Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 24) — The Ateneo Blue Eagles solidified their place on the summit of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) with a 83-65 victory over the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors on Sunday afternoon at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Thirdy Ravena led all scorers with 21 points for Ateneo.
The first half saw the Blue Eagles take a 32-23 advantage into the third frame.
The Red Warriors opened up the second half with a 6-0 rally to trim the deficit to 32-26, but the Blue Eagles were able to stymie their efforts.
Ateneo put down the clamps on the defensive end against the Red Warriors in the payoff period, limiting them to only 13 points.
On the other end, the Blue Eagles poured in 23 markers in the final quarter as they cruised to a comfortable victory.
The win sees Ateneo maintain their perfect start to the season, improving to 4-0. The Red Warriors are left searching for their first win with a 0-4 record.
Alvin Pasaol and Nick Abanto were the only UE Red Warriors in double figures.
Save for a dominant final period, the Blue Eagles had to remind themselves how tough a side UE actually was in the first three quarters.
“For a minute there we fell into the trap of thinking that they are a 0-3 team,” Ateneo coach Sandy Arespacochaga said. “We know that they are a tough team and they put in a lot of effort every time the play.”
“In this league, you cannot really take any team for granted,” Arespacochaga added.
The Blue Eagles will face the UST Growling Tigers for their next assignment on Wednesday, while UE will face-off against the FEU Tamaraws on Sunday.
