By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles completed its redemption tour with a 75-68 beating of the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in the do-or-die Game 3 of UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Monday night, December 19.
Angelo Kouame capped off his collegiate career with double-double 19 points and 12 rebounds to go with four blocks as the Blue Eagles clinched the best-of-three title series at 2-1.
Filipino-Italian gunner Vince Gomez also made his presence felt for the Blue Eagles with a career-high 12 points, including two triples, while Rence Padrigao and Bryan Andrade had 12 and 10 markers, respectively.
The championship was a fitting redemption for the Blue Eagles, which was stopped in its title defense in Season 84 by the Fighting Maroons behind the game-winning triple by JD Cagulangan.
The Blue Eagles zoomed to a 9-0 start behind Padrigao, Kouame and Bryson Ballungay. The Fighting Maroons cut it to 6-10 but back-to-back treys by Gomez and inside hits by Matthew Daves gave Ateneo a 30-14 lead.
The Blue Eagles continued to hold on to the lead in the second quarter at 41-23 on another Gomez trey, but the Fighting Maroons rallied to within 31-42 but a rare three-pointer by center Geo Chiu and a twinner by Padrigao gave Ateneo a 47-32 halftime lead.
Ateneo went on to build its largest lead at 52-42 after a triple by Andrade, but UP responded with a massive run to cut the deficit to 50-56 before the Blue Eagles restored order on three free throws by Gomez for a 60-52 lead entering the final quarter.
The Blue Eagles started strong anew in the fourth period with a two-pointer and a triple by Kouame for a 67-55 lead, but the Fighting Maroons made its last push to trim the deficit to 67-70 on a free throw and a triple by Negrense Harold Alarcon.
However, Andrade showed his nerves of steel from the free throw line as he drained two free throws to increase the lead to 72-67. He added two more freebies with a second left to seal the win for Ateneo.
James Spencer finished with 14 points, Alarcon and Henry Galinato chipped in 12 markers apiece, while Carl Tamayo and MVP awardee Maodo Malick Diouf struggled with their shots to end up with 11 and seven points, respectively.
ATENEO 75 — Kouame 19, Padrigao 12, Gomez 12, Andrade 10, Koon 4, Daves 4, Chiu 4, Ballungay 4, Quitevis 4, Ildefonso 2, Lazaro 0.
UP 68 — Spencer 14, Galinato 12, Alarcon 12, Tamayo 11, Cagulangan 9, Diouf 7, Gonzales 2, Lucero 1, Abadiano 0, Lina 0, Fortea 0.
Quarterscores: 30-14, 47-32, 60-52, 75-68./ASC, WDJ