IN DOMINANT fashion, the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team swept all five of their Fu Jen Catholic University (FJCU) Cup games, last defeating the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 80-63, to capture the championship. This series of contests took place last August 3-7, 2024 at the Chung Mei Auditorium in Taipei, Taiwan.
Ateneo vs. Fu Jen Catholic University (FJCU)
Although Ateneo ultimately cruised through the 2024 FJCU Cup undefeated, the Blue and White faced an early scare in their first match of the tournament against home team FJCU.
At the beginning of the first canto, the Blue Eagles built up a 5-0 lead over the Taipei-based squad, with excellent finds from the perimeter and paint. However, Ateneo’s lead quickly evaporated after FJCU caught fire, scoring four consecutive baskets to seize a 13-6 advantage. While the Blue Eagles tried to even the score, 8-13, FJCU responded again with three deep baskets to keep the game from striking distance, 22-8. The first quarter ultimately ended at 23-13 in favor of the home team.
After FJCU’s dominant performance in the first quarter, Ateneo adjusted their game plan for the second frame to showcase a more comfortable offensive performance.
Standout contributions off the wings enabled the Katipunan-based squad to reclaim their lead, culminating in Jared Bahay’s clutch three at the 5:06 mark, 27-25. With the Blue Eagles back in form, the second quarter transformed into a back-and-forth affair that ended with FJCU holding a slim 37-36 advantage into the half.
As the Blue Eagles entered the second half of the ballgame, the team accelerated their offensive tempo, continuously converting their drives into points to clinch a 56-48 advantage. After successfully replicating their offensive schemes throughout the third quarter, the Blue and White built a 10-point cushion heading into the fourth canto.
Carrying their momentum into the final quarter, Ateneo ensured their lead was tightly guarded against any FJCU comeback. With the final basket from Bahay, the Blue Eagles successfully staved off a potential tournament-opening loss, ending the game with a final score of 81-68.
Seasoned veteran Joshua Lazaro came away with Player of the Game honors with a stellar double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds, to go along with his two steals.
Ateneo vs. Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH)
Compared to their form against FJCU, the Blue Eagles were clearly in their element against Universitas Pelita Harapan right from the first quarter. UPH opened the game with intensity, as the bulk of their production came from the charity stripe and the paint, 6-5.
Unfortunately for the Indonesia-based squad, the 7:43 minute mark was the final time they scored in the first quarter. Courtesy of players like Shawn Tuano and Josh Lazaro, the Blue Eagles increased their offensive output, 11-6, while also preventing UPH from scoring a single basket. Ateneo’s dominance persisted until the last seconds of the first quarter, with the Blue Eagles scoring points off drives and free throws. The Blue and White’s commanding first-quarter performance lifted the team to a 17-point advantage heading to the second, 23-6.
The next two quarters followed a similar trajectory, as Ateneo progressively expanded their lead despite UPH finally connecting their shots, 38-18. The game continued to tilt on the side of Ateneo as the team went on a 24-11 run in the third quarter, effectively sealing the outcome of the match, 62-29. Even though the game was already largely decided, UPH kept things competitive during garbage time. However, the Tab Baldwin-led squad had accumulated a large enough lead to guarantee victory over their Indonesian counterparts, 78-43.
Rookie forward Samuel Reyes took home Player of the Game honors with 14 points and four rebounds for the Blue and White.
Ateneo vs. MBC Kirin
Riding off their momentum from the first two games, the Blue Eagles came out guns blazing, building an early 9-0 lead. Ian Espinosa’s stifling defense and Chris Koon’s offensive prowess set the tone for Ateneo, as they outscored their Malaysian counterparts 29-18 in the first quarter.
In the second frame, however, MBC displayed a more formidable showing, only being outscored by two points. Their ability to convert more baskets and force Ateneo into turnovers prevented the Blue Eagles from establishing an insurmountable lead. Still, the Katipunan-based squad entered the final half with a comfortable 13-point lead, 46-33.
The start of the third period saw the Ateneo solve its errors from the previous quarter, stretching its lead with a 7-2 run courtesy of an Andrew Bongo triple and a Sean Quitevis jumper. The early conversions from last year’s holdovers sparked an offensive outburst from their teammates. Proving they can play both ends of the floor, the Blue Eagles also limited MBC to scoring just 10 points in the final period.
Bongo, who served as one of Ateneo’s top producers in the tournament, was named the Player of the Game with 17 points and six rebounds. His offensive efficiency alongside Ateneo’s stellar all-around efforts propelled them to a decisive 30-point victory, 91-61.
Ateneo vs. Hsing Wu University (HWU)
Testing the Philippine representatives early, Hsing Wu University matched Ateneo’s energy to force a 9-9 deadlock. However, with four minutes left in the opening quarter, the Blue Eagles went on an 11-2 run sparked by Kyle Gamber’s three consecutive long-range conversions to end the first canto with a 21-11 lead.
Ateneo jumped off to another commanding 15-1 scoring run at the start of the second quarter. Behind quality minutes from new additions Femi Edu, Samuel Reyes, and Kyle Ong, the Blue Eagles intensified the pace in the second period. Racking up more baskets, they outscored the Taiwan-based squad, 19-7, to enter the half with a 22-point lead, 40-18.
The game’s trajectory continued in the third quarter as the Blue and White scored 14 consecutive points, expanding their lead to 54-18. Ateneo’s defensive rotations remained consistent, preventing HWU from getting their rhythm and limiting them to 15 points in the quarter.
With the winner already being decided, Coach Tab Baldwin opted to rest the starters and give the bench unit valuable exposure in the fourth quarter. Although HWU found minimal success scoring the basketball, the Ateneans still maximized the minutes given to them, matching the Taiwanese output in the period, 14-14, with their excellent ball movement.
Sophomore stalwart Gamber was named the Player of the Game after dropping 16 points while copping three boards.
After breezing through HWU, 83-47, the Blue Eagles set up a Finals match against fellow Philippine representatives and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) competitor, the UE Red Warriors.
Ateneo vs. University of the East (UE)
Both teams entered the FJCU Cup without their foreign student-athletes, as Ateneo’s Victor Balogun and UE’s Precious Momowei had similar visa conflicts that prohibited them from entering Taiwan. Nonetheless, the UAAP squads entered the final with unblemished 4-0 records, poised to take the tournament crown.
Bongo once again proved to be the Blue Eagles’ go-to scorer in the contest’s opening sequences. The forward singlehandedly outgunned the entire UE roster, 11-0, to put his squad up double-digits midway through the first quarter, 19-8. The Katipunan-based squad continued to lay haymakers on the Red Warriors as Lebron Nieto, Tuano, and Lazaro contributed easy buckets of their own to end the quarter up 17, 29-12.
Their high-octane offense allowed Ateneo to maintain the commanding lead in the second period. A sequence of long-distance bombs from Bahay, Bongo, and Waki Espina gave Ateneo a 45-26 cushion. Shifting their focus to the defensive end, the Blue Eagles’ wings hounded UE and forced multiple turnovers, ensuring a big lead to end the half, 47-31.
Experiencing hiccups in their defensive efforts, Ateneo suffered a hot-streak from Rain Maga, who helped cut their lead to 10, 51-41. In a resilient display, a number of Tuano buckets capped a 14-4 run by the Blue Eagles to enter the fourth canto with the 20-point advantage, 65-45.
The final result of the game became a mere formality at the ending stages, as Lazaro put the nail in the coffin with a statement slam, 76-54. As the clock hit triple-zeros, the final score read 80-63, securing Ateneo the tournament gold.
Bongo’s 20 points and three rebounds ultimately earned him Player of the Game honors following their blow-out victory over the Red Warriors.
The triumph capped a perfect Taiwan campaign for the Blue and White, dethroning the defending champions in convincing fashion. The victory also served as the first win of the Blue Eagles against a UAAP school this preseason.
With their overseas preseason stint in the books, the Blue Eagles turn their focus on ramping up over the coming weeks for the beginning of UAAP Season 87.
