Ateneo beats UP, assured of playoff for twice-to-beat advantage
Monday, August 25th, 2008NEXT TARGET: A twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four of the 71st UAAP men’s basketball competition.
Another double-double performance from Rabeh Al-Hussaini and a scintillating display of passing skills by Chris Tiu have assured the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles of at least a playoff for that coveted advantage in the semifinals after a 79-58 demolition of University of the Philippines last August 24, 2008 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Al-Hussaini put up solid numbers that once again made a solid case for an MVP award. His fifth double-double of the season – a 24-point, 17-rebound performance – steered the Blue Eagles to victory in the so-called “Battle of Katipunan.”
Tiu, for his part, recorded a career-high 10 assists, incidentally the most since ex-National University playmaker Jason’s Malcontento’s 11 in the 69th edition of the UAAP. He also netted 14 points and grabbed six boards.
The final score, though, hid the difficulties Ateneo encountered against UP, especially in the early goings of the match.
“I felt that our teamwork was bad in the first half,” Ateneo coach Norman Black said. “At halftime, I talked about [the fact] that we have been an unselfish team all year, [so] let us not start to change now.”
Egged on by their coach’s halftime pep talk, the Blue Eagles dished out 13 assists in the second half en route to 23 fastbreak points for the game. They stormed to a 54-39 lead in the third period then clustered a pair of 7-0 runs to secure the win.
Black also credited the team’s second unit, which sustained the team’s big lead in the second half.
“In the last two games, I don’t think they stepped up. But they did a particularly good job of separating from UP. Usually, they either maintain the lead or go down a little bit,” said Black.
Woody Co and Magi Sison each scored 10 points to pace this year’s hosts, who went 0-14 last year.
The Fighting Maroons, who sported black uniforms for the first time this season, slipped to 3-9, and are officially out of contention for the Final Four. They failed to advance past the elimination round for the 11th straight year. Their last stint in the semifinals was in 1997 with the likes of Paolo Mendoza, Bryan Gahol and Ogie Gumatay leading UP’s charge.
The scores:
Ateneo 79 – Al-Hussaini 24, Tiu 14, Buenafe 8, Baclao 6, Reyes 6, Baldos 5, Long 4, Escueta 3, Gonzaga 3, Salamat 3, Salva 3, Burke 0, Chua 0, Gonzaga 0, Sumalinog 0.
UP 58 – Co 10, Sison 10, de Asis 7, dela Victoria 6, Sorongon 6, Lopez 5, Astorga 4, Braganza 3, Gamboa 3, Hipolito 3, Reyes 1, Maniego 0, Marfori 0, Pajela 0.
Quarter scores: 12-11; 36-28; 54-42; 79-58
Brought to you by Apparel Ateneo | www.apparelateneo.com
Ateneo shirts and more…
Originally reposted from here.
