Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Holding a precarious 73-70 lead against La Salle in the waning seconds of Game 1 of the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball Finals, Ateneo knew it needed one last bucket to put the result beyond doubt.
Luckily for the Blue Eagles, Thirdy Ravena found an open Isaac Go down low for the undergoal stab plus the foul with 10.4 seconds remaining. Go completing the three-point play and Ateneo held on for a 76-70 win.
READ: Ateneo holds on, beats La Salle in Game 1 of UAAP Finals
The blue gallery was electric but somehow, the 6-foot-7 big man remained stoic as if nothing happened.
“It’s exciting, yes, but the reason that I was not able to celebrate was that first, the game was not finished yet. It was not a buzzer beater,” Go said.
READ: Clutch Go delivers anew for Blue Eagles
“Second, it was Thirdy who found me open, so I have to give credit to Thirdy. Third, at the end of the day, it was a two points for Ateneo. I don’t look at it as a two points for me, but I look at it as a whole, that Ateneo got the two points.”
It was the second time in as many games that Go proved to be the hero for Ateneo.
He also rescued the Blue Eagles in their Final Four do-or-die against Far Eastern University wherein he drilled the game-tying triple that forced overtime and sank a improbable putback on one knee in the extra period.
For some, Go’s heroics was redemption of sorts, especially after he botched a potential go-ahead gimme in the Blue Eagles loss to the Archers in the second round.
“There’s always pressure, but we can’t pressure ourselves because it’s a game,” he said. “There’s no external pressure that will force us to change the way we play. Internally, we just have to push ourselves.”
Ateneo has a golden chance to close the series out in Game 2 on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum as the Eagles aim for their first title since UAAP Season 75.
Until then, Go has no reason to celebrate just yet.