MANILA – The Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws cruised to the Elite 8 after surviving the pesky Arellano University (AU) Chiefs, 69-59, at the start of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Sweet 16 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig Monday.

The Tamaraws, who are coming off a disappointing third place finish in the UAAP Season 72, almost squandered a 12-point lead but regrouped in the second half to pull off the victory.

RR Garcia led the Tamaraws with 17 points, with 10 coming in the second half, while Paul Sanga hit crucial back-to-back triples in the fourth period.

The Tamaraws erected a 12-point lead, 21-9, in the opening period but the AU Chiefs came charging back behind John Tayongtong’s 8 points in the first half.

The Chiefs came closest at 34-35 but the Tamaraws came alive after AU’s Rodrigo Apostol missed potential lead-changing free throws in the 7:34 mark of the third period.

Garcia scored all but two in a dizzying 10-0 run by the Tamaraws to bring the lead back to double digits, 45-34.

The Chiefs cut the deficit again to seven, 47-54, on Leonard Anquilo’s basket but Sanga hit back-to-back triples. The Tamaraws were never seriously threatened from thereon.

“Nag-relax sila sa second quarter.  Pinagalitan ko sila sa halftime and they responded well.  Gumanda ang depensa namin sa second half,” FEU coach Glen Capacio said.

Outplayed

The FEU frontline outplayed their AU counterparts. Aldrech Ramos, who is a mainstay of the Smart Gilas-RP Team, had 15 markers and 7 boards while Cameroonian forward Pipo Noundou chipped in double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

AU’s Gio Ciriacruz had 17 points and 10 boards but failed to muster enough support from his teammates.

The Tamaraws will next face the winner of the University of the East-University of Cebu Sweet 16 pairing.

The other UAAP teams – defending PCCL champion De La Salle University (DLSU) and reigning UAAP champion Ateneo de Manila University – will debut on Wednesday.

The DLSU Green Archers, who swept the Naga Zonals to enter this year’s Sweet 16, will play against NCAA’s Letran Knights. The Ateneo Blue Eagles, meantime, will face the Lyceum Pirates at the Ynares Sports Arena. – Alder T. Almo

For more UAAP, visit www.uaapsports.com

The scores:

FEU 69 – Garcia 17,  Ramos 15, Noundou 10, Sanga 8, Cervantes 8, Exciminiano 8, Knuttel 4, Cawaling 3, Guerrero 0, Vinluan 0.

AU 59 – G. Ciriacruz 17, Tayongtong 11, Apostol , Anquilo 7, Rivera 6, Celada 6, Virtudazo 3, Agustin 0, Reducto 0, I. Ciriacruz 0.

Quarters: 21-9, 33-29, 52-45, 69-59.