End dream season with 3rd PCCL crown: Hail the royal Blue Eagles

MANILA, Philippines - Kirk Long and Nico Salva took over for Ateneo in the final half as the Blue Eagles upended Adamson in the deciding Game 3, 73-67, to repeat as Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) titlists at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Long canned five of his six triples, including three in the last period, and wound up with 25 points while Salva added 24 points, 16 in the final half where the Eagles broke away from a tight first-half game.

Overall, it was the third PCCL crown in four years for the Loyola-based cagers, who copped the PCCL’s MVP Perpetual Trophy, an imposing bronze trophy sculpted by renowned Juan Sajid Imao and showing several hands reaching high for a basketball.

The win also capped Ateneo’s sterling season after the Eagles and the Eaglets scored a pair of three-peats in the UAAP.

The Eagles also become Phl’s representatives to the Super Kung Sheung Cup tourney in Hong Kong on Dec. 14-19 for this come-from-behind 2-1 finals series win over Adamson. The Falcons took the opener, 80-78, but the Eagles drew level with a 70-59 victory in Game 2.

After Ateneo fell behind at half-time, 27-33, Salva buckled down to work and scored 10 points as Ateneo seized a 55-44 lead in the third period.

It was Long’s turn to strike in the fourth, firing a shot-clock-beating trey after Adamson got to within six to hand Ateneo a fresh 66-56 margin with 3:36 left in the contest. The American bailed out Ateneo again when the Falcons moved to within four, unloading another triple that widened the gap, 71-64.

Salva completed his heroics by blocking Will Stinnett and scoring on a layup in the ensuing transition to secure the win and earn the tournament MVP plum.

“Nico’s has been the most consistent player for us. He’s always there every game and he played one of his better games today. And Kirk Long knocked down very, very crucial and big three-point shots for us in the endgame. It really kept the separation there, allowed us to win the championship,” said AdMU coach Norman Black, who was named Best Coach.

The Eagles achieved the feat without UAAP Finals MVP Ryan Buenafe, who was excused from the tourney to attend to his studies, and Black said it was a real struggle for his “off-form” wards.

“Adamson poses a big problem for us mainly because they’re much bigger than us; their guards, their small forwards are 6’3, 6’4. It would be easier if Ryan is with us; I can use Ryan as a small forward and use Eric (Salamat) as point guard. So when Ryan didn’t participate in this tournament, it became difficult sizewise,” Black said.

He added that fatigue has been a factor for them the whole tournament. “We came into the tournament in so-so condition, coming off the UAAP championship. We knew we had to win five games to win the (PCCL) championship. So our focus was to try to win every game no matter how you do it, and try to get the championship.”

MVP Salva was joined in the Mythical 5 by Long, University of Cebu behemoth Junemar Fajardo, and Adamson’s Lester Alvarez and Alex Nuyles.