Green Archers’ late scoring surge secure victory over FEU
The undefeated De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers (4–0) completed a stunning last-minute comeback to clinch a hard-fought victory over the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws (2–4), 84–82, in today’s PinoyLiga Collegiate Cup matchup at the Enderun Colleges Gym.
The presence of Kean Baclaan, Jacob Cortez, Vhoris Marasigan, Luis Pablo, and Bright Nwankwo initiated the game for the Archers, but the Tamaraws set the tone of the game first with a three-point shot from Luke Felipe. Pablo then added a three-pointer with eight minutes left on the clock, nudging La Salle ahead by one point, 6–5. Baclaan extended the lead with a fade jumper and an open three-pointer, making it 11–7. However, Janrey Pasaol responded with a three-pointer of his own, narrowing the gap and kickstarting the Tamaraws’ offensive rhythm enough to shift momentum. At the 3:42 mark, Aaron Bagunu landed a crucial three-pointer, to extend FEU’s lead to 11–18. EJ Gollena joined the fray with a three-pointer, but the Tamaraws quickly retaliated. The Archers faced challenges in coping with the Tamaraws’ defensive strategies but later seized offensive control and scored easy layups and tap-ins. Gollena managed another three-pointer with 1:40 left, bringing the score to 16–20. Despite Froiland Maglasang’s uncontested three-pointer, La Salle’s Jake Gaspay converted a field goal and secured an additional point, ending the first quarter at 19–23.
During the second quarter, Russel Ogana’s three-pointer added points to the scoreboard for La Salle, yet FEU’s adept ball movement challenged the Archers’ defense. Aside from the Tamaraws’ turnovers, Ogana sank another three in an attempt to regain momentum for the Green and White. However, FEU responded with push-up floaters and solid defensive plays, forcing the Archers to regroup and strategize for dominance. The Baclaan-Pablo duo then comes into play, with Baclaan’s no-look pass setting up Pablo for a score, followed by a timely three-pointer from Cortez, narrowing the score to 31–38 with 5:31 left. Baclaan’s slick layup against defensive pressure trimmed the deficit further to 34–40. Mohammed Konateh contributed with a layup, and Nwankwo’s hustle helped Baclaan capitalize on rebounds before FEU quickly countered with a three-pointer to halt their momentum. As the clock ticked down to two minutes, the Green Archers continued to search for their groove. Nwankwo secured a crucial rebound off a corner three, setting up a smooth play between Cortez and Pablo, culminating in an easy layup. The first half soon concluded with a score of 40–52.
In the third quarter’s opening, both squads faced a challenging start, marked by turnovers by FEU against Pablo and Cortez. Pablo managed to secure the first point for La Salle from the free-throw line, 41–52. Despite the initial struggle, neither team seized significant momentum in the first four minutes. Amidst the vocal support from the FEU bench, Nwankwo made a crucial basket at 5:56, attempting to shift the momentum to the Archers. Felipe then scored a three-pointer from the right wing, 47–59, before a Baclaan layup chipped at the lead again. Following a timeout, Veejay Pre challenged the defensive strategy of the Archers, but Nwanko’s block prevented an easy score. Gollena’s three-pointer further minimized the separation to seven points, 60–67. FEU managed to score again with a pair of free throws, 60–69, just before the end of the quarter.
At the start of the last canto, Pre scored first via a push shot to kickstart the Tamaraws’ momentum. Nwanko responded with a shot of his own, narrowing the deficit to 65–71. Within the opening four minutes, FEU continued to challenge the Archers’ defense. Following this, Vhoris Marasigan drew a foul from an FEU player while attempting a layup, resulting in an eleven-point deficit for La Salle. Baclaan making back-to-back layups brought La Salle within five at 72–77. In the final two minutes, a Pasaol shot added to FEU’s lead, intensifying the challenge for the Taft-based squad. La Salle continued to fight as Baclaan showcased his determination by contributing crucial points, followed by a Nwanko dunk, to cut the deficit to just three points with 43 seconds left. A Gollena shot then narrowed the gap to 81–82, before a shot from beyond the arc from Cortez sealed the victory for La Salle in the dying seconds of the match, 84–82.
Quarter scores: 19–23, 40–52, 60–69, 84–82
