The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles and the National University Bulldogs survived last-minute upset attempts and continued separate streaks as a result of their victories today in the third game day of the UAAP Men’s Seniors Basketball Tournament.

In the first game, the Blue Eagles bucked once again the loss of their King Eagle Eric Salamat, and this time held on to thwart the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 69-66.

The win by Ateneo is the 26th straight victory by the Eagles over the other bird-themed squad in this tournament, a streak dating back to 1997.

Kirk Long led the Eagles in scoring with 12 points, while adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ryan Buenafe, who started the game at the small forward position, scored 10 and added seven assists. Eric Salamat and Nico Salva added 10 each in limited minutes.

Midway through the third quarter, both Salamat and Salva experienced contusions, forcing them out of the game. Salamat’s injury occurred in the same right knee that he had injured in last Sunday’s game versus FEU. Salva on the other hand, was injured in his right quad. Both players checked back in early in the fourth quarter, but Salamat subbed right back out a minute or so later. Salva stayed on the court, but without the same offensive spark he had exhibited earlier on.

Without those two players on the court, the Falcons were able to erase a 10-point Ateneo lead, with an Alex Nuyles slam-dunk being the cherry on top, ending the third quarter at 52-all.

Moments later in the fourth quarter, Nuyles continued his rampage, hitting a booming triple to give the Falcons their first lead of the game. Then, after an offensive rebound, Nuyles scored on an and-one play, to give the Falcons their largest lead at 52-58.

Ateneo would not be deterred though, as Kirk Long responded with a triple of his own to quell the surge, 55-58. Both sides traded baskets, but it was long before Ateneo got to within a point, 62-63, this time with a pass to Jason Escueta with 1:50 left in the game. The fourth-year player then split charities to tie things up, 63-all. Then on the succeeding play, Long stole the ball from Adamson’s Austin Manyara. Though he missed the triple, Emman Monfort was there to sky for the rebound, resulting in a trip to the line to swing the lead back to Ateneo, 65-63.

At this point, with the game down to a minute, Adamson had not hit a field goal since the 5:11 mark, and they had to wait a bit longer for that, as Roider Cabrera got hacked and sent to the line for a single point, 65-64.

Monfort repeated his trip to the free throw line, 67-64, but Alex Nuyles was not finished, hitting a tough step back jumper over the outstretched arms of Kirk Long and Frank Golla, 67-66 with 11.5 seconds remaining.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, they were too zealous going for the steal on the Ateneo inbounds, and as a result, Kirk Long was able to receive the pass and get the ball to Monfort, who once again calmly sank both charities. A prayer from Eric Camson barely grazed iron, and the result was an identical 1-1 card for both the Eagles and the Falcons.

Nuyles led all scores in a valiant effort, tallying 18 points and four rebounds. Lester Alvarez came off the bench to score 17 and swipe four balls and Jan Colina was his usual solid self: nine points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block.

In the second game, the National University Bulldogs scored the fourth win in school history against the De La Salle Green Archers, beating them 59-55. It was also the second straight victory for the Bulldogs over the Archers, dating back to last season when they eliminated any chance the Archers had at making the Final Four.

Rookie Emmanuel Mbe was not part of that squad last season, but he certainly played a key role in this win, producing a stunning 21 point, 19 rebound effort. Jewel Ponferrada and Joseph Terso added 8 points each, as game 1 leaders Mervin Baloran and Kokoy Hermosisima barely registered on the score sheet.

The loss brought the host school back down to Earth, after a blow out win against their opening day foes, the UP Fighting Maroons. The Archers were led by Jovet Mendoza’s 10 points off the bench. The once-hot Simon Atkins displayed the inconsistency that has plagued his entire UAAP career, making only 4 of 10 field goals, good for 9 points. Yutien Andrada added 7 points, 6 boards and 3 blocks.

Both sides got off to slow starts, as Mbe and Atkins contributed the only scoring for both sides for more than half of the first quarter. With Mbe dominating the paint, NU erected a 23-16 lead, but watched La Salle wax hot near halftime to go into their locker rooms down 1, 23-24.

But all that cheering must have gotten to the heads of the rookie laden Archers as the Bulldogs opened with a 10-0 run to regain the lead, 33-24. Back to back Archer baskets brought it to a more manageable 33-28, but a 6-0 NU run to close the third tacked it at 41-30 with 10 minutes left to play.

In the fourth, NU thought they had it in the bag, after 2 Terso free throws put the lead at 55-46, 46.9 seconds left, but off an offensive rebound, Atkins would hit what would only be the second DLSU triple at that point, 55-49. Ponferrada would respond with 2 charities, but La Salle would hit another triple, 57-52 with 16 seconds remaining.

NU would convert another two foul shots, 59-52, but a third straight triple by La Salle would crack open a window of opportunity for the Green team, 59-55 with 9.5 seconds left. Ponferrada this time would miss both free throws, but La Salle shooter Gab Banal would clank his attempt off the rim as time wound down, letting the Bulldogs celebrate their first win of the young season.

In a scheduling quirk, the Falcons and the Bulldogs will be in action again on Saturday, their third consecutive game since last Sunday. NU will go up against the FEU Tamaraws, while Adamson draws UP in the second game.

First Game:

ADMU – 69: Long – 12, Buenafe – 10, Salamat – 10, Salva – 10, Monfort – 8, Escueta – 7, Dela Cruz – 3, Golla – 3, Austria – 2, Erram – 2, Tiongson – 2, Gonzaga – 0

AdU – 66: Nuyles – 18, Alvarez – 17, Colina – 9, Manyara – 7, Canada – 5, Cabrera – 3, Stinnett – 3, Camson – 2, Lozada – 2, Galinato – 0, Montecarlo – 0

Quarter Scoring: 17 – 13, 41 – 32, 52 – 52, 69 – 66

Second Game:

NU – 59: Mbe – 21, Ponferrada – 8, Terso – 8, Hermosisima – 6, Khobuntin – 6, Baloran – 4, Ignacio – 2, Javillonar – 2, Tungcul – 2, Ludovice – 0, Magat – 0, Singh – 0

DLSU – 55: Mendoza – 10, Atkins – 9, Andrada – 7, Elorde – 6, Dela Paz – 6, Vosotros – 5, Webb – 5, Tolentino – 3, Ferdinand – 2, Villanueva – 2, Banal – 0, Marata – 0, Paredes – 0, Tampus – 0

Quarter Scoring: 17 – 10, 23 – 24, 41 – 30, 59 - 55