By Jerome Lagunzad
Game Saturday
(Mall of Asia Arena)
4 p.m. – La Salle vs Ateneo
(Game 1, best-of-three finals)
Host Far Eastern University blew a big chance in regulation and powerhouse Ateneo made the Tamaraws pay a hefty price in overtime last night.
Guard Matt Nieto and big man Isaac Go delivered the killer blows down the stretch as the Blue Eagles got back at the Tamaraws, 88-84, to book a return trip to the UAAP Season 80 basketball finals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The 6-foot-1 Nieto banged in six of his 16 points in the decisive push in the extra five-minute period while the 6-foot-7 Go drilled in a game-tying triple with 8.5 seconds left in regulation to help top seed Ateneo recover its bearings and withstand a gallant stand made by fourth-ranked FEU for the second straight year.
The victory enabled the Blue Eagles to bounce back from an 80-67 loss dealt by the Tamaraws in the series opener last Sunday and set up the stage for a much-awaited finals rematch with the defending champion La Salle Green Archers starting on Saturday at the same venue.
“We’ve been through much and we worked very hard for this. Hindi kami pwedeng matalo,” said Nieto, who went for a pair of isolation plays against FEU big man Arvin Tolentino, first hitting a pull-up jumper before draining a dagger of a triple from the top of the key that gave Ateneo an 85-80 lead with 46.9 seconds to play.
A quick jumper by FEU veteran Richard Escoto cut their deficit to three, but Go spared Ateneo’s blushes with a clutch putback despite sitting on the floor after losing his balance during a rebound battle, restoring their lead back to five, time down to just 22.4 ticks.
“When I got the ball, I just threw it up,” beamed the former Xavier high school standout, who finished with a near double-double of 13 points and nine rebounds on top of two assists in 21 minutes off the bench.
Wingman Thirdy Ravena finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists while Nigerian center Chibueze Ikeh added 16 points and 11 rebounds to help the Blue Eagles’ cause.
ATENEO 88 – Ravena 17, Nieto Ma 16, Ikeh 16, Go 13, Mendoza 5, Tio 5, Nieto Mi 4, Tolentino 3, Black 3, Mamuyac 2, Verano 2, Porter 2, Asistio 0
FEU 84 – Parker 19, Tolentino 13, Comboy 11, Orizu 10, Escoto 6, Inigo 6, Trinidad 6, Cani 5, Dennison 4, Ebona 2, Tuffin 2, Bayquin 0
Quarters: 21-15, 40-33, 57-53, 75-75, 88-84 (OT)
