MANILA – Jared Brown delivered timely hits in the endgame as Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles prevailed over University of the East Red Warriors, 76-69, in UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
From a tightly contested game, Brown connected from the outside as the Blue Eagles created a 71-64 separation from the Red Warriors midway in the final quarter.
As the Red Warriors were threatening at 69-71, the rookie guard drilled another three-pointer as the Blue Eagles widened the advantage to 74-69 with over a minute remaining in the contest.
Brown finished the game with 11 points, with six coming in the fourth quarter, to go with three rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Blue Eagles hiked its record to 2-2.
Kai Ballungay top-scored for the defending champions Blue Eagles with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Joseph Obasa added 16 points, eight rebounds and six blocks.
Precious Momowei tallied double-double 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Ethan Galang and Wello Lingolingo contributed 12 markers apiece as the Red Warriors dropped to 2-2.
In the first game, University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons (4-0) survived a tough challenge from Far Eastern University Tamaraws (0-4) for an 80-76 overtime win to remain undefeated this season.
Down 71-73 to start the overtime period, rookie Francis Lopez and Maodo Malick Diouf linked up for six straight points for the 77-73 Fighting Maroons advantage.
Jorick Bautista pulled the Tamaraws to within 76-77 with a three-point conversions with 30.3 seconds remaining, but a free throw by Crispin Cansino and a layup by Ernest Felicilda secured the win for the Fighting Maroons.
Felicilda finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and two assists to lead the Fighting Maroons, Cansino added 14 points, while Diouf tallied double-double 11 points and 10 rebounds./PN
BOX SCORE:
ATENEO 76 — Ballungay 18, Obasa 16, Brown 11, Koon 7, Amos 6, Lazaro 5, Tuano 4, Quitevis 4, Nieto 3, Bongo 2, Espinosa 0, Gomez 0.
UE 69 — Galang 12, Momowei 12, Lingolingo 12, Remogat 9, Cruz-Dumont 8, Wilson 7, Sawat 7, Tulabut 2, Gilbuena 0, Alcantara 0, Fikes 0.
Quarterscores: 18-22, 43-38, 59-58, 76-69.
