Despite several valiant efforts to get back into the game, the DLSU Green Archers fell to the FEU Tamaraws in a gritty 90-78 loss in the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament earlier tonight, September 30, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Forward Luis Pablo led the Green-and-White with 15 points and seven rebounds, supported by Mason Amos and Doy Dungo, who netted 10 points apiece.
For the Tamaraws, guard Kirby Mongcopa led the charge with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting, bolstered by Cabs Cabonilas, who netted 17 points and six boards. Center Mo Konateh anchored their defense, dropping 10 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks, and four steals.
A response for every attempt
Opening the first period, the Green Archers sought to establish control by attacking the paint against the Tamaraws’ stifling Konateh-led defense. Guards JC Macalalag and Jacob Cortez aggressively charged the paint, scoring back-to-back tough layups to put La Salle up 4-2. FEU quickly countered with a six-point run, dominating the paint and midrange to reclaim a 10-4 lead. Despite La Salle’s attempts to cut into the deficit, Konateh and the Morayta-based squad backcourt extended the lead to 22-8 with a barrage of jumpers. Dungo then sparked the Green-and-White, stringing together a five-point run to close the opening period at 25-13 and reignite the Lasallian faithful.
The Tamaraws turned up the aggression to start the second, with Mongcopa and Janrey Pasaol pushing the margin to 29-15, silencing the Taft-hopeful. The Green Archers then responded with tough inside finishes from Joaquin Tovera and Pablo, yet FEU capitalized on their penalty situation. With 7:50 left, they continued attacking the paint, unleashing a six-point run by the yellow-shirts to push the margin. Facing a ballooning deficit, La Salle found relief from the perimeter as Earl Abadam and Amos drained back-to-back triples to cut the lead back to 40-29. The Morayta-based squad had an answer for every DLSU run. Tamaraw forward Luke Felipe promptly sank a three-pointer to add salt to the Archers’ wound. After consecutive layups from Pablo and Henry Agunanne, Elias Gish halted the Green-and-White’s momentum with another triple to keep FEU ahead, 48-33. Macalalag and Cabonilas then traded buckets to close out the half, each anchoring four-point runs, as the Tamaraws took a 52-38 advantage into the break despite a gallant effort by the Taft-based squad.
Rallies denied
Trailing by 14 to start the second half, the Green Archers looked to assert themselves in the paint. Amos and Pablo sparked a quick surge to trim the deficit to eight, 56-48, forcing the Tamaraws to call a timeout amid deafening chants from the Lasallian faithful. However, FEU quickly extinguished the momentum by capitalizing on La Salle’s interior defensive lapses and offensive rebounding woes. A steady dose of inside finishes and a crucial and-one play from Cabonillas stretched the yellow-shirts’ cushion to its largest at 19, 73-54. Refusing to fold, the Green-and-White mounted a 7-0 run, anchored by a massive block from Pablo that led to a Lebron Daep putback, ending the third period still facing a sizable 76-62 gap.
Desperate for a turnaround in the final frame, the Taft-based squad deployed a pressure-heavy lineup featuring Abadam and Dungo to force a faster tempo. The gamble initially paid dividends, as Abadam traded baskets with Cabonillas to inch La Salle closer, 79-69. Despite the suffocating defense and a roaring Mall of Asia crowd, DLSU struggled to secure crucial defensive boards, allowing the Tamaraws to bleed the clock with second-chance opportunities. Konateh and Mongcopa delivered timely daggers to keep the Archers at bay. Back-to-back hits from Pablo and Dungo momentarily revived the crowd, but late-game shooting fouls and empty offensive trips ultimately sealed the Lasallians’ fate, yielding a 90-78 defeat.
Seeking to shake off the loss, the Green-and-White will look to return to the win column when they take on the UE Red Warriors this coming Sunday, October 4, 3 pm at the PhilSports Arena.
The Scores:
DLSU 78 – Pablo 15, Amos 10, Dungo 10, Tovera 8, Macalalag 8, Abadam 8, Cortez 6, Agunanne 6, Daep 4, Gagate 3, Marasigan 0
FEU 90- Mongcopa 20, Cabonilas 17, Bautista 12, Konateh 10, Daa 10, Pasaol 7, Gish 6, Felipe 6, Hall 2, Burgos 0, Nakai 0, Rañeses 0
Quarter Scores: 13-25, 38-52, 62-76, 78-90