College hoops back in action

MANILA, Philippines, March 27 ------ Ateneo kicked off its four-peat quest with a 90-81 win over University of the Philippines in a rare “Battle of Katipunan” held behind closed doors to banner the UAAP Season 84’s stacked four-game opening at the Mall of Asia Arena last night.

The Eagles spread their wings with a scattered attack led by Dave Ildefonso with 19 markers, six rebounds, an assist and a steal in only 26 minutes of play for a quick 1-0 record in UAAP’s awaited comeback under a bubble setting after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Ateneo extended its winning streak to 27 games dating back to 2019 when it completed a 16-0 sweep of Season 82 for its third straight title before the COVID-19 paralyzed sporting events here and abroad.

Raffy Verano (18) and SJ Belangel (10) also had their share while Ange Kouame put up an 11-13 double-double line for the Eagles, who last tasted a loss in 2018. “Obviously, we’re delighted to get a win in that game. We went into it not knowing how well we would perform. The performance obviously needs a lot of improvement but we’re delighted with the win, “ said coach Tab Baldwin.

Earlier, Far Eastern U bullied its way to an emphatic 76-51 win over Santo Tomas while National U escaped past Adamson, 71-69, to gift mentor Jeff Napa a winning debut. Debuting RJ Abarrientos led the way for the Tamaraws by pouring 14 points in their sizzling 47-18 first half start to finish with a team-high 18.

At the nightcap, De La Salle University nipped University of the East 71-66.

Source: philstar.com

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