Never-say-die Warriors crush Tams

MANILA, Philippines -  Back-against-the-wall University of the East dished out what coach Derrick Pumaren described as their “best performance” to date, bringing down pacesetting Far Eastern, 94-71, yesterday to keep its Final Four bid alive in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Warriors unleashed a lethal 21-0 run in the fourth anchored on Charles Mammie, returning Roi Sumang and Bong Galanza to take command en route to their seventh win in 12 outings, staying one game behind fourth-running National U (8-4) in their chase for the semis.

Final Four qualifier Tams, who welcomed back coach Nash Racela after his stint with Gilas Pilipinas in Spain, dropped to 10-3 but maintained its position at the top in the company of Ateneo.

“So far that’s the best we played this season,” said Pumaren, after steering his wards to their third straight victory. “We’re happy but we can’t be too happy about this because we’re still not out of the woods, we’re still right behind NU and we have to control our destiny.”

Mammie punched in 18 points despite foul woes to backstop Galanza, who fired a career-high 26 markers. Sumang, benched the last time out for disciplinary reasons, saw limited action but pumped in nine points, all in their fourth-quarter breakaway.

“The guys showed their guts out tonight. They refused to lose, knowing the predicament we’re in right now. I think we played a hell of a defense in the fourth. We’re able to defend their dribble-drive offense, we’re there all the time to challenge every shot,” said Pumaren, whose team also beat FEU for the first time in five years.

UE has moved on from last week’s episode that led to the disciplinary action against Sumang.

“He’s been showing up in practice and working very hard and it showed tonight, especially in the fourth where he was able to settle down and hit two three point shots that kept him going,” said Pumaren.

“He really played well, especially in the fourth. But I must say it was a total team effort. We really played as a team on defense,” he added.

Mac Belo (16) and Achie Inigo (10) topscored for FEU.

Earlier, National U overpowered University of the Philippines, 66-51, to boost its semis bid with 8-4 card.

The Bulldogs wasted little time asserting themselves against the Maroons (1-12), limiting their opponents to 8 and 9 in the first two quarters for a 29-17 lead.

“I told the boys we have to assert our identity in the game and it had to start on our defense so I think, everything else evolved and followed from our defense,” said the NU coach Eric Altamirano, whose wards choked UP to 30.36 percent clip while shooting 49.12 percent.

Alfred Aroga shrugged off back spasm to bang in 18 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. With the hulking Cameroonian at the forefront, the taller Bulldogs dropped 46 markers inside the paint against UP’s 14.