MANILA – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles avoided an upset try by the University of the East Red Warriors with a 69-66 overtime triumph in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Wednesday night.
The Red Warriors seemed headed to an upset win as they clung to a 66-62 lead with over three minutes left in the extension period following back-to-back conversions by Abdul Sawat.
But a technical foul on UE assistant coach Don Allado sparked Ateneo’s run. They turned things around behind a free throw by Bryan Andrade, four straight points by Angelo Kouame and two freebies by Rence Padrigao.
“Sometimes winning ugly is not necessarily the way you wanna win but it’s just as valuable in the standings, and standings is extremely important right now,” said Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin.
Bryson Ballungay top-scored with 14 points on perfect 5-of-5 shooting, Ildefonso tallied 12 points and 14 rebounds while Kouame got 12 points and 12 rebounds as the Blue Eagles clinched a Final Four seat with its 9-3 win-loss slate.
Rey Remogat put on a show for the Red Warriors with 21 points while Luis Villegas had 11 points, nine rebounds, five steals, four assists, and two blocks as the bowed out of playoffs contention.
De La Salle University Green Archers, meanwhile, stretched its winning streak to three games after tripping Final Four-bound National University Bulldogs, 63-58. The Green Archers improved to 6-6, while the Bulldogs dropped to 9-4.
Penny Estacio delivered all of his 13 points alone in the third frame to outscore the entire Bulldogs squad, which only managed nine and enter the fourth with the Green Archers up by 11, 48-37.
Evan Nelle then took over in the payoff period with eight of his 10 points to keep the Green Archers afloat en route to the victory and also avenge their first round defeat to the Bulldogs.
Adamson University Falcons (6-6), on the other hand, drew strength from the 23 points of injured Jerom Lastimosa as they eliminate Far Eastern University Tamaraws from Final Four contention, 75-70./PN
