The Far Eastern U Tamaraws remain on top of the UAAP team standings unscathed with a 4-0 record, recently adding the UP Fighting Maroons and UE Red Warriors to their growing list of victims. Hosts De La Salle ascends  to the number two spot after their come-from-behind win over defending champs Ateneo last July 24.

Battle of the East, UE vs. FEU

Consider it a delayed vengeance.

FEU regained their supremacy over perennial rivals UE, 91-81, in their match-up last Thursday, July 22 at the Araneta Coliseum. Paul Sanga scored a career high 18 points all from rainbow territory, to lead the Tamaraws.

The final score, however, doesn’t tell the whole tale. The Morayta quintet dominated the first quarter establishing a 16-point advantage over their opponents.  That lead was trimmed down to seven by a persistent UE squad led by Paul Lee at the end of the second quarter.

Lordy Casajeros gave the opposing team their first taste of the lead after his shot came through 1.08 left in the third canto. There were three more lead changes and two deadlocks as the Warriors tried to continue their inspired run. RR Garcia and Reil Cervantes nailed back-to-back baskets giving FEU a four-point breathing space. Lee, clutching his calf, left the ballgame and left his team scrambling for points at the 4.37 mark of the final quarter. Terrence Romeo finally drew the blanket over the Warriors when he sank in both his free throws.

UP vs FEU

Both looked good on paper, most preseason forecasts picked and hailed both teams as Final Four contenders for Season 73 but after their match-up it was the Tamaraws who proved that they can bring all that preseason hype to the basketball court.

FEU shot down a lethargic UP squad, 94-70, today at the PhilSports Arena. Tamaraw rookie Terrence Romeo bested the rest of his teammates with his 21 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals.

It was all FEU the whole game. The Maroons got as near as seven points after a Mark Juruena-sparked 6-0 run. Martin Reyes shot a two-pointer in the 4.05 mark of the third canto, putting the score to 59-52.

Meanwhile, UP’s main man, Woody Co, might be out for the rest of a season because of a foot injury, which was earlier reported as a pulled right calf muscle. Co went down during 4.30 left in the second quarter.

***

You’re guaranteed a quality game whenever FEU faces UE. Both teams just can’t help but bring their A-game every time they play against each other. Paul Lee earned my respect. He tried to lift the Warriors but one man alone can’t do every thing for his team. He needs assistance, a back-up. Basketball is a team sport. Hopefully, Lee finds that needed assistance soon. I’m not used to seeing UE at the bottom of the team standings. Oh well, things change.

Now going back to FEU…

The Tamaraws won their two recent games by a big margin. That’s an improvement from their first two games, which they won by three points (vs Ateneo) and by four points (vs NU). It’s good but it could be better. The Tams have a tendency to relax whenever they have a comfortable lead and this enables their opponents to close in on them. During the UE game, FEU posted a 16-point lead after the first ten minutes but UE caught up on them come the second quarter and even took the lead during the third. The same thing happened in the UP game, when Juruena, Mike Silungan and Martin Reyes combined for a 6-0 run in the third quarter.

The Morayta boys need to keep this tendency in check. Every game counts, whether they’re against the next top seeded team or facing the cellar-dwellers, there’s just no time to relax.

FEU’s right now the number one team when it comes to offense. The team’s laden with scorers; from the starting five to the bench, every one can score. Glen Capacio will not have a problem rotating his players. However, what’s the use of that offensive arsenal if we don’t play solid defense. Right now, Adamson’s leading in the defensive department limiting their opponents to 60 points per ballgame. RR Garcia’s a marked man on the list of the seven other UAAP teams. They’re already pressing on him hard. While that can be a distraction (at times), it’s a disadvantage for the Tamaraws. Garcia averages 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. If this continues, that’s how much we’ll lose. Other team members should step up. Garcia, Cervantes, Romeo and Pipo Noundou have been the consistent ones. Sanga, Mark Bringas and Chris Excimiano are now coming alive.

I remember reading from one of the major broadsheets prior to the game against the Warriors that Capacio is worried about his two national players, JR Cawaling and Aldrech Ramos,  because they are still haven’t played as well as expected. Ramos, in my opinion, is already back in his element. He picked up loose balls, turning trash into gold for FEU, during the UE game. Ramos silently made for himself 17 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and a block in that match-up. That leaves Cawaling still struggling. To be quite honest, the last time that I saw him play well was last season against the Warriors during the semis and we were eliminated. It’s as if his good games are something that comes only once in a blue moon. Someone needs to prove that he deserves to be part of the Smart Gilas program (tsk, tsk, please, please perform).

The Tamaraws will be up against a young De La Salle squad. Though young and still raw, the Archers will be one tough cookie for FEU. They have good defense and their press can force you to turn the ball over more times. Hopefully, we get through their chinks and I hope we don’t become too complacent for being the league leader.

On a last note…

We haven’t had this good a start in the UAAP after the Arwind Santos period. The last time that FEU started with a 4-0 record was in 2005. That year the Tamaraws swept DLSU in the Finals and brought home Morayta FEU’s 19^th basketball championship. Let’s make it 20 this 2010, shall we.

CHEER ON FELLOW TAMARAWS!

 

July 26th, 2010 by reichmakayan Rachell Makayan is a 2008 graduate of the FEU-IN. A former sports writer of The Advocate. The product of an Ilocana mother and a Bicolano father (but trust me she doesn't know how to speak both provinces' dialect). The only FEU alumnus in her family, she constantly finds herself fighting over her mom, dad and sister every time the Tams plays the Warriors (Of course, she wins most of the time).