Eagles go for three-peat

Blue Eagles rout Falcons, go for three-peat against FEU

The Ateneo Blue Eagles are back in the UAAP Finals for the third straight year.

Emman Monfort scored 22 points, and the Blue Eagles put a chokehold over the Adamson Falcons’ offense on the way to a 68-55 rout. The Blue Eagles set the tone of the game early via a 14-0 blitz in the first quarter that gave them a 16-5 lead. The shell-shocked Falcons were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way.

It was the team’s 28th consecutive victory against Adamson, a streak that goes back to 1997.

“I have intelligent players,” said a happy Coach Norman Black after the game. “They were able to grasp what we wanted to do defensively. We probably prepared better for this game than for any game I’ve ever coached in Ateneo.”

With Eric Salamat recovering from fever, Monfort took his place in the starting line-up and stepped up big time. He made all three attempts from beyond the arc and added seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. He also played spectacular defense against Adamson’s Lester Alvarez, who was held to 11 points.

“We needed the energy to go up against Lester Alvarez, and Emman did a great job today,” said Coach Norman.

Monfort began his onslaught early in the first quarter as he opened up the scoring for the Blue Eagles via a fast-break lay-up. A few possessions later, he sparked Ateneo’s 14-0 run with a booming triple. After the first quarter, the Blue Eagles led 22-12.

The Emman Monfort show continued in the second canto as the diminutive Ateneo point guard scored eight points, including two treys. A lay-up by Nico Salva gave the Blue Eagles a 39-29 lead going into halftime.

Ateneo started to blow the game open in the third, thanks to an 8-1 blitz that gave them a 17-point lead. Ryan Buenafe’s two free-throws (his first and only two points in the game) would give the Ateneo their largest lead of the night, 60-49. The Falcons tried to get back in the game in the last canto, but it was simply too late. Adamson would not get closer than 13 points.

The Blue Eagles clearly did not want to turn the semi-finals into a series as they played excellent defense throughout the ball game, holding the Falcons to a measly 27% shooting. The Falcons’ woes were exemplified by their top scorer, Alex Nuyles, who was held to only four points and was largely ineffective throughout the game.

“Our defense was great,” said Kirk Long, who was largely responsible for Nuyles’s miserable night. “We never really let up and all the guys did their job.”

The Falcons also had no answer for the Blue Eagles’ offense: Long and Salva scored 13 and 11 points, respectively, to back up Monfort. Jason Escueta also stepped up to score seven points with Justin Chua and Frank Golla saddled with fouls.

Starting the game with Buenafe as play-maker  paid off for Coach Norman. He had nine rebounds, grabbed two steals, dished out two assists, and posted a shot block.

The team’s championship experience was a major factor. While the Adamson Falcons seemed nervous and eventually diverted from their game plan, the Blue Eagles remained calm and collected under pressure.

“Our team was surprised at the atmosphere,” said Falcons’ coach Leo Austria. “And Ateneo is better than us. They have a lot of experience and I think that’s the biggest factor. You can see in the eyes of the Ateneo players. They know how to handle this situation.”

It would be the third season in a row that the Blue Eagles would play in the Finals. Unlike previous seasons, however, the Blue Eagles are not the favorites to win. They will face the top-seeded FEU Tamaraws–the only team Ateneo hasn’t beaten this season.

“We have not beaten them yet, but both games were pretty close,” said Coach Norman. “I’m looking forward to playing them again. It should be a good series. I don’t see either team as having an advantage.

“The key is playing our best basketball at the right time. We have the experience and we’ve been here before. Now it’s just a matter of whose team is better.”

The UAAP Finals start on September 25, Saturday at 4:20 pm in the Araneta Coliseum.

Know the numbers of the Ateneo vs Adamson Final Four game here

By Camille Eugenia B. Naredo

Photos by Joseph Angan