Abadiano-led UP exacts revenge over Ateneo, keeps solo 1st in another close thriller

MANILA, Philippines – The UP Fighting Maroons rode a big third-quarter run to exact revenge over the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 65-60, in their second UAAP Season 86 showdown at the packed Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, October 29.

Gerry Abadiano continued his mid-season surge with a season-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 3-of-8 from three as UP rose to an 8-1 record, still in solo first place ahead of 7-2 National University.

After mounting a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter off a strong third period, 54-42, UP suddenly found itself on its heels on defense as Ateneo responded with a huge 12-0 spurt, capped by a Jared Brown mid-range jumper for the 54-all tie with 5:55 to play.

Although the Blue Eagles kept it close in the clutch with a Jason Credo and-one play at the 2:51 mark, Francis Lopez responded with a looping hook over Joe Obasa with 1:23 remaining, 61-57, before Harold Alarcon drove home the dagger from mid-range with 45.3 ticks left, 63-57.

A miracle three from Mason Amos at the 42.9-second mark proved insufficient down the stretch as Obasa inexplicably took it inside in the next possession and missed with Ateneo still down three, 60-63.

Abadiano then calmly iced the game from the line off a pair of free throws from a duty foul as UP sealed its elimination round vengeance over the defending champions.

“It took quite a while for us to get our rhythm offensively,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde as the Maroons managed to regroup despite the absence of keg cogs CJ Cansino (flu) and JD Cagulangan (knee injury).

“We were a little bit in a hurry in the first quarter, but what’s nice here is our defense held up against Ateneo,” Monteverde added in Filipino.

“I felt near the end, we were more patient offensively, we were really executing, and we were able to get back in the game.”

Lopez scattered 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, while spitfire guard Terrence Fortea chipped in 7 points in 10 minutes off the bench in his season debut.

Brown paced the loss with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 4-of-6 from three off the bench, while Obasa added 11 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks before his unfortunate late-game blunder.

Chris Koon, meanwhile, bottomed out scoreless on a 0-of-10 clip as Ateneo dropped to a 4-5 slate off its second straight loss since it last won against the Maroons to end the first round.