Ateneo wins second back-to-back championships
By Alder T. Almo
08 October 2009 08:22 PM
Manila – In the end, it was Ateneo’s
discipline that pulled trough.
The Blue Eagles executed their game plan to the letter to post a 71-58 victory over University of the East Red Warriors in Game Three and run away with the 72nd
UAAP men’s basketball crown on Thursday.
The Blue Eagles outrebounded,
outshustled and outsmarted the Warriors in the deciding game before 18, 851
paying fans at the Araneta Coliseum.
“Today, the focus was much better
and we came out with a lot of energy. Believe
it or not, we had a game plan in Game 2.
When we got back to practice, I showed them the tape but before that I
asked them straight: Do you think you followed me,” Ateneo coach Norman Black
said.
And follow Black's instructions, they did.
Rabeh Al-Hussaini got his shots
inside and Jai Reyes found his range outside as the duo connected anew just
like in Game 1 to power the Eagles to their second back-to-back title romp in
the UAAP history.
Al-Hussaini pumped in 11 of his
game-high 21 points while Reyes hit three triples in the third quarter en route
to 16 points to leave the UAAP as back-to-back champions.
The win duplicated the Eagles’
back-to-back title romp in the 1987 and 1988 seasons, the first two of their
five titles in the UAAP.
The Warriors never found their
rhythm after the Eagles dropped an 8-0 bomb with 3:16 left in the opening
period. The Eagles increased an eight point
lead to as high as 20 before tapering off when the game was already under
wraps.
It was Ateneo all the way as they
returned the favor to the Warriors, who humiliated them with a big 88-68 win in
Game 2.
Al-Hussaini, meanwhile, capped off his
five-year collegiate career winning the Finals MVP after averaging 22.3 points
and 11.7 rebounds in the series.
“Di talaga ako makatulog. Actually, 6 a.m. na ako kanina nakatulog just
thinking na dapat manalo kami. ‘Di ako
papayag na uuwing luhaan, last year ko na eh.
All I was thinking was to play without no regrets,” Al-Hussaini said.
Paul Lee and Elmer Espiritu tried
to carry the Warriors but they could not just overcome the championship-savvy
Eagles.
Lee scored 21 to lead the Warriors
while Espiritu, who have played his last UAAP game, wound up with 16
points. Espiritu’s frontcourt partner
Pari Llagas was conspicuously absent in the motion of things, scoring only
three points all from the stripes.
Llagas, who will also graduate this year, shot 0-for-8 in the face of
Al-Hussaini’s aggressive defense.
“Siguro it was not really meant for
us. Kumbaga sa law of averages, naabutan
kami. No excuses but we lost to a better
team today. They played as true
champions, we were just pretenders,” UE rookie coach Lawrence Chongson said.
“Mentally and emotionally, they
(Eagles) were more prepared than my team.”
The scores:
ADMU 71 – Al-Hussaini 21, Reyes 16,
Buenafe 10, Baclao 8, Salamat 7, Long 7, Salva 2, Monfort 0, Austria 0.
UE 58 – Lee 21, Espiritu 16, Acuna
8, Lingganay 5, Zamar 3, Llagas 3, Flores 2, Reyes 0, Duran 0, Ayala 0.
Quarters: 21-17, 40-25, 57-41,
71-58.
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