HINDI dapat pakampante ang two-time reigning champion Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Laban sa dehadong University of Santo Tomas Tigers, nangailangan ang Blue Eagles ng mas mataas na antas ng depensa at katatagan sa free throw sa krusyal na sandali para malusutan ang Tigers sa manipis na 71-70 panalo kahapon para manatiling imakulada ang kampanya sa UAAP Season 82 Men’s basketball elimination sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Naisalpak ni Ange Kouame ang tip-in para maibigay ang isang puntos na bentahe, 68-67 sa Blue Eagles bago napigilan ang opensa ni Soulemane Chabi Yo sa huling isang minuto bago naselyuhan ang panalo sa free throw nina Thirdy Ravena at Matt Nieto.

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Tumapos ang Ivorian na si Kouame sa nakubrang 11 puntos, 10 boards, at dalawang blocks, habang kumana si Ravena ng 17 puntos, 10 rebounds, dalawang assists, at dalawang steals.

“We understood that game was going to be a really tough game. I feel fortunate we won the game. That’s the kind of game that you can credit the team as much as you want, talk about character, and all of that, but I think that every applaud you give your team, you give the other. That could have gone either way,” pahayag ni Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin.

Nanguna si Chabi Yo sa Growling Tigers sa naiskor na 25 puntos, 13 rebounds, dalawang assists, at dalawang blocks.

-Marivic Awitan

Iskor:

ATENEO (71) -- Ravena 17, Kouame 11, Mamuyac 10, Navarro 8, Belangel 6, Maagdenberg 6, Ma. Nieto 5, Go 3, Wong 3, Mi. Nieto 2, Andrade 0, Daves 0, Tio 0.

UST (70) -- Chabi Yo 25, Abando 9, Nonoy 9, Subido 9, Huang 6, Cansino 4, Concepcion 4, Ando 2, Paraiso 2, Bataller 0.