Page 41 - Hello Philippines December 2015 'B' ISSUE

December 2015 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition
FEUUAAP crowned UAAP Season 78 champions
after surviving do-or-die Game 3 against UST
THE FEU Tamaraws were crowned
the UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball
champions after clinching a 67-62
victory over the UST Growling Tigers
in a winner-take-all Game 3 for the
title on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia
Arena.
Mac Belo, who was named Finals
MVP after the game, posted 23 big
points and eight rebounds as well as
making some huge defensive stops
down the stretch to lead FEU to its first
title since 2005.
RR Pogoy added 14 markers – seven
in a fourth quarter comeback for the
Tamaraws – and Mike Tolomia had 13
points in strong showings in the rubber
match.
They led by double figures late in
the third quarter but had to overcome
a huge 16-0 run from UST that swung
the advantage the other way.
Pogoy made some big shots and
Belo played excellent defense on UST’s
Ed Daquioag late in the game to seal
the win.
Daquioag scored 21 points – 10 in a
heroic fourth quarter – to lead his team
but came just short.
UST took the upper hand early. With
PBA
Tim Cone says Ginebra comeback driven by fans-
‘This is the first time I’ve seen never-say-die’
BASKETBALL games are usually won
by players making big shots or coaches
calling great plays. On Sunday, Ginebra
coach Tim Cone credited something else
– the support of the fanbase – for his
team’s comeback win over NLEX.
“From a coaching standpoint, I don’t
feel I deserve to be here. This is the first solid position to secure a twice-to-beat
time I’ve seen never say die. Never say
die attitude, it wasn’t really created for
the coaches or it wasn’t even created for
the players. It was created for the fans,”
Cone told sportswriters after the game.
“You can get so pumped up when
the fans go crazy like that and you’re on
a run. It’s the first time I’ve been on this production to this whole conference, so
side of it. We have to give all our credit
to the fans and take away pride and
helped us get back in the game. Truly,
it’s really the first time I’ve been on this
side of it.”
For many years, Cone coached
against the league’s most popular
team, steering the Alaska franchise to
13 championships and later, leading the
Purefoods franchise, currently known
as the Star Hotshots, to five titles while
clinching a rare Grand Slam for both.
But despite his vast experience in
the league, this was something the
American mentor was witnessing first-
hand for the very first time as his team
rode the emotion of the crowd in a
22-point comeback to nail a gripping
91-90 win.
“It’s really the fans, they did the
work for us tonight,” Cone said.
Karim Abdul knocking down jumper
after jumper from the midrange, the
Growling Tigers surged ahead, 15-9, in
the opening period.
FEU, though, battled back behind
the veterans Belo and Mike Tolomia as
they trimmed the deficit down to one
points, 19-18, with a 5-0 blast to end
the quarter.
Both teams struggled to score in the
second quarter as both teams raised
the defensive pressure.
The teams entered the half tied at
30-apiece. Belo and Abdul led their
respective teams with 11 points apiece
at the break.
Despite getting into early foul
trouble, the Tamaraws seemed primed
to dominate the third quarter.
With Belo looking unstoppable –
scoring nine points in a span of under
seven minutes – and the FEU transition
game humming, they leapt out to a
double-digit advantage, 51-41.
Pogoy scored the last four points
in an 8-1 that pushed the Tamaraws
ahead.
But the UST game kicked into
high gear after that point. Kent Lao
made FEU pay for their early penalty
©PBA Media Bureau been in impressive form this season,
The Gin Kings improved their win-
loss card to 6-4 after picking up a
second straight win, putting them in
advantage in the next round.
According to Cone, the fans drew
the best out of his players – including a
surprise lift from his second-unit, which
played a key role in the comeback.
“We haven’t gotten a lot of bench
this is the first time our bench really,
really stepped up,” Cone said.
“It couldn’t have come at a better
time. Our first group really struggled
and they were playing frustrated
basketball. But the second group came
out fresh and started to make things
happen, got the crowd into it and lo
and behold, we got away with the win.”
Rookie guard Scottie Thompson
scored 14 points – all of them after
NLEX established its 22-point lead –
from off the bench while backup center
Dave Marcelo also came in and played
well, finishing with 10 points and six
rebounds. n Rey Joble / InterAksyon.com /
December 13, 2015 / 8:09 pm
SPORTS www.hello-philippines.com 39
©InterAksyon.com/Ver Marquez a way to counter, mainly on the just two points, 64-62, tried to drive
aggressive play of Pogoy, who scored but dribbled off his foot and both he
situation, drawing a foul on Russel seven straight FEU points in a 10-1 run and Belo dove to the floor as the ball
Escoto on a rebound play and knocking that gave them back the lead. went out-of-bounds. The referees
down both free throws. needed the benefit of a replay to get the
After a free throw split from Escoto, right call, deeming it a jumpball with
Marvin Lee then closed the period Pogoy scored off a leakout in transition the possession arrow heading UST’s
with a buzzer-beating three-pointer then struck again on a strong drive to way.
from the left corner, putting UST back the hoop that put his team to within
within striking distance, 51-46, at the one, 59-58. But FEU got another defensive stop
end of three. and Belo was sent to the charity stripe
UST then caught a lucky break for two.
The Growling Tigers then opened the when the referees missed a shotclock
fourth quarter with a huge 11-0 run – six violation call on a shot from Lee and The Tamaraw forward could only
of those from the prolific Daquioag and Lao was fouled on a follow-up attempt. hit one of two but sprinted back down
three off a long-range bomb from Lee – Lao made one of the two shots. on defense in time to challenge a quick
as they not only wiped out the Tamaraws’ counter from a driving Daquioag,
lead but moved ahead, 57-51. But Pogoy again came up big, which resulted in another rebound for
knocking down a huge three-pointer FEU.
UST scored 16 unanswered points, that finally gave FEU back the lead, 61-
going back to the last possessions of the 60. Tolomia then hit a layup that made Belo, who was already suffering
third quarter. it, 63-60, for FEU with 1:01 left to play. cramps when he sat out earlier in the
quarter, was helped off the floor after
Belo, who was out of the game for Daquioag then made two free giving that last effort.
most of the run, re-entered the game throws and Tolomia, who was a perfect
instantly provided a spark, taking it 4-for-4 from the line prior to that point, Escoto made two free throws to
inside for two points. Daquioag had could only go 1-for-2 on the other end make it 67-62 for FEU with only 11
an answer for that shot, dribbling his to set up an exciting endgame. seconds remaining in the contest. n
way into the paint for two points on the
other end. Daquioag, with his team trailing by InterAksyon.com / December 2, 2015 / 6:19 pm
But the Tamaraws finally found
PBA San Miguel’s chemistry, not just talent, big reason for continued surge
THE San Miguel Beermen have in an exclusive interview. Ang ganda. Tapos kung maisasama
Fajardo, the league’s reigning back- mo pa yung talent namin, yung puso
winning nine of their 10 games – to-back MVP, has been having a stellar namin, yung focus. Mas pulido kami,
including a string of seven in a row and season and this game was no different mas mahirap kaming talunin. Yun ang
counting – as it looms as a favorite for as he posted 22 points and 15 rebounds nangyayari. Maganda ang chemistry
one of the two outright semis berths in in a huge performance. namin,” Santos said.
the SMART BRO PBA Philippine Cup He’s been doing it with plenty of Santos said that the team has been
playoffs. help, though, as teammate Arwind putting up a united front, which they’ll
SMB, winners of two of the three Santos had more than enough room to have to keep doing if they are to live
PBA conferences last season, is raring shine, finishing with 30 points and 12 up to the ambitious goals that team
to show the league just how serious it’s boards in Saturday’s win over the TNT management has set for them. After
taking its bid to repeat as All-Filipino Tropang Texters. their Governors’ Cup title win last
champions. The 6-foot-10 Fajardo has been season, San Miguel Corporation top
“Na-realize rin ng mga players na pleased with what he’s seen in his honcho Ramon Ang announced in a
we have a title to defend and we have to squad so far. victory party that the next goal for
take advantage of our strength, which “Maganda yung itinatakbo ng the Beermen is to make history with a
is going to June Mar (Fajardo) As long team eh. Maganda na yung chemistry Grand Slam although the former PBA
as as he’s healthy, he’s in top shape, I namin, maganda na yung pasahan, MVP admitted they aren’t putting that
think maganda yung pupuntahan yung jelling, matagal na rin kasi pressure on themselves.
namin,” Austria told InterAksyon.com kaming magkakasama kaya alam na “Ewan ko, magkakaiba kami
naming yung strength ng bawat isa,” ng feeling, pero yung mga coaches
Fajardo said. namin, they always remind us na may
Santos agreed with Fajardo, binitawang salita ang management.
pointing out that the talented Kami namang mga players, andito lang
Beermen’s firepower could only be kami na alam naming kaya namin,”
maximized with the kind of chemistry Santos said.
they’ve displayed. “Pero hindi yan kaya ng isa, dalawa,
“Unang-una yung talent, hindi yun lahat kami dapat tulung-tulong. Mas
ang nagpapanalo sa amin. Yung trust magiging buo kami. Kayang-kaya
namin sa bawat isa, yung pagiging namin,” he added. n Rey Joble / InterAksyon.
©P Sports5/Paul Ryan Tan kumportable naming sa bawat isa. com / December 13, 2015 / 3:37 am