AFTER A lopsided loss in their opening match, the Ateneo Blue Eagles were engaged in a tightly contested game before eventually succumbing to Far Eastern University (FEU), 79-75, in overtime.
The Blue Eagles clawed their way out of a double-digit deficit early in the fourth quarter to force overtime. FEU’s Michael Tolomia started the final frame with a putback to give the Tamaraws their biggest lead at 55-44. The five-time defending champions, however, refused to throw in the towel.
The Blue Eagles orchestrated a 14-2 run that would put them back in the driver’s seat at 58-57. Ryan Buenafe, who led all scorers with a UAAP career-high 29 points, contributed 8 points in that crucial Ateneo run including two triples.
The two teams would then go back-and-fourth until the final seconds of regulation. With FEU up by two in the final seconds, Buenafe found Chris Newsome underneath the basket. Newsome drew a foul from Terrence Romeo before sinking two clutch free-throws to tie the game at 66-apiece. With 10.7 seconds remaining, FEU turned to Ryan Roose Garcia. However, the veteran known for his clutch antics failed to deliver, missing the potential game-winner at the buzzer.
The Tamaraws would establish a 73-67 lead in the extra period after Romeo hit a tough jumper over Newsome. Ateneo would quickly counter with a 6-0 run capped by a pair of Juami Tiongson free-throws, tying the game once again at 73.
Moments later, Roger Pogoy came up with a crucial steal over Buenafe off of a rebound play. The turnover led to an uncontested basket for Pogoy which gave FEU the lead for good. Soon after, Romeo would seal the deal with a couple of free throws that resulted from a Nico Elorde turnover and foul.
Romeo’s crucial pair of free-throws along with his clutch jumper in overtime highlighted his outstanding performance. The crafty guard posted 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks to lead the Tamaraws to their second consecutive victory. Tolomia and Garcia added 16 and 13 points respectively for the Sampaloc-based squad.
The Blue Eagles relied heavily on 2010 Finals MVP Buenafe to keep them in the game. Aside from his 29 points, Buenafe also recorded 15 rebounds and 3 assists with just 1 turnover in 35 minutes of action. The veteran filled in nicely for star guard Kiefer Ravena who was inactive for the game due to a sprained right ankle.
Newsome was another bright spot for the Katipunan-based team, building on his strong debut performance with another solid outing. The rookie posted 17 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
The loss keeps the Blue Eagles winless after two contests. The last time Ateneo opened the season with a 0-2 record was back in 2003.
Despite a second consecutive loss, the Blue Eagles clearly turned in a better performance compared to their season opener against National University.
For the second straight game, Ateneo also showed that they will keep fighting until the game is officially over, exhibiting the true heart of a champion.
The Blue Eagles’ valiant effort did not go unnoticed. FEU Head Coach Nash Racela heaped some praise on the team after the game, “Galing ng Ateneo. Lumabas ‘yung championship poise and oneness nila. They’re learning to play without Kiefer. (Ateneo was great. Their championship poise and oneness came out. They’re learning to play without Kiefer.)”
With the team demonstrating progress on a game basis, Head Coach Bo Perasol and his troops will try to secure their first win in Season 76 on Sunday, July 7, against archrival De La Salle University at the Mall of Asia Arena.
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Box scores:
ADMU 75 – Buenafe 29, Newsome 17, Elorde 9, Tiongson 7, Pessumal 6, Erram 4, Capacio 3, Murphy 0, Golla 0, Babilonia 0, Asistio 0
FEU 79 – Romeo 21, Tolomia 16, Garcia 13, Pogoy 8, Hargrove 8, Cruz 5, Mendoza 4, Jose 2, Belo 2, Sentcheu 0
