UAAP Finals Schedule:FEU takes on NU
The Far Easter University Tamaraws face the National University Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball Finals Game One on October 4, Saturday at 4:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.
After beating their respective opponents in the Final Four, the Bulldogs and the Tamaraws denied the dream match of the ADMU and DLSU in the Finals. Instead the two teams will have this monumental best-of-three UAAP Finals series.
The Bulldogs outlasted Ateneo, 65-63, in a thriller through the heroic performance of Gelo Alolino who scored the last five points of the game, a triple and two free throws with 9.3 seconds left.
The next possession was a suicide play by the Blue Eagles when Kiefer Ravena drove into the basket but NU’s Alfred Aroga entered into the scene to block the shot and won the game.
‘’We knew where they were going so we were able to stop it. I thank Alfred Aroga and his defense for bailing us out,’’ said NU coach Eric Altamirano of the game saving play by his big man. ‘’Malapit na kami sa promised land (We are near the promised land). We’ll do what we do. Celebrate today for us and prepare tomorrow. Credit to the boys. they kept fighting.”
Aroga had 14 points and 12 rebounds while Alolino finished the game with 12 points and five rebounds to lead NU to its return to the Finals in 44 yards.
In the other game, the Tamaraws pulled off an upset over the defending champions Green Archers, 67-64, through the game-winning three-pointer of forward Mac Belo.
Tied at 64, Belo was at the right time and at the right place after a play was designed for Mike Tolomia that ended in a pass to the forward that eventually put the FEU into the Finals.
Belo had delivered the best points for FEU, scoring 12 of the last 16 points of the squad. He ended up with 23 points. La Salle captured the lead, 53-51, with more than seven minutes left in the game through Jeron Teng and Prince Rivero. The lead even increased 59-55 with 4:33 left. However, the Tamaraws tied the game at 61 when Belo drilled a triple.
NU would love to be part of the Finals, winning two games in a row over the Eagles. Last season, the Bulldogs have the twice-to-beat advantage, only to loss to the Growling Tigers. A sweet journey for the Bulldogs as they were given the opportunity to meet the Tamaraws.
