THE ATENEO Blue Eagles drilled 12 three-pointers and grabbed 26 offensive rebounds to secure a dominant win over the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 83-61, in the FilOil Flying V Preseason Cup held in the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
With the victory, Ateneo improves to a 4-0 win-loss record in the tournament to stay atop Group A. Meanwhile, the UE Red Warriors fall to 1-2.
The Blue Eagles’ new import Angelo Kouame once again showcased his ability to dominate in the paint, finishing with an impressive line of 17 points, 15 rebounds (nine offensive rebounds), two steals, and two blocks. Fellow bigman Isaac Go chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds. Mike Nieto added nine points and eight boards, while SJ Belangel, Matt Nieto and Anton Asistio added seven markers each.
For the Red and White side, Chris Conner carried the flag, finishing with 16 points on 6/11 shooting and six rebounds. Spitfire point guard Philip Manalang also added 16 markers, while UE’s star Alvin Pasaol had 12 points and 12 boards, but shot an abysmal 4/25 from the field, including just 1/9 from downtown.
Ateneo started out red hot, opening the game on a 13-0 run led by triples from Matt Nieto, Mike Nieto, and Isaac Go. The Blue Eagles managed to build a 16-point deficit in the first quarter after a Patrick Maagdenberg putback bucket, but Conner’s entry kept UE within striking distance after the first frame, 27-17.
Assistant Coach Sandy Arespacochaga went with his young guns early in the second frame, as both Belangel and Jason Credo responded with a pair of triples to keep Ateneo ahead 35-24 midway through the quarter. Veteran firepower, however, closed the quarter strong for Ateneo, pushing a 44-31 lead entering the halftime break.
UE was a renewed squad at the second half, as a pair of free throws by Manalang cut the lead to 45-38 early in the third period. The deficit was the closest the Red Warriors would get to the Blue Eagles in the contest, with Ateneo pulling away due through inside efforts from Kouame and Go. The two scored 11 of the next 13 points for the Blue and White side to extend the score to 58-44 after three quarters.
The fourth quarter began much like the first, with Ateneo drilling three triples in less than three minutes of play courtesy of Credo, Asistio and Matt Nieto. Accuracy from beyond the arc sparked an 11-0 burst that put the Blue Eagles up 69-44, essentially spelling doom for the UE Red Warriors. Manalang and Conner hit a few more baskets in the fourth to cut the lead, but Ateneo eventually settled into the victory at 83-61.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles will have a long break to give way to the final academic weeks for many of the players. They will resume play in the FilOil Cup against the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA on Monday, May 28 at 6:30 PM in the FilOil Flying V Arena.
