FAR Eastern University (FEU) shrugged off a slow start with a huge second half to beat University of the East (UE), 75-68, in the University Athletic Association Season 85 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
The Red Warriors raced to a 12-0 start and led by as many as 15 in the first half but the Tamaraws uncorked a 21-9 third quarter run to enter the fourth period ahead, 55-51.
L-jay Gonzales, Bryan Sajonia and Patrick Sleat opened the payoff period with 10 straight points to give FEU a commanding 65-51 lead with 6:58 to go.
But UE came back behind Gani Stevens and Nikko Paranada in a 12-2 blast to pull to within four, 63-67, with 2:18 left.
Patrick Tchuente answered for the Tamaraws with back-to-back baskets punctuated by a jam at the 1:27 mark to fend off the Red Warriors.
“My players stuck to the game plan. We had problens at the start but our zone helped us and it was our team defense that really gave us that win,” FEU coach Olsen Racela said.
The Tamaraws collected their third straight win after a horrendous 0-5 start to improve to 3-5, tying the skidding Red Warriors, who absorbed their third straight loss, at sixth place.
Xyrus Torres waxed hot from deep with six conversions to lead the Tamaraws with 22 points to go with five steals, while Gonzales had 14 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
Tchuente registered his finest game of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Paranada tallied 21 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Stevens added 13 points on a perfect 6-of-6 clip from the field with nine rebounds.