The Bulldogs were nowhere near the form that gave them a 35-point demolition of University of the East as they absorbed an 89-65 drubbing from the Blue Eagles in the main game of the 75th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament on a rainy Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Ateneo’s win left Far Eastern University (FEU) as the only unbeaten team in Season 75 as the Tamaraws pulled off another escape, this time against De La Salle, 48-46, also on Sunday to claim their second-straight win for the solo lead.
The Blue Eagles and the Green Archers are now tied with 2-1 records heading into their much-anticipated encounter on Saturday.
Nico Salva led Ateneo with 21 points, while Kiefer Ravena and Greg Slaughter added 17 and 14, respectively for the Blue Eagles, who bounced back from a 71-70 loss to University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Thursday.
“The [concentration] is to focus playing for 40 minutes. Against UST, we played good in the first 20 minutes but we relaxed in the second half,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black.
“We reminded the players that there’ll be ups and downs in our offense but our defense must be consistent in case our offense is not clicking,” he added.
Both worked as the Blue Eagles took a 55-34 half-time advantage and never allowed NU to mount a serious rally.
Bobby Ray Parks had a team-high 22 markers to lead the Bulldogs before fouling out in the fourth. Emmanuel Mbe and Dennice Villamor netted 14 and 10 points for coach Eric Altamirano.
Ateneo led by as many as 27 points, 87-60, in notching the victory, the ninth straight by the Blue Eagles over the Bulldogs. In those Ateneo wins, seven were by 20 points or more and the two also in double figures.
In the FEU-De La Salle duel, Michael Tolomia hit the marginal step-back jumper over rookie Green Archer Jeron Teng with 47.6 ticks left. De La Salle tried to steal the win but Almon Vosotros’s three-point heave bounced off the rim.
FEU’s Terrence Romeo was the only player in the game to hit double figures with 10 points.
“Maganda depensa ng De La Salle. Nata-trap sila Terrence at RR [Garcia] kaya kay Tolomia ko na lang binigay kasi ’yun ang weakest defender nila,” said Tamaraws head coach Bert Flores.
“Naka-tsamba rin kami kasi wala si LA [Revilla]. Last two games nila, si LA ang nagdadala. Kaya nag-adjust na lang ulit kami.”
Revilla sat out the game because of tendonitis.
Posted: SUNDAY, 22 JULY 2012
REPORTER: joel orellana
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