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Young Ateneo goes through another tough endgame despite leading by as many as 16, but the Blue Eagles survive this time to break through in UAAP Season 87 against the up-and-down Adamson Falcons
MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo’s youth program in UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finally got a breakthrough after a decade-worst start, denying a big fourth-quarter Adamson comeback for a 60-51 win at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, September 21.
Up-and-coming Ateneo guard Shawn Tuano topscored in the late nail-biter with 11 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the free throw line, 3-of-4 coming in a frantic final 12.9 seconds which saw him get clocked in the throat by Adamson’s Arthur Calisay for the unsportsmanlike foul right after an AJ Fransman common foul.
Rookie Kristian Porter had his best game yet in the seniors division with 8 points and 10 rebounds, highlighted by a clutch putback, 54-49, at the 2:46 mark of the fourth to suppress a massive 13-2 Adamson comeback from down 36-50 at the end of the third.
Adamson veteran Ced Manzano, who scored 8 of his 14 points amid the Falcons’ late rally, kept his team within one possession off a pair of charities with 64 ticks left, 51-54, but his heroics fell short after missing a short hook at the 22.6-second mark.
Manzano then fouled out after an intentional foul on Ian Espinosa, who in turn safely put Ateneo away with clutch free throws for a 56-51 separation.
“We’re obviously very happy. The guys fought really hard. I said early on that we will be a team that plays in patches… The fourth quarter was a really bad patch but we survived it,” said Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin.
“We took care of our third-quarter woes, at least for this game,” continued Baldwin, who had to settle his boys down in the end after squandering a 16-point third-quarter lead, 41-25.
Returning co-captain Chris Koon proved to be a huge morale boost for the young Eagles, as he picked up where he left off with 8 points on 2-of-5 shooting from deep, while Drew Bongo and Joshua Lazaro scored 7 apiece.
Although all 13 fielded Adamson players scored in the loss, no other Falcon scored in double digits as Eli Ramos and Wawa Yerro only had 6 points each to backstop Manzano.
The Scores
Ateneo 60 – Tuano 11, Porter 8, Koon 8, Lazaro 7, Bongo 7, Gamber 6, Bahay 5, Quitevis 5, Espinosa 2, Balogun 1, Ong 0, Edu 0, Espina 0.
Adamson 51 – Manzano 14, Yerro 6, Ramos 6, Erolon 4, Anabo 4, Barasi 4, Ojarikre 2, Fransman 2, Calisay 2, Mantua 2, Montebon 2, Dignadice 2, Alexander 1.
Quarters: 17-6, 31-20, 50-36, 60-51.
– Rappler.com
