Ateneo de Manila University forced a playoff for the No. 2 seed and the second twice-to-beat advantage in the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament with a thrilling 86-82 come-from-behind overtime victory over Far Eastern University-Diliman, Sunday afternoon, at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
Trailing 55-68 with 6:19 left in regulation, the Blue Eagles mounted a late surge, executing a 22-9 run in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Timely contributions from Nigerian center Jude Eriobu, Jay-M Leal, and Noah Banal — who combined for 59 of Ateneo’s 86 points — gave the Bacon Austria-mentored squad a crucial edge in the extra period.
The win allowed Ateneo to finish the eliminations tied with the Baby Tamaraws for second place at 11-3, setting up a playoff for the last postseason advantage and the start of a virtual best-of-three series this Wednesday, March 11, at the same Quezon City venue.
Earlier, top-seeded National University Nazareth School gained the first playoff advantage with an 83-66 victory over fourth-seeded De La Salle Zobel.
“I think it’s a big win since we forced a playoff. At least, we have that best-of-three rather than a twice-to-beat disadvantage. More than the game, more than having the best-of-three series, it’s about how we played in the second half and how our character showed up, especially in the fourth quarter,” Austria said.
“This is special kasi it’s our first overtime game of the season. At least we experienced that already, just in case we play again in overtime — at least we know how we should play it,” he added.
Marc Burgos responded quickly to Leal’s go-ahead layup at the 11.8-second mark, giving the Baby Tamaraws a 77-76 lead with 7.9 seconds left. Banal, however, ensured Ateneo’s comeback didn’t go to waste by drawing a shooting foul from MVP frontrunner Cabs Cabonilas and splitting his free throws, forcing overtime.
(C) UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Cabonilas’ foul proved pivotal, as the 19-year-old forward — who finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block — fouled out with 1.2 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime, Ateneo seized control, building an 85-79 lead with 1:25 remaining on a Banal layup, a Leal inside shot, and two clutch free throws from Eriobu. FEU-D mounted a final rally with a Yosef Raneses triple, but misses from Pat Sohm, Sam Hall, and Raneses sealed the Blue Eagles’ comeback from a 14-point deficit.
Eriobu recorded a double-double with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting and 15 rebounds, adding two blocks and one assist. Leal added 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Banal contributed 17 points, three rebounds, and one assist.
Off-the-bench sparkplug Audwyn Tamayo added 10 points and two assists.
For FEU-D, Burgos tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds, one steal, one block, and one assist, while Raneses added 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and one block. JB Cagurungan finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and three steals.
(C) UAAP Season 86 Media Team
In the later game, University of Santo Tomas closed out its Season 88 campaign on a high note, sending off eight graduating players with an 83-24 rout of the winless University of the Philippines Integrated School.
The Tiger Cubs finished tied for fifth with the UE Junior Warriors at 5-9, while UPIS again ended the season without a win. Despite losing eight graduating players, including skipper Kirk Canete and co-captains Wacky Ludovice and Charles Esteban, UST head coach Manu Inigo is confident the new batch can rebound next year.
“Sinasabi ko naman sa kanila na from the start, mahihirapan ma-determine kung sino magcha-champion this season. Sa huli, dikit-dikit pa nga ang standings diba? We’ll be ready next year — ganon lang ka-simple. We guarantee na we will do better next year kasi natuto rin kami sa nangyari sa amin this season,” Inigo said.
UST raced to a 35-9 halftime lead and extended it with a five-point spurt by Dustin Bathan and a JC Canapi triple, putting UPIS in a 60-16 hole entering the fourth period. The Tiger Cubs’ defense held the Fighting Maroons to a season-low 24 points on 8-of-54 shooting.
Jetlee Melano led UST with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 10 rebounds, and two assists. Esteban contributed 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, along with 11 rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Bathan added eight points and four rebounds, while Kyle Bandigan and Simon Pulongbarit scored seven points each. Ludovice and Carsson Vidanes chipped in six apiece.
Acido, Nigerian center Ola Ajani, Bandigan, Melano, and Vidanes also played their final game for the Tiger Cubs.
(C) UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Bruce Tubongbanua led UPIS with nine points, nine rebounds, and two steals, while Jhustin Hallare added eight points, five rebounds, and one steal.
The Fighting Maroons maintain a largely intact core for Season 89, with only Peter John Hernandez and Manfred Rosete graduating from the program.
The Scores:
Third Game:
Ateneo (86) – Eriobu 23, Leal 19, Banal 17, Tamayo 10, Kaw 7, Espinas 5, Kallos 4, Gatmaitan 1, Aquino 0, Madrangca 0.
FEU-D (82) – Cabonilas 22, Burgos 18, Raneses 17, Cagurungan 13, Gaye 4, Hall 2, Sohm 2, Enriquez 2, Alagaban 2, Santos 0, Carino 0, Dulin 0, Dagcutan 0.
Quarterscores: 18-24, 31-41, 50-55, 77-77, 86-82.
Fourth Game:
UST (83) – Melano 17, Esteban 10, Bathan 8, Bandigan 7, Pulongbarit 7, Ludovice 6, Vidanes 6, Cruz 4, Canapi 3, Sta. Maria 3, Lapastora 3, Acido 3, Candare 2, Bohol 2.
UPIS (24) – Tubongbanua 9, Hallare 8, Poquiz 3, M. Rosete 2, Ryan 2, Lugatiman 0, Hernandez 0, Villanueva, J. Rosete 0, Addatu 0, Pascual 0, Cobico 0, Labao 0, Manguerra 0.
Quarterscores: 11-6, 35-9, 60-16, 83-24.
