Jared Brown and Ateneo de Manila University made sure to leave no doubt in their third meeting against Adamson University this season.
The Blue Eagles started strong and never let their foot off the gas, eliminating the Soaring Falcons in the battle for the last UAAP Season 86 Final Four slot, taking a wire-to-wire 70-48 on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Ateneo will face the twice-to-beat University of the Philippines in the semifinals on Saturday, 2 p.m.
Brown, the first-year player out of Westmont College in California who struggled against De La Salle University last Saturday, unloaded 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field to go with four rebounds, four assists, and a steal while being a plus-34 in his 26 minutes and four seconds on the floor.
“Our coaches have been preaching the game plan and just following what they would say and I think today we really followed it to a tee and we executed what they wanted,” said Brown, who shot a dismal 1-of-12 clip against the Green Archers last Saturday for just three points.
Brown and Mason Amos almost outscored the entire Soaring Falcons camp in the first half, with 14 and eight points, respectively on a combined six triples to boost the Blue Eagles to a 40-26 lead at the half.
In the third period, Ateneo did not allow Adamson to pull off a comeback, providing all the answers to increase its advantage to 17 heading into the fourth, 56-39.
The Blue Eagles then opened the fourth with six straight points off Kai Ballungay, Sean Quitevis, and Joseph Obasa for a 62-39 cushion with 6:18 remaining in the game.
“I guess probably in the scoreboard it didn’t look like a tough game but it was a very tough game. It’s always is with Adamson and I think that’s reflective probably on the low score,” said Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin.
Quitevis, who shot just 25 percent from deep in the elimination round, went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, finishing with 11 points while Amos added 10 points.
Obasa, the 6-foot-10 Nigerian big, seized 16 rebounds despite struggling, going just 1-of-7 for four points.
Jerom Lastimosa, Adamson’s graduating senior who was sidelined for all but one game of the season due to an ACL injury, was fielded in the game twice — the first with 24.8 seconds left in the first half.
In a heartwarming moment to close out the game, Ateneo rookie Kyle Gamber passed the ball to Lastimosa, who then knocked down a buzzer-beating triple that not only closed the game out but also his collegiate career.
Nobody breached double digits in scoring for the Adamson.
Matty Erolon led the way with nine points, while Didat Hanapi chipped in eight points and four rebounds.
Jed Colonia and Vince Magbuhos have also exhausted their eligibility for the Soaring Falcons.
Adamson finished the season in fifth place — down a spot from Season 85.
The Scores:
Ateneo 70 – Brown 20, Quitevis 11, Amos 10, Ballungay 7, Bongo 4, Obasa 4, Koon 3, Nieto 3, Credo 3, Espinosa 3, Lazaro 2, Chiu 0, Gamber 0, Tuano 0.
Adamson 48 – Erolon 9, Hanapi 8, Calisay 5, Manzano 4, Yerro 4, Montebon 4, Sabandal 4, Magbuhos 3, Lastimosa 3, Barasi 2, Ramos 2, Colonia 0, Ojarikre 0, Cañete 0, Barcelona 0, Anabo 0.
Quarterscores: 24-15, 40-25, 56-39, 70-48
