By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE FAR EASTERN University Tamaraws gave their playoff push a boost on Sunday when they beat the National University Bulldogs, 79-74, in a key match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Needed to win or else find themselves losing significant ground in the race to the Final Four, the Tamaraws went for it using a key second-quarter run to create a separation from which the already-eliminated Bulldogs could not recover from.
The win allowed FEU to tie the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at fourth place with a 7-6 record, with each have a game left in the elimination round, and still within striking distance of third-running De La Salle Green Archers (8-4), who also had an important match later yesterday against rivals and league-leading Ateneo Blue Eagles.
The contest got off to a competitive start with the two teams battling to a 19-18 count at the end of the first 10 minutes with FEU on top.
In the second quarter the Tamaraws would crank things up on both ends.
Led by graduating player Arvin Tolentino, the Tamaraws would go on and outscore the Bulldogs, 25-10, to build a 16-point cushion, 44-28, by the halftime break.
NU tried to make up for lost ground to begin the third canto and had some success led by John Lloyd Clemente.
With Clemente hitting from all cylinders, the Bulldogs managed to come within seven points, 62-55, with three minutes remaining.
FEU, however, would survive the onslaught to carry a 69-61 lead heading into the final quarter.
Clemente and the Bulldogs kept coming back in the fourth period but the Tamaraws would not let them fashion a total overhaul of the lead.
The score was at 78-72 for FEU with a minute left and it just held on from there to park the win and send NU (3-10) to its fourth straight defeat.
Tolentino top-scored for the Tamaraws with 16 points with Kenneth Tuffin adding 15 markers.
Clemente scored a career-high 38 points, 21 coming in the third period, for the Bulldogs. His total points were the highest to date in Season 81 of the UAAP.
Dave Ildefonso had 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in a losing effort.
FEU finishes its elimination-round assignment on Nov. 18 against the Final Four-bound Adamson Soaring Falcons while NU ends its season campaign against tailending University of the East Red Warriors also on the same date.

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