COMING OFF from a loss against rivals DLSU Green Archers in their previous match, the Ateneo Blue Eagles sought to make the most of their remaining games in the FilOil Flying V Tournament with a win against the Mapua Cardinals, grabbing a slot in the quarterfinals.
The Blue Eagles emerged victorious with a score of 90-77 on Thursday, June 2, 2016 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
With Aaron Black establishing his presence on the court with a strong offensive performance and Jolo Mendoza silencing the Cardinals in the dying moments of the fourth quarter with nine points, the Blue Eagles managed to secure the victory to improve their record to 4-2 standing.
Both teams stayed neck and neck for most of the match. With two entirely different sets of five seeing action early in the first quarter, both consistent starters and the Ateneo bench contributed to giving the Blue Eagles a five-point lead (21-16) going into the second.
Mapua, however, showed resilience, keeping the match level for all four quarters. Justin Serrano, Carlos Isit, and Oraeme Allwell knocked in 13 points each to combine for 39 of the Cardinals’ 77 points, which fueled Mapua’s sprint ahead of the Blue Eagles in the second. Ateneo fell behind at the half, with a dagger triple by Adrian Wong cutting a five-point deficit to (40-38) going into the third.
Ateneo rallied as the second half of the game commenced, with Thirdy Ravena leading the charge by converting two fast break plays that put the Eagles ahead at (48-44). Black then fanned the flames with a 7-point run on his own minutes later to make the score (60-54), but the Cardinals sunk two consecutive baskets from beyond the arc and put in a last-minute bank shot to take the lead at (60-63) at the end of the third.
The fourth quarter saw the Blue Eagles spark a miracle to earn the much-needed win. Former Eaglets Thirdy Ravena, Black, and the Nieto brothers pressed offensively, tallying several points with several triples and a few drives to give the team invaluable trips to the foul line. Mendoza returned to the action towards the middle of the 4th, finally hitting his stride after a less than spectacular second quarter with a jumper that gave the Eagles a 5-point lead at 75-70.
Nearing the 2-minute mark with the score at 79-74, Mendoza then broke the deadlock with two consecutive triples that blessed the Blue Eagles with an 8-point lead. An offensive board and put-back by Chibueze Ikeh in the dying seconds sealed the deal for the Blue Eagles, who handed the Mapua Cardinals their sixth loss of the tournament.
Both Black, who was named Player of the Game, and Mendoza hope to bring the same confidence into their next game against San Beda, which could elevate their standing and assure them a spot in the playoffs.
Their next game will be held on, Sunday, June 5, 5pm at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
