With Pogoy watching, FEU stuns Ateneo

MANILA, Philippines — With the revered Roger Pogoy in attendance, Far Eastern U charged into the win column in style, pulling off a 66-61 overtime win against reigning champion Ateneo in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

L-Jay Gonzales fired 21 points highlighted by back-to-back jumpers in the final minute of extra time as the Tamaraws scored their first win against the Blue Eagles in five years.

The seasoned guard added seven rebounds, two assists and a steal while sniper Xyrus Torres added 13 on two triples in FEU’s first win in four starts.

“Siyempre unang-una nagpapa-salamat ako kay Lord na binigay sa amin itong panalong ito, against Ateneo pa,” said head coach Denok Miranda in his debut win since replacing Olsen Racela in the offseason.

In the second match, unbeaten University of the Philippines smothered winless Santo Tomas, 110-79, to solidify hold of the top spot with a 5-0 card.

Harold Alarcon (21), JD Cagulangan (16), Chicco Briones (14) and Francis Lopez (11) teamed up in the Maroons’ 31-point win. Nic Cabañero (24) and Christian Manaytay (23) led the Tigers, who slid to 0-5.

The Tamaraws last won against Ateneo in 2018, 63-60, and in front of school great Pogoy, who admitted having been diagnosed with myocarditis (heart ailment) that will sideline him for a while, they simply refused to lose.

FEU nearly wasted a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter as Ateneo stormed back with an 18-3 closeout to force OT at 57-all only for Gonzales to come to the Tamaraws’ rescue.

With both teams finding trouble scoring in the extra period, Gonzales took matters into his own hands by draining two jumpers for a 65-61 cushion in the last 35 seconds heading home.

Meanwhile, Pogoy vowed to be back in basketball action soon after his full recovery from a rare disease, an inflammation of the heart muscle, that forced him to miss the Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the Asian Games.

“Ipa-promise ko talaga na babalik ako. Tiwala ako kay Lord na babalik talaga ako,” said the TNT Tropang Giga guard, who helped FEU win the UAAP title in 2015.

Pogoy, who started feeling fatigued in the 2023 FIBA World Cup before having tests that revealed his