Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
La Salle didn’t have to wear black to make a statement.
Sans head coach Aldin Ayo and star player Jeron Teng, the Green Archers imposed their will and decimated fierce rival Ateneo, 97-81, Sunday to complete a first round sweep in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena.
“This game is a testimony of what coach Aldin teaches the players, which is just being responsible,” said DLSU assistant coach Louie Gonzales.
“Naging responsible sila buong gane and we didn’t have any problems. Kahit anong ipagawa namin, kahit mahirap, kahit pagod sila, they stull submit to the coaching staff and kung ano mang hinihingi ng coaches.”
With Ateneo leading 26-20 early in the second quarter, La Salle unleashed its mayhem brand of basketball and went on a 21-3 run in a span of less than four minutes to grab a 41-29 lead.
The Green Archers continued to pounce on the opposition, forcing the Blue Eagles to commit 30 turnovers off of 16 steals as they held a lead as high as 27, 85-58 after a Ben Mbala layup early in the fourth.
Mbala dominated the game, topping La Salle with 28 points, 13 rebounds, five steals, and one block.
Andrei Caracut also got 11 of his 14 markers in the second quarter pullaway, while Abu Tratter finished with 10 points, six boards, and three steals.
The rout kept the Green Archers on top, 7-0, establishing a gap between them and the rest of the field in the UAAP wars.
Ayo served his one-game suspension following his ejection in La Salle’s game against UE, while Teng was coming off a surgery removing bone spurs on his left foot.
Ateneo ended the first round with a 4-3 record.
Adrian Wong carried the Blue Eagles with 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Matt Nieto had 13 markers, two boards, two assists, and two steals.
Also, 16,212 attended the highly anticipated contest, which also drew interest thanks to both schools urging supporters to wear black condemning “the possible Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, and the growing number of extrajudicial killings/ summary executions in the country,” while also “expressing solidarity with the victims of human rights violations and with all others struggling to uphold human rights in the country.”
The scores:
LA SALLE 97 – Mbala 28, Caracut 14, Tratter 10, Torres 8, Montalbo 8, R. Rivero 8, Melecio 5, Perkins 5, Dyke 4, Baltazar 2, Go 2, Paraiso 2, P. Rivero 1, Sargent 0.
ATENEO 81 – Wong 15, Ma. Nieto 13, Asistio 11, Ravena 11, Mendoza 9, Ikeh 7, Porter 6, Go 5, Babilonia 2, Mi. Nieto 2, Tolentino 0, Verano 0.
Quarters: 20-20, 53-36, 80-58, 97-81