DLSU back in Final 4

MANILA, Philippines - La Salle stamped its class over University of Santo Tomas, 78-69, to complete the Final Four cast yesterday in the UAAP Season 73 seniors basketball tourney at the Araneta Coliseum.

Joshua Webb had a breakout game of 14 points, including 11 in the second half, as the Green Archers upped their record to a semis-clinching 8-4 and slammed the door on the Final Four bids of the Tigers (4-8) and National U (5-7).

“I’m so happy for the boys who have been practicing well,” said DLSU coach Dindo Pumaren, whose wards marked their return to the semis after missing last season’s playoffs. “A lot of people are saying we’re a young team but we showed our stuff. Hopefully, we go all the way.”

Earlier, pacesetting FEU hacked out a 77-62 beating of National University to move a win away from the twice-to-beat incentive in the F4.

Webb hit back-to-back baskets plus two charities in a 13-2 blast that allowed the Archers to pull away from a close 53-48 lead to 66-50 entering the final 6:58.

“We were struggling in the first two quarters, probably because of pressure. We were so tentative even on defense but we finally picked up, and executed well towards the end. And I’m happy that “Spider” Webb played well for the first time and he’s now so focused,” said Pumaren, whose crew came off an 80-66 upset of FEU last week.

Webb, who now wants to be called by his third name “Spider” in line with what he called “new attitude towards the game,” went 5-of-5 from two-point area and missed his lone attempt from the arc. He was supported by Simon Atkins’ 14 and Alvin Villanueva’s 11 markers and 10 boards.

La Salle thus joined the Tams (10-2), Ateneo (9-3), Adamson (also 8-4) in the next round, the battle for the Top 2 berths still in play entering the homestretch of the elims.

RR Garcia pumped in 23 points, including five triples that helped break the Bulldogs’ zone defense, as the Tams rebounded from their 66-80 setback to La Salle and improved to 10-2. They are now one win away from a twice-to-beat incentive in the Final Four.

“We really prepared against the zone defense because in our loss to La Salle, we couldn’t execute versus the zone and we know NU will also do it against us. I’m happy that we executed our offense against the zone this time,” said FEU coach Glen Capacio.

Garcia knocked in three of his triples in the third period to put FEU ahead, 59-52, after NU wiped out their 10-point halftime lead and took a 42-41 edge halfway through.

“They (Bulldogs) were able to come back because they weren’t called for a foul in the third quarter,” Capacio said, ruing the big discrepancy in total fouls assessed, 23 for FEU and seven for NU, the least since 2001.