Archers in Final Four; Eagles stay in hunt
MANILA, Philippines — Reigning champion La Salle punched the first ticket to the Final Four with a 70-45 mastery of Adamson as Ateneo spoiled Santo Tomas’ homestand, 67-64, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball yesterday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
The Archers rained their arrows on the Falcons with a 17-2 rally in the second period and never looked back en route to a repeat blowout win after an 82-52 triumph in the first-round.
MVP race leader Kevin Quiambao top-scored with 17 points laced by six rebounds and three assists in only 24 minutes of play as the Archers leaped to a league-best 9-1 slate.
La Salle, which also drew 11 points from Joshua David and eight each from Henry Agunanne and Raven Gonzales, could get to five losses at worst and still secure a semifinal spot.
“But we still have a lot of work to do,” said coach Topex Robinson in La Salle’s sixth straight win, including three in a row in the perfect second round so far.
Earlier, Andrew Bongo scored 14 points, Ian Espinosa had 11 while Shawn Tuano and skipper Chris Koon fired 10 apiece in the Blue Eagles’ second straight win to stay in the thick of the Final Four race.
Ateneo’s win forged a three-way tie at 3-6 with Adamson and Far Eastern U for fifth spot, maintaining a striking distance from Santo Tomas (4-6) for the coveted place inside the Final Four with five games to go.
“I think this was one of the gutsiest wins we’ve had in a few years,” said Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin.
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