Blue Eagles prevail in battle of Winged Warriors with Stubborn Falcons
GREG Slaughter showed why Ateneo is optimistic for its drive for a fourth-straight crown in the 74th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.
The 23-year-old “rookie” almost single-handedly carried the Blue Eagles to a laborious 55-51 win over the stubborn Adamson Falcons at the start of the UAAP cage wars on Sunday at the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum.
With the other half of the pair of heralded Ateneo rookies struggling, Slaughter came out with a big game at a time when Ateneo needed it most, scoring 23 points on nine-of-14 shooting. He also had a crucial block on ace Falcon Lester Alvarez in the closing seconds that practically sealed the win for the host school.
“The advantage we had is we could drop the ball at post to Greg. We tried to take a little advantage of that,” said Blue Eagles head coach Norman Black, who got zero from his other celebrated rookie Kiefer Ravena who played 14 uneventful minutes in his debut.
“It’s pretty much what I’ve expected. We were the top two defensive teams last year. We know each other so well and we scouted each other so many times. It ended up really a defensive struggle for us,” he added.
Kirk Long was the only other Blue Eagle in double figures with 10, including the go-ahead lay-up, 53-51, with 1:49 left.
The Falcons, who finished third last season, bungled many of their attempts, particularly from Alex Nuyless and Eric Camson.
Alvarez had the opportunity to tie the game when he found an open lane but Slaughter was just too big for him that the Blue Eagle easily deflected the ball from behind the Adamson guard.
Veteran guard Emman Monfort sealed the deal for the Blue Eagles with two free throws.
Slaughter played 31 minutes in his first Ateneo game and his impressive debut showed why several camps tried to delay his entry in the UAAP.
“I’m glad we’re able get the win,” said the seven-foot center who is also in the training pool of the Smart Gilas five. “We’ve been preparing for this the whole summer and I’m happy we got the win.”
In the first game of the season opener that drew a big crowd of more than 11,000 at the Big Dome, Far Eastern University bucked a slow start and rode its veterans in the payoff period for an impressive 74-65 victory.
The win celebrated the return of Bert Flores as the Tamaraws’ head coach.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Ryan Roose Garcia scattered 10 of his game-high 21 points in the final 10 minutes that helped propel the Tamaraws, runners-up to Ateneo last year, to the driver’s seat
“Buti na lang nag-step up ang ibang big men and the senior players, especially RR [Garcia] and Aldrech [Ramos] gumana sa fourth quarter,” said Flores, who coached the Tamaraws to the crown in 2005.
“Malaking bagay itong panalong ito dahil magkaka-confidence ang players,” he added.
Ramos, who is playing his final year as a Tamaraw, added 16 points and eight rebounds while another senior, JR Cawaling, chipped in 10 markers.
LA Revilla led the Archers with 18 points to go along with his five rebounds and as many assists.
But he was the only Green Archer who sparkled for coach Dindon Pumaren.
After being held to just four in the first half, Garcia exploded for 17 in the next and his back-to-back three-pointers opened the final period that gave the Tamaraws a 58-48 cushion.
La Salle, which lost to FEU in last year’s Final Four, managed to close in at 62-66 with 1:11 remaining but Garcia converted from under on Ramos’s nifty pass for a 68-62 spread with 48 seconds left.
The Archers turned the ball in the next play and Garcia sealed the victory with two more free throws.
“Nag-decoy muna ako ’nung first half para ma-involve ’yung teammates ko,” said Garcia. “Motivated talaga kami this year lalo na bumalik si coach Bert.”
Flores served as team consultant in the last four years but was recalled to replace Glen Capacio.
IN PHOTO --FOREVER BLUE(TOP) Businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, a known supporter of the Ateneo de Manila University basketball team, watches as the Blue Eagles take on the Adamson University Falcons at the opening of the men’s basketball competition of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum. Ateneo won over Adamson, 55-51. --NONOY LACZA
