Ateneo escapes with win in Israel

 

from the AS Ramar HaSharon Facebook page

Ateneo defeated AS Ramat HaSharon, 73-69, for its first of two games highlighting their Israeli training camp on Saturday night at the Oranim Sports Hall.

BJ Andrade's triple with 36.8 seconds left broke a 69-all tie, with Ange Kouame's block eventually resulting to a Sean Quitevis free throw with 12.8 seconds left to seal the victory.

The Blue Eagles struggled at the onset against their second-tier Israeli League opposition, who were without their overseas reinforcements.

Keeping the UAAP Season 84 runner-up afloat was Dave Ildefonso, as he and the Blue Eagles useed a strong second period to stabilize themselves, then established a lead as large as ten points, 54-44, after Ildefonso converted a four-point play with 3:33 remaining. The guard would finish with a team-high 27 points anchored on five three-pointers.

Ramat HaSharon answered back with a nine-point swing to be just down one early in the fourth, eventually tying things up at 69 with 84 seconds remaining, setting up Ateneo's late heroics.

Forthsky Padrigao was the only other Blue Eagle in double figures with ten points. Josh Lazaro added nine markers. Foreign student-athletes Ange Kouame and Joseph Obasa each netted six points.

Ateneo will play its second game in the Holy Land against Elitzur Eito Ashkelon on Monday night at 1030pm (Manila time). The match at Zysman Arena will be streamed online through SMART Sports.

The Scores:

Ateneo  73 - Ildefonso 27, Padrigao 10, Lazaro 9, Kouame 6, Andrade 6, Obasa 6, Garcia 4, Koon 3, Chiu 1, Quitevis 1, Gomez 0, Ballungay 0, Daves 0.

Quarterscores: 14-19, 42-35, 57-53, 73-69.