FEU closed the game on a 10-1 run against Ateneo, showing signs that the Tamaraws may have finally learned how to finish strong as Round 2 of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament gets underway.
Closing time has finally come easy for FEU.
After a first round filled with heartbreaks in the clutch, the Tamaraws found the right rhythm when it mattered most — and against no less than its first-round tormentor.
While Jorick Bautista dropped eight points in the payoff period, the Morayta-based squad banked on a composed finishing kick to turn the tables on the reeling Blue Eagles, 75-68, in their UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball second-round clash.
Down 63-67 with 2:49 left in regulation, FEU unleashed a fiery 10-1 run to flip the script and seal back-to-back wins for the first time this tournament.
[ALSO READ: UAAP: Vengeful FEU piles more woes on reeling Ateneo for winning Round 2 start]
Bautista led the way with 20 points built on four triples in 28 minutes, but he wasn’t alone.
Janrey Pasaol turned in a steady 15-point, 13-assist double-double, while Kirby Mongcopa chipped in 15. Down low, Mo Konateh battled through a sore right leg to post a monster stat line of 15 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks.
The victory lifted FEU to 3-5 and into sixth place, while Ateneo slid to 4-4 for solo fifth.
No "I" in Team
Even after delivering in the clutch, Bautista downplayed his heroics, saying the win was a product of collective grit.
“Credit lang sa mga teammates ko kasi kung hindi dahil sa kanila, hindi mangyayari ‘yung mga sitwasyon na nakukuha ko,” he said.
“It was a team effort, it’s not me lang. Prepared talaga kami, pinagtrabahuhan talaga namin ito sa training pa lang.”
Jorick Baustita is averaging 21.5 points in FEU's last two wins in the UAAP men's basketball. | Photo: The UAAP
They’ll look to keep that momentum rolling when they face defending champion UP on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 4:30 p.m. at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.