CONGRATS TAMARAWS! :)

FEU Picked over La Salle this Thursday

   Manila Bulletin - Wednesday, September 15

FEU THE UNDEFEATED!! ♥

•  MANILA, Philippines - It will be experience vs youthful exuberance when top seed Far Eastern University battles La Salle this Thursday at the start of the Final Four in the 73rd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum. Bannered by Smart Gilas center Aldrech Ramos, Reil Cervantes and MVP winner RR Garcia, FEU prevented a La Salle-Ateneo confrontation in the semis when the Tamaraws edged out the Eagles, 74-72, last Sunday. For topping the double-round elims with a 12-2 record, the Tamaraws earned the luxury of facing the lower seed opponent in the Archers who finished No. 4 with an 8-6 mark. Though FEU enjoys a twice-to-beat privilege in the semis, it can't take La Salle easily since the Taft-based squad is expected to lean on their speed and quickness to make it two in a row over the Tamaraws. With their razzle-dazzle kind of play, the Archers trounced the Tamaraws, 80-66, the last time they clashed which coach Dindo Pumaren hopes would provide them the extra fire when they tangle at 4 p.m. No. 2 seed Ateneo collides with Adamson in the other semis pairing on Sunday with the Eagles hoping to extend their winning streak over the Falcons to 28. The last time the Falcons beat the Eagles was during the 1997 season. Clashing at 2 p.m. are University of Santo Tomas and Ateneo with the Tiger Cubs out to score a follow up to their 77-71 win in Game 1. UST's win reduced their title series to a best-of-three affair as the Eagles took a thrice-to-beat advantage over the Tiger Cubs for completing 14-game sweep of the elims. It's important for FEU to win its series against La Salle as it bids to put its shocking semis loss to University of the East behind. Last year, the Tamaraws blew a twice-to-beat advantage when the team management sacked star player Mark Barroca on suspicion that he was not playing his level best. The last time the Morayta-based squad made it to the finals was in 2005 - which was also the last time FEU won a title. In that year, it swept past La Salle in the finals. Since their last crown, the Tams have never won a semifinal game. But FEU coach Glenn Capacio is hoping to end the jinx. "We have to be mentally tough against La Salle," said Capacio. "Kailangan sa simula pa lang ma-dictate namin yung tempo ng laro kasi itong La Salle mga bata so they will play aggressive against us, especially with their pressure defense."