Asia Arena today.
The Tamaraws capitalized off a boo-boo by Tiger point guard Jeric Fortuna as Tamaraw sophomore Mike Tolomia threw a long pass to Garcia, who was left alone in FEU’s court for an easy layup.
The Tigers, left with no timeouts, failed to reply with just a few ticks left.
“It was our experience,” Tamaraw coach Bert Flores commented after the game. “We had the poise of a finalist, and that was our edge against UST.”
It was an escape act for the Tamaraws, finalists for two consecutive years, as the Morayta-based team was submerged in a 60-50 dearth at the end of the third quarter due to the Tigers’ airtight halfcourt press and Nigerian center Karim Abdul’s splendid inside and outside game for UST for three quarters.
However, Tamaraw scorer Terence Romeo exploded for seven straight points off isolation plays to kick start the final canto.
After an exchange of baskets between the two squads, Garcia then fired two straight three-pointers while Tolomia scored the go-ahead basket to put the Tamaraws up, 65-63, with three minutes left.
Since then, UST kept on countering every FEU basket until hot shooter Jeric Teng sank a booming triple in front of the Tiger’s lair to regain the lead, 72-69, with less than a minute left.
Unfazed, FEU capitalized on a UST defensive error as Abdul illegally swatted a Romeo layup to credit two points for the Tamaraws, 71-72.
The Tigers ultimately choked on the offensive end, with Fortuna missing on a drive and subsequently turning the ball over to Tolomia, who looked ahead to Garcia for the win.
Garcia led the Tamaraws with 21 points and a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, while Romeo scored nine of his 13 points in the payoff period.
Abdul was the behemoth amongst the Tigers, scoring 24 points and grabbing 18 rebounds while Teng had 18 and an accurate 4-for-6 from outside.
Earlier, host National University Bulldogs showed their worth as Final Four contenders as the preseason champions walloped the University of the East Warriors, 90-55, in the season opener.
Jeoffrey Javillonar chalked a double-double outing of 19 points and 11 rebounds while Nigerian rookie Henri Betayene, starting in place of compatriot Emmanuel Mbe who sported a wrong uniform in the first half, wowed the crowd with four booming blocks.
Roi Sumang was the only bright spot for the Warriors with 21 points and four steals.
“We defended well and we focused on running our plays on the offensive end,” commented reigning MVP Bobby Ray Parks. Playing the facilitator’s role, he scored 16 points on top of six boards, six assists, four steals, and three blocks.
BOX SCORES
First game
NATIONAL (90): Javillonar 19, Parks 16, Alolino 12, Rosario 10, De Guzman 8, Villamor 6, Mbe 4, Betayene 3, Labing-isa 3, Ignacio 3, Celda 2, Neypes 2, Perez 2, Khobuntin 0, Roño 0, Singh 0
EAST (55): Sumang 21, Galanza 8, Razon 8, Olayon 7, Santos 4, Belleza 2, Flores 2, Javier 2, Sumido 1, Alberto 0, Duran 0, Duncil 0, Valdez 0, Villarias 0
Quarters: 13-15, 48-23, 72-40, 90-55
Second game
FAR EASTERN (73): Garcia 21, Hargrove 14, Romeo 13, Tolomia 8, Pogoy 6, Bringas A. 4, Mendoza 3, Bringas M. 2, Cruz 2, Belo 0, Escoto 0
SANTO TOMAS (72): Abdul 24, Teng 18, Mariano 10, Bautista 7, Fortuna 6, Afuang 5, Ferrer 2, Vigil 0, Pe 0, Lo 0, Daquioag 0
Quarters: 18-21, 31-37, 50-60, 73-72
