Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Ateneo forward Thirdy Ravena could have easily let this one go, but it would have run against the ethos that his team was built on.
With the Eagles comfortably ahead by 22 points with 6:02 remaining, Ravena sprinted back on defense to prevent a transition attack by University of the Philippines’ Javi Gomez de Liaño.
Just seconds later, two more Ateneo players got back to help out Ravena to complete the defensive stop.
There have been plenty of plays that closely resembled this one throughout UAAP Season 82, which have defined what the Blue Eagles are all about: efficient, relentless and unforgiving.
After completing a 14-game elimination-round sweep with an 86-64 whipping of University of the Philippines at Mall of Asia Arena, Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin cares to add one more quality to his Eagles: heart.
“There’s been a grave misconception about my team,” said Baldwin, after the Eagles also punched their ticket to a fourth straight Finals appearance.
“A lot of people have been saying we’re super efficient, almost to the point of being robotic. But what people don’t talk about is the tremendous amount of heart that this team has,” Baldwin said.
“What I have is the hardest practicing team I’ve handled in 40 years [of coaching],” he went on. “I’m just surrounded by a basketball team that humbles me. They blew me away as to how much heart they have and how much passion they have to succeed.”
Much like their first-round battle, also a runaway 89-63 win a month ago, the Eagles methodically pulled away in the second period, where they went on a 19-2 blitz that turned a 24-25 deficit into a 43-27 advantage with 1:18 remaining in the first half.
The Fighting Maroons never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way as they finished the elimination phase with a 9-5 record.
Ivorian center Ange Kouame proved to be a pillar of strength inside the paint, pumping in 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while sophomore SJ Belangel finished with 14 points for the Eagles, who became the first team in 12 years to complete the sweep after University of the East.
Earlier, Jamie Malonzo exploded for 34 points in just 26 minutes as La Salle closed out the season with an 89-63 drubbing of Adamson, while University of the East turned to Rey Suerte down the stretch to slip past National U, 79-77, and finish the season with a 4-10 record.
Ateneo’s dominant season so far has seen the Eagles win by an average margin of 17.4 points.
“We understand that this is a significant achievement,” Baldwin said. “But you all know the job is not done. This is just the season before the season.”
The Maroons would still have gone into the Final Four with a twice-to-beat advantage regardless of the outcome of the match against the Eagles.
The Final Four will now go into stepladder semifinals with Far Eastern U and University of Santo Tomas disputing the right to face second seed UP, which will carry a twice-to-beat advantage.
Ateneo will wait for the survivor of the stepladder phase in the best-of-three finals beginning Nov. 16 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Knowing his team’s mind-set, Baldwin said they’ll stay sharp and ready until then.
“We’ll be sharp,” Baldwin vowed. “I don’t have any doubt. We won’t fall off our game.”