Standing tall among giants.
The unscathed UP Fighting Maroons looked to get their fourth straight win in Season 86 on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena. The FEU Tamaraws, meanwhile, hoped to get their first victory of the tournament.
With both teams badly wanting to get the W, the contest turned out to be a game of tug-of-war, which UP eventually won in overtime, 80-76.
In danger of smudging their spotless record, the Fighting Maroons launched a frenetic fourth quarter, sparked by speedster Janjan Felicilda. A transferee from the NU Bulldogs program, the 5-foot-7 dynamo showed that he’s one with UP, ready to give it his all, no matter how tough the situation might be.
“Sanay naman kami sa ganitong hirap kasi sabi sa'min ni Coach Gold (Monteverde), mindset namin dapat palagi every game, maganda o mahirap man ang sitwasyon, dapat ready kami sa challenges,” Felicilda said in a video posted by the UAAP Varsity Channel. “Nandiyan naman si Coach Gold para magtiwala sa amin."
Felicilda recorded 17 points on 86% field goal shooting, four rebounds, and two assists to help keep State U unscathed atop the team standings.
The game was tied at 65 with less than two minutes to go when Felicilda called for a Malick Diouf screen and used it to perfection. Shrugging off the defense with a shifty one-two dribble, he turned on the jets and drove hard for a stunning and-one. Converting the bonus, Diliman’s newest pocket rocket gave UP a 68-65 lead.
Wanting to spoil Felicilda’s party, FEU gunner Jorick Bautista, who finished with 26 points, responded with a booming three to force the extra period.
But in the game’s final five minutes, the reigning MVP flexed his muscles and scored two huge buckets that gave UP the four-point triumph. Diouf posted 11 points and 20 rebounds.
Now with a 4-0 win-loss card, UP will look to extend its winning streak on Saturday against the cellar-dwelling UST Growling Tigers.
(PM)