SJ Belangel. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
SJ Belangel took charge when it mattered most to lift Ateneo over Nazareth-National University, 78-68, for a 14-0 sweep in the UAAP Season 80 juniors basketball tournament Sunday at Blue Eagle Gym in Katipunan, Quezon City.
The 19-year-old point guard fired 12 points in the last three minutes as the Blue Eaglets held off a late fight-back by the Bullpups.
Belangel finished with 31 points, seven rebounds and three steals to carry Ateneo to an outright Finals berth.
Dave Ildefonso chipped in 16 points and six boards, while Kai Sotto posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds on top of three blocks.
Miguel Oczon had 17 points for NU.
The Bullpups remained in second place with an 11-3 record and will have a twice-to-beat advantage in the stepladder semifinals.
University of Santo Tomas stayed in the semifinals hunt after taking down defending champion and third-running Far Eastern U-Diliman, 64-62, while Adamson beat De La Salle-Zobel, 75-51.
FEU dropped to 8-6 while DLSZ fell to 4-10.
Finishing the elimination round with similar 7-7 slates, UST and Adamson will dispute the last Final Four spot.
MVP pacesetter CJ Cansino didn’t want his final year to end with a whimper, collecting 26 points, nine rebounds, and five assists for UST.
University of the East also stunned UP Integrated School, 94-85, to finish at 2-12.
UP wound up at 3-11.
FEU, UST tracksters reign
In athletics, FEU and UST continued their dominance on the track after defending their titles also on Sunday at Philsports oval.
The Tamaraws won their eighth straight men’s division title while UST’s Lady Tracksters ruled the women’s division for the fourth straight year.
FEU’s Clinton Bautista—who won six gold medals and the Most Valuable Player award—ended his collegiate career with a league record of 13.31 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles. —RANDOLPH B. LEONGSON, BONG LOZADA, INQUIRER.NET