Eagles soar; UP Maroons upset Tams

Photo by Jan Dizon

MANILA—Ateneo got its running game going against slumping University of Santo Tomas, hacking out a 66-53 victory Thursday that pushed the three-time champion within a win of a UAAP first-round sweep.

Rookie Kiefer Ravena put up another sensational show with 18 points, five rebounds and six assists and Nico Salva just finished a rebound-short of a double-double with 14 points and nine boards to power the Blue Eagles to their sixth straight win.

University of the Philippines pulled off the season’s biggest upset yet earlier as the Maroons stunned the FEU Tamaraws, 76-63, in the first game of the men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Sophomore guard Jett Manuel drained all but two of his 20 points in the second half, where the Maroons pulled away as FEU’s key cogs struggled from the field.

The Blue Eagles outscored the Tigers, who skidded to their third straight loss after a 2-0 start, on fastbreak points (26-3) and points off turnover (14-6).

“We have a lot of veterans in our team so it is easy to sell the idea that we have to stay within the top two going into the Final Four so we’ll have the twice to beat advantage,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black.

“That’s really the goal right now, to try to rack up as many wins as we can.”

The Maroons—who had an embarrassing winless run last year—picked up their second win in five games with Mike Silungan, Jelo Montecastro and Alinko Mbah also finishing in double figures.

“Big fish we caught today,” said coach Ricky Dandan after the Maroons downed the Tamaraws for the first time in seven seasons. “I think our guys today did what it takes to win.”

The Maroons, who led by as many as 17 points, 73-56, in the fourth period, last won against the Tamaraws on Aug. 28, 2004 with a 61-56 decision.

Despite the setback, the Tamaraws remained second with a 4-2 slate.

Silungan had an all-around game of 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Montecastro came through with 14 markers, six boards and four assists.

Mbah, the 6-foot-9 Nigerian center, completed the big production of UP’s top quartet with 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

“The emergence of Jet gives us extra firepower outside of Mike Silungan,” Dandan said of Manuel, who also had five rebounds, two assists and a steal.

The Tamaraws played minus former national team mainstay JR Cawaling, who sat out due to a swollen knee.

The scores:
First Game
UP 76—Manuel 20, Silungan 16, Montecastro 14, Mbah 14, Gamboa 3, Romero 2, Maniego 2, Juruena 2, Gingerich 2, Wong 1, Wierzba 0, Pascual 0, Evangelista 0.
FEU 63—Garcia 17, Ramos 13, Tolomia 12, Bringas 8, Romeo 6, Escoto 2, Knuttel 2, Exciminiano 2, Cruz 1, Sentcheu 0, Pogoy 0, Fabian 0, Foronda 0.
Quarters: 12-12, 28-25, 51-42, 76-63
Second Game
ATENEO 66—Ravena 18, Salva 14, Gonzaga 8, Austria 7, Slaughter 6, Long 6, Sumalinog 2, Monfort 2, Chua 2, Golla 1, Erram 0, Tiongson 0.
UST 53—Fortuna 18, Teng 12, Ferrer 6, Pe 6, Camus 5, Abdul 4, Afuang 2, Vigil 0, Tan 0, Sheriff 0, Lo 0, Ungria 0.
Quarters: 10-11, 29-20, 47-34, 66-53