THE ATENEO Blue Eagles closed the first round of the eliminations strongly by besting the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 91-76, earlier today at the Ynares Sports Center in the City of Antipolo.
The Blue and White finish the first round on a high note with three straight wins which puts them at a 5-2 record in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85. Their usual third-quarter run proved too much for the Red Warriors as Ateneo outscored their opponents, 19-6, in the third period.
Player of the Game Dave Ildefonso led the team in scoring with 20 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Team Captain BJ Andrade dusted himself off after an abysmal few games and chipped in 11 points, with nine points coming from three-pointers. The confident sophomore guard Kyle Paranda gave his all in the loss for UE as he scored 17 points and dished out five assists.
The Blue Eagles looked focused on bagging the solo spot for third place in the team rankings early in the opening frame, with high-quality shots driving them to a 9-2 advantage. Ateneo’s defensive mettle was eventually tested by the feisty Red Warriors, with CJ Payawal’s and-one that plunged Ateneo down to a 16-19 deficit with 1:49 left. An exchange between a Gab Gomez rainbow shot and a Kyle Paranada deuce saw the quarter ending with a deadlock at 21-apiece.
[First Quarter]
— Anton Mercado (@Anton_TheGUIDON) October 23, 2022
Andrade gets all the way to the cup for the layup as Coach Jack Santiago now asks for a timeout.
Ateneo 16 UE 10#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/v5D6gCk6wQ
The contest’s back-and-forth affair continued in the second quarter, highlighted by Dave Ildefonso’s acrobatic reverse layup that put Ateneo on top, 33-31. In succession to big buckets by Kai Ballungay and Andrade, the Katipunan-based ballclub fell ill to a 7-0 trademark UE run that cut Ateneo’s lead to 46-44 by halftime.
[Second Quarter]
— Anton Mercado (@Anton_TheGUIDON) October 23, 2022
Ildefonso and Padrigao each get baskets to keep Ateneo ahead.
Ateneo 35 UE 31#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/39m2Flw6tD
After a tightly-contested first half, the Blue Eagles furiously stormed into the third period with a dominant 17-0 run, stretching the lead to 63-44. The Red Warriors had no answers for the Tab Baldwin-led unit as they only scored their first points in the second half of the quarter— at around the four-minute mark—with Gani Stevens’ layup. The Blue and White’s reserves did just enough to control the momentum and close out an explosive quarter, 65-50.
[Third Quarter]
— Anton Mercado (@Anton_TheGUIDON) October 23, 2022
Ildefonso is still scorching, drilling another triple.
Ateneo 57 UE 44#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/H8I2Hc6wad
Ateneo waltzed through the final canto, exploiting mismatches and a fatigue-induced Red Warriors squad en route to a 91-76 victory.
[Fourth Quarter]
— Anton Mercado (@Anton_TheGUIDON) October 23, 2022
Ballungay with a nice cut from the corner and Padrigao rewards him with a nice dish for the slam!
Ateneo 83 UE 61#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/wPHFgDZmAm
This victory ends the first round campaign for the Blue Eagles who sit alone at third place in the standings. The second round of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament will resume on Saturday, October 29, 2022.
Box Scores:
Ateneo (91): Ildefonso – 20, Ballungay – 14, Padrigao – 11, Andrade – 11, Kouame – 8, Garcia – 6, Lazaro – 6, Fornilos – 4, Gomez – 3, Koon – 2, Quitevis – 2, Chiu – 2, Daves – 2
UE (76): Paranada K. – 17, Pagsanjan – 17, Villegas – 10, Stevens – 8, Remogat – 7, Payawal – 6, Alcantara – 5, Paranada N. – 4, Sawat – 2
Quarter Scores:
Ateneo-UE: 21-21, 46-44, 65-50, 91-76
