NALUSUTAN ng Ateneo ang matikas na pakikihamok ng University of Santo Tomas, 71-70, upang manatiling walang talo at kunin ang solong liderato sa UAAP men’s basketball tournament kahapon sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Naisalpak ni Ange Kouame ang go-ahead tip, may 3:40 ang nalalabi, na nagbigay sa Blue Eagles ng 68-67 bentahe bago napigilan ang jumper ni Soulemane Chabi Yo sa huling minuto, at sinelyuhan nina Thirdy Ravena at Matt Nieto ang panalo sa charity stripe sa mga huling segundo.
Tumapos si Ivorian Kouame na may 11 points, 10 boards at 2 blocks, habang tumabo si Ravena ng 17 points, 11 ay sa second half, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, at 2 steals.
“We understood that game was going to be a really tough game. I feel fortunate we won the game. That’s the kind of game that you can credit the team as much as you want, talk about character, and all of that, but I think that every applaud you give your team, you give the other. That could have gone either way,” wika ni coach Tab Baldwin.
Nag-ambag si Gian Mamuyac ng 10 points at 4 rebounds, habang tumipa si Will Navarro ng 8 points, 5 rebounds, at 5 assists para sa Ateneo na umangat sa 3-0 kartada.
Nanguna si Chabi Yo para sa Growling Tigers na may 25 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, at 2 blocks, habang nagdagdag sina Rhenz Abando, Mark Nonoy at Renzo Subido ng tig-9 points.
Bumagsak ang UST sa 2-0 marka.
Sa iba pang laro, nakahulagpos sa De La Salle University ang 14-point lead sa fourth quarter subalit nakakuha ng clutch shot mula kay Kurt Lojera upang malusutan ang National University, 83-82, habang pinangunahan ni Jerrick Ahanmisi ang Adamson University sa 91-80 pagbasura sa University of the East.
Iskor:
Unang laro:
Ateneo (71) – Ravena 17, Kouame 11, Mamuyac 10, Navarro 8, Belangel 6, Maagdenberg 6, Ma. Nieto 5, Go 3, Wong 3, Mi. Nieto 2, Andrade 0, Daves 0, Tio 0.
UST (70) – Chabi Yo 25, Abando 9, Nonoy 9, Subido 9, Huang 6, Cansino 4, Concepcion 4, Ando 2, Paraiso 2, Bataller 0.
QS: 23-13, 33-37, 53-56, 71-70
Ikalawang laro:
La Salle (83) – Baltazar 23, Malonzo 14, Melecio 10, Caracut 7, Lojera 6, Meeker 6, Serrano 6, Bates 4, Pado 4, Cagulangan 3, Cu 0, Hill 0, Manuel 0.
NU (82) – S. Ildefonso 26, Clemente 19, Gallego 12, Gaye 11, D. Ildefonso 8, Joson 2, Minerva 2, Mosqueda 2, Diputado 0, Galinato 0, Mangayao 0, Oczon 0, Tibayan 0, Yu 0.
QS: 22-12, 42-32, 67-57, 83-82
Ikatlong laro:
Adamson (91) – Ahanmisi 28, Lastimosa 16, Chauca 13, Douanga 11, Fermin 5, Bernardo 4, Camacho 4, Magbuhos 4, Orquez 4, Yerro 2, Flowers 0, Manlapaz 0, Mojica 0, Zaldivar 0.
UE (80) – Suerte 20, Mendoza 17, Apacible 15, Conner 13, Manalang 5, Tolentino 4, Abanto 3, Antiporda 3, Beltran 0, Cruz 0, Sawat 0.
QS: 19-21, 44-38, 66-57, 91-80.
