Blue Eagles end skid, take first win

Ateneo de Manila University weathered a late scare by Adamson University in a 60-51 escape for its first win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.       

The Blue Eagles had to hang tough in the final period and survived with trips from the line after draining just one field goal in the canto to arrest a three-game slide.

“We’re obviously very happy. The guys fought really hard. I said early on that we will be a team that plays in patches,” Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin said.

“The fourth quarter was a really bad patch but we survived it. We took care of our third quarter woes, at least for this game.”

Shawn Tuano finished with 11 points, Kristian Porter had eight while Chris Koon returned after missing two games due to a left ankle injury and chipped in eight markers for the Blue Eagles.

Porter delivered the biggest and only basket of Ateneo in the fourth quarter, sinking a putback with 2:46 left in the game to stop the Blue Eagles’ bleeding after the Falcons made a 13-2 run which trimmed their deficit to just three points.

Ateneo was in control for majority of the match and even established a 16-point spread, 44-28, with three minutes left in the third period.

Adamson toughened up in the final quarter as it kept the Blue Eagles without a basket for more than six minutes.

Cedrick Manzano cut the Falcons’ deficit to 54-51 with two foul shots with 1:04 left after Porter’s basket and even had a chance to trim it down further but missed his short stab.       

Ian Espinosa sank two free throws to give Ateneo a little more breathing room before Tuano added four more charities for the final count.

Adamson suffered its second loss in four games.

Manzano got 14 points and seven rebounds while Joshua Yerro and Eli Ramos added six each in a lost cause.

Box 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