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“We want La Salle.�

Fans wearing blue and white showed how hungry they are for another match with their ultimate rival De La Salle as the Ateneo Blue Eagles crushed the defending champions, University of Santo Thomas, 69-64, at the Araneta Coliseum last September 23.

The Growling Tigers have now lost their chance of vying for the title in this 70th season of the UAAP.

Ford Arao spearheaded the Blue Eagles’ quest, making 17 points while Chris Tiu and Nonoy Baclao tipped in 14 ad 11 points, respectively. Baclao also tallied 3 blocks.

Jervy Cruz made a huge double-double topping the Growling Tigers’ score sheet with 17 points and grabbing 16 boards. Dylan Ababou and Mark Canlas backed up with 14 and 16 points, respectively.

Arao showed enthusiasm early in the game scoring a hefty 6 points of Ateneo’s 10 in the first quarter that ended 18-10 for UST. In the second period, the Blue Eagles outscored the yellow shirts, 22-12.

Tiu sank an 18-footer with 9:35 in the clock to start the quarter and cut the lead to five. Cruz nailed back to back jumpers with 6:19 minutes to play that stretched the Growling Tigers’ lead back to 7.

Ateneo sparked a big 6-0 run in the final 3 minutes of the quarter including a shot from Jai Reyes that tied the game at 30 with 2:09 minutes in the regulation. The Blue Eagles outran the Growling Tigers, 32-30, before halftime.

In the third quarter, Canlas and Ababou made a combined 13 third quarter points to keep UST’s bid burning.

But Ateneo continued to dominate, igniting another 7-0 run in the first 4 minutes stretch to lengthen their lead to 11, 41-30.

Canlas completed a three-point play with 4:05 minutes left in the clock that cut the lead down to five, 46-41.

Ababou also finished a three-point play after grabbing a miss from Japs Cuan and getting a foul. The lead was down to just two points with 3:32 minutes in regulation.

Francis Allera nailed a basket from behind the arc that made it just a single-point ball game for Ateneo.

Rabeth Al-Hussaini made 3/4 FTs for a 4-point Ateneo lead but Canlas answered back with a beautiful finish with 1:25 minutes in the clock. Ateneo led by four, 55-51, after three quarters.

Both contenders heat up in the fourth quarter after Zion Laterre was called for a pushing foul as he completes a footback.

Eric Salamat completed a three-point play as his hang time move over Cruz awarded him bonus free throws for a 7-point Ateneo lead with 6:28 minutes left in the clock.

Ababou once again took a basket from downtown that cut the lead back to five, 65-60, with 2:11 minutes in the game.

With 5.5 second remaining, Coach Norman Black became furious as the table officials mistakenly called a time out for Ateneo.

With their match against La Salle for the fourth time this year, Coach Norman Black predicted it is going to be a tough game.

Coach Norman Black Post Game Interview:

“We have three days off to prepare. We’ll start concentrating on La Salle tomorrow but for now we’re gonna celebrate the victory.� “Here we go again,� he added.

Individual Scores:

Ateneo-69

Arao-17, Tiu-14, Baclao-11, Baldos-7, Salamat-6, Al-Hussaini-5, Long-4, Escueta-3, Reyes-2, Nkemakolam-0, Laterre-0, Barracoso-0

UST-64

Cruz-17, Ababou-16, Canlas-14, Espiritu-5, Allera-5, Mirza-3, Dizon-2, Cuan-2, Taylor-0, Cortez-0.

Quarter Scores: 10-18, 32-30, 55-51, 69-64.

Tags: Ateneo, blue-eagles, Chris-Tiu, Ford-Arao, Growling-Tigers, Jervy-Cruz, Kazim-Mirza, News, Noman-BLack, Pido-Jarencio, summer-league, UAAP, UST

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