By NIKOLE JAVIER
Ateneo ended its two-game heartbreak in a big way, defeating defending champion University of the Philippines, 75-67, in the second round of the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday night, Nov. 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Dave Ildefonso tallied 17 points on top of seven rebounds, 12 of which he scored in the third quarter where he matched the UP side’s scoreline to help Ateneo improve 10-3 in the standings including a chance to clinch the top seed in their last elimination game next week.
Ange Kouame also had a big day on the defensive end for Ateneo after tallying 17 rebounds apart from his 14-point finish while Forthsky Padrigao added 13.
The Blue Eagles relied on their huge 15-0 run early in the fourth period to gain the upper hand over the Fighting Maroons for the first time in their last three encounters.
After building its biggest lead of the match of 13, with 3:18 left in the contest off a Gab Gomez triple, 73-60, Ateneo pretty much got the hang of the gutsy UP side despite Carl Tamayo’s triple that cut their deficit by seven.
However, the Blue Eagles remained composed and and refused to let the lead slip off their fingers.
“When the occasion demand something different than say your normal, then you have to respond or else you’re just average and we don’t aspire to be average. We aspire to be special. The standings are what they are and it’s been a crazy season that’s unpredictable. It’s fun,” said Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin.
Tamayo paced the Fighting Maroons with a double-double performance of 20 points on top of 10 rebounds which went for naught while Harold Alarcon added 10 as they close out their elimination round with an 11-3 record heading into the Final Four.
The Scores:
ATENEO 75 -- Ildefonso 15, Kouame 14, Padrigao 13, Andrade 8, Koon 7, Daves 6, Gomez 5, Ballungay 4, Lazaro 3, Chiu 0, Garcia 0.
UP 67 -- Tamayo 20, Alarcon 10, Cagulangan 9, Fortea 9, Diouf 7, Galinato 7, Spencer 5, Lucero 0, Abadiano 0, Ramos 0.
Quarters: 23-18, 35-37, 53-49, 75-67.