FEU nips Ateneo, Adamson frustrates NU

[nikko]

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Tams ground fancied Eagles; Falcons frustrate NU
By Yahoo! Southeast Asia Editors

“Where Heroes Are Made” is becoming more and more an apt theme for UAAP Season 73.

For the second straight day, a hero came out to carry his team to victory in the country’s premier college basketball tournament.

Sophomore guard Ryan Roose Garcia tied his career high with 25 points as Far Eastern University edged two-time defending champion Ateneo, 72–69, in a down-the-wire thriller for its first win Sunday night at the wild and roaring Araneta Coliseum.

The 5’9″ Zamboanga native converted an and-one play with a little over a minute left then split his charities in the dying seconds to lift the powerhouse FEU squad to a rousing triumph in what many consider a “finals preview” for this season.

In the first game, Final Four dark horse Adamson University erected an early 12-point lead in the final canto and hung tough to tame the US-trained National University, 60-54, to barge into the win column.

Three Falcons scored in double figures led by Eric Camson, who contributed 13, to thwart the Bulldogs’ attempt for a first-day victory in the UAAP.

“Super!” was the only word Tamaraws coach Glenn Capacio could utter after seeing his heady ward take over the game despite struggling in the first quarter.

“Ako yung leader ng team,” said Garcia, who also had five rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 34 minutes of hard work. “So kailangan kong maging good example. Ginagawa ko itong lahat para sa kanila.”

Veteran slotmen Reil Cervantes and Aldrech Ramos, meanwhile, combined for 23 markers and 13 boards to ably support Garcia in their quest for the Season 73 crown.

“Ipinakita talaga nila na di kami bumibigay sa endgame,” shared Capacio. “Very happy talaga ako sa pinakita nila pero alam kong wala pa kaming napapatunayan.”

21 turnovers

Capacio, himself a defensive specialist during his stint in the Philippine Basketball Association, was a tad concerned with how his players handled the ball after the Tamaraws committed 21 turnovers compared to the Blue Eagles’ 11.

Ateneo scored 23 points off turnovers while Far Eastern had a measly six.

“I feel lucky that we won even after committing 21 turnovers,” the mentor added. “So madami pa kaming kailangang i-improve and we still have 13 games to prove ourselves.”

The Tamaraws, however, vindicated themselves on the glass, pulling down 46 rebounds, with 17 offensive boards resulting in 19 second chance points.

First time in five years

It was the first time that Ateneo has lost an opening game since dropping a 60–78 decision to archrival La Salle five years ago.

Junior forward Nico Salva almost saved the day for the Blue Eagles but couldn’t buy a basket in their last offensive set and finished with 14 points and three rebounds.

Former Rookie of the Year Ryan Buenafe, meanwhile, added 13 markers while Kirk Long chipped in with 11 points, six rebounds, three assists, four steals and a block.

Ateneo shot horribly from beyond the arc, going 1-of-14 in rainbow territory. FEU, meanwhile, converted 8-of-25 for a 20-point differential in three-pointers.

On the other hand, Adamson’s win was their first time to snatch victory in an opening game in five years.

Camson added 13 rebounds in a supremely efficient 23 minutes while Janus Lozada and Jan Colina scored 11 each with the latter swatting three shots in helping the Falcons claw at their 2009 tormentors.

Sharpshooting Joseph Hermosisima and team captain Melvin Baloran sizzled with 19 and 18 markers, respectively, while getting only one point from the rest of their 14 teammates in the fourth quarter.

As a matter of fact, only three of the 12 NU players who took the court had more than two points.

Both teams’ African imports started tentatively with Bulldog Emmanuel Mbe scoring eight points to go with 11 boards and Adamson’s Austin Manyara almost shut down with only two points and a pair of blocks to show.

Alex Nuyles, the Falcon wingman who played well in the preseason, struggled with five points on a woeful one-of-seven shooting.

Scores:

Adamson (60) — Camson 13, Lozada 11, Colina 11, Alvarez 8, Nuyles 5, Stinnett 4, Canada 3, Cabrera 3, Manyara 2, Galinato

NU (54) — Hermosisima 19, Baloran 18, Mbe 8, Ignacio 2, Tungcul 2, Ponferrada 2, Magat 2, Javillonar 1, Khobuntin 0, Eriobu 0, Terso 0, Singh 0

Quarterscores: 24–17; 33–32; 49–42; 60–54

FEU (72) — Garcia 25, Cervantes 13, Ramos 10, Sanga 9, Bringas 8, Noundou 3, Romeo 2, Exciminiano 2, Mendoza 0, Knuttel 0, Cawaling 0

Ateneo (69) — Salva 14, Buenafe 13, Long 11, Dela Cruz 10, Escueta 6, Salamat 6, Monfort 3, Erram 2, Golla 2, Chua 2, Gonzaga 0, Austria 0

Quarterscores: 11–15; 35–30; 51–52; 72–69

Photo by Kyle Terrenal / goateneo.com

source: http://ph.yfittopostblog.com/2010/07/12 ... strate-nu/