The FEU Tamaraws make it 2-0 against the Ateneo Blue Eagles to continue fighting for the Final Four of UAAP Season 87.
The FEU Tamaraws continued their charge towards the Final Four in UAAP Season 87 as they make a 2-0 sweep of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 65-54, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
A total team effort sparked a crucial push in the third quarter, when they created distance against Tab Baldwin’s Blue Eagles--who are now on the brink of elimination from Final Four contention.
The Tamaraws are now fifth in the standings with their fourth win in the second round.
After the Blue Eagles got within one, 35-34, early in the third quarter, the Tams went on a timely 11-2 run punctuated by a Janrey Pasaol triple, 46-36, to lead by double digits against Ateneo with 5:25 remaining in the period.
Heading into the fourth, FEU was ahead by 12, 54-42. While Ateneo, who can be eliminated from contention from the Final Four should the UST Growling Tigresses win their match over UE Red Warriors later today, could not get over the hump anymore.
Pasaol finished with a team-high 14 points on a 5-of-8 shooting clip to spearhead an all-around game where he also had seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals. This is his career-high for both scoring and assists.
Mo Konateh also ended up with a double-double with 11 points and 21 rebounds to go along with a steal and two blocks in a game where Jorick Bautista regained his shooting touch with eight markers.
Rojan Montemayor provided a spark off of the bench along with Royce Alforque with 13 and eight points, respectively.
FEU thus make their case for Final Four contention as they improve to 5-8, while the Blue Eagles are now 3-9 and have lost five straight games.