By Joshua Kyle Beltran

Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws team captain Jorick Bautista harnessed his clutch genes to force a nail-biting victory against Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons, 68-66, in the Playtime Cares 18th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup earlier today, June 20, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

“He’s our closer. No doubt about it… That play is magnified, but it’s not the play that wins games or loses games, it just looks like it. He comes back, and makes big shots, and this is what we expect of him. He’s our Stephen Curry in that moment,” head coach Sean Chambers emphasized during the post-game conference.

With 3.2 seconds left in the fourth frame, Bautista drew a foul and tied the game with a free throw, 60-60, but was eventually forced into overtime (OT) after missing the second. He led the team with a whopping 21 points and three assists. 

Coming off their game last Independence Day, the Tamaraws went toe-to-toe with the Falcons as Mo Konateh took command in the paint, 13-12.

However, the Morayta cagers quickly lost their grip of their advantage toward the end of the first frame after three consecutive triples by AdU, separating them by five at 17-22.

By the start of the second frame, FEU guard Janrey Pasaol minimized the gap by one, 23-24, through a crafty underhand lay toward the board.

It was not long until the green-and-gold squad went scoreless again, prompting a 10-point deficit and forcing them to call a timeout.

The Chambers-led squad saw a downward spiral from that point onward, ending the first half down by 10 once more, 26-36.

In an attempt to catch up with the San Marcelino squad, FEU gathered their composure to advance their gap by three, 39-42, with a jumper courtesy of Aaron Bagunu to sustain the run.

Kept alive through free throws, the Morayta cagers still trailed by seven to end the third frame, 41-48.

Hungry to take the lead, the green-and-gold ballers finally turned safety off as Pasaol drove the ball to the first standstill of the game, 50-50. 

With less than a minute remaining, the Tamaraws eventually found themselves trailing by one, 59-60, as Bautista activated a late-game triple. This then prompted his endgame play.

Entering OT, Bagunu utilized his free throws to keep the scoring steady at 62-64. Shortly after, Pasaol made quick work off a fast break after a layup to maintain the lead, 66-64.

Konateh then chipped in a two-point hookshot to extend the lead by four, 68-64. 

Despite a last minute drive by Adamson, FEU emerged on top, sealing the game with a Konateh board at 68-66.

The Morayta team captain mentioned how the pressure of a one possession game was a familiar experience for the Tamaraws, still putting their trust in Chambers.

“Napagdaanan na namin ‘to, eh, sa University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) pa lang. Ready lang kami kung ano ‘yung mga sinasabi ni Coach [Chambers] sa amin, nagfa-follow lang kami sa kaniya… Ayun, nanalo pa kami [this game] (We’ve been through this, in the UAAP. We just stay ready to what coach tells us, we just follow through. Still, we won this game),” he said.

Adding to Bautista’s 21 markers was Konateh’s 23-point, 20-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Pasaol contributed a significant 13 points and six rebounds.

Now at a 3-1 win-loss record, FEU will prepare to face off with De La Salle University on July 4 at the same venue.

(Photo by Melvin James Urubio/FEU Advocate)