As expected, Ateneo de Manila drubbed the University of the Philippines, 73-58, Thursday, Sept. 1, in Season 74 UAAP men's basketball game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Seven-foot Greg Slaughter bullied the UP Fighting Maroons frontline, scoring 18 points and pulling down a career-high 18 rebounds as the Ateneo Blue Eagles streaked to their 12th straight win, a step closer to a historic sweep.
"It's a challenge keeping the guys up every game," Coach Norman Black told reporters. "But we are in a journey and when you are in a journey, you do not get bored."
Lethargic first half
Struggling to buy a basket in a lethargic first half, the Loyola-based squad dropped a 22-4 bomb bridging the second and third quarters to turn the tables around.
UP, with nothing to lose after being eliminated from the Final Four, controlled the first two periods behind Mike Silungan and Mark Juruena as the Maroons took a 28-22 lead midway through the second canto.
But Slaughter and veteran forward Nico Salva conspired in the game-changing run with the rookie posting 13 points in that stretch and Salva pouring in 10.
The senior finished with 16 markers, six boards, three assists and two blocks while reserve Justin Chua helped out with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Padding the lead
Ateneo padded its lead and pulled away in the fourth quarter, holding UP without a field goal for almost seven minutes as the Katipunan five continued to flaunt their dominance a little more than a week before their much-awaited showdown with Adamson University.
Seeking a fourth straight title, Ateneo demolished the Maroons in rebounding, collecting 58 caroms to UP's mere 33 even as it committed a season-worst 22 turnovers.
But the Eagles pounded the shaded area and scored 42 points in the paint while limiting the Maroons to only 28.
Mike Silungan had 16 points and eight rebounds for UP while Mark Juruena probably had his finest game for the Maroons with 12 markers, four boards and two blocks.
The Maroons were, as usual, anemic from downtown, draining only three of 19 shots (15.8%).
The scores
Ateneo (73): Slaughter 18, Salva 16, Chua 11, Ravena 7, Tiongson 5, Long 5, Austria 4, Gonzaga 3, Erram 2, Monfort 2, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0, Sumalinog 0
UP (58): Silungan 16, Juruena 12, Maniego 7, Romero 6, Montecastro 4, Gamboa 4, Mbah 3, Wierzba 2, Gomez 2, Manuel 1, Gingerich 1, Pascual 0
Quarters: 15-14, 32-28, 52-45, 73-58
