MANILA — The Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles survived a late-game meltdown and a blistering comeback by the De La Salle University Green Archers to preserve their spotless record with an 81-74 victory in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
After leading by as much as 30 points, 68-38, entering the fourth quarter, the Blue Eagles suddenly found themselves under siege as the Green Archers unleashed a stunning 19-0 rally that trimmed the gap to 57-68, sending shockwaves through the Ateneo bench and its fans.
But clutch performer Shawn Tuano rose to the occasion, drilling back-to-back jumpers to steady the Blue Eagles and restore a double-digit cushion at 73-59. La Salle refused to fold, slashing the lead to just five, 74-79, before Tuano calmly sank two free throws with 8.9 seconds left to finally seal Ateneo’s fourth straight win.
Tuano finished with 15 points, seven of which came in the tense payoff period, while one-and-done standouts Dom Escobar and Kymani Ladi also chipped in 15 markers apiece for the defending champions.
La Salle’s Michael Phillips tried to carry the Green Archers on his back with a monster 17-point, 20-rebound performance, but it wasn’t enough to stop their slide to a 2-2 record. Kean Baclaan and Jacob Cortez contributed 13 and 10 points, respectively.
In the other game, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws finally broke through the win column after outlasting the Adamson University Falcons, 64-58. Both squads now sport identical 1-3 slates.
Foreign student-athlete Mo Konateh powered the Tamaraws with a dominant 18-point, 21-rebound double-double, while Kirby Mongcopa and Janrey Pasaol added 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Adamson started hot but fizzled out in the third quarter, allowing FEU to wrest control and cruise to its first victory of the season./PN
