Photo by Ericka Alcantara. More photos here
Last season’s champion for men’s basketball Ateneo de Manila University trounced perennial rival De La Salle University, 71-61, in their first meeting on the court for season 75 of the UAAP.
The Blue Eagles started their onslaught early by pushing a double digit lead over the Green Archers in just the first quarter.
But the 12-point lead was reduced to nine after the first half of the game with LA Revilla leading the Archers to a rally.
By the third quarter, the Taft-based team kept their momentum and evened out with the Eagles at 42 points after Jeron Teng scored a three at 4:06. Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter followed suit with a two, keeping them at bay, but a successful free throw from Luigi Dela Paz allowed a one-point lead for La Salle.
A series of lead changes ensued but the Eagles still emerged ahead after Kiefer Ravena contributed four successive points. The Archers, however, managed to bring down their deficit to three by the end of the quarter.
But Ateneo held on to their lead in the fourth quarter, even stretching their advantage at nine points. The green team tried to bounce back, cutting their opponent’s lead to just five points with less than two minutes in the clock remaining, but failed to add more after that.
Norman Black’s wards took over the game in the final minute, contributing another five points to end it at a 10-point lead.
Slaughter was top scorer for today’s play at 20 points.
With their win, Ateneo now holds a record of three wins and one loss but still remains second to still unbeaten Far Eastern University.
“I think the goal is still to make it to the final four. That’s what we are striving for right now,” Black said, hoping that they’ll be fortunate enough to be in the top two for a twice to beat advantage in the finals.
BOX SCORES
ATENEO (71): Slaughter 20, Salva 16, Ravena 16, Chua 6, Tiongson 4, Elorde 3, Buenafe 3, Pessumal 2, Erram 1, Sumalinog 0, Gonzaga 0
DE LA SALLE (61): Revilla 16, Teng 13, N. Torres 11, Dela Paz 7, Manguera 6, Van Opstal 2, Andrada 2, Webb 2, Mendoza 1, Tampus 1, Paredes 0, Vosostros 0, T. Torres 0, Gotladera 0, Tallo 0
QUARTERS: 20-8, 35-26, 53-50, 71-61
