Ivory Coast cager Angelo Kouame wasn’t alone in leading the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles to a 90-70 swamping of the University of the East Warriors yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 6’10” Kouame got help from four other teammates and together, they all scored in double digits to lift the Blue Eagles to their eighth win in 10 games in the 81st University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.
Kouame delivered 18 points and 16 rebounds, contributing most of them in the first half.
Ateneo’s third consecutive win came with Christian Tyler Tio and Raffy Verano adding 16 and 14 points, respectively, and the pair of Thirdy Ravena and Jolo Mendoza hitting 10 points apiece.
The balanced scoring assault allowed the Blue Eagles to come up with their most productive game of the season as they surpassed by a point their score of 89-62 when they beat the same team in the first round.
The Blue Eagles went on to erect a 14-point spread, 29-15, at the end of the first period off Jolo Mendoza’s attack.
“We had a terrific first half, both defensively and offensively, especially in the second quarter, when UE came out with more fire,” said Sandy Arespacochaga, who shared coaching responsibilities with Tab Baldwin.
Kouame made five points in the second period as Ateneo limited UE to nine points and took a 44-24 spread in the last 3:54 off an SJ Belengel basket.
Then, a 9-0 blast behind Kouame and Tio gave Ateneo a huge 53-24 halftime spread.
Ravena, coming out of a one-game suspension, only had a point in the third–a split charity with 9:41 to go as Ateneo grabbed its biggest taste of the lead at 58-24.
Alvin Pasaol showed the way with 29 points for UE, which remained in the cellar at 1-9.
The Scores:
ATENEO 90 – Kouame 18, Tio 16, Verano 14, Ravena 10, Mendoza 10, Mamuyac 6, Belangel 6, Navarro 5, Black 3, Daves 2, Asistio 0, Wong 0, Go 0, Andrade 0
UE 70 – Pasaol 29, Manalang 18, Varilla 9, Cullar 6, Bartolome 4, Stait 2, Guion 1, Beltran 1, Gallardo 0, Lacap 0, Antiporda 0, Acuno 0, Gagate 0.
QUARTER SCORES: 29-15, 57-24, 73-51, 90-70