Angelo Kouame and two other teammates took charge early and powered the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles to an historic 14-game sweep of the elimination round.
The 6’11” Kouame unloaded a season-high 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Blue Eagles in their 86-64 smothering of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at the Mall of Asia Arena yesterday.
Kouame’s defensive efforts in the latter part of the first half with Adrian Wong and SJ Belangel earned the Blue Eagles an automatic finals slot in the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.
The Blue Eagles became the third varsity squad to claim a 14-game sweep since the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers claimed the title outright back in 1993 in the pre-Final Four era.
A new format will now be used since the Final Four setup has changed after the University of the East Warriors advanced to the finals in 2007 and lost to the La Salle Green Archers despite having a twice-to-beat edge.
The Blue Eagles, with SJ Belangel firing a career-high 14 points, will now be the first squad to enjoy a thrice-to-beat incentive since the ruling was first adopted by in 2008.
The Fighting Maroons, who drew 13 points and seven rebounds from Kobe Paras, will bank on a twice-to-beat incentive as the no. 2 seeded squad in the stepladder semifinals.
“We understand that this is a significant accomplishment for a basketball team. But you all know that the job isn’t done. This is really the season before the season,” said Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin.
The Fighting Maroons, who advanced to the finals for the second straight season, lost a 24-25 edge in the last 7:08 of the second period off Belangel’s penetration.
From there the Blue Eagles held the Fighting Maroons to just five points, with Kouame knocking in eight points to lead Ateneo to a 45-32 halftime spread.
With UP in foul trouble in the start of the third, Kouame drove inside past Akhuetie Bright. His field goal enabled Ateneo to grab a 21-point edge, 62-41, with 3:02 to go.
A triple from Matt Nieto put their lead up by 24, 73-49.
Fourth seed FEU meets no. 3 UST on Wednesday at the start of the stepladder semis.
In an earlier game Jamie Malonzo buried seven triples to lead La Salle to an 89-63 drubbing of Adamson to end its UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament campaign.
The Fil-Am forward scored a career-best 34 points on 7-of-12 sniping from downtown in his final game for the Green Archers, on top of 12 rebounds to cap his short run in Taft with a victory.
Andrei Caracut also ended his collegiate run with 14 points, six assists, and three rebounds as the Green Archers finished the year at an even 7-7.
Meanwhile, Rey Suerte uncorked 25 points to cap his short University of the East career and tow his side to a 79-77 win over National University.
It was the fitting send-off for the 6-foot-3 super scorer, leading the Red Warriors to finish UAAP Season 82 with a 4-10 slate.
Suerte buried the big triple that put UE up, 74-72 with 42.2 ticks remaining, but Dave Ildefonso quickly tied the game at 74 with a layup in the final 33.7 seconds.
The Monkayo, Compostela Valley native responded with him banking a one-hander that once again gave the Red Warriors the 76-74 lead in the final 20.1.
Ildefonso had a chance to tie the game, but his fadeaway went way short, leading to Philip Manalang and Suerte pushing UE’s lead up to four, 78-74.
JV Gallego buried a trey in the last 1.2 seconds that kept NU in the running, 78-77, but Manalang finalized the count with a split with 0.4 seconds to spare.
Alex Diakhite provided the muscle for the Red Warriors with his double-double of 17 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, as the graduating guard Manalang unfurled five points, seven assists, and four boards.
The scores:
ADMU 86—Kouame 20, Belangel 14, Navarro 13, Ravena 11, Go 7, Ma. Nieto 7, Mamuyac 5, Tio 4, Maagdenberg 3, Mi. Nieto 2, Andrade 0, Chiu 0, Daves 0, Mallillin 0, Wong 0.
UP 64—Paras 13, Akhuetie 11, Ja. Gomez de Liano 11, Ju. Gomez de Liano 9, Tungcab 5, Jaboneta 4, Rivero 4, Manzo 2, Murrell 2, Webb 2, Mantilla 1, Prado 0, Spencer 0.
Quarter scores: 20-21, 45-32, 65-44, 86-64.