KAI Sotto and Sean Ildefonso went to work in the third period and powered the Ateneo Blue Eaglets to an 86-70 smashing of the Nazareth School-National University Bullpups yesterday at the Arena in San Juan.
The 7’1” Sotto came up with a monster game, hitting 22 points, pulling down 16 rebounds and rejecting 11 shots for the Blue Eaglets in Game 1 of their best-of-three finals series with the Bullpups in the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines Junior Basketball Tournament.
Ildefonso shot 21 points and had seven rebounds for the Blue Eaglets, who moved a win away from their 19th crown.
Sotto, who came up with his best showing this time around, made nine points in the third period, including a three-point play in the last 7:36.
“Experience is with NU. Championship experience. First quarter, we were shaky. Nobody has played in the finals before. I told them they now know how to play in the finals. Let’s do what we do best and keep it close in the first half,” said Blue Eaglets’ coach Joe Silva.
With the Blue Eaglets trailing, 33-34, Sotto’s efforts triggered a 19-0 run and from there, they went on to take charge with a comfortable 50-35 spread in the last 4:11.
Getting 17 points from SJ Belangel, the Blue Eaglets have so far remained unbeaten after 15 games.
The Bullpups, behind Terrence Fortea with 21 points, were ahead in the first period after taking a 6-0 lead in the last 6:39 off Michael Malonzo, who had four points. NSNU then took a 30-17 edge off Cyril Gonzales’s basket in the final 5:39 of the second.
But triples from Belangel and Matthew Escalona touched off a rally that allowed Ateneo to tie contest, 31-all, at halftime. Peter Atencio
The Bullpups made it to the finals following a 91-72- smothering of the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs last Tuesday in their stepladder semifinal playoff.
