THE EXTRA pass was the key to victory for the Ateneo Blue Eagles who fended off a furious fourth quarter rally from the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals for a 102-95 win on May 8 at the Flying V Arena in San Juan. Their fourth straight win seals the top seed for the Eagles in the Filoil Flying V-Tanduay Pre-Season Invitational Cup.

Showcasing its newfound explosive offense, Ateneo broke away early, taking a 19 point lead heading into the final quarter. However, a 15-0 run over the first four and a half minutes of the last canto brought the Generals to within striking distance of the Eagles, 84-80. The game was close up until the closing seconds, but with 10.4 left on the clock, a timely steal by Emman Monfort followed by a dagger three-pointer put the game out of reach.

Sharing the ball was not a problem for this year’s Blue Eagles as six players, including all five starters, scored in double digits, led by Nico Salva’s 17 points. This balanced point contribution helped Ateneo break the 100-point mark for the second straight game; however, this was also the second consecutive game the Blue and White allowed their opponent to score at least 90 points.

When asked about the absence of the defensive intensity that enabled their back-to-back UAAP championships, Coach Norman Black attributed it to lack of practice due to a hectic schedule – playing eight games in two weeks. Nevertheless, he is optimistic that their annual pre-season training in Las Vegas will help them regain their defensive form. The Blue Eagles leave for their two-week training on May 15.

Box Score:

Ateneo 102— Salva 17, Long 16, Monfort 16, Erram 12, Austria 11, Salamat 11, Buenafe 6, Escueta 6, De la Cruz 4, Tiongson 3

EAC 95— Mendoza 22, L. Yaya 20, Cubo 14, R. Yaya 13, Vargas 11, Lapilan 7, Chiong 4, Santos 2, Diolanto 2