Games Thursday
(Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. — DLSU vs Adamson
4 p.m. — UE vs UST

Hard-luck University of the Philippines faltered at the tailend of a spirited rally down the stretch, allowing Far Eastern U to escape with a 73-70 yesterday and claim a share of top spot with idle Ateneo anew in the UAAP men’s basketball competitions at the Mall of Asia Arena.
After Alvin Padilla knocked in a three-pointer that put UP within striking distance at 69-71, with 1:50 left, Michael Gamboa launched an air-ball of a three-pointer, Alvin Padilla went on a harried drive then Mark Lopez could only split his charities with only five seconds to go as the Maroons could do no better than whittle down that FEU lead to 71-70.
Terrence Romeo completed a career-high 24-point game with two free throws in the ensuing play that closed out the win for the Tamaraws, their fifth in six games to level with the Blue Eagles. Romeo complemented his all-around brilliance with nine points and eight assists.
In the second game, National University stormed to its second straight win with a 77-62 thrashing of Adamson University. The Bulldogs climbed to third spot with their fifth win against two wins while the Falcons absorbed their third loss in four games.
Cameroonian Emmanuel Mbe dominated with 20 points and 15 rebounds as the Bulldogs held sway from the start and even took leads of as many as 24 points (62-38) against the Falcons who reeled from the early exit of top forward Alex Nuyles to injury. He dislocated his right shoulder in the first quarter and never returned.             
The Maroons lost much of the momentum of a six-point run from a 60-70 deficit to close in at 66-70 when the referees failed to call an obvious goal-tending violation on FEU’s American import Anthony Hargrove off a drive by Gamboa. The UP guard’s layup had already bounced off the board when it was swatted away by Hargrove.
It was a glaring non-call that could have changed the complexion of the endgame as the Marrons absorbed another heartbreaking defeat, their 0-6 win-loss record hardly reflecting the tenacity and feistiness they have shown.
For Romeo, it was only fitting that it was he who would ensure the Tamaraws’ win.
When UP had threatened to take over midway through the third quarter with Mike Silungan and Padilla putting the Maroons to within 44-45, the wily FEU guard hit two triples in an 8-1 breakaway that restored a 53-45 cushion for FEU.
Then Romeo canned in two free throws, with 5:35 left in the game, that gave the Tamaraws more breathing room at 70-60.
But the Diliman cagers would not relent. Chris Ball had a jumper, slotman Raul Soyud had an undergoal stab while Lopez went 2-for-2 from the free throw line that put the Maroons back into the thick of the battle at 66-70, time down to 3:52.
They continued to press the Tamaraws in defense with the diminutive Gamboa forcing the 6-foot-3 Carl Cruz to a jump-ball with the possession arrow favoring FEU.