Tolentino's triple steers Tams past Archers, into UAAP Final Four

MANILA, Philippines – Far Eastern University banked on Arvin Tolentino’s game-winning triple to pull off a pulsating 71-70 win over La Salle to grab the last Final Four seat in the 81st UAAP men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Tolentino drilled a long 3-pointer at the top of the key to cap the Tamaraws’ amazing rally to secure the No. 4 seat and face defending champion in the Final Four round.

“I prayed hard buti na lang sinagot ni Lord yung prayer ko,” said Tolentino, who finished with a team-high 15 points.

“But my shot was as big as Kenneth’s (Tuffin) shot. We won not because of my shot but also the shots of my teammates,” he added.

Kevin Ebona also delivered a huge game for FEU with 12 points and 16 rebounds, 10 on the offensive end.

Tuffin had 11 including a huge left corner jumper with the shot clock about to expire to push FEU within two, 68-70, 39.5 seconds remaining.

Green Archers rookie Joaqui Manuel missed his jumper in the next playing that paved the way for the game-winning triple of Tolentino. 71-70, 3.1 ticks left.

La Salle had another chance to steal the game but Leonard Santillan’s undergoal stab missed the target to bow out of the Final Four race.

“Give it up to the boys. They never gave up. It typified our season of not giving up,” said FEU head coach Olsen Racela, whose team stretched its Final Four streak to six seasons.

“I love how this battled through adversities the whole year,” Racela added.

Santillan led all scorers with 20 points while Aljun Melecio and Andrei Caracut each had nine for the Green Archers, who missed the Final Four for the first time since Season 78.