UAAP Finals 2018:

Ateneo overpowers UP Maroons, bags Season 81 plum

December 5, 2018 – Mall of Asia Arena
UAAP Finals 2018: Ateneo halts gritty UP Maroons, takes Game 1
The Ateneo Blue Eagles Logo

UAAP Finals 2018 News: Ateneo Blue Eagles overpowered the UP Maroons, 99-81 to bag the 2018 UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball championship title this Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. Thirdy Ravena wowed the 23,741 Araneta crowd with an unbelievable 38 points output combined with 6 boards and 6 dimes total. Import Angelo Kouame also registered a double-double of 22 points and 22 caroms for the two-time champions Ateneo.

Ateneo is now a two-time UAAP titlist under the reins of Coach Tab Baldwin, the last time the Blue Eagles won a string of UAAP championships was in 2012 under Coach Norman Black.

➤ There was a brief halt to the game tip-off as the Blue Eagles protested the steel brace which Bright Akhuetie wore in his left knee. The brace was eventually removed and the game commenced with Akhuetie not wearing the knee protector.

Gomez De Liaño led the defeated Maroons with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while reinforcement Akhuetie chipped-in 19 points and 8 caroms. Clutch operator Paul Desiderio also made 15 buckets and 7 rebounds.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 25-13, 48-37, 70-56, 99-81.

ateneo: 99

Ravena 38, Kouame 22, Verano 11, Tio 7, Belangel 6, Nieto Ma. 6, Asistio 6, Go 3, Wong 0, Mendoza 0, Andrade 0, Black 0, Nieto Mi. 0, Daves 0, Mamuyac 0, Navarro 0.

up: 81

Gomez de Liaño Ju. 24, Akhuetie 19, Desiderio 15, Gomez de Liaño Ja. 11, Dario 8, Vito 2, Lim 2, Española 0, Prado 0, Jaboneta 0, Murrell 0, Manzo 0, Spencer 0, Longa 0.

Posted on December 5, 2018 - Mall of Asia Arena

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP Finals 2018:

Ateneo halts gritty UP Maroons, takes Game 1

December 1, 2018 – Mall of Asia Arena
UAAP Finals 2018: Ateneo halts gritty UP Maroons, takes Game 1
The Ateneo Blue Eagles Logo

UAAP Finals News 2018: Ateneo Blue Eagles halted the gritty UP Maroons, 88-79 to take Game 1 of their Finals showdown in the 2018 UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball this Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Matt Nieto paced the Blue Eagles with his 27 markers, while Thirdy Ravena had a triple-double of 21 buckets, 10 caroms and 9 dishes.

Notes:

➤ Tempers flared in the Arena after the collision of imports Angelo Kouame of Ateneo and UP’s Bright Akhuetie in the third quarter. Akhuetie was taken out of the court due to a possible leg injury but surprisingly returned with seven minutes left in the 4th quarter.

Akhuetie helped the University of the Philippines with two free-throws converted, to trail Ateneo with only three points, 68-71. However, the Blue Eagles stepped on the offensive to secure Game 1 in the battle of the Katipunan.

Jun Manzo powered the defeated Maroons with 19 points and 4 rebounds, while star Juan Gomez de Liaño finished with 17 buckets and 8 caroms. Meanwhile, clutch operator Paul Desiderio was limited to just 5 points all game.

UP and Ateneo will resume their Finals tiff on Wednesday, December 5 for Game 2.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 26-18, 39-38, 63-61, 88-79.

ateneo: 88

Nieto Ma. 27, Ravena 21, Kouame 7, Tio 6, Verano 6, Mamuyac 5, Nieto Mi. 4, Asistio 4, Mendoza 3, Wong 3, Go 2, Navarro 0.

up: 79

Manzo 19, Gomez de Liaño Ju. 17, Gomez de Liaño Ja. 11, Akhuetie 10, Dario 9, Desiderio 5, Vito 3, Tungcab 3, Prado 2, Gozum 0, Jaboneta 0, Murrell 0.

Posted on December 2, 2018 - Mall of Asia Arena

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP Finals 2017:

Ateneo draws first blood, defeats DLSU 76-70

November 25, 2017 – MOA Arena

UAAP Finals 2017: Ateneo draws first blood, defeats DLSU 76-70
Ateneo Blue Eagles
UAAP Finals 2017 News: Ateneo Blue Eagles took Game 1 of UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball Finals over the De La Salle Green Archers, 76-70, this Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Thirdy Ravena and the Nieto brothers led a balanced Blue Eagles attack to upset the breakout game of Archer Aljun Melecio, who dropped 24 points in Game 1. Ravena powered ADMU with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while Mark and Mike Nieto contributed 11 respectively.

Notes:

Ateneo de Manila University now holds a 1-0 advantage over DLSU in their best-of-three UAAP finals series. Four Blue Eagles scored double digits with Ravena making 12, Mike and Mark Nieto with 11 each and Anton Asistio donning 10 markers.

Isaac Go was the accidental hero for Ateneo, sealing the victory for ADMU with an and-one play off the foul by Archer Kib Montalbo, pushing Ateneo to 76-70 within the last 10 seconds.

➤ The highly physical contest saw Mark Nieto falling to the floor from a wayward elbow courtesy of Ben Mbala. Both Mbala and Chibueze Ikeh were assessed technical fouls for unnecessary taunting in the second quarter. Likewise, Melecio got the unsportsmanlike foul in the same quarter.

➤ Melecio led the spirited Green Archers with 24 points on 5-of-13 shooting from rainbow country, while Rivero gave 10 markers and three caroms for DLSU. UAAP two-time MVP Mbala was held to only 8 points as he nursed his early foul woes throughout the game.

➤ De La Salle University and Ateneo will go at it again in Game 2 this Wednesday, November 29 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Filipino: UAAP Finals 2017 Balita • Pinabagsak ng Ateneo Blue Eagles ang De La Salle Green Archers, 76-70, nitong Sabado Nobyembre 25 sa SM Mall of Asia Arena upang itala ang unang tagumpay sa Game 1 ng UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball Finals. Sina Thirdy Ravena at magkapatid na Nieto ay nanguna sa balanseng atake ng Blue Eagles upang hadlangan ang puwersa ni Aljun Melecio na gumawa ng 24 puntos sa Game 1. Nagtala si Ravena ng 12 puntos, 6 rebounds at 4 assists, maging sina Mark at Mike Nieto na nag-ambag ng 11 buslo bawat isa.
Game Scores:
Quarters: 26-14, 43-39, 60-58, 76-70.

ateneo: 76

Ravena 12, Nieto Ma 11, Nieto Mi 11, Asistio 10, Tolentino 9, Black 7, Verano 5, Go 5, Ikeh 4, Tio 2, Mamuyac 0, Mendoza 0, Porter 0.

la salle: 70

Melecio 24, Rivero R 10, Mbala 8, Tratter 7, Santillan 7, Rivero P 7, Baltazar 4, Montalbo 3, Caracut 0, Go 0, Tero 0, Paraiso 0.

Posted on November 25, 2017 - MOA Arena - Pasay

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

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