Matt Nieto bloodied after collision with Ben Mbala

Matt Nieto incurred a cut above the left eye and laid down bloodied after a collision with Ben Mbala. Photo by Bong Lozada. INQUIRER.net

Ben Mbala literally drew the first blood in this heated Game 1 affair between La Salle and Ateneo in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball Finals on Saturday.

Matt Nieto was on the receiving end of an inadvertent elbow late in the first half which left him bloodied and writhing in pain on the floor.

With the Blue Eagles leading the Green Archers, 43-39, at the 36.6 second mark of the second quarter, Mbala had a hard time wiggling out of Kris Porter’s defense in the paint which led to him spinning to his right and inadvertently hitting Nieto with his right elbow straight to the face and cut him above the left eye.

Matt Nieto down and bloodied after collision with Ben Mbala. Looked like an elbow but its Nieto who is called for the foul. pic.twitter.com/67rSwwq2kM

— Cedelf P. Tupas (@cedelfptINQ) November 25, 2017

Nieto was called for a blocking foul in the play as Mbala canned his freebies.

The blue side of the crowd didn’t shy away from expressing their displeasure, with Nieto’s father Jet seen being restrained by some members of the audience.

Ateneo is still on the driver’s seat, 43-39 against La Salle at the half as of press time.