UAAP 71 Finals – Game 1
September 21, 2008 at 4pm
Araneta Coliseum
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Yeah! Not once. But twice this season!
Ateneo Blue Eagles vs. De La Salle Green Archers
Round 2 UAAP 71
September 6, 2008 (Saturday) 4pm
Araneta Coliseum
See you there!
ATENEO de Manila will be the top seeds heading into this year’s Final Four.
The Blue Eagles found National University an easier prey than they did last season after an 83-58 triumph to formally secure their twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinal round of the 71st UAAP men’s basketball tournament last August 30, 2008 at the Philsports Arena.
Ateneo masterfully executed its game plan against NU in the early goings, sprinting to an 18-5 first quarter advantage.
The Blue Eagles, though, evoked memories of their bitter defeat against the same Bulldogs quintet last season that cost them the twice-to-beat cushion. They squandered a 16-point first quarter lead and found themselves trailing by one, 31-32, inside the four-minute mark of the second period.
But the perimeter troika of Chris Tiu, Jai Reyes and Eric Salamat conspired for one big play after another to turn a close encounter into a full-blown rout.
Tiu completed a three-point play, Reyes knocked in a triple and Salamat scored a breakaway bucket at the halftime buzzer as Ateneo posted a 49-37 lead after the first 20 minutes of action.
Ateneo continued its solid showing for the rest of the second half. A Salamat basket put the Blue and White up by 15, 65-50 with 8:14 in the fourth period. Norman Black’s wards even extended the advantage to 21 points on six straight points by Rabeh Al-Hussaini, the last of which came in the 5:14 mark of the final quarter.
The Katipunan outfit managed to keep its cool for the duration of the game as well. In the early part of the first quarter, NU center Raymond Aguilar was meted an unsportsmanlike foul after elbowing Ryan Buenafe in a loose-ball situation. Edwin Asoro was then assessed with the same foul in a play with Ateneo forward Nonoy Baclao, who was then warned by the officials for “trash-talking.”
Although the showdown against De La Salle will not be a no-bearing game for his squad, Black said he will use this game as a fitting way to prepare for the tougher battles in the Final Four.
“People will come there to watch and see how Ateneo and La Salle will fight it out,” said Black. “Every Ateneo-La Salle game is like a championship bout, so expect everything in that game.”
It will be an important game for La Salle as it is in the hunt for the last of the two twice-to-beat advantages in the semifinals.
“They’re going all out in our next game. But we need these kinds of games to sharpen us for the semifinals,” Black said.
Al-Hussaini paced the Blue Eagles with 20 points and six boards, while Tiu, Salamat and Reyes all scored in double-digits.
NU, meanwhile, which fell to 2-11, was bannered by Asoro’s 19 points.
The scores:
Ateneo 83 – Al-Hussaini 20, Tiu 16, Salamat 12, Reyes 11, Buenafe 9, Baclao 4, Nkemakolam 4, Long 3, Burke 2, Salva 2, Baldos 0, Chua 0, Escueta 0, Gonzaga 0.
NU 58 – Asoro 19, Galapon 7, Luy 7, Jahnke 6, Aguilar 4, Tungcul 4, Berry 3, Batac 2, Catamora 2, Garcia 2, Magat 2, dela Cruz 0, Ponferrada 0.
Quarter scores: 26-16; 49-37; 61-48; 83-58
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Original article here.
ARGUABLY the UAAP’s most explosive duo once again delivered for Ateneo de Manila University.
Chris Tiu hit the big outside shots while Rabeh Al-Hussaini delivered down low as the Blue Eagles were virtually unstoppable in disposing of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 85-76, in the 71st UAAP men’s basketball tournament last August 14, 2008 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Tiu, who is playing in his final year for the Blue Eagles, waxed hot to finish with 29 points, while Al-Hussaini went toe-to-toe with UST counterpart Jervy Cruz in the paint to tally 24 markers.
“We made our outside shots despite having a little problem in defending the shaded lane,” said Tiu, whose Blue Eagles upped their mark to a league-leading 8-1. “But we’ll take this win.”
Ateneo finished with a 14-of-31 clip from the paint, while UST shot 21-of-54.
“We’ve been hurting in the shaded lane, but the team with a high shooting percentage, of course, will win the game,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black. “We are aiming for the top two spots. I credit Al-Hussaini and Tiu for making crucial shots.”
Eric Salamat, who nearly suffered a dislocated jaw in the Eagles’ game against FEU last week, poured in 14 points.
The Growling Tigers threatened in the final period at 60-65, with Cruz scoring a jumper. But the Blue Eagles uncorked a 10-2 run to erect a 75-62 spread with 2:31 remaining.
UST, which never led throughout the game, slid to 4-5 and solo fifth place to fall a full game behind University of the East (5-4) in the hunt for the last semifinals berth.
Cruz had 23 points and 18 rebounds, while Dylan Ababou chipped in with 17 points for the Growling Tigers.
Ateneo stepped on the gas in the early going, with Tiu and Salamat scoring the points to help create a 20-7 lead with a minute to go in the first period.
The scores:
Ateneo 85 – Tiu 29, Al-Hussaini 24, Salamat 14, Austria 7, Reyes 4, Buenafe 2, Nkemakolam 2, Salva 2, Baclao 1, Baldos 0, Long 0.
UST 76 – Cruz 23, Ababou 17, Bautista 12, Allera 7, Fortuna 6, Canlas 3, Cuan 2, Gile 2, Mirza 2, Taylor 2, Camus 0, Fenequito 0.
Quarter scores: 20-11; 38-35; 63-55; 85-76
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Original article here.