No sweep as Ateneo deals La Salle first loss in UAAP Season 79

Ateneo gave La Salle a taste of mayhem with a jarring 83-71 win, stopping what had seemed to be an interminable streak in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament Saturday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Blue Eagles were unflagging amid the vaunted Green Archers’ pressure defense while returning the favor with their scrappy, unselfish brand of basketball.

“La Salle’s still the number one team. They’re really tough to beat,” said Ateneo coach Sandy Arespacochaga.

“We just played a very good game. We have to give credit to the players. They displayed a lot of heart. We’re thankful that we came up with this victory.”

The Eagles hiked their record to 7-4 while also dashing the Archers’ unblemished streak which ended at 12-0.

Ateneo got significant contributions from top to bottom from reliable big men Rafael Verano and Isaac Go to its bevy of guards led by Aaron Black.

Black came off the bench and had 16 points and seven rebounds in his best game since returning from a foot injury.

Go and Verano combined for 16 points and 13 rebounds. They also teamed up in containing La Salle’s Ben Mbala and Abu Tratter.

Mbala still came away with 17 points and 10 rebounds but the Cameroonian center didn’t make a field goal until the third quarter and went just 5-of-13 from the field. Tratter only had three points on 1-of-9 shooting.

Graduating forward Jeron Teng, who missed La Salle’s 97-81 win over Ateneo in the first round, led the Green Archers in scoring with 18 points.

La Salle shot just 29% from the field and had 20 turnovers with only 10 assists. Ateneo shot 51%, out-rebounded its opponent, 48-43, and scored 26 points off turnovers.