By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers made sure that there would be no meltdown this time as they escaped with a 72-69 win over the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday night, November 18.
After leading by as much as 10 points early in the third quarter, the Green Archers were stunned by a furious fourth quarter run by the Blue Eagles, which cut the deficit to 65-66 via a Jared Brown triple.
The Green Archers responded with back-to-back inside hits from Evan Nelle and Michael Phillips, and two free throws from Nelle for a 72-67 lead with less than a minute remaining.
After Ateneo’s Joseph Obasa cut the deficit to 69-72 with an inside hit, Phillips missed two crucial free throws with three seconds left, but the Blue Eagles were not able to advance the ball as Brown was forced for a half-court attempt.
Kevin Quiambao finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Nelle, Phillips and Negrense Mark Nonoy added 10 markers apiece as the Green Archers improved to an 11-3 win-loss slate.
Green Archers head coach Topex Robinson said he was relieved that his team did not suffer the same fate as their 77-72 loss to the Blue Eagles in the first round, where the DLSU were leading for most part of the game.
“We were ahead. We knew they were gonna bounce back. We’ve learned from our mistakes from the first time we played them. These players have grown, they never gave up,” Robinson said.
Obasa finished with a career-high 21 points and nine rebounds, while Kai Ballungay and Mason Amos added 12 and 10 points, respectively, as the defending champion Blue Eagles dropped to a 7-7 record.
Meanwhile, the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers concluded their UAAP campaign with a 57-53 repeat victory over the Far Eastern University Tamaraws.
The Growling Tigers ended with a 2-12 record, while the Tamaraws were 3-11.
Capiznon Christian Manaytay recorded 12 points and nine rebounds. Miguel Pangilinan contributed 10 markers, while Vincent Ventulan played his final game for the Growling Tigers with seven points, two rebounds and one assist in over 15 minutes of action.
DLSU 72 — Quiambao 14, Nelle 10, M. Phillips 10, Nonoy 10, Policarpio 9, Austria 6, David 6, Abadam 4, Cortez 2, Escandor 1, Manuel 0, Macalalag 0.
ATENEO 69 — Obasa 21, Ballungay 12, Amos 10, Koon 9, Credo 4, Espinosa 4, Quitevis 4, Brown 3, Lazaro 2, Nieto 0, Chiu 0.
Quarterscores: 14-17, 35-32, 51-46, 72-69./ASC, WDJ