Chris Camus of UST looks to pass while being guarded by NU's Joeffrey Javillonar. (Ralph Samson/Fullcourtfresh.com)
Games Saturday (July 16, 2011)
Araneta Coliseum
11:00am – Adamson vs. Far Eastern
3:00pm – De La Salle vs. Ateneo
| FINAL/OT | ||||||
 |
 |
|||||
| (0 – 1) | (1 – 0) | |||||
| 82 – 83 | ||||||
| QUARTERS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
| NATIONAL U | 14 | 33 | 44 | 65 | 72 | |
| SANTO TOMAS | 17 | 31 | 44 | 65 | 73 | |
| STATISTICAL LEADERS | ||||||
| POINTS | UST | J. Fortuna | 23 | |||
| NU | D. Villamor | 19 | ||||
| REBOUNDS | UST | K. Ferrer | 11 | |||
| NU | D. Villamor | 9 | ||||
| ASSISTS | UST | J. Teng | 5 | |||
| NU | B. Parks | 3 | ||||
| KEY STATS | NU | UST | ||||
| FIELD GOALS (PCT) | 26/26 (40%) | 34/83 (41%) | ||||
| 2nd CHANCE PTS. | 14 | 21 | ||||
| REBOUNDS (OFFENSIVE) | 44 (15) | 51 (22) | ||||
Time was not on UST’s side, but their defensive prowess gave them a new lease on life.
Good defense enabled the Tigers to send their game into overtime, where they routed the National University Bulldogs, 73-72, in UAAP Season 74 at the Araneta Coliseum. Both squads had 65 points at the end of 40 minutes of play.
“Mas ready kami ngayon both offensively and defensively kahit sino pa ang kalaban,” UST coach Pido Jarencio said. “Kahit dikit ang laro, basta importante manalo.” For Jarencio, there’s nowhere to go this year but up, after ending their 2009 campaign near the bottom of the heap.
Jeric Fortuna led the Espana-based team with 23 points, six rebounds, and two steals, scoring two three-pointers within the last three minutes of regulation. Rookie Kevin Ferrer and Chris Camus chipped in 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The Tigers had the upper hand early in the game via an 8-0 run, but the Bulldogs quickly bounced back, and were up by two points at halftime, 31-33. They outscored UST, 19-14, in the second quarter.
The third canto saw a rejuvenated UST squad, anchored on Ferrer and Jeric Teng. They were up by four with less than two minutes remaining, but a basket by NU’s Emmanuel Mbe and two charities from Lee Villamor locked the game at 44 points apiece.
It was a seesaw battle in the final period, until the Bulldogs got away with a five point lead, anchored on Villamor near the four minute mark, 52-58. Baskets from Teng and Fortuna helped the Tigers inch closer, 60-61, in the last two minutes. The Bulldogs managed to maintain a three point lead, 62-65, courtesy of free throws from Mbe, but Fortuna had other plans as he sank a shot from beyond the arc, tying the game at 65 points apiece.
Much talked-about rookie Bobby Ray Parks had NU’s life in his hands, as he held the ball in the last few seconds of the game, but failed to convert the possession, allowing the UST crowd to heave a sigh of relief as the game went into its extra five minute period.
Fortuna scored four of UST’s eight points early in the overtime period, but Parks fired away with a three-pointer, bringing the Tigers’ lead down to just a point, 69-68. In the end, UST’s defense paid off, as they got off on the right foot with their first win of the season.
Jarencio is very proud of Fortuna, and he considers his ward to be one of the best point guards in the UAAP today.
Three Bulldogs scored in double digits, Villamor, Parks, and Mbe, with 19, 16, and 13 points respectively. (Katrina Angco)
BOX SCORES
SANTO TOMAS (73): Fortuna 23, Ferrer 12, Camus 10, Teng 9, Afuang 6, Abdul 5, Pe 4, Vigil 2, Sheriff 2, Tan 0, Lao 0, Ungria 0
NATIONAL U (72): Villamor 19, Parks 16, Mbe 13, Khobuntin 8, Javillonar 5, Ignacio 4, Labing-isa 3, Alolino 2, Magat 2, Celiz 0, Terso 0, Singh 0
Quarters: 17-14, 31-33, 44-44, 65-65, 73-72 (OT)
