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MANILA, Philippines – Back in the finals. Back in his comfort zone.
Nico Salva made the championship series his playground once more, dishing out a career-high game to ignite Ateneo de Manila University to a scintillating 83-78 triumph over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Game 1 of the 75th UAAP men’s basketball finals on Saturday, October 6, at the jampacked Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The graduating forward, gunning for his 5th straight seniors’ title, poured in 30 points as the Blue Eagles came back from a first-half deficit then held off the gritty Growling Tigers in a pulsating endgame.
“I just wanna win championships,” said Salva, who also had 5 rebounds and shot 14-of-23 (60.9%). “Yun lang ang nasa utak ko.“
UST started out strong, carrying a 38-31 advantage at the half, with Aljon Mariano and Jeric Teng firing on all cylinders.
Mariano and Teng had 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the first two quarters, but it was Salva who helped Ateneo keep pace with 15 markers.
Crippling blast
The Eagles turned up the heat in the third, dropping a crippling 17-0 blast that turned a 7-point deficit into a 48-38 bubble with a little over 3 minutes left in the frame.
Salva and Kiefer Ravena had 9 markers apiece in the dizzying run while the Tigers were unable to turn in a single point in the first 7 minutes of the third quarter.
But the España-based crew roared back in the final quarter, rallying behind the stellar play of Mariano, who scored 9 of UST’s points in a 12-0 blitz that saw them take the driver’s seat, 64-63, after a dunk by Karim Abdul.
Ateneo, however, would not be denied, as Ravena, Salva, Ryan Buenafe and Juami Tiongson all chipped in in a fiery windup that gave them a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three series.
“Now that it’s here, I don’t want it to slip away,” added Salva, who also won the Finals MVP in Season 74. “Only a few get that rare opportunity (to win five championships). I gave it my all.”
Tigers coach Pido Jarencio, meanwhile, praised his wards’ efforts but rued what he believed was spotty officiating.
“Positive ako sa team namin,” he said. “Binigyan namin ng magandang laban yung Ateneo. Pero wag naman ganun (yung tawagan).” (We gave Ateneo a good fight. But [the referees] should play fair.)
Ravena struggles, Teng sizzles
Ravena struggled for much of the game before a solid fourth-quarter stint and finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists as Tiongson and Buenafe combined for 22 markers, 9 boards, 5 assists and two blocks.
On the other hand, Teng sizzled with 25 points while Mariano had 22 markers, 12 rebounds and 5 dimes in UST’s first trip to the finals since 2006.
“Wala namin kaming magagawa kundi bumawi,” said a dejected Jarencio, who is in danger of being suspended in Game 2 after vehemently complaining after the buzzer sounded. (We have no choice but to make up for the loss.)
Game 2 is slated on Thursday, 3:30 pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
ADMU, 83: Salva 30, Ravena 13, Tiongson 12, Buenafe 10, Chua 9, Slaughter 5, Gonzaga 2, Elorde 2, Sumalinog 0, Golla 0
UST, 78: Teng 25, Mariano 22, Ferrer 13, Abdul 9, Fortuna 4, Lo 3, Pe 2, Bautista 0
Quarter scoring: 18-24, 31-38, 61-51, 83-78
More on the UAAP Season 75 Basketball Finals:
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