Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
It was a loss that hardly put a dent on Ateneo’s confidence.
If anything, the narrow 65-67 defeat to rival La Salle at the start of the UAAP Season 79 finals series at Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday only stoked the Blue Eagles’ hopes of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in league history.
“It won’t be a miracle if we beat them on Wednesday,” said Ateneo forward Mike Nieto, who had eight points and two rebounds apart from drawing the assignment of guarding La Salle top gun Jeron Teng in the fourth period.
“They’re actually beatable. We were able to do it in the second round and we’ll do it again on Wednesday.”
The Eagles, who dealt the Green Archers their only loss of the season, 83-71, last Nov. 5, were left to rue a missed opportunity to grab the headstart in the series against a La Salle team that struggled in the second half.
Brief lead
Matt Nieto briefly gave the Eagles the lead with a nifty move inside the paint for 65-64 with 35.1 seconds left.
And although he missed the bonus free throw, the Eagles grabbed the offensive rebound only for Kib Montalbo to strip the ball from Thirdy Ravena, leading to Jeron Teng’s breakaway layup with 15.6 seconds remaining.
It was a heartbreaking end for the Eagles, who had clawed their way from 14 points down in the first quarter to tie the game for the first time at 51 on Raffy Verano’s free throw with 41 ticks left in the third period.
The tempo of the game had played into Ateneo’s favor.
Slow, deliberate with emphasis on half court execution much like the Eagles’ duel with the Far Eastern U Tamaraws in their Final Four clash four nights before.
Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin felt his team’s poor start did them in.
“We gave up too many points in the first quarter, too many easy points, but that was related to the poor start,” Baldwin said. “
Lessons learned
Baldwin is firm in his belief that the Eagles can fight back and force a deciding game.
“They’re hardworking kids,” Baldwin said of his team.
“They’re trying to learn the game and we’re getting phenomenal lessons. But it isn’t about lessons. It’s about standing up to the challenge and becoming champions. La Salle did a better job on that and we didn’t.”