MANILA – Arvin Tolentino drained a go-ahead triple as Far Eastern University Tamaraws barged to the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball Final Four with a 71-70 win over De La Salle University Green Archers last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Trailing 68-70, Tolentino drained a top-of-the-key triple to surge the Tamaraws ahead at 71-70.
The Green Archers had a chance to snatch the win it but Leonard Santillan misfired his inside attempt.
Tolentino finished the match with 15 points, five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
The Tamaraws will battle top-seed Ateneo Blue Eagles in the semifinals on Sunday.
“I am happy for Arvin after what he went through this season,” said Tamaraws head coach Olsen Racela, pertaining to the graduating forward’s suspensions this season due to flagrant fouls.
From a tight exchange in the first half, the Tamaraws build a lead as high as seven points, but the Green Archers battled back and even snatched the lead at 70-66 on shots from Santillan and Aljun Melecio.
The Tamaraws cut the deficit to two on a perimeter jumper by Kenneth Tuffin. After a missed shot by the Green Archers, Tolentino surged the Tamaraws ahead with a triple with three seconds left.
Barkley Ebona also came in with double-double 12 points and 16 rebounds, while Tuffin and Richard Escoto added 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
The Tamaraws is now on its sixth consecutive Final Four appearance.
“I love how this team battled through adversity,” said Racela. “It’s just fitting that we made the Final Four this way. They never gave up kahit sa four-game losing streak namin and sila ang nagbibigay sa akin ng kumpyansa.”
Santillan finished his UAAP career with 20 points and six boards for the Green Archers, which failed to make it to the semis for the first time since 2015.
Bacolodnon Kirell Montalbo also ended his DLSU stint with seven points./PN
