Ateneo's Four-Peat

Image by the UAAP Sports

Not just 1, not just 2, and not just 3...

It's Four-Peat for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

For four straight years Ateneo Blue Eagles reign as the UAAP Champion. They finished the series in front of 18,817 fans with a sweep, 2-0 against the raging FEU Tamaraws. Blue Eagles ended Game 2 with a blow again, 82-69. It's true that for the Blue Eagles it's really a ONE BIG FIGHT!

Coach Bert Flores made a surprise in the start of Game 2 by putting Bringas and Knuttle in the starting five. It was a fiery and aggressive start for the Tams. Ramos scored the first 7 points of the Tamaraws, they attacked the basket and got fouled, they made 8 of 8 in the free throw line but the Blue Eagles never backed down to the challenge of the Tams. Blue Eagles fought the same aggressiveness level that Tams showed in the start and they forced the Tams to enter in the penalty as early as 5:37 in the first quarter. Eagles maximized the opportunity by scoring 7 of 10 in the line, and they made a short scoring spurt in the last seconds of the first quarter and end the first 10 minutes with a 5 point lead, 23-18.

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Eagles in Game 1

Nico Salva
(image by UAAP Sports)

ONE WIN AWAY

Eagles clinched their first win in the Best-of-Three Finals against FEU Tams, 82-64.

MR. PERFECT

Nico 'Salvage' Salva did no wrong in Game 1 of the UAAP Finals last Saturday(Sept.24). He scored a huge 24 points, grabbed 5 boards, dished 3 assists, got 2 blocks and became the Best Player of that game.

Salva had a perfect overall shooting game. He made 8 of 8 in the field and 8 of 8 in the free throw line. He never wasted any shot to helped his team secure their first win of the Finals.

In the first part of the opening quarter, Tams made a few jitters, turned the ball over a couple of times and the Eagles took advantage of that and scored quick 6 points. Garcia retaliates and attacked the defense of Eagles and Tams tied the game at 6 a piece. Romeo the anchor of Tams scored 10 points, with 3 rebounds and 2 assists in the first quarter alone, a big lift for the Tams. They shot 60% to start the game and made a strong act for by ending the first 10 minutes up by 5, 19-14.

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Redeem or Four-peat?

RENEWED RIVALRY

FEU is again in the position to stop Ateneo from writing an amazing history.

FEU and ADMU for the third time in the UAAP Finals
since the start of Final-4 format in 1994
Image by the UAAP Sports

Tams and Blue Eagles met twice in the Finals since the start of the Final-4 format in 1994, it was in 2003 and 2010. They have a 1-1 record in their head-to-head match up in the Finals. In 2003 season of UAAP, Tams beat the Blue Eagles in a convincing fashion, the Morayta based team swept the Ateneans that year in their Best-of-Three Finals. They met again in 2010, this time, the Katipunan based squad never won a single game against the Tams in the elimination but they return the favor to the Tamaraws, Blue Eagles swept the Tams in the Finals, 2-0, and it became sweeter for the Ateneans because FEU was not successful in stopping the rare Three-peat of ADMU.

In this 74th season of UAAP it's a REMATCH! but this time we have the reverse situation. The Morayta squad never won a single game in the elimination against the Blue Eagles this year, can FEU retaliate?

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FEU's Complete Assault

FEU Tamaraws
(image by UAAP Sports)

TEAM EFFORT

It was a complete ambush made by the Tamaraws. It was their Rebounding and their Defense that helped them out to secure the last Finals berth in the Season 74 of UAAP. Tolomia, Romeo, Escoto, Ramos, Garcia and the rest of the team gave their best and pulled out a 78-74 win over the No.2 AdU Falcons. It was a thriller from start to finish but Tams prevailed and outplayed the more motivated and more eager Falcons. FEU was the 7th team to beat the No.2 seed and went straight to the Finals. Now, they will face again the Blue Eagles in the Finals for a re-match and they have a chance to redeem their last year performance.

It was a hard fought game, no one wants to end their season there. AdU led by two points after two quarters, 33-35. Tams pulled away in the last part of the 3rd quarter and had their largest lead with 11 points, 59-70, but AdU came back again in the last 2 minutes of the game, they scored a quick 9 points and brought down the lead of Tams to 3 points, 71-74 and put FEU in limbo. Falcons had their chances but Tams rebounding dictated the outcome of the game.

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Tamaraws forced Knock-Out Game

Terrence Romeo
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ROMEO OH! ROMEO

He was part of the core three of the Tams with Garcia and Ramos. Terrence Romeo was the least expected to handle and carry his team in their game against the No.2 AdU Falcons, he was hitting all cylinder and burning nets. He was awarded the best player of the game with an outstanding 19 points.


Romeo's clutch game emerged when the team needed the most. After the tight game in the first half, Romeo, pulled it off, he hit a BIG 3-point shot that brought their lead to 13 points, 27-40. That was an answer to the 2-3 Zone Defense of the Falcons. That fueled the 17-4 run by the FEU in the third quarter and they posted their biggest lead in the game with 21 points, 31-52. The confidence and poise of this young Tam showed up in the game. He also played a very very good defense to Lester Alvares and limit the AdU's point guard production especially outside the 3-point line.

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The Final Four

Let the Playoff Begins!

Elimination is over, and now we have the Four Teams that standout.

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Ateneo Blue Eagles

The No.1 team in this season 13-1 (W-L). They have the lethal combination of "The Phenom" Kiefer Ravena and the big Greg Slaughter. They also have the athletic Nico Salva in their line up, this is their own "Big Three", with their Champion Coach, Norman Black, this team will be the team to beat in this playoff. Why? Because they simply know how to be a Champion, they will not have a rare three-peat if they don't have what it takes. Their match up with UST Growling Tigers (No.4) will have a big obstacle to overcome, ADMU have the twice to beat advantage and this is huge for them. Can they win another Championship? and go for a very very rare and almost impossible four straight titles? The Blue Eagles create this "Dynasty" in this league and became the barometer of all the team that want to win a title. They have the talent and capability to win it, BUT! will the other three teams allow them to get it? How will the "Big Slaughter" keep his production in the paint and dictate the game inside the shaded area?

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