MANILA – The University of the East (UE) Red Warriors derailed the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws’ entry to the Final Four with a swashbuckling 87-72 win on Sunday’s 72nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball at the Araneta Coliseum.

Pari Llagas, Elmer Espiritu and Paul Lee all came out with huge games as the Warriors snapped the Tamaraws’ eight-game winning run while boosting their stocks in the race to the Final Four.

Llagas finished with a career-high 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field while Espiritu came up with 20 points, seven boards and a career-high five blocks.

Lee, on the other hand, added 18 points highlighted by timely three-pointers that quell the Tamaraws’ furious rallies.

The Warriors also dished out the defensive game that was lacking in their previous losses limiting the vaunted Tamaraws’ offense to less than 20 points in three quarters saved for the second period.

After the Warriors raced to a 22-10 first quarter lead, the Tamaraws exploded for 31 markers in the second canto.  

Aldrech Ramos’ triple capped off the big spurt that chopped down the deficit to just four, 41-45, just before the half.

The Warriors sped off to another blistering start in the third period re-establishing a double-digit.  But another run by the Tamaraws behind Reil Cervantes and Andy Barroca cut the lead anew to four, 55-59.

Lee, however, sank back-to-back triples to kick off a mighty 20-6 run to erect the game’s biggest lead at 79-61 midway through the payoff period.

FEU, which shot a miserable 33.8 percent, did not get any closer than eight points until the buzzer.

UE gained headway in the Final Four hunt among the middle pack teams with its sixth win against four losses leaving its closest pursuers UST (5-5) and De La Salle University (4-6) behind.

“Wala kaming ibang pinag-usapan kundi “self-respect”.  We made this our battle cry.  Na-sweep na kami ng Ateneo, ‘di kami papayag na ma-sweep din ng FEU,” said UE’s rookie coach Lawrence Chongson.   

The loss left Ateneo (9-1) all alone on top while FEU needs one more victory to formalize their entry to the Final Four and at least three more wins to secure a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs. -- Alder T. Almo

The Scores:

UE 87 - Llagas 24, Espiritu 20, Lee 18, Zamar 9, Lingganay 6, Acuna 4, Acibar 4, Reyes 2, Tagarda 0, Sumido 0, Flores 0, Duran 0, Alabanza 0.

FEU 72 – Noundou 14, Cervantes 11, Barroca 10, Ramos 9, Garcia 8, Cawaling 7, Sanga 5, Vinluan 2, Tanuan 2, Eguilos 2, Caluag 2, Manalo 0, Knuttel 0, Exciminiano 0.

Quarters: 22-10, 45-41, 70-55, 87-72.

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