WITH ALL eyes fixed on Saturday’s game against NU, featuring the tantalizing Ravena-Parks match-up, the Ateneo Blue Eagles had one last hurdle to navigate in Arellano University to keep their undefeated streak alive in the FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup.
With starting center Greg Slaughter sitting the game out due to an illness, the Blue Eagles used a balanced scoring attack to dispatch their NCAA opponents, 70-53, on May 4 at the San Juan Arena. The win gave the Loyola Heights-based squad a 4-0 slate in league rankings.
With the winless Arellano Chiefs streaking in the wrong direction, the game appeared to be a mere formality but the Chiefs would prove effective in slowing down the Ateneo attack early―holding the Blue Eagles to five points in the first six minutes of the game.
The lackadaisical start featured lazy passes and poor defensive rebounding from the Blue Eagles as the Sampaloc cagers, headlined by six foot, eight inch Sierra Leonean center Charles Mammie, outworked Ateneo to loose balls.
But the strength of these Blue Eagles lie in their depth and with the substitutions of veterans Tonino Gonzaga and blue-chip rookie Keifer Ravena, the energy level in the line-up was raised to a higher level and with it, the offensive and defensive intensity as well. A quicker Katipunan line-up gave Arellano numerous match-up problems, as the Eagles simply blew by their opponents―highlighted by a sweet reverse layup finish by Gonzaga.
The game was never really in doubt after the opening quarter as the Blue Eagles dominated defensively, holding the Chiefs to a paltry 29% clip from the field and allowing only 18 field goals throughout the course of the game.
All in all, the Blue Eagles made time for thirteen players in the blowout, with no player logging more time than the 26 minutes given to big man Frank Golla. The even minute distribution also resulted in even scoring from the Blue and White, with six players scoring eight or more points led by Ravena’s 12 points.
The lone bright spot for the Arellano side was the play of sweet-shooting forward Adrian Celada, who scored 16 points in just 25 minutes and stretched the Ateneo defense with his 38% mark from long range.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles next face National University at 3:00 PM on Saturday, May 7. The Bulldogs now sport a 3-1 record after falling to the San Sebastian Stags 81-74 in today’s headline game.
Scoring Leaders:
Ateneo – Ravena 12, Salva 10, Long 10, Chua 9, Gonzaga 9, Sumalinog 8, Monfort 6, Tiongson 4, Austria 2
Arellano – Celada 16, Sacedo 12, Zuleta 8, Mammie 6, Laupz 5, Acidre 2, Estoce 2, Doligon 2
Quarter Scoring:
11-8, 21-15, 48-37, 70-53
