by Waylon Galvez
Ateneo-Pilipinas countered Lithuania’s length with blinding speed and precision on the offensive end as the Eagles scored a masterful 98-65 win in the William Jones Cup Friday night at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
William Ranidel Navarro led the way for the Blue Eagles with 20 points as he dazzled the taller Lithuanians with variety of shots. He finished with 10-of-13 shooting from the field.
The 6-foot-4 Navarro entered the game averaging just 3.8 points, but his aggressiveness allowed the defending UAAP champion Ateneo to have another option against the Lithuanians.
Kakou Kouame from Ivory Coast also had a solid outing for the Ateneo with 19 points, while Ferdinand “Thirdy” Ravena – the team’s leading scorer entering the game – added 14 points and eight rebounds.
It was the team’s third straight win after beating Japan and Indonesia for a 4-2 mark to stay on target of at least finishing third in the annual meet. Ateneo will face Taiwan-A today.
