UAAP: Kouame, Ateneo crush Adamson to stay unbeaten

Ateneo center Angelo Kouame. UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Ange Kouame powered Ateneo’s third quarter blast to demolish Adamson, 78-47, for its third straight win in the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament on Thursday at Mall of Asia Arena

The Gilas Pilipinas naturalized center showed the way for the Blue Eagles with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, one block, one steal and an assist to keep his team unbeaten in three games.

Kouame sparked an empathic 18-0 run in the third quarter to build a 54-28 spread, as he joined hands with Dave Ildefonso, nailing back-to-back triples, followed by two free throws of Josh Lazaro to cap their rally with 1:54 remaining in the period.

The Blue Eagles sustained their momentum in the final quarter with Gab Gomez hitting back-to-back treys for a 63-34 spread to start the period before they put in the finishing touches with a 7-0 run capped by Geo Chiu’s and-one play to build the biggest lead of 35 points, 78-43, with 1:35 left.

Koon played his best game as a Blue Eagle so far with nine points off two triples and had five rebounds, and two assists. Tyler Tio also scored nine markers and tallied three assists, and two rebounds, while Forthsky Padrigao, Raffy Verano and Gomez chipped in eight markers apiece.

Ateneo’s Dave Ildefonso. UAAP PHOTO

Ateneo stayed unbeaten for 29 straight UAAP matches dating back to October 2018. But coach Tab Baldwin stressed those games are already behind them as they battle rival school La Salle on Saturday at 7 pm.

“Those games are behind us already. We want to put games behind us and push to the La Salle game as 0-0. It’s the only game that matters now,” said Baldwin, whose 14 players contributed at least two points in their third win.

Adamson dropped to 1-2, failing to sustain its momentum from its first win over University of the East on Tuesday.

The Falcons erased the Blue Eagles’ 36-13 second quarter lead, unloading a 15-0 run towards the end of first half and early in the third to make it just six-point deficit before Kouame brought back the momentum to the defending champions.

No one from Adamson scored in double figures with Keith Zaldivar and Lenda Douanga leading the way with six points each, while the team’s previous top scorer Jerom Lastimosa was held to just four markers on 2-of-8 shooting.

The Scores

ATENEO 78 — Kouame 13, Tio 9, Koon 9, Padrigao 8, Verano 8, Gomez 8, Ildefonso 6, Chiu 3, Mendoza 3, Mamuyac 3, Belangel 2, Lazaro 2, Andrade 2, Berjay 2.
ADAMSON 47 — Zaldivar 6, Douanga 6, Manzano 5, Yerro 5, Jaymalin 5, Hanapi 5, Lastimosa 4, Magbuhos 3, Peromingan 2, Sabandal 2, Erolon 2, Colonia 1, Calisay 1, Barasi 0, Fuentebella 0, Maata 0.
Quarters: 17-8, 36-24, 54-34, 78-47.