Mongcopa game-winner lifts FEU previous La Salle; UP books Ultimate 4 return

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MANILA, Philippines – The FEU Tamaraws saved their slim Ultimate 4 hopes alive within the UAAP Season 88 males’s basketball event after eking out an exciting 84-83 escape over the La Salle Inexperienced Archers on the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, November 16.

Rookie large man Kirby Mongcopa delivered the clutch go-ahead basket for FEU with 26.2 seconds left — which finally proved to be the game-winner — as La Salle’s JC Macalalag fell quick on his potential buzzer-beating triple from the left nook.

With the hard-earned win, the Tamaraws improved their report to 5-7 with solely two video games left of their elimination spherical schedule, whereas the Inexperienced Archers fell to a 6-5 card.

“We’re tremendous grateful to only be on this stage and be capable to be on this place,” mentioned FEU head coach Sean Chambers because the Tamaraws stay in a must-win scenario for an opportunity to make it to the postseason.

“We additionally need to say La Salle is a championship group and after I left the home in the present day, I saved saying to myself we’ve to beat one of many large groups this event to ensure that us to lastly arrive,” he added.

Janrey Pasaol led the cost for the Tamaraws with 17 factors and seven assists, none larger than his artful lob cross from backcourt which led to Mongcopa’s game-winning layup.

Previous to Mongcopa’s essential hit, La Salle regarded poised to come back out with the victory after large back-to-back baskets by Luis Pablo within the last two minutes of the tightly contested affair.

Mo Konateh backstopped Pasaol with 14 factors and 9 rebounds, Jorick Bautista poured in 12 markers, whereas Mongcopa completed with a stable all-around line of 10 factors, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.

Earl Abadam carried the combat for the Inexperienced Archers of their second straight setback with a game-high 18 factors, whereas Mike Phillips posted his typical monster double-double output of 14 markers and 19 boards.

La Salle’s struggles from the free throw line continued because the group shot simply 10-of-22 from the charity stripe, in comparison with FEU’s environment friendly 8-of-13 clip from the identical distance.

Within the second recreation, the UP Combating Maroons formally punched their ticket to the Ultimate 4 after overcoming a gutsy problem by the Adamson Hovering Falcons, 70-65.

Francis Nnoruka and Gerry Abadiano stepped up large for the Combating Maroons with 16 factors every, with the previous additionally hauling down 12 rebounds, as they joined the league-leading NU Bulldogs as the one groups assured of a semifinal spot.

With its fifth straight win, UP hiked its report to 9-3 and in addition prolonged its streak of Ultimate 4 appearances to seven — the longest energetic streak within the league.

Except for Nnoruka and Abadiano, Reyland Torres additionally got here up large for the Combating Maroons late, dropping 5 straight factors with below three minutes remaining to increase their result in 8, 65-57, with 2:02 to play.

Adamson managed to drag again inside simply 4 factors with 57 seconds left after a triple by Ray Allen Torres, 62-66, however Nnoruka instantly responded with a basket to seal the win for UP.

Torres paced the Hovering Falcons within the shedding trigger with a game-high 23 factors, whereas Matt Erolon chipped in 19.

The loss drops Adamson to a 5-7 report — tied with FEU on the sixth spot with solely two video games left to play.