COMPLETING THEIR undefeated run, the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team (AMBT) conquered the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) Azul Aguilas, 68-46, to capture the 2025 Jesuit Athletic Meet (JAM) championship in front of a roaring Katipunan crowd.
The title-deciding match took place earlier in the afternoon at the Ateneo Senior High School Formation and Learning Center Building in Quezon City.
Danger Tupas led the way for the Blue Eagles with 13 points off three treys. Supporting the sharpshooter were Andre Tan with nine points and four rebounds, and Thirdy Ebdane with six points and four assists.
After the victory, Kymani Ladi’s exemplary tournament-long impact was rewarded, as the cager was crowned as the event’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
The MVP award and championship win mark a promising sign for things to come for the Blue Eagle Band of Brothers, following their roller coaster University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 stint.
Guards Ebdane and Michael Asoro set the tone for the Blue Eagles as they started the championship game on a nine-point run capped by a thunderous alley-oop by Ladi, 9-0.
In the latter half of the quarter, the Katipunan-based squad maintained their sharpness on both ends of the floor. The Blue Eagles limited AdZU to only seven points by the end of the period, while Tupas and Kyle Gamber hit four threes down the stretch to end the quarter with a comfortable cushion, 23-7.
The AMBT continued to display their dominance in the second canto, with Gamber hitting another three to extend the lead to 19, 26-7. Femi Edu provided the unit with his invaluable two-way impact, scoring eight second-quarter points while contributing to a team defense that limited the Azul Agilas to eight points in the frame, 42-15.
After the halftime break, the Blue Eagles left AdZU no time to recompose, with Diaz immediately converting a transition slam off a surgical steal, 44-15. The dunk sparked another Ateneo de Manila surge as they continued piling on their Zamboanga counterparts to end the third frame with a 54-22 scoreline.
With only a quarter remaining, the Blue Eagles’ championship was nothing short of secured. Ateneo de Manila’s unshakable resolve to attain championship glory radiated in the final three minutes, in which they simply matched the Azul Aguilas’ intensity on the court en route to a 68-46 finals victory.
Post-victory, Ladi spoke about his challenges in adjusting to life in Ateneo and in the Philippines. “At first, it was kind of hard to adjust, especially from the [United States]… Coming to Ateneo, it’s exciting. I’m ready for [the] UAAP this season,” the tournament MVP said.
As their JAM campaign comes to a close, the AMBT seeks to make a greater impact at the UAAP Season 87 3×3 tournament and hopes to notch a high finish.
Box scores:
Ateneo (68): Tupas – 13, Tan – 9, Asoro – 8, Edu – 8, Ebdane – 6, Gamber – 6, Ladi – 5, Sotto – 5, Luna – 3, Carlton – 3, Sauler – 2, Nicolas – 0,
AdZU (46): Omar – 16. Banua – 7, Urbano – 6, Fernandez – 4, Haiver – 4, Hassan – 4, Hambali – 3, Lim – 2, Almocera – 0, Del Rosario – 0, Lantoy – 0
Quarter scores:
Ateneo-AdZU: 23-7, 42-15, 54-22, 68-46
