‘Clutch’ Ravena lifts Eagles past Tigers

KIEFER Ravena of Ateneo engages UST’s Paulo Pe (left) and Ed Daquioag in a battle for the loose ball. Ravena struggled early but hit the shot that mattered in the Eagles’ victory. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Kiefer Ravena knocked in the game-winner to end what had been a woeful shooting performance and lifted Ateneo past a University of Santo Tomas side that played to form, 63-61, yesterday in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Showing anew that he’s among the league’s best clutch performers, Ravena buried a tough jumper from 15 feet with 3.7 seconds left to seal the thriller that gave the Blue Eagles a share of the No. 1 spot with the National U Bulldogs with a 5-1 record.

“I was tempted to tell Kiefer not to make those kind of shots anymore—those looper shots—because he has been missing those all night,” Ateneo coach Bo Perasol later said of Ravena, who struggled with a 39 percent shooting clip yet made the biggest basket of the game.

“But knowing Kiefer, he found a way again to make that shot when it really mattered.”

Earlier, La Salle got off to a hot start and  cruised past University of the Philippines, 74-53, and climb to solo third with a 4-2 record.

The Green Archers came out charging from the get-go behind Jeron Teng as the defending champions breezed past a UP side that played minus suspended head coach Rey Madrid.

“I think we’re playing better not because of the streak,” said coach Juno Sauler after his Archers picked up their fourth straight triumph. “We’re not looking at the wins. But generally how we’re playing, it’s better than how we started the season.”

Teng pumped in 20 of his game-high 25 points in the first half where the Archers shot a sizzling 63 percent from the field to build leads as high as 32 points, 47-15.

The scores:

First Game

LA SALLE 74—Teng 25, Vosotros 15, Perkins 6, Rivero 6, N. Torres 6, Tratter 6, Montalbo 5, Sargent 3, Andrada 2, Bolick 0, Mustre 0, Salem 0.

UP 53—Lao 13, Moralde 8, Asilum 7, Reyes 6, Gallarza 6, Vito 6, Bederi 3, Harris 2, Amar 1, Gingerich 1, Lim 0, Juruena 0.

Quarters: 26-9, 50-24, 64-40, 74-53

Second Game

ATENEO 63—Newsome 18, K. Ravena 17, Tolentino 14, Elorde 6, Capacio 2, Gotladera 2, Pessumal 2, Porter 2, Babilonia 0, T. Ravena 0.

UST 61—Abdul 19, Mariano 17, Vigil 11, Daquioag 4, Ferrer 4, Sheriff 4, Lao 2, Lo 0, Pe 0, Subido 0.

Quarters: 14-15, 28-25, 46-45, 63-61