Games Thursday
(Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. UP vs UST
4 p.m. NU vs FEU

Defending champion Ateneo showed no mercy against bitter rival La Salle, cruising to an easy 81-65 victory Sunday night to regain the solo lead in the 72nd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

Unlike the first encounter that needed five extra minutes to be decided, the Blue Eagles were in complete control with Rabeh Al-Hussaini bullying the Archers frontline with yet another MVP-like performance.

The Eagles picked up their eighth win against a single defeat. Earlier, University of the East edged Adamson, 60-56, behind Val Acuna's clutch three-point shot. The Warriors picked up their fifth win in nine outings.

The 6-6 Al-Hussaini, playing his last season, delivered 26 points on 12-of-21 shooting in 31 minutes, a follow-up to his 30-point showing against University of the East three days ago.

Behind a 51-percent shooting that saw them score 21 fastbreak points and 14 more off turnovers, Ateneo controlled the whole duration of the game in what head coach Norman Black described as their best game this season.

"We started strong and finished strong," said Ateneo head coach Norman Black. "This was probably the best performance we played in this UAAP campaign."

La Salle head coach Franz Pumaren, who suffered his first three-game losing skid since taking over in 1998, agrees.

"I guess this was the best game they played," said Pumaren. "It's unfortunate that we played a bad game and they had a great game."

Guard Eric Salamat was also a major contributor for the Loyola-based dribblers with 11 points and accounted for eight of the team's 22 assists. Sophomore forward Nico Salva chipped in 10 points.

Ateneo led by 21 points in the second half and started the game by scoring the first eight points and led 12-2 in the first three minutes of the match.

"Our defense created a lot of offensive opportunities in this game and we able to run which was important for us," said Black.

It was the Blue Eagles' biggest win over La Salle since hammering out a staggering 80-55 demolition on September 14, 1996. It was also their sixth consecutive win over their arch-nemesis and ninth in the last 11 outings dating back to 2007.

Peejay Barua led the way for the Archers with 16 points while Joshua Webb had 13 points, a week after draining a career-high 26 points against Ateneo a week ago. But the Archers poor start ultimately sealed their doom.

"We were disorganized from the start. That's why they shot pretty well," Pumaren admitted.

The Blue Eagles made 17-of-29 shots for a 59 percent clip with Al-Hussaini pacing the team with 14 points in the first half.

The scores:
First Game
UE 60 – Espiritu 20, Llagas 10, Lee 8, Acuna 7, Tagarda 4, Reyes 4, Alabanza 3, Zamar 2, Lingganay 2, Sumido 0, Duran 0, Bandaying 0.
Adamson 56 – Alvarez 14, Lozada 11, Canada 8, Nuyles 7, Galinato 4, Colina 4, Canuday 4, Camson 2, Basillio 2, Margallo 0, Cabrera 0.
Quarters: 13-20; 27-29; 43-43; 60-56.

Second Game
Ateneo 81 – Al-Hussaini 26, Salamat 11, Salva 10, Baclao 9, Long 8, Reyes 6, Tiongson 5, Monfort 3, Chua 2, Buenafe 1, Sumalinog 0, Golla 0, Austria 0.
La Salle 65 – Barua 16, Webb 13, Villanueva 10, Tolentino 6, Marata 6, Mangahas 4, Bringas 3, Andrada 3, Malabes 2, Co 2, Mendoza 0, Ferdinand 0, Bagatsing 0, Atkins 0.
Quarters: 18-11; 44-27; 63-47; 81-65.