NICO Salva dished out a flawless game as Ateneo demolished a Far Eastern University (FEU) crew that did not have the heart to get into the groove in Game One of the Season 74 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball finals on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Salva hit a game-high 24 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the field and also 8-of-8 from the 15-foot line to tow the Blue Eagles to an 82-64 rout that moved them a game shy of snatching their fourth consecutive crown.

Game Two is set at 3 p.m. on Tuesday—and if ever the Tamaraws could show heart and determination, could forge a knockout Game Three on Saturday.

“I really decided for Nico to attack, that’s why we didn’t go much to Greg [Slaughter],” said Blue Eagles head coach Norman Black.

“And Nico is not really a big man. He’s only six-foot-three, but his advantage is he’s quick and can take out his men with his dribble,” he added.

Salva wasn’t the only Blue Eagle who gave the Tamaraws a major headache. Everybody else Black fielded in the second half did.

After a solid start that forced a 33-all count at halftime, the Tamaraws lost their composure in the next 20 minutes with only Terrence Romeo and Russel Escoto holding fort against Ateneo’s onslaught.

Romeo finished with 23 points and was responsible for giving the Tamaraws a 19-14 lead after the first period.

But his backcourt partner, RR Garcia, last season’s Most Valuable Player, was a disappointment in the series opener—just like last season when the Blue Eagles swept them in the finals.

Garcia was held to just six points on 3-of-15 shooting from the field. He missed all his seven attempts in the three-point area.

“Ateneo had a perfect game for me,” said FEU head coach Bert Flores, who drew 12 markers from the lanky Escoto.

“Okay ang first half namin pero pagdating ng third and fourth, nawala na ’yung depensa and also our ball sharing. Kami talaga ang may kasalanan. Okay din ang officiating. We’ll watch the tape kung anong adjustment na puwedeng gawin.”

Obviously, the Tamaraws need to slam the door on Salva, who delivered one of the finest performances in UAAP finals history.

FEU’s major concern before the series was the seven-foot Greg Slaughter. But it was Salva who did the damage on FEU in the series opener that saw 18,972 fans trooping to the Big Dome for the biggest collegiate duel of the year.

From a 45-all deadlock, Salva anchored a 15-4 run in the third period and helped Ateneo build a 60-49 advantage going into the final period.

The gap ballooned to as many as 20 points when the Blue Eagles went on a 15-6 tear highlighted by Salva’s one-hand slam, 75-55, with 3:11 remaining.

“They helped a lot. Greg and my teammates were able to recognize the open men,” said Salva, who was shocked to know that he had a perfect shooting game.

Slaughter had a steady game with 12 points and eight rebounds, while rookie Kiefer Ravena contributed 17. Emman Monfort also netted 11 for Ateneo.

Although he scored only four points in nine minutes on the court, backup six-foot-four center JP Erram served notice of his capability.

“He [Erram] was willing to get out and [guard] the guards of FEU. Our bigs have to delay at least for a moment for our guards to get back on their guards, and JP did that for us,” said Black, referring to FEU’s vaunted pick-and-roll game.

“We were able to adjust to that after the first half and I think we did a good job on stopping their pick-and-roll play.”

FEU, which beat Adamson twice in the Final round to reach the finals, led by 10 points in the second quarter, 28-18, but Salva and Ravena joined forces in a 15-5 blast for that 33-all count at the half.

It was an all-Ateneo show in the third period as the Blue Eagles outscored the Tamaraws, 27-16, to break away from a tight contest for a 60-49 lead.

Veteran center Aldrech Ramos only had nine points in 31 minutes and Flores said this one area of their game needs to be curbed.

“Kulang sa touches ang big men namin. Nasa dalawa [Garcia and Romeo] kasi palagi ang bola,” said Flores. “Pero positive pa rin kami. Hangga’t may hininga may pag-asa.”

The Tamaraws have now lost five straight games to the Blue Eagles dating back last year’s finals. FEU also bowed to Ateneo twice in the elimination round, 49-69 and 67-74.

But despite their dominance, Black wouldn’t count the Morayta-based squad out in the series.

“We just have to win the next game because otherwise, we’ll give them momentum in the series,” he said. “My approach for the season after each game has always been ‘go home and dissect the game.’”

And this could be what Flores would be doing—besides psyching players that everything is not yet lost for them.

“Kausapin ko sila. Sabihin ko nandito na tayo, hindi pa tapos ang lahat,” said Flores, the last coach to give the Tamaraws their last UAAP crown in 2005.

Flores also dismissed the possibility of fielding JR Cawaling and Pipo Nuonduo in Game Two. “Wala sila sa game shape,” he said of the two injured Tamaraws.