By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Far Eastern University Tamaraws got back in the win column on Sunday after defeating the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 89-73, in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 action at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Got off to fast start, the Tamaraws, who were handed a stinging loss by University of Santo Tomas last time around, left the Maroons dead in their tracks, on the strength of solid defense and crisp offense, and never looked after to improve to 2-1 in the season while sending UP (1-2) to its second straight defeat.
The Tamaraws opened the proceedings with an 8-0 blast in the first minute and a half to set the pace early on.
They would build on it on the play of Prince Orizu and Axel Iñigo the rest of the way to take a 25-13 advantage in the opening quarter.
In the second period, Javi Gomez De Liaño tried to jump-start the offense of the Maroons but only to be countered by Iñigo and the rest of the Tamaraws.
The count stood at 35-26, with FEU on top, midway into the frame.
UP continued to fight back after, managing to trim its deficit to just five points, 36-31, with 2:45 to go.
FEU though finished strong to carry a 49-35 lead heading into the halftime break.
The onslaught continued for the Tamaraws at the start of the third period as Orizu pounded on the UP defense.
They stretched their lead to 21 points, 58-37, in the first three minutes, and from there it was all FEU, which led 69-46 heading into the final frame.
UP started the fourth period with 10 straight points in the first two and a half minutes of the period to trim FEU’s lead, 69-56.
Orizu And Company, however, found their collective footing after the UP run, going on an 8-0 run in the next two minutes to extend their lead back to 20 points, 76-56.
The Maroons could not recover from said FEU recoil as the latter piled up things anew on its opponent and headed for the win.
Orizu led the Tamaraws with 15 points and seven rebounds with Arvin Tolentino finishing with 13 points.
Wendell Comboy had 12 points while Jesper Parker finished with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Gomez De Liaño had 15 points while his brother Juan had 13.
Jun Manzo had 11 points and six assists for the Maroons, which played sans head coach Bo Perasol who was serving his suspension after the outburst he had on game officials in their last assignment.
FEU next plays on Sept. 30 against the University of the East (0-2), which had a game against De La Salle University later yesterday, while UP clashes with league-leading Adamson University (3-0) on Sept. 26.

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