Warriors, Tams arrange Filoil title showdown

MANILA, Philippines – What it lacked in manpower, University of the East made up with its big fighting heart as it hacked out a 90-84 decision over San Sebastian College to seal a return trip to the finals of the Filoil Flying V Pre-Season MVP Cup at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The defending champion Warriors, who played minus a flu-stricken Narciso Llagas, John Rey Albanza, Kenneth Acibar, Erwin Duran, John Michael Noble and Fahdzmir Bandaying, leaned on Paul Lee’s game-long brilliance and went to Rudy Lingganay and Elmer Espiritu at endgame to secure the win in their Final Four duel.

Far Eastern University forced San Beda to a series of turnovers at endgame then rode on four crucial charities from RR Garcia and Reil Cervantes to score a 64-58 victory and clinch the other championship berth.

The Tams threw a full-court press against the Red Lions in the closing last 2:58, forcing five consecutive turnovers as they held off the rallying Mendiola-based cagers.

Garcia and Cervantes then canned in a pair of pressure-packed charities in the last 20 seconds to secure the win for the Tams.

FEU and UE dispute the crown on Monday.

Lingganay scored on a putback off a miss by Rafael Reyes in the last six minutes, sparking a decisive 8-1 blitz that carried the Warriors to the victory in the tournament backed by Adidas, Filoil, Flying V, Gourmet Coffee, Tamayo’s Restaurant, media partners The Philippine STAR and Inquirer, Manila Standard Today, Rx 98.3, Molten, the official ball, Channel V and Makisig Channel, the official television coveror.

Lee, meanwhile, finished with 26 points, scoring 17 in the second quarter as UE barely kept the lead at the half, 42-41. 

Lee and Jimbo Aquino actually figured in a shootout in the second period with the SSC hotshot scattering 11 of his 21 points.

“We were down by six men. But the boys’ didn’t give up. We need this kind of game to test the team’s maturity,” said UE coach Lawrence Chongson.

The Warriors, who won last year’s title against the San Beda Red Lions, faced the winner of the other semis pairing pitting San Beda against Far Eastern University, being played at presstime.

The Stags kept the game close for most of the match, matching the Warriors outside firepower, even grabbing the lead at the end of the third, 65-64.

But the Warriors leaned on their experience and displayed endgame poise with Lingganay and Espiritu combining in a big UE windup for the win.

Espiritu finished with a double-double with 19 points and pulled down 14 rebounds.