MANILA, Philippines — “I was just hoping that he miss,” a stunned FEU coach Nash Racela told the reporters Saturday shortly after his Tamaraws were taken aback by the UST Growling Tigers in their UAAP Finals series.
FEU’s chief tactician was referring to the Tigers’ skipper in Kevin Ferrer who single-handedly decimated the Tamaraws’ lead in the third period, eventually upsetting the Green and Gold, 62-56.
With smiles ear-to-ear, Ferrer told Philstar.com that his career-high tying scoring performance was “an all-out effort.” The King Tiger, who is playing his last year, accounted for UST’s 24 points in the third period. He finished 29 in the game, posting 60% from downtown.
In a separate interview, he credited such explosion to “muscle memory.” “Basta tinitira ko lang,” he said. Although he admitted that half of it is all thanks to his teammates letting him do his thing. “Nagpapasalamat din ako sa teammates ko na binigyan ako ng tiwala.”
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Ferrer, who shot 1-of-8 in the first half, emerged a totally different player in the second half. He was the catalyst in UST’s 26-point surge in the third, outgunning the Tams who only tallied 11.
“Sobrang nagkaroon ako ng kumpiyansa,” he shared to Philstar.com.
Earlier in the game, he was named to the league’s Mythical Five. Later in the ceremony, he was invited over by UAAP Most Valuable Kiefer Ravena to hoist the trophy together.
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“It was a special moment,” he said of the gesture. “Sabi ni Kiefer, i-enjoy ko ‘yung game na ‘to, ‘yung season na ‘to. Kahit ano [pa ang maging] result.”
And boy he did.
As if a sweet-shooting performance wasn’t enough, Ferrer also collected a double-double with 10 rebounds. Within that, a noteworthy highlight: He finished the game with zero turnover.
Ferrer’s noble effort eventually led to the conquest of the Tamaraws, who, like last year against the NU Bulldogs, have won the first match and now facing a heartbreak with their series against UST going into a third game.
Game three will be at the Mall of Asia Arena this Wednesday, 3:30 PM.