MANILA – Far Eastern University kept its semifinal aspirations intact, securing a crucial 65-54 victory over Ateneo de Manila University in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday (09 Nov 2024)
The Tamaraws improved to a 5-8 record, claiming solo fifth place as they head into their final elimination round match against the University of the Philippines on November 16 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Defending champion De La Salle University (11-1) and UP (9-2) have already locked up twice-to-beat advantages in the Final Four. University of Santo Tomas (5-6) and University of the East (6-5) were still battling for the last Final Four spot as of press time. If UST wins, Ateneo (3-9) will miss the Final Four for the first time since 2013.
Rookie Janrey Pasaol led FEU with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Rojan Montemayor added 13 points, including three 3-pointers. Mohamed Konateh contributed a dominant 11 points and 21 rebounds, while Jorick Bautista and Royce Alforque chipped in 8 points apiece.
FEU head coach Sean Chambers praised his team’s resilience, saying, “I’m so proud of these guys. Last game, I was tough on them in practice, and their response has been amazing. They’re disciplined, they want to win.”
For Ateneo, Ian Espinosa tallied 14 points and 6 assists, while Jared Bahay finished with 9 points.
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