By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles finally entered the winning column of the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Tournament after taking down the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 60-51, on September 21, 2024, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
With the win, the Blue Eagles just escaped its worst start in the UAAP and clinched win no. 1 after losing against UP, UST, and DLSU in their first three outings.
Team captain and senior Chris Koon finally returned for the Blue Eagles after being sidelined in their first three games due to an injury.
With the presence of the former UAAP champion, Ateneo just got off to a promising start and banked on its reliable defensive schemes that slowed down the high-octane Adamson pace.
Koon provided leadership inside the court, directing traffic for his younger members while also lifting them with words of encouragement.
Those were missing in their first three games, and having Koon back for a Final Four push was a positive sight for the Ateneo hopefuls.
Shawn Tuano continued his efficient outing for the Blue Eagles and top-scored the Tab Baldwin-led team with 11 markers.
Despite a 13-2 scoring run that helped Adamson inch close to within three points, the Blue Eagles found a way to halt their ice-cold shooting courtesy of the trifecta of Tuano, Kristian Porter, and Ilonggo Ian Espinosa.
The trio supplied the much-needed buckets in the final four minutes of the ball game and also buried clutch free throws down the stretch.
Backstopping Tuano’s 11-point performance was Porter who played heavy minutes for Ateneo, wrapping the win up with eight points and 11 rebounds.
Koon, who is yet to reach his optimum state, managed to chip in the same points as Porter. Joshua Lazaro, the most consistent Ateneo scorer in their first three games, added seven markers.
