Ateneo Blue Eagles dominate UP Fighting Maroons

(Thirdy Ravena attempting a lay-up during the ADMU vs UP basketball game. photo from Tiebreaker Times)

Ateneo Blue Eagles remain undefeated after thrashing the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 92-71, in the second game of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball tournament on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

UP Fighting Maroons let down their defense in the fourth quarter, causing the Blue Eagles to go on a run sparked by Tyler Tio's back-to-back triple to pull away for good.

The Diliman-based squad were just trailing by eight points at halftime, 36-44, before Ateneo made a run in the second half.

The Blue Eagles dominated the boards outrebounding the Maroons by 13, 51-38, banked on off-guard Aaron Black's 10 caroms.

Thirdy Ravena led the game with 16 points while rookie Tyler Tio contributed 14 points, going 6 of 6 from the field and 2 of 2 from the three-point line.

Juan Gomez de Llano paced the Maroons with 16 points and 7 rebounds.

During the game’s halftime show, the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion protested the approved Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Budget of Php 1,000 for 2018.

The ADMU Blue Eagles will go up against the FEU Tamaraws on September 17 at The Big Dome while the UP Fighting Maroons battle the winless UE Red Warriors on the same day at the same venue.