THE ATENEO Blue Eagles advance to the semifinals of the Asiabasket 2025 College Campus Tour with a 79-68 victory over the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons. The quarterfinal contest was held earlier today at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde Sports & Dorm Complex in the City of Manila.
Divine Adili headlined the Blue Eagles in the win with an all-around line of 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. Kymani Ladi and Shawn Tuano also made an impact with 13 and 12 markers, respectively.
Coming from a two-week break, the Blue Eagles started the game with rust as they struggled to contain the Soaring Falcons’ offense. Sluggish on their defensive rotations, the Blue and White were quickly hit with a couple of AdU buckets in the canto’s opening, 2-5.
The Katipunan-based squad also could not find their offensive power and sharpness to match their opponents early on, burying them to a seven-point deficit after an AJ Franzman and-one, 4-11.
The Blue and White eventually found their rhythm on the offensive end, as Tuano fed off his teammates’ playmaking for two quick buckets to produce a 5-0 run, cutting the deficit to 9-11. The 6’3” wing also displayed his stellar facilitating after collapsing the Adamson defense, kicking out to Andrew Bongo for a lead-taking corner triple, 12-11.
The Blue Eagles kept their foot on the gas pedal, with Kyle Gamber and Bongo adding to the Ateneo scoring, 16-14. In the dying seconds of the quarter, veteran guard Ian Espinosa ran a pick-and-pop play with big man Kyle Ong, resulting in a three-point play that lifted Ateneo to a 22-17 lead at the frame’s conclusion.
Both squads continued to trade baskets during the second period, with a Gamber three kicking things off for Ateneo, only for Soaring Falcon Mat Eding to quickly respond with a triple of his own, 25-20. The triple then sparked a mini-run for Adamson, capped off by Henj Demisana’s three-pointer that tied the game at 30 apiece.
Midway through the quarter, the game turned into a physical battle in the post, which Ateneo took advantage of for multiple opportunities at the charity stripe. Adili’s presence in the paint proved to be unmatched, as the center feasted down low for multiple possessions down the stretch of the half, 39-36.
However, Ateneo struggled to cage the Soaring Falcons on defense, resulting in a quick drive by Matthew Montebon and a midrange jumper from Austin Ronzone that placed Adamson back in the driver’s seat, 41-39. With 35 seconds remaining in the first half, Bongo earned a trip to the line after being fouled on a close-range try. The Blue Eagle eventually sank both shots to close the first half with a 41-41 scoreline.
Coming out of the halftime break revitalized, the Blue Eagles fired on all cylinders, with their strong inside presence and hounding defense helping them establish a quick six-point lead, 47-41. Unwilling to relent, the Katipunan-based squad kept the momentum going, as Adili made a quick basket inside to extend his team’s lead to double digits, 53-41.
The Katipunan-based squad then mounted a 12-0 run and kept the pressure up with their potent offense to trounce the Adamson Soaring Falcons. Supporting their high-octane shotmaking, the Blue and White played stingy defense, resulting in easy steals that turned into conversions, 59-41.
With the third quarter past the halfway mark, Ateneo’s tenacity on the defensive end kept their adversaries scoreless for more than seven minutes of the frame. Building on the incredible surge, Ladi hit a quick midrange jumper that solidified a 21-0 run, 62-41. The Blue and White’s blazing run only came to an end after they gave up a quick three with 2:36 left on the clock.
Holding a comfortable lead, the Blue Eagles eased up defensively and gave up easy looks, 64-46. Feeling his team’s defensive lapses, Head Coach Tab Baldwin decided to sub in Adili, who immediately made his presence in the paint known by blocking attempts near the rim. With Adili’s defense alongside their streaky shooting, the Katipunan-based team ended the third frame with a 16-point lead, 67-51.
Looking to put the game to bed, Adili continued right where he left off, sinking a hook shot to score the first points of the final frame, 69-51. Unwilling to give up, however, the Soaring Falcons returned to their tried and true formula of long-distance shooting.
Ateneo found difficulties to contain Montebon, who led the way with three makes from rainbow country while also making dimes to his cutting teammates, reducing the deficit to as low as 11. Despite this late rally, the early advantage built by Ateneo proved insurmountable, leading to a 79-68 victory for the Blue Eagles.
With the resounding win, the semis-bound Blue Eagles will take on the San Beda University Red Lions, with the schedule yet to be set.
Box scores:
Ateneo (79): Adili – 20, Ladi – 13, Tuano – 12, Bongo – 7, Espinosa – 6, Gamber – 6, Ong – 6, Lazaro – 4, Espina – 3, Bahay – 2
AdU (68): Montebon – 14, Demisana – 9, Erolon – 8, Jaymalin – 8, Fransman – 6, Eding – 5, A. Ronzone – 5, Competente – 3, Mantua – 3, Ojarikre – 3, C. Ronzone – 2, Sicat – 2
Quarter scores: Ateneo-AdU: 22-17, 41-41, 67-51, 79-68
