Tams steal win on Tolomia late heroics

Games on Saturday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

2 p.m. – UP vs FEU

4 p.m. – UST vs AdMU

MANILA, Philippines - The Far Eastern Tamaraws gave Spain-bound coach Nash Racela farewell gift by hacking out a huge 74-70 victory over defending champion La Salle to grab the solo lead in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the MOA Arena.

Mike Tolomia, who is still recuperating from tonsillitis and fever, punched in five of his 22 points in the last 14.8 seconds to secure the Tams’ eighth win in 10 games that brought them closer to a Final Four berth.

“That’s the objective: To get a victory today,” said Racela, who went straight to the airport for his night flight to Spain, where he would join Gilas Pilipinas for their Fiba World Cup campaign.

The Archers saw their seven-game roll snap as they slid to joint third with Ateneo and National U with 7-3.

Tolomia hardly showed the effect of his illness that had him hospitalized for four days.

After La Salle cut FEU’s eight-point lead to a mere 71-70 edge, Tolomia took charge and delivered the coup de grace. He cashed in on the front-end of his charities off Julian Sargent, missed the second but collared the offensive board when rebounders somehow froze while trying to box out one another. He gamely put it in for a 74-70 cushion with 5.9 ticks left.

“Maganda dun yung instinct ni Mike (Mike showed good instincts by taking the rebound),” said Racela, whose wards swept DLSU in their two-game matchup in the elims and stretched their streak to five games.

La Salle was in control early on, leading by nine after 20 minutes, 35-26. But FEU erupted to life in the third, outscoring DLSU, 26-16, to get back into the game.

“It was obvious we’re tentative in the first half. I don’t know, maybe it’s because we’re playing a ‘perceived finalist.’ Sabi namin (we told them) you can’t be tentative against a very strong team like La Salle,” Racela said.

Jeron Teng waxed hot with 28 markers along with eight rebounds and four assists that went for naught for DLSU.

Earlier, rookie Regie Boy Basibas gave undermanned Santo Tomas a huge lift as the embattled Tigers trounced University of the Philippines, 77-65, to keep their Final Four aspirations alive.

Basibas, a recruit from Leyte who was virtually under the radar before the game, banged in 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to fill in for injured Kevin Ferrer (hand) and Ed Daquiaog (ankle) to backstop Karim Abdul’s 21 markers, 12 boards, four blocks.

The Maroons, who played the last three quarters without the ejected coach Rey Madrid, dropped to 1-9.

“Buhay pa sa Final Four (We’re still in the hunt for a Final Four),” said UST mentor Bong dela Cruz, whose wards moved two wins behind fourth-running Ateneo and NU (7-3). “Kailangan lang one game, one possession at a time. Yan ngayon ang battlecry namin (We’re taking it one game one possession at a time).”

After logging a total of two points and four rebounds in 22 minutes the whole season, Basibas came out of his shell and played a solid 29 minutes, making five of his nine tries and accounting for eight offensive boards. He shot eight markers in the fourth to help UST pull away for good.

“May mga injured players kami kaya kailangan may mag-step up at si Basibas yun (We need players who will step up for our injured players and Basibas responded),” said dela Cruz. “Athletic siya, mataas ang basketball skills at every practice go-hard siya at lumabas sa laro (He’s athletic, with high basketball skills and goes hard every practice so I’m not surprised).”

Mikee Reyes put in 22 points to pace UP, who was coached by Ramil Cruz after Madrid incurred back-to-back technical fouls for entering the court and vehemently protesting a non-call late in the first.

Madrid’s ejection fired up the Maroons who battled the Tigers tooth and nail and even led at 53-51 late in the third.

The Maroons were just within two, 54-56, before the Tigers broke away with an 11-2 salvo for a 67-56 cushion.

The scores:

First Game

UST 77 – Abdul 21, Basibas 16, Mariano 13, Vigil 11, Subido 7, Sheriff 4, Gayosa 2, Lo 2, Lao 1, dela Cruz 0, Pe 0.

UP 65 – Reyes 22, Dario 9, Gingerich 9, Vito 8, Gallarza 7, Moralde 4, Lao 3, Juruena 3, Asilum 0, Amar 0, Harris 0, Bederi 0.

Quarterscores: 20-11, 36-29, 54-53, 77-65.

Second Game

FEU 74 – Tolomia 22, Belo 11, Inigo 10, Escoto 7, Pogoy 7, Jose 5, Cruz 4, Tamsi 4, Hargrove 4, Dennison 0, Ugsang 0.

DLSU 70 – Teng 28, Torres 13, Perkins 8, Vosotros 7, Van Opstal 5, Sargent 4, Montalbo 3, Rivero 2, Andrada 0, Bolick 0, Tratter 0.

Quarterscores: 15-19, 26-35, 52-51, 74-70