MANILA – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles redeemed themselves against University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons with a 75-67 win in the UAAP Season 85 Men’s Basketball on Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Dave Ildefonso led the way with 15 points alongside seven rebounds while Angelo Kouame produced double-double 14 points and 17 rebounds. The Blue Eagles secured a twice-to-beat incentive with its 10-3 slate.
Rence Padrigao also hit double-digits with 13 markers, while Bryan Andrade, Matthew Daves and Carlo Gomez chipped in eight, six and five points, respectively, for the Blue Eagles.
The Blue Eagles, which finished runner-up to the Fighting Maroons in UAAP Season 84, will have a chance to clinch the top-seed heading into the semifinals when it beats Adamson University Falcons on Wednesday.
Holding to a 53-49 lead after three quarters, the Blue Eagles created separation from the Fighting Maroons behind Daves, Kouame, Ildefonso, Andrade and Bryson Ballungay for a 73-60 lead with 3:18 remaining in the contest.
The Fighting Maroons tried to force a comeback behind Carl Tamayo and Malick Diouf to trim the deficit to 67-73 with less than two minutes left, but it was just too big a mountain to climb as Ateneo held on for a win over its neighbor school in Katipunan.
“I thought we were a little bit different in the second half than we’ve been. It’s what we needed to be and I think that’s the hallmark of people with character,” said Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin.
“When the occasion demands something different than say your normal, you have to respond or else you’re just average. We don’t aspire to be average. We aspire to be special,” he continued.
Tamayo had double-double 20 points and 10 rebounds while Bacolodnon Harold Alarcon contributed 10 points and nine rebounds as the Fighting Maroons ended the elimination round with an 11-3 record.
For now, the reigning UAAP champions occupy the first place but could go down to second seed and have a twice-to-beat incentive over no.3 ranked National University Bulldogs if Ateneo beats Adamson on Wednesday./PN
