Undefeated NU escapes feisty Ateneo in UAAP boys’ basketball

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – The NU-Nazareth Bullpups preserved their undefeated record in the UAAP Season 82 boys’ basketball tournament by the skin of their teeth with an 81-78 escape act over the feisty Ateneo Blue Eaglets on Sunday, January 12. 

With the win, the defending champions improved to a pristine 8-0 record while their foes in the last two UAAP finals dropped to 4-4 in a three-way tie with UST and Adamson. 

Despite falling to a double-digit hole midway through the 3rd quarter, the Eaglets clawed their way back in the final frame, as star guard Forthsky Padrigao sank a clutch game-tying triple at the 3:49 mark, 72-all. 

However, the Bullpups quickly seized control of the Eaglets’ subsequent miscues as they erected a 79-72 advantage with 2:11 left off the calm scoring and facilitating of Ernest Felicilda and Kevin Quiambao. 

While Padrigao bridged Ateneo’s gap within one in the final 1:10, 79-78, LeBron Lopez missed a wide-open layup off the Ian Espinosa steal in the following possession.

Quiambao then rejected Joaquin Jaymalin off the offensive board, which led to two clutch free throws by reigning Finals MVP Carl Tamayo, 81-78, with 4.8 ticks left. 

Jaymalin then bricked the potential game-tying three as time expired, giving NU its closest win of the season to date.

In their last matchup, the Bullpups flat-out embarrassed the Eaglets, 102-71.

Streaky sniper Terrence Fortea led NU’s potent balanced attack with 17 points off the bench built on a 4-of-10 shooting from downtown.

Quiambao, the second-ranked MVP candidate after the season’s first round, clinched a 12-marker, 11-rebound double-double with 3 blocks on an efficient 5-of-7 clip. 

Meanwhile, Padrigao led the Eaglets’ valiant showing with a game-high 30 points on an 11-of-22 shooting, but was bogged down by 8 turnovers with no assists to his name. 

Lopez added 17 markers, 9 boards and 5 blocks, but missed the two points that would have mattered most in the endgame.

 

FEU vs Adamson 

In another game of league contenders, the FEU Baby Tamaraws secured their seventh straight win at the expense of the Adamson Baby Falcons, 67-59. 

With the win, the Tamaraws rose to 7-1 in the standings as the Falcons fell to an even 4-4.

Despite enduring a 0-15 start against the streaking Tamaraws, the Falcons managed to get their bearings back and inched within 3, 17-20, off a 17-5 attack capped by back-to-back Joshua Barcelona buckets. 

However, Adamson eventually faltered late following the 25-point eruption of MVP candidate Penny Estacio, backstopped by 12 markers from Chiolo Anonuevo.

Barcelona paced the Falcons in the loss with 17 points on an 8-of-13 shooting while surprise leading MVP candidate Jake Figueroa was held to just 8 markers on a 3-of-10 clip, albeit with 14 rebounds.

 

UST vs UE

In the opening contest, the UST Tiger Cubs made quick work of the 7th-ranked UE Junior Red Warriors, 90-63.

Rojan Montemayor led all scorers with 19 points as Batang Gilas stalwart JB Lina added 13 markers and 12 rebounds on a perfect 5-of-5 clip.

UST tied Adamson at 4-4 while UE fell to 2-6 for the year.

 

DLSZ vs UPIS 

The La Salle Zobel Junior Archers also outgunned the winless UPIS Junior Fighting Maroons with a 94-81 blowout.

UPIS apparently used up all its ammunition in the 1st quarter as it surprised the Archers with a 21-6 start on the back of Ray Torres’ torrid shooting.

Slowly but surely, the Archers shot themselves back in the game en route to the eventual blowout win. 

DLSZ improved to 3-5 in the standings while UPIS remained nailed at the cellar with a 0-8 slate. 

Kean Baclaan led 5 Archers in double-digit scoring with 18 points and 12 rebounds while John Quimado and John Dalisay added 17 and 14 markers, respectively. 

Torres finished with a game-high 29 points on a full 40-minute grind as Jordi Gomez de Liaño chipped in an efficient 20-marker output built on 6-of-8 shots from downtown. 

The Scores 

First Game

UST 90 – Montemayor 19, Lina 13, Escoto 12, Refuerzo-Cortez 9, Ascutia 7, Villarez 7, Maliwat 6, Bugarin 5, Salazar 4, Biag 2, Calivozo 2, Javier 2, Oliva 2, Bautista 0. 

UE 64 – Montecalvo 16, Cruz 10, Pelipel 9, San Juan 6, Mara 5, Marasigan 5, Montecastro 5, Ortiz 5, Peralta 2, Cabili 0, Caliwag 0, Castillo 0, Serrano 0. 

Quarters: 20-14, 37-32, 66-51, 90-63.  

Second Game 

FEU 67 – Estacio 25, Anonuevo 12, Bautista 11, Padrones 7, Pasaol 6, Saldua 4, Libago 2, Bagunu 0, Basilio 0, Buenaventura 0, Sleat 0.

Adamson 59 – Barcelona 17, Erolon 13, Figueroa 8, Abdulla 7, Hanapi 5, Nitura 4, Ignacio 2, Tulabut 2, Quinal 1, Dubouzete 0, Ocangcas 0, Timbancaya 0. 

Quarters: 22-17, 36-28, 59-43, 67-59. 

Third Game 

DLSZ 94 – Baclaan 18, Quimado 17, Dalisay 14, Macasaet 10, Omer 10, Cudiamat 8, Unisa 7, Tupas 6, Del Mundo 2, Milan 2, Luna 0, Melecio 0, Reyes 0.

UPIS 81 – Torres 29, Gomez de Liano 20, Torculas 11, Canillas 10, Dimaculangan 9, Jacob 2, Avinado 0, Lopez 0, Morelejo 0.

Quarters: 13-23, 42-45, 70-64, 94-81. 

Fourth Game 

NU 81 – Fortea 17, Felicilda 12, Quiambao 12, Alarcon 9, Abadiano 7, Tamayo 7, Songcuya 5, Buensalida 4, Torres 4, Enriquez 2, Mailim 2, Abiera 0, Laure 0, Tulabut 0. 

Ateneo 78 – Padrigao 30, Lopez 17, Lazaro 10, Jaymalin 9, Ladimo 4, G. Salvador 4, Rubiato 2, Espinosa 1, Pangilinan 1, De Ayre 0, Nieto 0, M. Salvador 0. 

Quarters: 21-22, 40-40, 65-57, 81-78.

– Rappler.com