Games Thursday (Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. — UST vs NU
4 p.m. — UE vs Ateneo

Defending champion Ateneo de Manila survived a bruising start turning back perennial favorite Far Eastern University, 63-59, Sunday in the 72nd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Blue Eagles went to reigning Most Valuable Player Rabeh Al-Hussaini for firepower to win their first match this season.

Al-Hussaini delivered 18 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes in what he described during the postgame talk with the scribes as a "statement game" against a team many considered to reign supreme against the rest of the pack this season.

"Sinasabi talaga ng tao na wala kami, number one daw ang FEU. Siguro message ito sa lahat na kami pa din favorites," Al-Hussaini declared.

Head coach Norman Black, however, tried to downplay their win.

"First game of the league a statement game? I don't think so. There still a lot of games to go," said Ateneo head coach Norman Black."But it's a big win, it's a confidence booster for us to beat and move on into the next game," he added.

The Loyola-based dribblers nearly blew a seven-point cushion with barely a minute left to go as the Tamaraws pulled to within three points, 62-59, with 13 seconds to go. However, a potential game-tying trey by rookie Ryan Garcia hit the front of the rim with time winding down to seal Ateneo's win.

Last year's rookie of the year Ryan Buenafe backstopped Al-Hussaini with 10 points in 17 minutes off the bench while drawing solid contributions from role players Nico Salva, Eric Salamat and the returning Eman Monfort with nine, eight and seven points, respectively.

Thanks to a 50 percent shooting and 7-of-12 treys made in the first half, Ateneo overcame an early 0-8 deficit in the first three minutes of the game by gaining a 40-29 halftime lead.

But the highly-touted Smart Gilas mainstays Mark Barroca and Aldrech Ramos led a huge Tamaraw charge in the final canto that tied the game, 54-all, with 6:49 left.

Al-Hussaini, who fought ruggedly with Ramos and Cameroonian rookie Pipo Noundou all game, had five in a 7-0 run thay gave the Eagles a 61-54 advantage with 1:17 remaining.

Ramos led the Tamaraws with a double-double performance of 15 points and 14 rebounds while fellow RP standout Barroca added 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 33 minutes.

Earlier, National University shed off its whipping boy tag by hammering University of the Philippines, 74-64.

First Game
NU 74 — Hermosisima 12, Singh 10, Ponferrada 10, Malanday 10, Luy 9m Batac 9, Baloran 9, Terso 4, Manito 1, Roy 0, Magat 0, Fabula 0, Cabaluna 0.

UP 62 — Padilla 11, Gomez 11, Reyes Ma. 9, Lopez 9, Co 9, Sison 4, Maniego 4, Hipolito 3, Reyes Mi. 2, Juruena 2, Gingerich 0, Gamboa 0, Astorga 0.
Quarters: 10-18; 36-29; 53-44; 74-64.

Second Game
ATENEO 63 — Al-Hussaini 18, Buenafe 10, Salva 9, Salamat 8, Monfort 8, Reyes 7, Long 3, Golla 0, Chua 0, Baclao 0, Austria 0.

FEU 59 — Ramos 15, Barroca 12, Noundou 9, Garcia 8, Cervantes 6, Cawaling 4, Sanga 3, Knuttel 2, Exciminiano 0, Eguilos 0, Caluag 0.
Quarters: 17-11, 40-29, 50-47, 63-59.