MANILA, Philippines — The FEU Tamaraws closed their UAAP Season 85 men's basketball tournament campaign on a winning note as they beat the UST Growling Tigers, 77-62, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
Both eliminated from Final Four contention, the Tamaraws rode a 12-0 run in the final salvo to send UST to their 12th straight loss of the season.
The Tigers got to within seven, 60-53, with 6:40 left in the game before a quick 12-0 burst gave FEU their biggest lead of the game at 19 points, 72-53, off of a Pat Tchuente bucket with 3:06 ticks remaining.
Ljay Gonzales copped Player of the Game honors with 15 markers, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in the victory.
Bryan Sajonia and Xyrus Torres added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
FEU finished with a 5-9 slate for the season, as they missed out on the Final Four for the first time in eight seasons.
"I told them yesterday in practice, that 'yung situation namin today is really something different, because we did not make the Final 4. Sanay kami na may postseason eh, 'di ba? But I told them that we could do also something different." said FEU head coach Olsen Racela.
"In the past five years that I've been here, six years, we always finished the season with a loss. This is something different that we can carry moving forward to the next season, or even sa Pasko, na matapos namin ang season namin with a win." he added.
Meanwhile, UST were playing without top scorer Nic Cabanero who is nursing an injury. Ivan Lazarte topscored for UST with 13 points. Adama Faye added a double-double of 10 games and 18 boards.
UST play their final game of the season on Wednesday against the La Salle Green Archers.
The scores:
FEU 77 -- Gonzales 15, Sajonia 11, Torres 10, Sleat 9, Sandagon 8, Alforque 7, Tchuente 7, Bautista 3, Gravera 3, Anonuevo 2, Songcuya 2, Ona 0, Tempra 0, Bagunu 0, Celzo 0, Guibao 0.
UST 62 -- Lazarte 13, Faye 10, Manaytay 10, Garing 9, Laure 7, Manalang 5, Pangilinan 5, Duremdes 3, Escobido 0, Mantua 0, Herrera 0.
Quarters: 24-17, 40-33, 56-45, 77-62.