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Flying like a flock, that's what the Ateneo Blue Eagles did against the Adamson Soaring Falcons last Sunday in their UAAP Season 74 Men's Basketball match. The Blue Eagles' Phenom, Kiefer Ravena didn't score a single point in this game probably because of rookie jitters or perhaps because of the limited minutes that he got from Coach Norman Black. I think he just played 10 minutes all in all. He usually leads the Blue Eagles in scoring during their FilOil campaign but this time he had to take the back seat and watch their new center, who's a transferee from the University of Visayas Lancers, Greg Slaughter. He took over the scoring chores this time as they beat the upstarting Adamson Soaring Falcons via 55 to 51.

Slaughter scored 12 points in the first half, 4 in the 1st quarter and 8 in the second quarter. He was the reason why they held on to the driver seat right from the get start of the game. They managed to lead by as many as 11 points in the first quarter but Adamson was able to cut it down to 6 points, 33-27 because of Eric Camson's heroics. The Batangas native, Eric Camson scored 6 points all in all in the first half to help the cause of his team.

When the second half started the defense of both teams tightened up a bit but it initialy showed that Adamson had the upper hand because they had other shooters aside from Eric Camson. Royder Cabrera, Lester Alvarez and Alex Nuyles all pitched in some important three point bombs to stem the tide with the Blue Eagles. They even managed to take the lead from Ateneo, 39-36 via an amazing 12 to 3 run in the third quarter. They were able to maintain their lead until the last 7 minutes of the 4th quarter.

Austin Manyara powered Adamson to a 51-44 advantage in the 6 minutes and 58 second mark of the 4th quarter. But that was the last time that the Soaring Falcons scored a basket as the Ateneo Blue Eagles were all business in the last 5 minutes of the ball game.

Greg Slaughter took it upon himself to score some baskets for the Loyola Heights based squad. He got an old fashioned three point play coupled with Nico Salva's lay-up that trimmed down the lead of Adamson down to 2 points, 49-51 in the dying minutes of the ball game. With 2 minutes and 15 seconds remaining Adamson's reliable defender Jan Colina fouled out in the ball game after he hacked Greg Slaughter. Slaughter went into the free throw line and he calmly drilled in both of his charities. When Colina fouled out, that signaled Slaughter to unleash his reserved offensive prowess.

After that two crucial free throws of Slaughter, both of the teams went scoreless for at least a minute.

Adamson got a chance to grab the lead but they fumbled and the ever reliable hustler, Kirk Long grabbed the 50:50 ball and he was able to bust out for a free go ahead lay-up that was blocked by Adamson's sophomore player Rodney Brondial, but the officials ruled that it was a goal tending violation. The basket was all good and Ateneo got a 2 point lead, 53-51.

With 24.9 seconds remaining Adamson looked to foul Emman Monfort to send him to the free throw line. He calmly sank both of his charities to make it 55 to 51. That was the final score.

Ateneo wins their first assignment while Adamson loses their maiden game. Greg Slaughter was named as the PS Bank Maasahan Player of the Game. All in all he scored 23 points for the blue and white. This win can boost their morale when they face their arch rivals, the De La Salle University Green Archers on Saturday.


Here are the scores from UAAPSPORTS.STUDIO23.TV.

ATENEO 55—Slaughter 23, Long 10, Salva 8, Monfort 6, Erram 3, Gonzaga 3, Austria 2, Ravena 0, Tiongson 0, Sumalinog 0, Golla 0, Chua 0.

ADAMSON 51—Nuyles 11, Alvarez 8, Cañada 6, Camson 6, Cabrera 6,Manyara 5, Lozada 3, Etrone 2, Brondial 2, Colina 2.

Quarters: 16-12, 33-27, 43-44, 55-51