By NIKOLE JAVIER
Ateneo brought out the big guns in the first half and eked out a 75-68 victory over University of the Philippines to complete its redemption campaign in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball finals Monday, Dec. 19, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In a fitting end to a stellar collegiate career, Ange Kouame struck hardest for the Blue Eagles with a double-double outing of 19 points and 12 rebounds to get his hands on the Finals Most Valuable Player award.
Gab Gomez and Forthsky Padrigao both produced12 points to help tow Ateneo to its 12th championship title and give Kouame a grand exit.
“This means a lot to me because nobody believed in us, even if we didn’t believe in us in the start. But Coach Tab is the man and we just followed his lead,” said the 6-foot-11 naturalized Filipino.
“I’m so far from the forefront of this championship. It’s about these players. I’m just so grateful for their effort. I’m the lucky guy,” added Baldwin.
The Blue Eagles used a huge first half to practically disarm the Fighting Maroons and deny their dream back-to-back championship titles. In the process, they reclaimwed the throne they had lost earlier this year at the hands of the latter.
In front of more than 22,000 spectators all seemingly out to back the defending champions, the Blue Eagles would confront every bit of challenge hurled at them.
Ateneo closed out the third quarter with five straight points to post its biggest lead of the match at 20, 52-32.
However, UP refused to fade and fought back furiously via an 18-4 run sparked by James Spencer’s two triples to pull the Fighting Maroons within six.
Just as the Fighting Maroons were about to completely recover, Gab Gomez drew a foul from beyond the arc and knocked all three freebies to revive the Blue Eagles’ momentum heading into the fourth period.
With less than two minutes to left, Kouame completed a thee-point play to restore order at the Ateneo bench as the Eagles kept an eight-point advantage.
The latter part of the fourth quarter saw the Fighting Maroons play with more persistence following Harold Alarcon’s last-ditch effort through a three-pointer with 20.1 seconds in the contest, 70-67.
But UP’s late attempts would not come to fruition as Andrade would go on to ice the game with two more free throws.
Spencer’s 14-point finish paced the Fighting Maroons while Alarcon and Henry Galinato chipped 12 markers apiece in the losing effort.
The scores:
ATENEO 75 ‒ Kouame 19, Padrigao 12, Gomez 12, Andrade 10, Ballungay 4, Koon 4, Daves 4, Chiu 4, Quitevis 4, Ildefonso 2, Lazaro 0.
UP 68 ‒ Spencer 14, Alarcon 12, Galinato 12, Tamayo 11, Cagulangan 9, Diouf 7, Gonzales 2, Lucero 1, Abadiano 0, Fortea 0, Lina 0.
Quarters: 30-14, 47-32, 60-52, 75-68.