DLSU edges out FEU for 2007 Nike Summer League Sr’s Title
To start things off… Damn!.. that was some game!
DLSU emerged victorious against rookie laden FEU to win the Nike Summer League Senior Men’s Basketball Title. The FEU team had 10 rookies in their roster but they all played like UAAP finals vets. La Salle needed the overtime period to gain the win after leading by as much as 8 pts in the fourth.
They won the game with a score of 88-83. Rico Maierhofer took home the best player of the game by tallying 13 pts and 16 Rebs as well as the coveted MVP of the tournament by averaging 14.4 ppg and 12.5 rpg.
At the start of the 1st Quarter, FEU took a page out of DLSU’s play book by surprising them with pressing defense and a 2-3 zone that the Archers had a hard time breaking. TY Tang, Simon Atkins and James Mangahas were able however to keep the lead close by raining three’s on them. The first quarter ended with FEU up by only 1.
Come second quarter DLSU applied its dynamic press ( I say dynamic because it keeps changing) and finally got the lead by banking on Cholo Villanueva’s consistent mid range jumper and Brian Ilad’s inside presence. The half ended with DLSU leading 41-35. DLSU shot 43% in the first half while dishing out 15 assists and grabbing 25 rebounds. FEU finished the half with 37% FG, 10 assists and 23 rebounds.
At the half, Nike presented the Mythical Team members. They were TY Tang (DLSU), Rico Maierhofer(DLSU), Marcy Arellano (UE), Neil Pascual (MIT) and Baracael (FEU)
At the start of the 3rd FEU once again started hot. FEU’s 3pt shooting and 3 player half court trap tied the game for them. The 3 player half court trap was for the players bringing down the ball when they spread themselves across the width of the court. And with their agile big men anticipating the passing lanes of the ball handler they were able to score on some turnover points.
JV Casio however answered for DLSU and they were able to bring the lead up to 7pts again before FEU once again made it rain three’s. A scary moment when Cholo Villanueva fell to the floor after absorbing an elbow to the chin from a driving Barroca. He got a huge gash on his chin that had to be stitched up and left his uniform a bloodied mess. I noticed that Cholo is the new Mac Cardona for the archers when it comes to defense. He is the one harassing the ball handler for the opposing team during the press. The 3rd quarter ended with a 59-57 lead for DLSU.
Come the 4th, Coach Franz Pumaren had Brian Ilad, JV Casio, Rejan Lee and OJ Cua in the floor for the Archers. The FEU players were having troubles of their own as Casio fired at will and they started having cramps. That’s probably the reason too why they couldn’t trap. I was amazed with the tenacity of Rejan Lee, this guy out rebounded the big men of FEU twice while creating points for the DLSU big men by his kamikaze drive-and-dish plays.
A 3 from TY Tang and a fastbreak score by Mangahas helped push the lead up to 8pts. But JR Cawaling answered back with a cold blooded 3, 3 ft away from the line then a costly turnover from a trap resulted in a 5 pt swing. Plus some other aggresive drives to the paint that tied the game and forced the overtime period. Rico had a chance to get the win for the archers but missed on a medium range jumper.
Come overtime the Archers were all business as Rico Maeirhofer, Brian Ilad and James Mangahas’ steady hands on the FT ensured the points while turnover after turnover ensured FEU’s loss. It was a well fought W. I hope the Archers still have some juice left in them when they meet NU at the FilOil tomorrow.
A revelation for FEU was 6-4 G/F JR Cawaling. He was said to have been recruited from Cagayan De Oro and was hidden from public view in the team B of the Tamarraws for a year or two. He will definitely be an able body to fill in the void left by Arwind Santos. La Salle also played without 3pt shooter Malabes and starting center Batricivec, who bruised his knee in the semifinals game against UE. PJ Walsham started in his place.
More pics from Nike here.
DLSU - Maierhofer 13, Mangahas 12, Villanueva 12, Tang 11, Ilad
10, Casio 9, Co 8, Cua 6, Atkins 3, Walsham 2, Lee 2.
FEU - Adolfo 17, Cawaling 14, Fernandez 13, Baracael 12, Baroca
10, Ramos 7, Gerilla 5, Cervantes 4, Alisbo 0, Reyes
0, Cabagnot 0, Sanga 0.
Tags: Nike Summer League 2007, DLSU, FEU
[…] La Salle looked like the underdog team as they started slow in the first quarter. They had that fatigued look on their faces as the day before they had bagged the championship of the 2007 Nike Summer League by beating FEU. TY Tang was replaced early by Simon Atkins in the first quarter due to turnovers. Noticeably absent also in the first half was Nike Summer League MVP, Rico Maierhofer. […]