The FEU Tamaraws continue to dominate Season 73 after chalking their fifth and sixth win in the expense of hosts De La Salle Green Archers and Adamson Soaring Falcons. The squad now sports a 6-0 unblemished record and is only a game away from sweeping the first round eliminations.

DLSU vs. FEU (July 29)

FEU survived a resilient De La Salle team in double overtime, 84-80, in their Thursday game at the Araneta Coliseum. Rookie Carl Bryan Cruz, a transferee from Metro Manila College, broke out of his shell and contributed 16 points.

The Tams played catch-up basketball for a greater part of regulation. They were down by as much as seven points a few second after the five minute mark but Terrence Romeo and JR Cawaling shot crucial baskets and trimmed down the opposing team’s lead to a solitary point. With 9.2 seconds left on the clock, RR Garcia ran away with the ball and sunk the trey that tied the score at 68.

Pipo Noundou, who finished with 14 markers, completed a three-point play to close down the deal.

AdU vs. FEU (August 1)

Good team play and an exceptional shooting percentage lifted the Tamaraws over the defensive-minded Falcons, 74-65, in their Sunday showdown at the PhilSports Arena. Sophomore guard Garcia once again topped the scoreboard with 16 points. Not far behind are Aldrech Ramos, who contributed 13 markers, 7 rebounds and a couple of blocks, and team captain Jens Knuttel with 10 points, 4 boards and 3 assists.

FEU posted a 10-2 run at the start of the final quarter, putting the score at 68-53. This was after a four-man substitution made a little after the nine-minute mark of the fourth canto. Alex Nuyles tried to rescue his team from collapsing, scoring seven points during the last three minutes but a Jeric Cañada infraction erased all hope for them as they turn the ball over to the Tamaraws.

***

57% field goal shooting, 21 assists from an average of 14, 41 rebounds and a six-game winning streak— things seem to be coming together now for FEU.

What got us through our last two games? Maturity and unselfish plays.

The maturity part is already given. You have guys like Ramos, Cervantes, Knuttel and Cawaling who’ve been with the squad for four years now. Yes, you read it right. I did include Cawaling there. Though he only averages, as of the moment, 3.8 points per ballgame (a far cry from his 8.33 from Season 72) this season, he gives the other team members that much-needed leadership on the floor. If you noticed, in that match-up against La Salle, every time he and Knuttel goes back to the court the whole squad becomes more organized and their defense tighter. He guarded Jason Webb, one of the Archers’ scorers, in that game. Webb wasn’t able to score while he was there. I just wish JR makes better shot selection in the games to follow.

Mark Bringas and Chris Excimiano — now, these two may not be that noticeable but they deliver crucial numbers for FEU. Those extra passes, assists and rebounds greatly contribute to the Tams’ whole game. Whenever someone misses a shot, they’re readily below the basket to retrieve the ball and try to put it back in.

Every game it’s a different guy breaking out. Every game we’re playing more and more like a team.

Still, FEU’s not invincible. The La Salle gig was a close call.

What almost got us were our turnovers. We had 16 against the Archers and then 20 against Adamson. It’s a good thing that our offense is good. If it wasn’t, well, you know what’s going to happen. We can’t keep on giving away the ball to our opponents. For sure the second round will be tougher and the Tamaraws will be the target of the other seven squads (Think: game plans made just for us).

Our last game for round one will be against UST on Thursday, August 7 at the Fil-Oil Flying V Arena, San Juan. The Tigers are a tough team. They can press; they can shoot 18-footers. Hopefully, after Thursday, we’ll end up at 7-0. I’m positive we will.

Current team standings

FEU: 6-0

DLSU: 4-2

ADMU: 3-2

AdU: 3-2

UST: 3-3

NU: 2-4

UE: 1-4

UP: 0-5

 

August 1st, 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).