Ateneo de Manila University breezed past Adamson University, 81-60, in the Final Four to book the last slot in the UAAP Season 85 men’ basketball finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on 7 December.
The Blue Eagles hover to their sixth straight UAAP finals and seek revenge against defending champion University of the Philippines, which eliminated National University in an earlier Final Four match, 69-61.
This will be the third time in six years that the Blue Eagles and the Fighting Maroons will be jousting for the UAAP title.
Forthsky Padrigao dropped 16 points, three rebounds and five assists for Ateneo while Chris Koon scored 16 markers.
“We had our best offensive performance of the year. You need rest and you need a full team hitting on all cylinders,” Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin said.
Jerom Lastimosa led Adamson with 10 points.
Game 1 of the best-of-three finals is on 11 December at 6 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The scores:
ATENEO (81) — Padrigao 16, Koon 15, Ballungay 13, Ildefonso 11, Kouame 9, Andrade 5, Quitevis 3, Gomez 3, Garcia 3, Daves 2, Lao 1, Fornillos 0, Chiu 0, Fetalvero 0, Ong 0, Lazaro 0.
ADAMSON (60) — Lastimosa 10, Hanapi 9, Manzano 8, Yerro 7, Douanga 6, Flowers 6, Torres 5, Sabandal 3, V. Magbuhos 3, Colonia 2, Manlapaz 1, Barcelona 0, Barasi 0, W. Magbuhos 0, Jaymalin 0.
QUARTERS: 20-13, 39-29, 63-46, 81-60.
