The D Spot

Link to UAAP Season 71 – Schedules, Statistics, Updates and Highlights here.

by Vince

It was a battle for the skies as the Adamson Soaring Falcons faced the Ateneo Blue Eagles on the court at 4pm this afternoon. The Blue Eagles have been dominating the skies since 1997, leaving no space for the other blue bird. Year 1997 was the last time the Soaring Falcons beat the Ateneo Blue Eagles, when the price of gasoline was only P12/liter.

Both teams did not score much field goals during the first two quarters of the game. Shooting has been very sour for both sides, even for the AdMU-DLSU hero Chris Tiu, missing his field goals and even his free throws. On the other side, Yambot and Gonzalgo shot very well from beyond the arc. Points for the Blue Eagles were taken care of by guard Eric Salamat who later grimaced in pain as he felt muscle cramps on his right leg.

After the second half cheering exhibition, the Blue Eagles switched from man-to-man to zone defense  shutting down the Falcons’ inside scoring and forcing them to shoot perimeters. Thanks to big men Al-Hussaini, Baclao and Nkemakolam, the Falcons’ did not dare go inside the paint. Switching to this type of strategy gave the Eagles a big advantage, letting even their rookies (Chua, Buenafe, and Salva) step-up and play their game.

Completely shutting down the Falcons’ game, Chris Tiu finally got in his zone scoring more points for the Eagles. Time was running out and the Falcons still weren’t able to answer both the Eagles’ offense and defense, leading to their eventual loss. Rookies went in the court as the lead was extended and the clock ticked down. The blue birds ended their battle with a score of 72-45 in favor of the Blue Eagles, clinching their second win in the season.

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