Archers nip Tamaraws

Defending champion La Salle leaned on a charity by Mike Cortez with only 2.4 seconds left yesterday to escape with a 63-62 victory over Far Eastern University and keep its share of the lead with Ateneo in the 64th UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Ateneo Gym.

Leo Avenido of FEU tied the game for the last time at 62-62 with a layup before Cortez, with time running out, went coast-to-coast for a layup. He was fouled by Dennis Miranda, leading to the game-winning charity.

Shortly after the game, FEU supporters tried to gang up on Raffy Britanico as the referee who made the crucial call was leaving the court. Britanico reportedly suffered a bruised cheekbone during the commotion.

Some players from both teams also got into a near altercation with opposing fans while Anton Montinola, the UAAP president and FEU team manager, was provoked into a shouting match by La Salle official Terry Capistrano.

The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for the Tamaraws as they fell to 5-3.

With its seventh win in eight games, La Salle kept its share of the lead with Ateneo , which earlier squeezed the best from Rainier Sison and Enrico Villanueva to get past National University, 86-77. The Bulldogs dropped to 4-4, still good for solo fourth.

Sison exploded with 13 of his season-high 24 points in the third quarter where the Eagles clawed back from a 10-point deficit while Villanueva took control of the shaded area in the final period en route to 23 points.

The Bulldogs converted six of 11 triples in the first two quarters but failed to cash in in the final half where they went 3-of-11.