Blue Eaglets sweep UAAP first round

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo ended defending champion National University’s remarkable 22-game winning run with a 66-64 victory yesterday in the UAAP Season 77 juniors basketball tournament at the Blue Eagle Gym.

Mike Nieto scored a lay-up off Justine Baltazar to shatter the game’s last deadlock at 64-64 in the final 2.5 seconds.

The Bullpups tried to turn things around but Alfred Calma bungled a corner triple at the buzzer, paving the way for the Blue Eaglets to complete a seven-game sweep of the first round.

NU dropped to second place with a 6-1 slate.

Jolo Mendoza finished 20 points and six rebounds while Mike Nieto’s twin brother Matthew shot 15 markers for Ateneo.

Mark Dyke had a double-double effort of 19 points and 16 boards for the Bullpups.

Aljun Melecio and Joaquin Banzon tossed in 18 points apiece as De La Salle-Zobel outlasted Far Eastern University-Diliman, 55-50, to finish third with five wins and two losses.

The Baby Tamaraws, who drew 12 points from Marvin Lee, went down to fourth spot at 4-3.

Frederick Tungcab had 29 points as Adamson U weathered a late UP Integrated School uprising in the final period for a 56-50 triumph and enter the second round at fifth with a 3-4 card.

 Francis Luna had 15 points as University of Santo Tomas downed University of the East, 77-65, for its second win in seven outings.