Ateneo wins UAAP season 73

The burly Buenafe struck hard
when it mattered most to push
Ateneo de Manila University to
a 65 - 62 nipping of top seed
Far Eastern University and the
Blue Eagles' third straight
UAAP men's basketball crown
Thursday afternoon before 17,
215 fans at the Big Dome.

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The six-foot-two junior, who
was awarded the UAAP Season
73 Finals MVP, capped his
sterling performance with a
three-pointer with 22.1 seconds
remaining that gave Ateneo its
biggest lead, 61 - 56, to finally
put away the Tamaraws, who
led much of the game before
losing steam in the
homestretch.
"This is the hardest
championship we've won in the
last three years," an ecstatic
Coach Norman Black said.
True enough, the Eagles did it
the harder way this time,
climbing from an 11-point
deficit early in the first half to
become only the fourth team in
league history to accomplish a
three-peat.
Other UAAP member schools
that accomplished the rare feat
include the University of the
East Warriors (under coach
Baby Dalupan), the University
of Santo Tomas Golden Tigers
(under coach Aric del Rosario),
the champions' archrival De La
Salle University Green Archers
(under coach Franz Pumaren),
and the Far Eastern University
Tamaraws (under coaches Koy
Banal and Bert Flores).
The Tamaraws had chances to
send the series into a Game 3
clincher but missed four free-
throws in the end game,
including two that could have
tied the game with under a
minute remaining.
Likewise, the Morayta-based
five had to slug it out with the
more experienced Eagles
without Coach Glenn Capacio,
whose blood pressure shot up
late in the second canto and
was rushed to the Medical City
in Pasig City for tests.
Buenafe led all scorers with a
season-best 23 points and six
boards on eight-of-12 shooting
while pint-sized playmaker was
all over the court and finished
with 10 points, five boards and
three assists.
Meanwhile, season MVP Ryan
Roose Garcia and Rookie of
the Year Terrence Romeo were
non-factors in FEU's most
important game of the season,
tallying a measly combined
output of eight points on a
horrible four-of-17 from the
field.
Forward Reil Cervantes and the
graduating Paul Sanga tried to
carry the Tamaraws on their
back with 15 and 13 markers,
respectively, but had little help
as FEU ended another
disappointing season with a
loss.
"I guess it's really destiny," a
dejected Athletic Director Mark
Molina told reporters. "I have to
congratulate Ateneo. Their boys
are incredible."
The Blue Eagles finished the
match with only five turnovers -
none in the first three quarters -
to compensate for the
Tamaraws' big rebounding
edge, 46 - 35.
Photos by Jerome Ascano/
NPPA Images and Jan Dizon.
The scores:
Ateneo (65) - Buenafe 23,
Monfort 10, Salva 9, Long 7,
Chua 7, Salamat 3, Golla 3,
Escueta 2, Austria 1, Erram 0,
Gonzaga 0, De Chavez 0
FEU (62) - Cervantes 15, Sanga
13, Ramos 9, Cawaling 8,
Noundou 6, Garcia 6, Romeo 2,
Exciminiano 2, Bringas 1, Cruz
0, Guerrero 0
Quarterscores: 13 - 22; 30 -31;
52 - 50; 65 - 62