Cold-blooded Romeo stars as FEU completes sweep

By Josiah Albelda Posted Jul 28th 2013

Cold-blooded assassin.

Terrence Romeo fired bullet after bullet on Adamson University in the clutch to help Far Eastern University earn a 74-71 win in the 76th UAAP men's basketball tournament Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With the Tamaraws treading dangerous waters once more, Romeo came up big his team needed him, torching the Soaring Falcons with 10 points in the final quarter to seal a first round sweep.

FEU won its first seven games for the first time since Season 73, when the Morayta crew made it all the way to the finals.

"Of course, it's an accomplishment," said coach Nash Racela. "But we don't accomplish anything if we don't accomplish our goal (of winning the championship)."

But the Tamaraws' sweep looked in serious jeopardy for most of the game, with Adamson leaning on rock-solid games from Jericho Cruz and Ingrid Sewa to keep FEU from breaking the game wide open.

A triple from Harry Petilos put the Falcons up, 61-58, with 8:35 left in the game and with RR Garcia and Mike Tolomia not on target, the Tamaraws looked to be in danger of losing their first game this season.

Enter Romeo and company.

Carl Cruz, Anthony Hargrove, Tolomia and Christian Sentcheu each contributed on an 8-0 run that put FEU up, 66-62, with 4:32 remaining on the clock.

Sewa made half of his charity attempts in the ensuing play to trim it to three before Romeo scored the last eight points for the Tamaraws -- a triple with 2:28 left, a pull-up with 1:03 remaining and the biggest shot of all, a dagger of a three-pointer with 24 seconds on the clock.

Romeo finished the game with a season-high 26 points while also grabbing four rebounds as FEU overcame a cold shooting night from Garcia and Tolomia, who combined for only 17 points.

Cruz posted 21 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Falcons, who slipped to 3-4 and a tie with Ateneo de Manila University for sixth to seventh places.

Sewa and Rodney Brondial teamed up to deliver 26 points and 25 rebounds, but their efforts weren't enough to prevent Adamson from suffering its second straight defeat.

The scores:

FEU (74) - Romeo 26, Belo 9, Garcia 9, Pogoy 9, Tolomia 8, Hargrove 4, Mendoza 3, Cruz 2, Jose 2, Sentcheu 2, Inigo 0

ADU (71) - Cruz 21, Brondial 13, Sewa 13, Julkipli 5, Trollano 5, Agustin 4, Abrigo 4, Cabrera 3, Petilos 3, Rios 0, Monteclaro 0, Inigo 0

Quarters: 20-13, 36-37, 54-56, 74-71