Rivero drops 35 points in UP’s OT win vs Ateneo in BBI cagefest

MANILA, Philippines – Ricci Rivero scored 35 points in his UP debut as he dazzled the crowd with an array of moves. 

But it was tiny Jaggie Gregorio who struck the telling blows when the Fighting Maroons’ Team B stole the game from their Ateneo counterparts, 88-82, in overtime at the start of the Under-25 Men’s Division of the sulit.ph Breakdown Basketball Invitationals at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center last Sunday.

Ateneo led almost all throughout the match.

The Blue Eagles’ Jason Credo stole the ball from Enzo Battad and hightailed down for a layup to give Ateneo a 76-73 lead with 42 seconds left in regulation. In UP’s ensuing possession, Jawuan White stole the ball from UP’s Bruel Kamga with 24 seconds left. All Ateneo had to do was hold on to the ball, but point guard Miguel Fortuna foolishly opted to go for a jumpshot with four seconds left. He airballed the shot and AJ Madrigal pitched the ball to Gregorio, who was all by his lonesome at the UP end of the court for a triple that sent the game into regulation.

Gregorio continued his heroics with a layup to open the scoring in the extension period. But Ateneo continued to miss from the free throw line and take bad shots while not tracking back on defense. 

Gregorio broke one last tie at 85-82 and 1:21 to play with another triple while former Blue Eaglet Migo Santos scored on a layup to give UP a lead they would not surrender.

The win was marred by a near fight between teammates Rivero and Cameroonian player Bruel Kamga after Gregorio’s shot that sent the game into overtime. Rivero was upset that Kamga’s turnover at the hands of White nearly led to an Ateneo win. The two had to be forcibly restrained from going after each other by coaches and players alike. 

However, once in overtime, it was all business for the Fighting Maroons, who took the opener in this eight team tournament that features the Team Bs of schools from the NCAA, UAAP and NAASCU.

“A lot of drama in this game,” succinctly pointed out victorious UP coach Rodney Santos. “We stole it, but we will take it.”

For his part, Rivero and Kamga downplayed their tussle as “both players wanting to win.”

“It’s all good now,” smiled Kamga, who went to watch the UAAP juniors competition after their BBI match.

Rivero was scintillating as he hit his first two shots — both triples — en route to 35 points, seven assists, seven steals and four rebounds. 

Kamga added 18 points and eight rebounds while Gregorio finished with nine points. 

For Ateneo, Miguel Fortuna led the Blue Eagles with 21 points followed by RV Berjay’s 14 markers.