Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles bounced back from its first loss of the season by edging Adamson University (AdU) Falcons, 73-68, in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Jared Bahay delivered an all-around performance for the Blue Eagles, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead Ateneo to its second victory in three games.
Travis Roberts added 14 points, while Ian Espinosa chipped in 10 markers. Rookie Kieffer Alas endured another difficult shooting night, scoring seven points on 3-of-14 shooting, but contributed eight rebounds and three assists.
Ateneo led 16-12 after the opening quarter and carried a 35-27 advantage into halftime. The Blue Eagles extended their cushion to as many as 13 points in the third quarter before entering the final frame with a 54-44 lead.
Adamson refused to go quietly, outscoring Ateneo, 24-19, in the fourth quarter, but the Blue Eagles repeatedly answered the Falcons’ attempts to build momentum and held on for the win.
Precious Jonah paced Adamson with 17 points, while Matt Edding and Ray Allen Torres scored 12 apiece. The defeat dropped the Falcons to 1-1 mark. (Adrian Co)
