ATENEO disposed of Far Eastern University (FEU), 79-70, in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 men’s basketball action Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Forthsky Padrigao and BJ Andrade led a 14-5 breakaway in the fourth quarter as the Blue Eagles raced to a 14-point 69-55 lead with six minutes left and never looked back.
The Tamaraws inched to within five with a minute to go on a Patrick Sleat drive but couldn’t go any closer. Padrigao drained a long three-pointer with 38.5 seconds that put Ateneo back up by eight for the insurance lead.
“Scrappy [win] for sure which is nothing new for the first UAAP game of the season,” Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin said. “I think that’s the standard line for most coaches.”
“I think we have big players who make big shots which is not really the formula that I like,” he said. “Nonetheless, it’s excellent to have players who have the toughness to take those shots.”
Padrigao had 19 points with seven assists and six rebounds, while Andrade delivered 15 points for Ateneo.
Dave Ildefonso and Ange Kouame tallied double-doubles of 14 and 12 and 12 and 4, respectively, for the Blue Eagles.
L-jay Gonzales had 19 points built on five triples and Sleat had 17, 15 he unloaded in the second half, for FEU.
Ateneo meets National University on Wednesday at the PhilSports Arena at 6:30 pm. while FEU takes the floor at 11 a.m. against University of the East (UE).
National University (NU), on the other hand, hacked out a 77-70 victory over UE with a fourth quarter barrage also on Sunday.
The Red Warriors were 15 points down but got their first taste of the lead with 28 seconds left in the third period on a Gani Stevens’ layup, 52-51.
But a 16-3 Bulldogs run gave them a 67-55 cushion with four minutes remaining.
UE couldn’t launch a rally after that.
“It’s a good win for us but still we have to work on so many things … back to drawing board, we will review our lapses,” NU head coach Jeff Napa said.
John Lloyd Clemente topscored for the Bulldogs with 15 points, while Jake Figueroa and Patrick Yu had 13 points apiece. Yu also grabbed nine rebounds.
Jolo Manansala was a revelation for NU with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field with nine rebounds.
Highly-touted rookie Kean Baclaan, who battled cramps midway through the fourth period, got eight points, five assists and four steals against four turnovers in his debut.
Steve Nash Enriquez did not suit up for the Bulldogs because of a minor muscle strain that would sideline him for a week or two.
NU extended UE’s losing streak to 15 that dates back to last season when the Red Warriors went 0-14.
Kyle Paranada led the Red Warriors with 17 points, five assists and five steals, while Luis Salgado added 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes