Eagles have landed; Bulldogs make history

Ateneo reached the UAAP finals for the first time in 11 years while National U made it to the Final Four for the first time since its inception in 1992 with stirring triumphs fashioned out before wildly-cheering crowd at the Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

The Blue Eagles, behind the gutsy plays of small men LA Tenorio and Magnum Membrere in the fourth quarter, scored a come-from-behind 67-63 win over the Far Eastern U Tamaraws to clinch the first finals seat.

Earlier, the Bulldogs, enduring long, lonely years of title-less campaigns, gained a stint in the semifinals against the La Salle Green Archers as they overcame the University of the East Warriors, 108-102, in a double-overtime thriller.

Tenorio and Membrere, two talented guards out of San Beda High, combined for 15 points in the payoff period as the Eagles survived a 47-55 deficit at the end of the third quarter, ousting the Tams in their Final Four duel and, in the process, gaining a shot at the crown for the first time since ruling the league for two straight years starting in 1989. They also erased the bitter memory of last year’s shock loss to the Tams in the semifinals.

Tenorio scored on slashing drives against FEU’s tall men as Ateneo rallied to tie the count at 58-all, entering the last four minutes of play.

With Tenorio shackled later on by the Tams, Membrere picked up the offensive slack, shooting bombs from afar as the Eagles surged ahead, 63-60, and went on to complete the stirring victory.

FEU actually drew level at 63-all on a three-pointer by Richard dela Rosa but Membrere answered with a trey of his own, and the Tams fell down by going without a basket in the last 1:29 of play.

Dela Rosa, who earlier scored three triples, missed a potential game-tying attempt atop the key with time down to seven seconds then old-reliable Larry Fonacier towered for a crucial rebound and iced the contest for the Eagles with an all-important free throw.

The Bulldogs bungled opportunities to win the game right away in regulation and first overtime period but triumphed just the same as they outlasted the Warriors in a gut-wrenching duel.

It was a breakthrough victory for NU, a team without a title since its 1954 championship which advanced to the semifinals against La Salle.

Nailing the fourth and last slot in the Final Four, the Bulldogs need to beat the Archers twice to make it to the finals. Their first game is set tomorrow also at the Big Dome.

Alfie Grijaldo played like a man-possessed, scoring 28 points, while Jeff Napa added 18 points, including six crucial points in the second overtime.