SOPHOMORE Arvin Tolentino played the best game of his collegiate career to push the Ateneo Blue Eagles to an 80-74 decision over erstwhile league-leading University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers in Season 78 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.
Tolentino drilled three triples and a fastbreak layup to lead an explosive Blue Eagles’ run, which pushed Ateneo to a 14-point lead, 73-59, with just 4:36 left to play.
UST’s Ed Daquioag, picking up the scoring slack after star player Kevin Ferrer missed his every single field goal attempt, cut the gap to just eight points, 73-65. But Tolentino drilled another field goal as the Blue Eagles kept the Growling Tigers at bay.
With the victory, the Blue Eagles (6 wins, 4 losses) climbed to solo third place behind the Far Eastern University Tamaraws (8-1) and UST (8-2). De La Salle University Green Archers (5-4) are at fourth place.
Defending champion National University Bulldogs (4-6) are in solo fifth place ahead of the University of the East Red Warriors (3-6), the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons (3-6) and the Adamson University Soaring Falcons (1-9).
Meanwhile, the defending champion National University Bulldogs got a big lift from unheralded JJay Alejandro to post a scrambling 85-79 overtime victory over the Adamson University Soaring Falcons.
Alejandro converted four free throws in the last 22 seconds of regulation period to send the game into overtime and then scored six more points in extension to push the Bulldogs to the scrambling victory.
Alejandro finished with a career-high 22 points to win Player of the Game honors.
Adamson virtually snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they lost a 70-67 advantage in the last 22 seconds of regular time.
Adamson’s Jerome Garcia fouled Alejandro, while the NU forward was attempting a triple giving Ateneo’s Von Pessumal drilled a triple to cap an 8-4 starting run by the Blue Eagles in the second half as Ateneo posted a commanding 17-point lead, 49-32, early in the third period.
The Growling Tigers then waxed hot from three-point distance. Marvin Lee drilled a pair of triples to go with three-pointers by Ed Daquioag and Kent Lao as the Growling Tigers exploded an 18-4 bomb to cut the gap to just three points, 50-53, with 3:05 to go in the third.
The Blue Eagles regained their composure enough to protect an eight-point, 60-52, advantage going into the payoff fourth period.
Pessumal threw up a prayer of a triple as the buzzer sounded to push the Blue Eagles to a 13-point, 41-28, advantage at halftime.
Before that Kiefer Ravena returned early in the second period and immediately made his presence felt by converting a step-back jumper to push Ateneo to a 12-point advantage, 28-16, with 6:22 to go in the second period.
Ateneo’s shifty left-handed guard Aaron Black, forced to dribble the length of the court with his right hand, finished at the rim with a right-handed layup to push the Blue Eagles to big nine-point 21-12 lead after the first quarter.
Alejandro three free throws. To make matters worse, Garcia complained bitterly and was assessed a technical, which gave NU a fourth free throw and ball possession as well.
Alejandro converted four free throws to push NU ahead, 71-70, with 19 seconds to go. Pao Javelona then split his charities to hike the NU lead to two points, 72-70.
Advamson’s Ivan Villanueva scored from inside to tie the game at 72-all and send the game into overtime.
The Falcons bolted out of the gates to take an early lead. They lost that advantage but regained their composure late in the third quarter. Arvin Margallo stole an errant pass, dribbled the length of the court then glided to the hoop to score on a fastbreak layup as Adamson forged ahead by three points, 53-50, after the third period.
