JUDE Eriobu finished what Ziv Espinas started, as Ateneo piled onto the woes of defending champion University of Santo Tomas with a 100-88 win in the UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball tournament, Sunday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
Espinas ignited the Blue Eagles’ spirited comeback late in the third quarter before Eriobu took over down the stretch, scoring eight of the blue-and-white's final 17 points to stretch their perfect run to five wins, while also handing the Tiger Cubs their fourth loss in five outings.
Meanwhile, Cabs Cabonilas and Pat Sohm powered FEU-Diliman to its third straight victory, leaning on a dominant fourth quarter to secure a 96-73 triumph over University of the East.
With the contrasting results, Ateneo remained on top of the eight-team standings, still a game ahead of the Baby Tamaraws, who improved to 4-1. UST stayed at seventh with a 1-4 slate, while the Jr. Warriors slipped to a share of sixth with Adamson at 2-3.
“It was the players who really won the game today. As much as we prepared for this game, and I know we’re prepared, it was the players. They really wanted to win,” Blue Eagles head coach Bacon Austria said.
A floater by LJ Lapastora gave the Tiger Cubs an 80-72 cushion with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter, but Espinas sparked the Blue Eagles' pivotal 16-2 push with nine points, turning the tide and giving his side a 78-72 lead with over seven minutes left.
UST refused to fold, as Jetlee Melano knocked down two free throws and Charles Esteban scored on a layup to cut the deficit to 83-81 with 5:41 remaining. However, EK Kaw drilled a timely triple before Eriobu did most of his damage in the endgame.
Eriobu finished with a dominant double-double of 28 points and 21 rebounds, along with one block and one assist. Noah Banal added 25 points, three assists, two steals, and two rebounds, while Jay-M Leal chipped in 17 points, eight rebounds, and two assists.
Espinas narrowly missed on a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, to go with two assists and one block.
JC Canapi led the Tiger Cubs with 24 points, three steals, one rebound, and one assist, while Joaqui Ludovice contributed 15 points, three assists, two rebounds, one steal, and one block. Esteban tallied 13 points, four steals, three rebounds, and one assist, as Kirk Cañete added 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one steal.
FEU-Diliman charge
In the other game, after Gab delos Reyes and Jolo Pascual hit back-to-back triples to knot the game at 61-all, graduating forward Marc Burgos scored six straight points before Sohm finished a layup to give the Baby Tamaraws a 69-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Louie Bual opened the final period with a triple to keep the Jr. Warriors within five, 69-64, but that was as close as they would get. FEU-Diliman responded with a decisive 15-2 run—capped by two Prince Cariño free throws and a Sohm layup—to build an 86-66 advantage with 5:03 remaining.
Cabonilas showed the way for the Baby Tamaraws with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, along with 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block. Burgos added 12 points, seven rebounds, and one assist.
Sohm finished with eight points, five rebounds, three steals, and one block, while Khean Esperanza, Nigerian center Assan Gaye, Adi Alagaban, and Dwyne Enriquez each scored eight points in the win.
For UE, Mhico Abellar top the scoring column with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal, as Delos Reyes added 11 points, two assists, and one rebound.
The Scores:
Third Game:
FEU-DILIMAN 96 - Cabonilas 22, Burgos 12, Esperanza 8, Gaye 8, Sohm 8, Alagaban 8, Enriquez 8, Cagurungan 7, Dagcutan 5, Hall 4, Carino 4, Raneses 2, J. Santos 0, Dulin 0, D. Santos 0.
UE 73 - Abellar 12, Delos Reyes 11, Bual 9, Pascual 8, Aguas 7, Lorenzo 5, Edoukou 5, Oraa 5, Braga 4, Diaz 3, Roquid 2, Timbol 2, Orca 0, Panganiban 0, Copada 0.
Quarters: 32-28, 50-46, 69-61, 96-73.
Fourth Game:
ATENEO 100 - Eriobu 28, Banal 25, Leal 17, Madrangca 9, Espinas 9, Kaw 6, Kallos 6, Gatmaitan 2, Lacsamana 2.
UST 88 - Canapi 24, Ludovice 15, Esteban 13, Canete 12, Melano 11, Lapastora 5, Ajani 4, Bathan 2, Pulongbarit 2, Vidanes 0, Sta. Maria 0, Candare 0.
Quarters: 24-17, 41-47, 66-70, 100-88.
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