Eagles rip Bulldogs; Tams halt Maroons

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Ateneo pushed National U to the wall with a tough defensive job and carved out a 75-47 win to remain on its perch atop the 72nd UAAP basketball tournament on a day the league mourned the passing of former President Cory Aquino yesterday at the Big Dome.

Wearing black ribbons on their chest to honor the woman considered as the embodiment of freedom, the Eagles fuelled their offense with their defense to seal their fifth win in six starts.

“Obviously our defense was okay because we gave up only eight points in the first quarter but we’re struggling offensively, we couldn’t really get our rhythm in the game,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black.

“The ball movement actually wasn’t bad in the first quarter but we just couldn’t make our shots, couldn’t get our rhythm. I thought the second team came in and their defense created the offense for us, they came in and really forced a lot of turnovers.

Rookie Ryan Garcia fired eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter while Cameroonian Pipo Noundo and skipper JR Cawaling chipped in 14 points apiece to send the Tams to their fourth straight win with a 77-65 smashing of University of the Philippines.

Cawaling delivered the shots that mattered most as he drained a layup and a booming triple that iced the Maroons’ furious fightback in the stretch.

The Tams bucked the absence of starting center Reil Cervantes, who was out with a right ankle injury he sustained in team practice the previous day.

Thankfully, the 6’3” Noundou, who had to undergo a two-year residency to play, gladly picked up the slack by spiking his career scoring effort with eight boards and four assists.

“Pipo (Noundou) stepped up big in the absence of Reil (Cervantes),” said FEU mentor Glen Capacio.

After digging themselves an 18-point hole late in the third quarter, the Maroons recalled the same effort they came out with in slaying the fancied Eagles, 68-58, a week ago as they claw their way back to within six points, 63-69, with over two minutes to go.

But Cawaling took charge as he unloaded a five-point swing that zapped the fight out of the Maroons.

Both wearing a yellow ribbon on their chests in mourn of the country’s People Power icon, the Maroons fell to their fourth loss in five games while the Bulldogs absorbed a fifth setback in six outings.