THE ATENEO Blue Eagles failed to capitalize on late-game chances and dropped a much-needed Game 1 to defending champions University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 66-72. The three-game University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 Men’s Basketball Finals series kicked off earlier tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena (MOA) in Pasay City.
Ange Kouame led Ateneo with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks in a losing effort. Dave Ildefonso and BJ Andrade produced 10 points, respectively.
The Blue Eagles struggled within close range against their Katipunan adversaries, being outscored 24-38 in points in the paint by UP.
To start off the coaches’ chess match, UP’s Goldwyn Montverde surprised the Ateneo faithful by starting Henry Galinato and Zav Lucero instead of their regular rotation. The two held their own inside against Ateneo’s starting frontcourt and gave Malick Diouf and Carl Tamayo a chance to outshine Ateneo’s bench when the teams brought in thier substitutions. Meanwhile, JD Cagulangan continued to torch the Blue Eagles with two of his patented left wing threes—the same shot he hit to win the finals last season. UP’s hot start saw Ateneo facing a 19-28 disadvantage after the first quarter.
The offense of the Blue Eagles in the second frame was as slow as the first quarter, as UP’s top-ranked defense stifled Ateneo’s motor. The Blue and White only managed to score five points in the first five minutes, making it difficult to cut into the lead. Foul trouble for Kouame and a technical foul on Head Coach Tab Baldwin also prevented Ateneo from making much ground to catch up to their Katipunan counterparts. With UP capitalizing on the free points from the fouls, Ateneo responded late in the quarter with back-to-back threes, cutting the deficit to 35-42 entering halftime.
While the Blue Eagles did not come out of the dugout with their usual fire in the third quarter, they put up enough of a fight to keep the game tight. Their defensive intensity prevented the UP squad from growing their lead by too much, but the UP side matched their efforts by suffocating Ateneo on the defensive end. Once Kouame subbed out for Ateneo, UP found an opening to punish Ateneo on the offensive board, led by the bigtime plays of MVP frontrunner Malick Diouf. The third quarter ended with the Blue Eagles staring at a 50-54 margin.
The game came down to the wire in the fourth quarter as the Blue Eagles attempted to take the lead from UP. In spite of Ateneo’s best efforts, the Fighting Maroons held their own by keeping Ateneo ever within arms length, as they refused to cede control of the game. A dagger three from Harold Alarcon saw the UP lead grow to double digits at 58-68. To their credit, Ateneo refused to go down quietly as four straight points from BJ Andrade and a lay-in by Kouame managed to cut the lead back down to five. Still, the early deficit Ateneo found themselves in proved to be too much to come back from as the Blue Eagles fell 66-72 against the defending champions.
“We got a lot to learn from this loss—X’s and O’s, strategy wise, but also how we approach the game equally and collectively,” Assistant Coach Sandy Arespacochaga said of Ateneo’s tough loss and the team’s outlook on Game 2.
The Blue Eagles will look to keep their title hopes alive in Game 2 on Wednesday, December 14, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Box Scores:
Ateneo (66): Padrigao-16, Kouame-15, Ildefonso-10, Andrade-10,Koon-9, Lazaro-3, Chiu-2, Gomez-1
UP (72): Lucero-14, Cagulangan-12, Alarcon-11, Diouf-9, Gonzales-8, Tamayo-7, Galinato-6, Spencer-5-5
Quarter Scores:
Ateneo-UP: 19-28, 35-42, 50-54, 66-72
