Ateneo noses out UP to move closer to a Final 4 spot
Ateneo head coach Bo Perasol breathed a sigh of relief after surviving UP Wednesday. MARK GIONGCO
MANILA, Philippines — Ateneo earned at least a playoff for a Final Four spot after eluding a huge upset in a 70-69 squeaker over University of the Philippines in UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Blue Eagles led by as much as 13, 44-31, midway through the third quarter but held their breaths before Fighting Maroons guard Mikee Reyes muffed two free throws with 0.8 tenths of a second left that would’ve completed the upset.
“I don’t know how to phrase this but I think, I’m not happy with how we won,” said Ateneo head coah Bo Perasol. “A lot of us ae thinking that we can just coast against UP. They defended really well and we were not able to score when it mattered also.”
Kiefer Ravena scored 18 points and dished out seven assists for the Blue Eagles, who now tote a 9-3 win-loss record.
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