Ateneo keeps UST winless at 0-6

c/o UAAP

Games Saturday

(UST Quadricentennial Pavilion)

12 noon – NU vs AdU (Men)

4 p.m. – DLSU vs UE (Men)

(AdU Gym)

9 a.m. – FEU vs UST (Women)

11 a.m. – DLSU vs UE (Women)

1 p.m. – NU vs AdU (Women)

3 p.m. – Ateneo vs UP (Women)

Ateneo escaped a potential trap game on Wednesday, as they clobbered the University of Santo Tomas, 97-77, in the ongoing UAAP Season 86 Men's Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

With the specter of facing their finals opponents the University of the Philippines this Sunday at the same venue, the defending champions took care of what was in front of them to get themselves back at .500 at 3-3.

Dispatching the Growling Tigers was not an easy accomplishment, as Pido Jarencio-coached side managed to close the game to within 58-62 at 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.

However, the titleholders broke the game open in the final period, as Mason Amos, Joseph Obasa, and Kai Ballungay took advantage of the lack of post presence down low from UST.

Obasa scored eleven of his seventeen points in the third quarter, while also adding eight rebounds and a couple of blocks. Ballungay also matched that offensive output while grabbing seven rebounds and three assists. Amos contributed fifteen points with Chris Koon topping the team in scoring with 21.

Tab Baldwin shared afterwards, "Generally speaking, it was a good game on both ends of the floor for us. I think we need that kind of performance, especially going into the UP game and we’re happy. It’s gonna be a very, very happy dugout today."

He adds, "We shot over 50 percent from the field (and) held a tough UST team. I know their record doesn’t flatter them but all the teams that played against them know how tough they are. We held them to 40 percent (from the field)."

Ateneo finished with a 34-22 advantage in offensive rebounding, while also doubling their opposition in threes converted, twelve to six.

Nic Cabañero led UST with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Christian Manaytay added seventeen points, seven rebounds, and a couple of steals. Miguel Pangilinan is the other player that scored in double figures with eleven.

The Tigers hope to end the first round and their 19-game losing streak against Far Eastern University on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena at 1pm.

The Scores:

Ateneo (97) – Koon 21, Ballungay 17, Obasa 17, Amos 15, Espinosa 6, Chiu 6, Gomez 5, Brown 3, Celis 3, Lazaro 2, Credo 2, Quitevis 0, Bongo 0, Tuano 0, Nieto 0, Gamber 0.

UST (77) – Cabañero 21, Manaytay 17, Pangilinan 11, Crisostomo 8, Duremdes 7, Laure 5, Manalang 5, Calum 3, Moore 0, Lazarte 0, Llemit 0, Gesalem 0.

Quarterscores: 17-10, 40-33, 72-61, 97-77.