ATENEO’S STRONG fourth quarter, highlighted by an emphatic Thirdy Ravena dunk, propelled the team to a victory over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, 102-83, on Saturday, November 4, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The win lifts the Blue Eagles to a perfect 12-0 record, while dropping UST to 0-13 in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball tournament.
For the second game in a row, Ateneo set their season-high in points after cracking the century mark for the first time this year. Ravena led the way with a loaded statline of 20 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Matt Nieto was the only other player in double figures, drilling a career-high five three-pointers en route to 19 points. The rest of the team chipped in to Ateneo’s usual balanced attack, with nine players scoring between five to eight markers.
The Growling Tigers were led by Wendell De Guzman who scored a season-best 19 points. Jordan Sta. Ana and Steve Akomo each had a dozen markers, while Jeepey Faundo had a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds. UST’s leading scorer Marvin Lee played a silent game on offense and was limited to just four points.
The Blue Eagles began the game strong, scoring 18 points while restricting UST to just six. Matt Nieto scored half of the points during this stretch with two threes and a trio of charities. Faundo’s work inside the paint helped the Growling Tigers claw back towards the period, cutting down their deficit to four points (20-24) before Tyler Tio’s late jumper.
UST continued to rack up points in the ensuing period. They reduced their deficit to two points midway through the period (33-31), taking advantage of the Blue Eagles’ lack of rim protection. Faundo’s putback late in the quarter gave his team their first lead of the match (35-33), but Ravena’s inspired play propelled an 11-0 run that gave his team a 10-point lead at the half (49-39).
Matt Nieto added to his tally from deep in the opening minutes of the third, as a pair of triples from the guard, combined with back-to-back Aaron Black baskets made it a 16-point game (65-49). The Growling Tigers exploded shortly after in the latter half of the third period. A balanced attack helped UST go on a 21-10 run to end the period, with the Blue Eagles’ lackluster inside defense derailing the team.
The pace of the game picked up in the fourth quarter as both squads traded buckets. Gian Mamuyac’s nifty drive and layup gave Ateneo a 10-point lead once again (85-75), but De Guzman answered with crossover and pull-up jumper. Anton Asistio hit a corner triple with three minutes remaining, giving the Blue Eagles a double-digit lead (89-77) that they never relinquished.
After the match, Assitant Coach Sandy Arespacochaga explained that the team did not underestimate the Growling Tigers despite their winless slate. “[UST] really played hard and it is a good thing our players responded to the challenge,” he said. “We have got a great group of guys.”
The Blue Eagles’ penultimate match of the elimination round will be against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons (5-6) on Wednesday, November 8, 4:00 PM, at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Quarter Scores
Ateneo-UST: 26-20, 49-39, 75-70, 102-83
Box Score
Ateneo (102): Ravena – 20, Nieto Ma. – 19, Mamuyac – 8, Go – 7, Nieto Mi. – 7, Tio – 7, Mallillin – 7, Verano – 6, Asistio – 6, Black – 6, Ikeh – 5 , Tolentino – 4
UST (83): De Guzman – 19, Sta. Ana – 12, Akomo – 12, Faundo – 11, Basibas – 11, Garcia – 8, Caunan – 6, Lee – 4
