The FEU Tamaraws held off the skidding NU Bulldogs, 73-68, to claim their third victory in UAAP Season 81 at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday.
Coming off a stunning lopsided loss to the UE Red Warriors, the Tamaraws bounced back to improve their record to 3-2.
Wendell Comboy spearheaded the charge with 18 points on 3-of-4 shooting from deep and three assists. Kenneth Tuffin and Arvin Tolentino contributed nine points and six boards apiece. Rookie LJ Gonzales also chipped in with nine points in less than 11 minutes of play.
"Of course we're always happy with a bounce-back victory," said FEU head coach Olsen Racela. "The problem is after the victory. We don't respond well after the victory. More than the bouncing back, what we need to do is be consistent with our approach to the game." After a tight back-and-forth affair, the Tamaraws bridged the third and fourth quarters with a 13-0 blitz that gave them a ten-point cushion, 59-49. The Bulldogs inched closer, but behind Comboy's hot hands, FEU pushed the lead back up to eight in the last four minutes.
Dave Ildefonso and Issa Gaye conspired to make it a one-possession ballgame, 66-63, with 2:12 on the clock. The Tamaraws, however, pulled away again thanks to Comboy's jumper and Tuffin's three-pointer.
With only a minute to work with, John Lloyd Clemente missed his triple attempt but immediately made up for it by knocking down a basket off a turnover. Arvin Tolentino halted the Bulldogs' comeback attempts and sealed the deal for FEU with a pair of free throws.
Clemente paced NU with 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Dave Ildefonso and Mathew Aquino tallied 11 markers each.
The Bulldogs suffered their fourth straight defeat in five outings, forcing a triple tie at the bottom with UE and UST.
THE SCORES
FEU 73 - Comboy 18, Tuffin 9, Tolentino 9, Gonzales 9, Orizu 8, Escoto 8, Ebona 6, Parker 4, Cani 2, Stockton 0, Inigo 0
NU 68 - Clemente 15, Ildefonso D 11, Aquino 11, Joson 7, Diputado 6, Yu 6, Ildefonso S 5, Gallego 3, Gaye 2, Morido 2, Rike 0, TIbayan 0, Malonzo 0
QUARTER SCORES: 20-24, 37-37, 54-49, 73-68
EXTRA DRIBBLES
- The Tamaraws won the rebounding battle, 45-34, with Prince Orizu and Kevin Eboña accounting for 12 and 9 boards respectively.
- Wendell Comboy's 18 points is his highest output since Season 79, where he recorded his career-high 20 points.
NEXT GAMES
FEU - October 7 (Sunday) vs Adamson Falcons at Smart-Araneta Coliseum
NU - October 7 (Sunday) vs UP Fighting Maroons at Smart-Araneta Coliseum