by Waylon Galvez
Games Sunday (Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City)
2 p.m. – NU vs UE
4 p.m. – FEU vs Adamson
Defending champion Ateneo capped its elimination round campaign in grand fashion by blasting University of Santo Tomas, 102-62, even as University of the Philippines ended 21 years of futility by advancing to the semis of the 81st UAAP men’s basketball last night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Angelo Kouame, the rookie center from Ivory Coast, finished with 22 points, 9 rebounds and three shot blocks, while William Navarro came off the bench with 17 points to highlight Ateneo’s show of force.
Aside from picking up its 12th win in 14 games, Ateneo gained an extra zest entering the crucial Final Four next week.
“That’s our goal entering this game, we want to win this game,” said Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga. “We’re happy to achieve that by winning our last game this elimination round.”
Ateneo’s victory, however, was overshadowed by UP’s 97-81 drubbing of La Salle in a win that assured the Maroons of a semis berth no matter what happens to the game between FEU and Adamson on Sunday.
The Maroons, who fired 12 triples, ended with an 8-6 mark, the same record of the Archers.
A three-way tie for third to fifth places will occur if the Tamaraws beat the Falcons at the close of the elims.
If that happens, the Maroons will secure the No. 3 spot and will meet Adamson in the semis while Tamaraws and the Archers clash in a knock out match for the last semis berth.
“We’re happy that our mentality in this game wasn’t a no-bearing game. Our players were serious. We wanted to make sure that we were serious from the start because UST is a dangerous team,” he added.
Ateneo quickly jumped the gun as the 6-foot-9 Kouame led a 22-2 run, and it was enough for the Blue Eagles to take control of the game where it led by as many as 44 points late in the game.
