INQUIRER Sports

GAMES THURSDAY (Philsports Arena)
2 p.m.—NU vs UE
4 p.m.—Ateneo vs Adamson

MANILA, Philippines—The start was hardly befitting the stature of the rivalry. A bizarre technical foul was called before the opening tip and the two teams traded turnovers right in their first possessions.

But the end, like all Ateneo-La Salle matches, was another classic.

Chris Tiu played the hero’s role to the hilt and the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles tripped defending champion De La Salle University, 79-73, in the 71st UAAP men’s basketball competition Sunday in front of a 22,008-strong crowd at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

The Eagles turned to the foul line to score their last eight points, with Tiu accounting for six in the final 2:56 minutes of the blockbuster showdown.

“Every time we beat La Salle, it’s always a big win for us,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black. “It’s a good win for us. We wanted to get off to a good start. The earlier you get that first victory, the better it’s going to be for your confidence.”

Tiu finished with a game-high 26 points on top of seven rebounds and two assists.

“That’s what Chris Tiu does for us,” said Black. “I said it over and over again that he’s our best player and normally when it’s clutch time we go to him. And he delivered for us again. He’s just living up to his role.”

The drama between the country’s fiercest varsity rivals started early as officials slapped a technical foul on the Archers even before the jumpball for violating a league rule.

La Salle’s coaching staff failed to wear their official IDs on court—a mandatory rule this season—earning that strange technical foul.

Tiu nailed both charity shots to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

“I just couldn’t understand all the fuss about the IDs,” said La Salle coach Franz Pumaren.

“The reason I wasn’t wearing an ID was because I was watching the NU and UP game and the NU coaching staff wasn’t wearing their IDs. I also watched the game between UST and UE, UST didn’t wear their IDs.”

A Black outburst before the start of the fourth quarter also got him a technical “for disobeying the commissioner’s order.”

“A referee warned me that if I said another word I’ll get a technical, and I couldn’t understand it because in the second half I didn’t say a word,” said Black.

Ahead, 74-73, Ateneo watched Tiu pick up a foul from Hyram Bagatsing, shake off a bad fall and make two of three free throws to virtually seal the outcome.

University of the Philippines earlier scored a breakthrough win with debuting coach Aboy Castro as the Maroons pulled off an 86-72 surprise victory over the National University in the first game.

Martin Reyes shot a game-high 21 points as the Maroons, who lost all 14 elimination games last season, scooted to a 48-38 advantage built on a 51.5 percent shooting clip in the first half.

The scores:

First Game

UP 86—Reyes 21, Marfori 11, Agbayani 11, Sison 9, Gamboa 8, Sorongon 8, Braganza 7, Co 5, Hipolito 4, Lopez 2, Astorga 0, De Asis 0.
NU 72—Jahnke 17, Aguilar 13, Garcia 13, Ponferrada 9, Baloran 7, Asoro 4, Tungkul 3, Fabula 3, Dela Cruz 2, Berry 1, Galapon 0,Luy 0, Catamora 0.
Quarters: 17-28, 48-38, 68-56, 86-72

Second Game

ATENEO 79—Tiu 26, Salamat 10, Al-Hussaini 10, Buenafe 8, Nkemakolam 7, Baclao 7, Burke 4, Austria 3, Long 2, Salva 1, Escueta 1, Baldos 0, Reyes 0.
LA SALLE 73—Casio 19, Maierhofer 16, Mangahas 13, Webb 7, Villanueva 4, Bagatsing 4, Revilla 3, Walsham 2, Atkins 2, Barua 2, Ferdinand 1, Malabes 0.
Quarters: 17-16, 35-40, 56-54, 79-73