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Ateneo continues unbeaten run, repeats over Adamson for 8th straight win

Thirdy Ravena's 15-point, nine-rebound game was good enough as Ateneo claimed its eighth win in UAAP Season 80. (File Photo) 


By Ricky Manliguis

QUEZON CITY--- The streak continues for Ateneo.
The Blue Eagles continued its mastery of the Adamson Falcons, posting a dominating 71-59 win for an impressive 8-0 start in Saturday’s main game of the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball at the Araneta Coliseum .
With defense as its main weapon, the Katipunan-based squad limited the Falcons to just 24 points in the first half while waxing hot offensively in the second half behind Thirdy Ravena for the victory that snapped AdU’s four-game win streak.
The victory also completed a season sweep of Adamson, following its masterful 85-65 win in the first round.
After a tight first 20 minutes, Ravena and Isaac Go connived in scoring 13 of the Eagles’ 23 points in the third quarter. The lead even ballooned to 21 points, 71-50, after a BJ Andrade triple to seal the outcome.
Ravena topscored for ADMU with a near double-double of 15 points and nine rebounds with two assists. Vince Tolentino and Go both cashed in eight markers, while Chibuize Ike and Mike Nieto had seven apiece.
"It was a defensive game. Adamson is a very good defensive team also. The 23 points we had in the third quarter gave us the cushion we wanted to make sure that our defense would lead to opportunities for us on the break," said Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga in the post-game interview.  
Papi Sarr, who missed AdU’s first round encounter with Ateneo due to injury, paced the Falcons (4-4) with 15 points and nine boards, but got little help from his teammates as Jerie Pingoy and Jerrick Ahanmisi only got nine and six markers, respectively. 
Robbie Manalang struggled with just a point while missing all of his six attempts from the field.

The Scores:
Ateneo 71 – Ravena 15, Tolentino 8, Go 8, Ikeh 7, Black 7, Nieto Mi 6, Asistio 4, Verano 3, Tio 3, Mendoza 3, Andrade 3, Nieto Ma 2, Porter 2, Mamuyac 0, Malillin 0, White 0.
Adamson 59 – Sarr 15, Pingoy 9, Ahanmisi 6, Hill 6, Espeleta 5, Mustre 5, Manganti 4, Camacho 2, Lojera 2, Ochea 2, Zaldivar 2, Manalang 1, Bernardo 0, Chua 0, Paranada 0.
Quarterscores: 16-10; 31-24; 54-41; 71-59.



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