Tams oust Falcons from UAAP semis contention

MANILA, Philippines – Far Eastern University sent Adamson packing in the Final Four race of the UAAP Season 82 men's basketball tournament with a 63-60 squeaker Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

L-Jay Gonzales poured 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists, including the crucial split from the line with 1:28 to play, as the Tamaraws blanked the Soaring Falcons in the final minute.

Jerom Lastimosa, though, still had a shot to force overtime after Adamson forced FEU to a crucial five-second inbounds violation with 11.4 seconds to spare, but he muffed his trey as time expired.

The Tamaraws stayed in fourth place with their 7-6 record.

"Obviously we’re happy with the win, which was our seventh, but actually, we haven’t done anything yet. We have no reason really to celebrate," said coach Olsen Racela.

Wendell Comboy also wound up with 11 points and seven rebounds, as Ken Tuffin tallied 11 points and seven boards in a game where FEU lost hold of a 12-point lead, 55-43 in the fourth period.

Cameroonian center Patrick Tchuente did his job down low with 16 rebounds, while also collecting four points and two blocks.

It was a bitter setback for Adamson, which missed its first semifinals since coach Franz Pumaren took over in 2016.

Congolese big man Lenda Douanga paced the Soaring Falcons with 10 points, 22 rebounds, and two blocks, but that wasn't enough to save his side from falling to 4-8.

Jerrick Ahanmisi and Aaron Fermin both scored 10 in the loss.

The scores:

FEU 63 – Comboy 11, Gonzales 11, Tuffin 11, Bienes 6, Stockton 6, Nunag 5, Ebona 4, Tchuente 4, Torres 3, Alforque 2, Cani 0.

ADU 60 – Ahanmisi 10, Douanga 10, Fermin 10, Lastimosa 9, Camacho 6, Manlapaz 5, Sabandal 4, Mojica 3, Yerro 2, Chauca 1, Bernardo 0, Magbuhos 0.

Quarterscores: 22-12, 43-31, 50-41, 63-60.