Eagles claw Warriors, take no.2 slot

Defending champion Ateneo de Manila University leaned on main man Eric Salamat down the stretch to essay a come-from-behind 80-73 victory against a tenacious University of the East (UE) yesterday, giving the Eagles the pivotal second seeding halfway through the 73rd UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Philsports Arena.

Salamat unloaded nine of his game-high 23 points, including back-to-back triples at the 7:53 mark of the payoff period to key a blistering 15-8 run that helped the Eagles erase a 51-57 third-quarter deficit and move ahead by one, 66-65.

The spitfirish Ateneo captain rubbed off his energy to the rest of the Eagles who flustered the Warriors anew with a mind-boggling 11-2 onslaught capped by four straight points from back-up guard Juami Tiongson to hand Ateneo a 77-71 advantage a minute remaining in the contest.

UE had the chance to equalize as Paul Lee drilled in a go-ahead lay-up which put the Warriors within four, 73-77. But a Nico Salva split and a costly technical foul on UE coach Lawrence Chongson for unsportsmanlike behavior spelled the Warriors’ doom as the Eagles milked the last 29.9 seconds of the game from the foul line.

Ateneo’s latest conquest after the first round put the Eagles in second place despite tying Adamson University at 5-2 due to a more superior quotient after beating the Falcons early on.

“We struggled in the entire game offensively and we were defensively off today. Good thing Eric stepped up and provided the leadership that we needed in the endgame,” Ateneo coach Norman Black said. “We never really had easy games against UE.”

Black was right.

With Lee and big man Ken Acibar displaying their best element, the Warriors matched the Eagles’ firepower from the get-go and even took the half, 37-36, as both squads treated the crowd that included US Ambassador Harry Thomas and Miami Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra, to seven deadlocks and 14 lead changes in the first two quarters of play.

A Lee trifecta seven minutes into the third sparked a 10-3 blast that propelled UE to a 51-44 cushion.

The Eagles responded with baskets from Salamat, Salva and Justin Chua to close in at 51-53 but a Lee three-point play and an Acibar split padded the lead anew, 57-51, going into the final canto.


Salamat got ample support from Salva and Chua, who chalked up 13 markers apiece and combined for 15 of the Eagles’ 47 rebounds.

Acibar backstopped Lee with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Raphy Reyes and rookie Sam Razon had 11 each.


The Scores:

ADMU 80 – Salamat 23, Salva 13, Chua 13, Long 10, Dela Cruz 6, Monfort 6, Tiongson 4, Austria 3, Gonzaga 2, Escueta 0, Erram 0, Golla 0, Buenafe 0.

UE 73 – Lee 16, Acibar 14, Razon 11, Reyes 11, Martinez 8, Zamar 6, Rosopa 4, Tagara 3, Enguio 0.

Quarter scores: 19-17, 36-37, 51-57, 80-73.

Anthony Divinagracia, UAAP Sports