Tigers aim for No. 2 as Archers move to 4th spot

MANILA, Philippines - Jeric Teng banged in a career-high 26 points as University of Santo Tomas held off University of the East, 87-75, to clinch a Final Four berth and at least a playoff for the No. 2 slot yesterday in the UAAP Season 75 men’s basketball tournament at the MOA Arena.

With Teng firing 18 markers in the second half, the slow-starting Tigers got into their groove and romped off with their 10th win against four losses on the same day their protest in their 66-68 loss to Ateneo was junked by the UAAP’s technical committee.

The triumph sent the Tigers to the semis alongside topnotcher Ateneo (12-2), getting inside track on the No. 2 and twice-to-beat advantage. UST will take the coveted second ranking and semis bonus if Far Eastern (9-4) loses to National U (8-5) on Sunday. In case of a win by the Tams, the two will figure in a knockout match for No. 2.

La Salle kept its semis hopes alive after thrashing Adamson, 72-59, to finish with a 9-5 card, ahead of idle NU’s 8-5. The Archers could nail outright No. 4 if the Bulldogs lose to the Tams on Sunday. However, if the Bulldogs beat the Tams and forge a three-way tie for third, NU will get the No. 3 spot, leaving DLSU and FEU in a rubbermatch for the last semis berth.

“We’re able to do what we sought and it’s all up to God right now, whatever his plan is for us. We’ll just wait for the Sunday game and see where it takes us,” said DLSU coach Gee Abanilla who drew 19 points and nine assists from Jeron Teng and 14 boards and 12 markers from Norbert Torres. 

Roider Cabrera (17) and Allen Etrone (15) led the way for AdU, which ended with 3-11, a big reversal from their semis-making 10-4 last season.

“After that loss to Ateneo, we told each other that we couldn’t lose this one because if we did, we might fall to as far as No. 5,” said Teng, who also had seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.

UST had its best mark since finishing the two-round elims with 11-3 back in Season 63.

“At least umabot ng 10 wins. Ito yata ang best finish ng UST. Ibig sabihin pwede pa kami hanggang dulo (We reached 10 wins, which is actually UST’s best finish in a long while. This means we have the legs to last through the playoffs),” said UST coach Pido Jarencio.

The Tigers shrugged off a cold start, trailing half way through the second, 12-15, which Jarencio blamed to the chilly air-conditioning system of the venue.

“Nung pinag-press ko, nakuha na ang bearing, timing, parang diesel na umiinit (When we applied the press, the boys got their bearing and timing and ran like a diesel-powered machine),” said Jarencio, who challenged his wards to take the second and fourth quarters as they should.

Karim Abdul added 22 points, joining Dylan Ababou as the only Tigers to score in double figures in all games in the last 10 years.

The Tigers lost off the court, though, as the technical committee upheld commissioner Ato Badolato’s decision junking their protest on the Ateneo game.

“The technical committee agrees with the commissioner that the points you raised are both judgment calls and not subject to protest. It was pointed out during the course of the discussion that although the calls and non-calls were technical in nature, implementing requires judgment,” said the committee.

UST had protested against the non-issuance of a technical foul on ADMU coach Norman Black for entering the court to dispute a non-call and a goaltending called against Abdul.

“As of now, we’ll just respect the decision of the technical committee,” UST board member Gilda Kamus told The STAR. She added though that UST admin will still talk it over in the next days.

An exasperated Jarencio said he preferred to let it go.

“Ano pa ba magagawa natin? Hindi naman ako pwedeng maglupasay o magpakamatay. Rerespeto ko na lang desisyon nila. Pero abangan nila gagawin ko. Walang technical pag pumunta sa gitna ha? Pag ako pumunta sa gitna at tinawagan ng technical, malaking istorya yun (What else can I do, kill myself? I’ll respect their decision but watch out for my move. No technical for entering the court, huh? Let’s see if I cross and get a technical, that’s a big story),” he said.

Roi Sumang paced the Warriors (3-11).

Notes: If it’s any consolation for UST, the three referees who officiated the controversial game, were sanctioned. “Since we do not tolerate bad calls or non calls in the endgame, we have suspended the three referees (Salvador) Cortes, (Dominique) Pomar, and (Joenard) Garcia for three playing days,” according to Badolato’s letter.