The Ateneo Blue Eagles have achieved a perfect season.
Finals’ Most Valuable Player Thirdy Ravena unloaded 17 points and led the Blue Eagles to a 86-79 subduing of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Ateneo’s Game 2 win allowed the Blue Eagles to complete a 2-0 sweep of the the men’s basketball finals and an unbeaten 16-game winning run in the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines, a feat never done before in the league.
The Eagles’ 16-0 sweep of the entire season is now considered the longest winning streak in the league in 26 years as Ateneo remained champion for a third straight season.
They also took Game 1 with a 91-77 triumph.
The last time an immaculate season sweep was achieved was in 1993, when an Aric del Rosario-coached University of Santo Tomas completed a 14-game title romp in UAAP Season 56, with the unbeaten team in the elimination round being crowned champion outright.
“A 16 and 0 season is something we dreamed about. We didn’t talk about it. Because we did not want to set that as a goal. But, I know that the players particularly dreamed about it. And it is a dream season to go through unblemished and and to be able to say that each one of those 16 days, no teams were better than us, and guard against arrogance, and guard against overstating what is pretty exceptional,” said Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin, who steered the Blue Eagles to their second “three-peat” in the Final Four era.
Ateneo last accomplished this feat from 2008 to 2010.
Speed, precision and counterattacks at the three-point region highlighted the Blue Eagles’ game all throughout as big man Will Navarro got quality minutes as he helped Angelo Kouame protect the shaded lane for most of the game for 19 minutes.
It was a done deal when Kouame entered the court in the last period and replaced the hard working Isaac Go.
The 7’0” Kouame, who only had seven points in the 17 minutes he saw action, put Ateneo ahead by 10 points with a putback with 3:02 left, 81-71.
SJ Belangel banged in a career-high 15 points, with his trey in the last 5:28 handing Ateneo a 75-58 edge in the remaining 5:28.
Rhenz Abando shot 16 points for the Growling Tigers, including the third of his three triples in the last 2:06 to lead UST’s rally from a 32-42 halftime deficit.
Ateneo was ahead by 14 at the of the first period, and UST tried to catch up behind a 7-0 run which Abando led.
Ravena, who earned his second straight MVP award, played his final game with the Blue Eagles, while the Nieto brothers Mike and Matt embraced their father–former Blue Eagle Jett Nieto as they celebrated the three-peat.
Together, the Nieto family commemorated their fourth championship, since the elder Jet was part of the 1987 squad that gave the Blue Eagles their first championship trophy.
Mike Nieto even praised the Tigers for their fight.
“They (UST) had three do-or-die games. And they succeeded (in reaching the finals). And it’s really hard to defend against them. Kitang-kita sa laro kanina. It was a close game,” said team co-skipper Mike Nieto.
The Scores:
ATENEO 86— Ravena 17, Belangel 14, Ma. Nieto 14, Kouame 7, Navarro 7, Go 6, Maagdenberg 6, Wong 5, Daves 4, Mi. Nieto 3, Mamuyac 2, Andrade 0.
UST 79 — Abando 16, Nonoy 14, Chabi Yo 11, Concepcion 8, Subido 8, Huang 7, Ando 6, Paraiso 5, Cansino 4, Bataller 0, Pangilinan 0.
Quarters: 31-18, 42-32, 67-62, 86-79.