Chiefs spoil Maroons’
quarterfinals bid
by
rick olivares
Arellano University
exited the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup with a 73-68 victory over the University
of the Philippines on Monday.
It was their fourth
straight victory for an even 4-4 won-lost record after a poor start to the
tournament. Their consolation was complicating the life of UP, which now needs
to defeat National University tomorrow to advance to the quarterfinals.
The Fighting Maroons
started out like a house on fire winning their first three matches—but they
have since gone 1-3 in their last four matches.
The Chiefs looked like
they were going to win comfortably as they repeatedly held off one UP rally
after another. Although they led by nine, 62-53, entering the final period, the
Chiefs committed a spate of turnovers while the Maroons chalked up big points
from Javi Lopez De Liaño and Ibrahim Quattara.
With Arellano University
leading, 72-65, with 46 seconds left, De Liaño hit a triple off a time-out to
cut the lead to four.
Arellano University
center Lervin Flores immediately turned the ball over, giving UP another shot
at whittling away the lead, but Jarrell Lim missed a lay-up and Quattara lost
the ball out of bounds. Arellano University’s Brylle Meca hit a free throw to
close out scoring.
Kent Salado led Arellano
University in scoring with 17 points, while Lervin Flores and Kraniel Villoria
each added 16 points. Jarrell Lim topped the point production for UP with 16
points, while Quattara chipped in 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Despite the win, Arellano
University became the first finalist from the previous season to miss the
quarterfinals.
In other matches, Far
Eastern University uncorked a 13-1 wind-up in the last three-and-a-half minutes
to put down tough and resilient San Sebastian College, 84-80.
Down 80-71 after a drive
by Jerrick Fabian, the Stags looked to wrap up the game and the Group B lead.
FEU answered by drilling back-to-back three-pointers—one by Richard Escoto and
one by Arvin Tolentino—to cut the deficit to 80-77 with 2:27 to play.
Both sides missed their
next two three-point shots before the FEU swingman reentered the fray and
greatly atoned for his two earlier turnovers that allowed San Sebastian to
garner their earlier lead. Ramirez scored FEU’s last seven points on an
assortment of drives and putbacks to give the Morayta based squad their seventh
win in eight matches.
“Coach [first assistant
Eric Gonzales who substituted for Olsen Racela, who is on Barangay Ginebra
duty] brought me out for a breather and when he brought me back, I just repaid
his faith in me and did what I had to do,” said the Toronto-born Ramirez, who
is in the first of his two playing years for the Tamaraws.
San Sebastian led FEU for
much of the game, but the Tamaraws always struck back behind their three-point
shooting. In the first half, point guard Axel Iñigo hit three consecutive
triples to keep his team within striking distance, 41-40, San Sebastian at the
half. In the second half of play, Arvin Tolentino fired away from downtown.
FEU hit a tournament-high
15 triples, while San Sebastian dropped 11 for a combined 26 three-pointers.
Ramirez led FEU with 18
points and nine rebounds, while Iñigo and Escoto added 16 and 11 points,
respectively.
It was a sorry loss for
Edgar Macaraya’s Stags, who practically led throughout much of the match. “We
committed some crucial mistakes and FEU made their shots,” Macaraya lamented.
“It’s a learning experience for us.”
Ryan Costelo led San
Sebastian’s attack with 17 points including four triples. Four other
Stags finished in double digits.
Despite the loss, San
Sebastian at 6-2 will also enter the quarterfinals as the third seed.
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