Ateneo forward Dom Escobar reaffirmed the Blue Eagles’ resolve to fight for their Final Four lives, saying he is prepared to empty the tank in what remains of his lone UAAP season.
The Blue Eagles stayed alive in the UAAP Season 88 Final Four race after a 72–61 win over Adamson on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Escobar, who finished with 14 points in the victory, told Abante Sports Now’s Kristian Villaseñor that Ateneo understood the stakes of the matchup and now faces an even higher hurdle with La Salle looming on Wednesday.
“I think we got everything to lose going into this La Salle game,” Escobar said. “I’m only a one-and-done, so I gotta leave everything out there on the line. I’m willing to do whatever it takes for us to get the W… whatever coach wants me to do, I’m going to execute that.”
Ateneo controlled the game behind a strong second-period surge and built a lead as large as 26 points before Adamson attempted a late comeback. The Blue Eagles regained their composure in the final minutes to secure the win and improve to 6–7, tying FEU entering the final playdate.
Escobar said Ateneo must avoid lapses, especially with their season hanging in the balance.
“It’s about staying together and putting two halves together. When we have big leads, we have to keep our composure, keep our foot on the gas, and make sure teams don’t catch up to us,” he added.
The Blue Eagles now brace for a must-win showdown against longtime rival De La Salle University at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. A victory will force a playoff for the last semifinals slot, with UST already locked at No. 3 and both NU and UP holding twice-to-beat advantages.
For the Ateneo community expecting a big performance from him on Wednesday, Escobar made his intentions clear.
“I’m gonna leave everything I got left on the court,” he said. “I just wanna make the Ateneo community proud and leave an impact and a legendary trace here at Ateneo.” (JNV)
