MANILA – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles put away Far Eastern University Tamaraws in the endgame for a 79-70 win in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Rence Padrigao and Bryan Andrade conspired in a massive 14-5 scoring attack by the Blue Eagles in the fourth quarter as they established a 69-55 spread with over six minutes left.
The Tamaraws inched to within 70-75 with over a minute left on a Patrick Sleat drive but Padrigao drained a long three-pointer with 38.5 seconds to go to put the Blue Eagles back up by eight.
Padrigao top-scored with 19 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Andrade delivered 15 points. Dave Ildefonso and Angelo Kouame tallied double-doubles in points and rebounds with 14-12 and 12-14, respectively.
“Scrappy (win) for sure which is nothing new for the first UAAP game of the season, and I think that’s the standard line for most coaches,” said Blue Eagles head coach Thomas Baldwin.
Louell Jay Gonzales had 19 points founded on five triples while Sleat unloaded 15 of his 17 points in the second half, while Ilonggo John Bryan Sajonia had 10 markers for the Tamaraws.
In the first game, National University Bulldogs leaned on a fourth quarter barrage to defeat University of the East Red Warriors, 77-70, to join the Blue Eagles, University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers and University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at 1-0.
After seeing their early lead turned to a 52-51 deficit with 28 seconds left in the third quarter, the Bulldogs ended the period with a slim 53-53 upperhand via a conversion from John Lloyd Clemente.
The Bulldogs regained their scoring at the onset of the fourth quarter, going on a 16-3 blast to establish a 67-55 advantage with 4:08 to go before allowing the Red Warriors to cut the deficit to seven.
Clemente top-scored for the Bulldogs with 15 points, Jake Figueroa and Patrick Yu got 13 points apiece while Kean Baclaan got eight points, five assists, and four steals against four turnovers in his debut.
BOX SCORE:
ATENEO 79 — Padrigao 19, Andrade 15, Ildefonso 14, Kouame 12, Koon 11, Ballungay 3, Daves 2, Chiu 2, Lazaro 1, Gomez 0, Garcia 0, Quitevis 0.
FEU 70 — Gonzales 19, Sleat 17, Sajonia 10, Anonuevo 9, Torres 5, Tchuente 3, Alforque 3, Tempra 2, Sandagon 2, Gravera 0, Celzo 0, Guibao 0, Bagunu 0.
Quarterscores: 24-16, 30-36, 55-50, 79-70./PN
