As Typhoon Pedring threatened to batter Luzon, the Ateneo Blue Eagles reveled in their awesomeness.
For the fourth year running, the Ateneo Blue Eagles have found themselves in the UAAP Finals, and for the second straight year they face stiff competition from the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws.
Ateneo’s last two games proved to be testy affairs for the 3-peat champions, which saw their unbeaten streak snapped by Adamson and led them to a shaky three point win over UST in the Final Four. Despite this, the Blue Eagles seemed to have bounced back from their slump, after dismantling the Morayta-based squad, 82-64 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Strong performances from several Blue Eagles, both on the offensive and defensive end, spelled success for the Blue and White. Nico Salva, who has been more or less consistent throughout the season, exploded for his game-high 24 points. Interestingly enough, he put up a perfect shooting performance, converting all of his 8 attempts from both the field and the line. His teammates were not to be outdone, however, as Rookie of the Year Kiefer Ravena and stalwart Greg Slaughter put in 17 and 12 points of their own, respectively.
The Ateneo five started the game strong, with a 6-0 run in the first two minutes. FEU managed to battle back, bolstered by Terrence Romeo, who scored 10 out of his 23 points in the first quarter alone. With consistent scoring and a 2-3 zone defense that frustrated the Blue Eagles, the Tamaraws led at the end of the first, 19-14.
Building on their momentum, the FEU five continued their consistent scoring, with the lead ballooning to 8 points four minutes in. The Blue Eagles refused to give up, attempting a run late into the quarter, but the Tamaraws stubbornly canceled out Ateneo conversions, as the teams went into the dugouts all square at 33.
The Blue Eagles finally grabbed the lead at the restart, thanks to a Kirk Long conversion off a foul. After that, the Ateneo five looked to their trademark defense, deterring the pesky FEU offense that refused to be blown out. The Tamaraws managed to keep up with the boys in blue, but not for long. With three minutes remaining and the lead starting to grow, a dunk by Salva swung the momentum entirely in favor of Ateneo. This sparked a 7-2 run for the Blue Eagles, which gave them an 11-point lead going into the final quarter, 60-49.
The final period just featured Ateneo’s lead balloon, as the Blue Eagles fired on all cylinders. FEU was continually frustrated by Ateneo’s man-to-man defense, which led to fastbreak opportunities that the Blue and White five duly converted. Punctuated by an alley-oop by Slaughter from Long, the final nail was put in FEU’s coffin. With the game having already blown out of proportion, Ateneo continued its offensive onslaught all the way until the buzzer sounded.
Possessing the 1-0 advantage, the Blue Eagles are a game away from a historic 4-peat.
“We obviously need to win the next game,” commented Ateneo Head Coach Norman Black regarding Game 2, “otherwise we give them the momentum if we don’t, and the confidence going into Game 3.”
Game 2 is set to take place at 3:00 PM on Saturday, October 1, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Additionally, the awarding ceremony will take place an hour earlier.
Scoring Leaders
ADMU, 82: Salva 24, Ravena 17 Slaughter 12, Monfort 11, Long 8, Erram 4, Tiongson 4, Chua 2, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0, Austria 0
FEU, 64: Romeo 23, Escoto 12, Ramos 9, Garcia 6, Exciminiano 6, Tolomia 5, Pugoy 2, Cruz 1, Sentcheu 0, Bringas 0
Quarter scores
14-19, 33-33, 60-49, 82-64
