Blue Eagles survive stubborn Tigers, 81-77

Two-time defending champion Ateneo was expected to waltz past University of Santo Tomas the way it manhandled its rival for most part of the game. That was until the Tigers went berserk. The Tigers gave the Blue Eagles some anxious moments, turning once looked like a boring game into an exciting finish. In the end, the España-based dribblers ran out of time and the Blue Eagles averted what could have been one of the biggest breakdowns in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament this season.

The Blue Eagles survived the Tigers, 81-77, Sunday night at the Big Dome, for their 10th win in 13 matches and primed themselves up in their much-awaited, second-round encounter with the league-leading Far Eastern University Tamaraws. Both teams are already assured of twice-to-beat incentives in the Final Four, but they will battle it out for the top spot in their final elims assignments. "They started bombing us with three-pointers," said Ateneo coach Norman Black. "It's very difficult to defend a team that shoots like that. But we won, and that's the most important thing." Ateneo was leading, 73-54, with about five minutes left in the contest, but UST’s top guns, Clark Bautista and Jeric Teng, turned on the heat as they combined for four triples and set up an exciting windup. UST had a chance to come within striking distance when Bautista knocked in another trey with 36 seconds left and Nico Salva of Ateneo turned the ball over at the other end. But Melo Afuang, who received a drop pass from Teng, failed to hit a basket inside, and Long was fouled in the next play. The American guard split his charities from the foul line for the final tally. "We have to review the tape and look what happened to us in the fourth quarter," said Black. Eric Salamat scored 15 of his 18 points in the first half while adding five assists and two steals. Seldom-used Chris de Chavez had 12 points and center Justin Chua made 11 points and nine boards. Teng had 23 points, six rebounds and four assists while Bautista added 16 points. Both made four triples apiece. Ed Daquioag and Afuang chipped in 10 markers each with the latter grabbing nine boards. UST fell to a 4-9 card for seventh place and lost to Ateneo for the ninth straight time that began during the second round of the 2007 season when Long hit a buzzer-beating jumper. - RCJ, GMANews.TV