Games Today (Philsports Arena)
2 p.m. — UE vs NU
4 p.m. — Ateneo vs UST

Title-favorite Far Eastern University was ridiculed after its defeat to Ateneo last week but redeemed itself big time on Saturday by scoring a comprehensive 65-51 win over La Salle in the 72nd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

Putting their stinging 63-59 defeat to the Eagles behind, the Tamaraws played in business-like manner, taking good care of everything to hand the once- proud Taft-based squad its second straight blowout loss.

With RP team mainstays Mark Barroca and JR Cawaling leading the team’s well-balanced attack, the Tamaraws surged to a comfortable 36-24 halftime lead which they protected valiantly to notch their first win.

Also shining for Tamaraws were rookie RR Garcia and veteran big man Reil Cervantes whose performance earned them glowing words from coach Glenn Capacio this time.

"Ang positive dun sa talo namin sa Ateneo ay mas maaga kaming natisod. Siguro medyo lumaki ulo nila (nung first game) so maganda na natuto kami kaagad," said Capacio.

Despite getting into foul trouble early, Barroca finished with 15 points in just 19 minutes of action while Cawaling, a major letdown the last time, contributed 10 points.

Garcia, the former RP Youth standout who came off the bench, ably supported

Barroca and Cawaling by chipping in 12 points, five rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes of play as the FEU tied University of the East, National University and Adamson at 1-1.

Cervantes posted a double-double with 11 points and 13 boards.

For the second straight time, La Salle shot below 25 percent with no player scoring in double figures as James Mangahas and Bader Malabes, two of the veterans left in the team, had only eight and seven points, respectively.

In the first game, the Falcons leaned on the late-game heroics of Leo Canuday to score a come-from-behind 72-68 win over University of the Philippines.

Canuday completed a fastbreak play off a Maroons turnover that put the Falcons ahead for good, 69-68.

His basket came after UP's Arvie Braganza made an errant pass straight into Adamson's Lester Alvarez that set up the winning basket.

First Game:
ADAMSON 72 — Colina 14, Canada 11, Camson 11, Alvarez 9, Canuday 8, Nuyles 6, Galinato 6, Santos 5, Cabrera 2, Margallo 0, Lozada 0, Basillio 0.

UP 68 — Co 17, Sison 12, Reyes Ma. 9, Gomez 8, Padilla 6, Reyes Mi. 5, Maniego 4, Lopez 2, Braganza 2, Astorga 2, Juruena 1, Marfori 0, de Asis 0.
Quarters: 20-20, 30-37, 50-54, 72-68.

Second Game:
FEU 65 — Barroca 15, Garcia 12, Cervantes 11, Cawaling 10, Ramos 8, Noundou 4, Tanuan 2, Caluag 2, Manalo 1, Vinluan 0, Sanga 0, Knuttel 0, Exciminiano 0.

LA SALLE 51 — Mangahas 8, Malabees 7, Marata 6, Barua 6, Bringas 5, Tolentino 4, Bagatsing 4, Atkins 4, Ferdinand 3, Webb 2, Villanueva 2, Mendoza 0, Co 0, Banal 0.
Quarters: 14-12, 36-24, 51-37, 65-51.