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IN a
game of spurts, University of the East (UE) had the last
burst, outlasting Ateneo, 76-73, to register its best
start in years in the University Athletic Association of
the Philippines (UAAP) Season 70 yesterday at the Ninoy
Aquino Stadium in
Manila.
In the
first game, Jonathan Fernandez exploded for 23 points to
power National University (NU) past University of the
Philippines (UP), 86-79, and a 2-1 record—also its best
start in six years.
After
engaging the Blue Eagles in a seesawing battle of runs,
the Red Warriors made a short but telling 6-2 blast in
the final 74 seconds and held on for their third win in
as many games.
UE is
off to its best ever start, at least in the Final Four
era, or perhaps since its last UAAP title run in 1985.
“Another
game of spurts, we’re glad we pulled through again,”
said coach Dindo Pumaren, who is trying to pilot the
Recto-based squad to its first title in 21 years. “This
is a good experience for us, experience that we could
use in the coming games.”
Like in
previous games, the Red Warriors leaned on a balanced
attack. Only this time, it was the unheralded Paul Lee,
a rookie out of San Sebastian High, who led them,
scoring 13 points on six-of-nine shooting from the
field.
Kelvin
Gregorio added 12 points on an equally impressive
four-of-eight clip for UE, as all but two of the 13
players fielded made a basket.
“We
struggled at the start because my players got excited,
and they are playing tentative. Good thing we stayed
close until that big plays by [Elmer] Espiritu and Paul
Lee,” explained Pumaren.
Espiritu
scored on nine points, but four of those came in a span
of 40 seconds—back-to-back lay-ups that ignited that
closing 6-2 run, which erased Ateneo’s last lead at
71-70.
The game
featured four deadlocks and 13 lead changes.
Chris
Tiu scored 16 points on six-of-15 shooting to pace the
erstwhile unbeaten Blue Eagles, who dropped to 2-1. They
lost to the Red Warriors for the second straight time
after winning their previous four encounters.
Ford
Arao had 15 points and five boards, while Ken Barracoso
added 12 and six.
In the
curtain raiser, Raymond Aguilar, a rookie transferee
from San Sebastian College, backed up Fernandez with 18
points and 10 rebounds to help the Bulldogs bounce back
from an 82-75 defeat to the Red Warriors last Thursday.
“We
played loose, unlike last time where we played so tight
that we couldn’t execute our game,” said coach Manny
Dandan, whose wards are one win shy of matching their
last season’s total.
The
Bulldogs now share third spot with the Blue Eagles, whom
they will face on Thursday. The Fighting Maroons
absorbed their third loss in as many matches for their
worst start since going 0-6 in 2004.
This
also marks the first time the Bulldogs won two their
first three games since 2001, when the Sampaloc-based
squad made its first and only Final Four appearance. |
