GALLANT GALANG: Red Warriors pip Tamaraws, chalk up first victory

Games Saturday:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:30 p.m. — NU vs UST

6:30 p.m. — Ateneo vs Adamson

Ethan Galang took matters into his own hands to deliver University of the East’s (UE) first win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

The sophomore scored the Red Warriors’ last eight points in completing a thrilling come-from-behind, 56-51, victory over Far Eastern University (FEU) on a rainy Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Galang finished the fourth-quarter uprising ignited by Gjerard Wilson to salvage the game where UE trailed most of the match for a 1-2 win-loss record.

Wilson finished with 10 points on 4-of-5 field goal shooting including the go-ahead trey that gave UE a 45-42 lead with 6:13 in the fourth period.

Galang also had 10 markers, Rainer Maga got nine while Precious Momowei scored seven and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Red Warriors, who kept the Tamaraws winless.

“The boys responded very well. It’s so hard to play with a 0-2 record. But I just gave some instructions to the boys that we should just stick together. Whatever happens inside the court we have to stick to the game plan,” UE head coach Jack Santiago said.

“I’m happy that even though we’re down, we stuck to our game plan.”

Behind by four, 51-47, after the Tamaraws strung six unanswered points with 3:12 left, the Red Warriors unleashed a telling counterattack with Galang hitting back-to-back triples - the last a buzzer-beater in the final 25 seconds - following a Precious Momowei split from the line to take a three-point lead.

Momowei swatted away Royce Alforque’s layup attempt but FEU kept possession.

The Tamaraws had two consecutive tries to force an overtime but Jorick Bautista, who had the hot hands in the first half, missed both shots before being forced to foul Galang to stop the clock.

Galang calmly sank both charities for a five-point insurance with only 6.2 ticks left

Bautista had 16 points, Veejay Pre got 13 markers and nine rebounds while Mo Konateh chipped in six points and 17 rebounds for FEU, which played sans Cholo Anonuevo due to a leg injury.

The Tamaraws dropped their third straight game as victory remained elusive for new coach Sean Chambers.

FEU rained down six triples in the opening half with Bautista torching the Red Warriors from the outside in a perfect 4-of-4 shooting clip.

Defense also spelled the difference for the Tamaraws especially in the first quarter when they held UE scoreless in the last five minutes of the canto for a 14-9 advantage.

The Tamaraws kept their distance throughout the second period although the Red Warriors fared better offensively.

FEU entered halftime with a 32-25 advantage.

The scores:

UE (56) — Wilson 10, Galang 10, Maga 9, Momowei 7, Lingolingo 7, J. Cruz-Dumont 4, Abate 4, Mulingtapang 3, Fikes 2, Robles 0, Spandonis 0, Jimenez 0.

FEU (51) — Bautista 16, Pre 13, Konateh 6, Alforque 5, Bagunu 5, Pasaol 3, Ona 3, Montemayor 0, Nakai 0, Daa 0, Jones 0, Duque 0.

Quarters: 9-14, 25-32, 38-42, 56-51.