MANILA, Philippines - There's a script slowly becoming familiar for the Ateneo Blue Eagles two games into their title defense in the 72nd UAAP Season: They end up on the wrong end of a blistering first quarter, recover their bearings in the second before Rabeh Al-Hussaini flexes his muscles for the knockout blow in the second half.
Pushed to the wall by a hot-starting University of the East squad, the Eagles drew another brilliant effort from Al-Hussaini to stage a big comeback that ended in a 72-57 rout last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Al-Hussaini, the reigning Most Valuable Player, threw his weight around for 27 points, 19 coming in the second half, as the Eagles clawed their way back from an early 17-point deficit to register their second victory and gain a share of the lead with University of Santo Tomas.
“Rabeh has been working hard,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black. “There were concerns about him during the summer. But I was very confident when he got back to the gym and started to do those big men moves.”
Another impressive individual effort also highlighted UST’s 104-89 dumping of National University as Dylan Ababou sizzled for 30 points to power the Tigers to their first 2-0 start in 10 years.
“We’re a very hungry team and it showed in this game,” said UST coach Pido Jarencio, whose squad was the first team to breach the century mark since National U nipped UP, 107-104, on Aug. 13, 2006.
The Eagles pinned a first loss on the Warriors, who routed the La Salle Archers, 65-46, last Saturday.
Ateneo also needed to claw its way back from an early deficit in a 63-59 victory over Far Eastern U last Sunday. .
The scores:
First Game:
UST 104—Ababou 30, Mirza 19, Teng 14, Fortuna 14, Maliksi 10, Green 7, Mariano 4, Afuang 4, Cam 2, Ungria 0, Camus 0, Rushdy 0, Felix 0, Camus 0, Bautista 0, Aytona 0.
NU 89—Singh 19, Baloran 19, Hermosisima 15, Terso 10, Manito 8, Malanday 7, Ponferrada 6, Batac 3, Luy 2, Roy 0, Magat 0, Fabula 0, Cabaluna 0.
Quarters: 32-24, 63-49, 88-68, 104-89
Second Game:
ATENEO 72—Al-Hussaini 27, Salamat 12, Baclao 10, Reyes 7, Salva 6, Monfort 3, Austria 3, Gonzaga 2, Chua 2, Tiongson 0, Long 0, Buenafe 0.
UE 57—Acuña 21, Lee 14, Reyes 7, Llagas 6, Espiritu 6, Zamar 3, Lingganay 0, Flores 0, Ayala 0, Alabanza 0.
Quarters: 23-11, 35-37, 54-48, 72-57
Pushed to the wall by a hot-starting University of the East squad, the Eagles drew another brilliant effort from Al-Hussaini to stage a big comeback that ended in a 72-57 rout last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Al-Hussaini, the reigning Most Valuable Player, threw his weight around for 27 points, 19 coming in the second half, as the Eagles clawed their way back from an early 17-point deficit to register their second victory and gain a share of the lead with University of Santo Tomas.
“Rabeh has been working hard,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black. “There were concerns about him during the summer. But I was very confident when he got back to the gym and started to do those big men moves.”
Another impressive individual effort also highlighted UST’s 104-89 dumping of National University as Dylan Ababou sizzled for 30 points to power the Tigers to their first 2-0 start in 10 years.
“We’re a very hungry team and it showed in this game,” said UST coach Pido Jarencio, whose squad was the first team to breach the century mark since National U nipped UP, 107-104, on Aug. 13, 2006.
The Eagles pinned a first loss on the Warriors, who routed the La Salle Archers, 65-46, last Saturday.
Ateneo also needed to claw its way back from an early deficit in a 63-59 victory over Far Eastern U last Sunday. .
The scores:
First Game:
UST 104—Ababou 30, Mirza 19, Teng 14, Fortuna 14, Maliksi 10, Green 7, Mariano 4, Afuang 4, Cam 2, Ungria 0, Camus 0, Rushdy 0, Felix 0, Camus 0, Bautista 0, Aytona 0.
NU 89—Singh 19, Baloran 19, Hermosisima 15, Terso 10, Manito 8, Malanday 7, Ponferrada 6, Batac 3, Luy 2, Roy 0, Magat 0, Fabula 0, Cabaluna 0.
Quarters: 32-24, 63-49, 88-68, 104-89
Second Game:
ATENEO 72—Al-Hussaini 27, Salamat 12, Baclao 10, Reyes 7, Salva 6, Monfort 3, Austria 3, Gonzaga 2, Chua 2, Tiongson 0, Long 0, Buenafe 0.
UE 57—Acuña 21, Lee 14, Reyes 7, Llagas 6, Espiritu 6, Zamar 3, Lingganay 0, Flores 0, Ayala 0, Alabanza 0.
Quarters: 23-11, 35-37, 54-48, 72-57
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