Archers, Warriors outlast foes in 2 OTs

It took 10 extra minutes to decide the outcome of two hardly-fought matchups in Sunday’s 72nd UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

De La Salle strung up its fourth straight win with a come-from-behind 101-92 double overtime triumph over University of Santo Tomas while University of the East went through the same extra periods before downing Adamson U, 95-91. Aside from featuring a rare two-game, double-OT in a UAAP playdate, Sunday’s action saw DLSU rookie Arvie Bringas breaking into the record books by scoring 21 points. Bringas’ output made him the first freshman to score 20 points or more since Mike Gambo of UP in 2007. Green Archers’ coach Franz Pumaren said it was more a statement win, a warning that their foes should never underestimate the squad that started with 0-2 but now totes a 4-2 slate. "Maybe they forgot the heart of the Green Archers and they also forgot a player named Peejay Barua. And also this is the break out game for Arvie (Bringas), this is the game that we are waiting for," said Pumaren. Such heart was evident when the Archers fell behind at 43-60 with 5:45 left in the third canto. Not one to simply roll over and die, the Archers crept back in and managed to catch up at 82-all with 27.7 seconds in regulation. Barua scored his only points in the extra periods, his first three sending the game into second overtime and his other three-pointer starting it. But it was the rookie Bringas who played big, scoring 13 of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter and beyond. "We showed that we still have the character and we still have the strength to come back even though we're down," Pumaren said, whose wards now occupy third spot in the standings. Bringas shot 7-of-10 from the field while also grabbing eight rebounds to lead the Archers. James Mangahas missed a double-double with 18 points and nine boards while Kish Co chipped in 13 points and Joshua Webb and Bader Malabes had 10 apiece. Dylan Ababou led UST with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Five others scored in double figures for the Tigers, including rookie Jeric Teng who finished with 18 along with seven boards and four steals. The Growling Tigers fell to 3-2, the same mark as the Warriors’. The Recto-based Warriors banked on the leadership of veteran Paul Lee and the exploits of Pari Llagas in the second OT to get the better of the Falcons. Lee pumped in a career-high 23 points to make up for his 0-of-6 shooting in the Warriors’ 88-92 defeat to the Tigers and resuscitate UE’s bid for a Final Four. Sealing the victory for the boys of coach Lawrence Chongson was Llagas, who intercepted the Falcons’ inbounds pass, fished a foul and coolly sank his charities with 1.6 left in the second extension. The Falcons absorbed their fifth loss in six games to bring up the rear with NU. - GMANews.TV