Confronted with an opponent about which they had little prior information, Ateneo de Manila University exhibited their trademark strategy execution.
The defending champions of the World University Basketball Series dominated University of Sydney in the tournament’s quarterfinals, 88-50, on Friday evening at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium.
Throughout the 40-minute match, the Blue Eagles delivered a masterclass performance, utilizing their stifling defense to overwhelm the Australians, particularly during the middle quarters.
After concluding the opening period with a 21-16 lead, Ateneo intensified their defensive efforts, holding Sydney to a mere 13 points in the ensuing quarter. Simultaneously, they showcased their long-range shooting prowess to establish a commanding 49-29 advantage.
Their dominance continued into the third quarter, where Ateneo displayed their best performance yet. They initiated the quarter with a 15-5 run, completely demoralizing Sydney.
Mason Amos led the way for Ateneo with 17 points built on four treys.
Kai Ballungay and Geo Chiu combined for 13 rebounds to go with 13 and six points, respectively, while Joe Obasa tallied 10 rebounds and four points.
Shawn Tuano and Jason Credo led the bench with 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Next on Ateneo’s agenda is a matchup against the home team, Hakuoh University.
The Hakuoh University squad also demonstrated their prowess by securing an equally impressive 97-49 triumph over Indonesia’s Perbanas Institute earlier in the day.
In the other bracket, Radford University drubbed Korea University with a score of 100-63, while Chinese-Taipei’s National Chengchi University shocked Japan’s Tokai University with a score of 81-73.
