THE ATENEO Blue Eagles failed to tame the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, 59-67, in their second University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 encounter. The match was held earlier today, November 15, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
This defeat puts the Blue Eagles at 5-6 in the elimination round standings of the UAAP, remaining in fifth place behind UST.
Despite the loss, Team Captain Kymani Ladi notched 14 points while Shawn Tuano and Dom Escobar scored eight apiece.
Opening the battle, the game went from pillar to post as both squads traded blows on the offensive end, putting Ateneo at an early 4-5 disadvantage. Despite the pestering defense of the Growling Tigers, the Blue Eagles were able to maneuver and take the lead, after back-to-back midrange buckets from Waki Espina and Josh Lazaro, 10-9.
Both squads ramped up their offensive tempo, generating another back-and-forth affair that resulted in the third deadlock of the frame, 16-16. However, the Katipunan-based squad’s defense failed to contain the offensive firepower of UST, as they ended the frame with a 9-2 run, putting Ateneo on their heels, 18-25.
Eager to draw closer, the Blue Eagles executed a quick 4-0 run fueled by Escobar’s contested layup and Jared Bahay’s drop pass to Lars Fjellvang for the easy two, 22-25. Bahay then drew two consecutive fouls with crafty maneuvers, leading to five straight makes from the bonus line to tie the ball game at 27.
Meanwhile, Ateneo could not claim the driver’s seat, permitting a 8-2 UST run, 29-35. In the dying seconds of the half, the Blue Eagles clawed their way back within striking distance as Ian Espinosa nailed two free throws, while Drew Bongo beat the second quarter buzzer with a long two, 33-35.
The third quarter proved to be a game of runs as the Blue Eagles attempted to keep up with the Growling Tigers. After Ateneo missed their first five shot attempts, UST went on a 6-0 run, which was highlighted by a Collins Akowe basket inside the paint that forced Ateneo to burn a timeout, 33-41. Exiting the huddle, the Blue Eagles fired back with a run of their own, converting on two straight baskets to trim the opposition’s lead to four, 37-41.
After passing the four-minute mark of the quarter, the Blue Eagles were once again left behind as the Growling Tigers went on another 6-0 run after capitalizing on the Blue and White’s turnovers. Upon taking better care of the ball, Ateneo then fired back with a 5-0 run to make the game a single-possession lead, 44-46.
Due to miscommunication on both ends of the floor, Ateneo failed to convert on their plays, allowing UST to once again create separation. Embarking on a 6-0 run for the third time, their efforts further set back the Blue Eagles as they now faced the largest deficit of the game, 44-53. Immediately firing back, Tuano went coast-to-coast for a contested basket, ending the third canto with the Blue Eagles down by seven, 46-53.
Wasting no time, Ateneo scored the first points of the final frame courtesy of a three from Ladi on the right wing, 49-53. With the defense of both teams ramping up, two minutes passed without either team scoring. Breaking the spell was Forthsky Padrigao, who drained two straight three-pointers to extend the España-based outfit’s advantage to double digits, 49-59.
After a quick back-and-forth exchange, Ateneo began their last attempt at a comeback, led by Ladi, who sank a midrange from the corner, 53-61. Capitalizing on UST’s increasing turnovers, signs of life emerged as the lead was cut to six after another basket from Ladi on the fastbreak, 55-61. However, momentum was quickly killed as Nic Cabañero managed to sink a teardrop shot with just 2:20 remaining, 55-63.
From there, the Blue Eagles struggled to find the bottom of the net, going scoreless for the next minute of play. With a minute left and UST holding an eight-point cushion, the contest slipped further out of Ateneo’s grasp as the Katipunan-based squad was forced to foul. This tactic handed the Growling Tigers repeated trips to the charity stripe, widening the gap to 57-64. Although Lazaro threw down a late-game dunk to spark some hope, the deficit proved to be insurmountable. A final string of UST free throws ultimately sealed the result, handing Ateneo its sixth loss, 59–67.
With time ticking down on a season of unprecedented parity, the Blue Eagles look to remain in Final Four contention. Their next shot at redemption comes as they take on the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, November 19, at 4:30 PM at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Box scores:
Ateneo (59): Ladi – 14, Tuano – 8, Escobar – 8, Bahay – 7, Adili – 6, Lazaro – 4, Bongo – 4, Espina – 2, Espinosa – 2, Lazo – 2, Fjellvang – 2
UST (67): Akowe – 15, Cabanero – 14, Crisostomo – 10, Acido – 9, Paranada – 7, Padrigao – 6, Llemit – 2, Buenaflor – 2, Daunting – 2
Quarter scores:
Ateneo-UST: 18-25, 33-35, 46-53, 59-67
Current Standings (W-L):
- NU Bulldogs (11-2)*
- UP Fighting Maroons (8-3)
- UST Growling Tigers (7-5)
- DLSU Green Archers (6-4)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (5-6)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (5-6)
- FEU Tamaraws (4-7)
- UE Red Warriors (0-13)
* – clinched Final Four berth
