THE ATENEO Men’s Basketball team competed in the 2017 Asia-Pacific University Basketball Challenge (APUBC) in Seoul, South Korea last August 10-13. The Blue Eagles faced several national teams, including Chinese-Taipei, Russia, Japan, and South Korea.

The team began their four-game stand by defeating Chinese-Taipei, 69-63. However, they were less successful in succeeding days. They first fell to Japan’s Under 23 team, 73-83. Ateneo would then lose to the Universiade team of Russia, 66-68, then the Universiade team of host country South Korea, 82-85.

Despite the 1-3 record, the campaign proved fruitful for the Blue Eagles, who put up a respectable showing against top international collegiate talents. These games also came on the heels of a hard-fought seven-point loss against the Gilas Pilipinas Cadets, a team that featured former Ateneo stars Kiefer Ravena and Von Pessumal alongside other former college talents.

“We can compete. The teams we were playing were national teams. That we kept the games competitive proves that we are a good team,” said starting center Isaac Go.

Go was featured a lot during the tournament since the team’s other potential lead center, Chibueze Ikeh, was not able to make the trip to Korea. Ikeh and Dan Wong were the only players missing from the team’s current 16-man roster during the APUBC tourney.

The Blue Eagles are expected to finalize their lineup in the coming weeks with the start of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines Men’s Basketball tournament less than three weeks away.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles open their UAAP campaign against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on September 9th at 4PM in the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.