Games Thursday (Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. — Adamson vs FEU
4 p.m. — NU vs Ateneo

Defending champion Ateneo came through in the payoff period, beating stubborn University of Santo Tomas, 80-70, Sunday to become the first team to earn a place in the Final Four in the 72nd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

Struggling for most of the contest and bucking early foul trouble, Rabeh Al-Hussaini found enough strength to deliver in the game's last five minutes as the Blue Eagles secured their ninth victory in 10 games and moved within a victory of claiming a twice-to-beat advantage.

"We're happy to be in the Final Four but our goal is to get into the top two," said Ateneo head coach Norman Black.

In the other game, University of the East derailed Far Eastern University's bid to join the Eagles when the Warriors coasted to an 87-72 win for their sixth win against four losses.

"We wanted to have self-respect in case we reach the Final Four because we wanted to have a chance," said UE head coach Lawrence Chongson whose team avenged its 76-72 loss in the first round.

The win stopped the Tamaraws' winning streak at eight games.

Hussaini, the reigning Most Valuable Player scored his last 10 points in the fourth that saw him put the Loyola-based cagers on top for good with a basket off Dylan Ababou for a 63-62 edge with 6:26 left in the match.

Later, the 6-6 star extended the lead to seven points, 69-62, by hitting a three-point play off UST big man Chris Camus with 2:49 remaining.

American guard Kirk Long shared the spotlight with Al-Hussaini with a career-high 21 points on 5-of-6 shooting. He iced the game with a three-point shot with 56.3 seconds remaining.

"Rabeh was in early foul trouble, someone needs to step up and I'm glad I was able to fill those big shoes," said the 20-year-old Kansas City-born Long, who has been in the country since 1991.

During the first round, the former Faith Academy high school standout and also a member of the Ateneo baseball team during the second semester, averaged 3.9 points and shot 35 percent from the field in a limited role.

Sophomore forward Nico Salva and guard Jai Reyes each scored 11 points while center Nonoy Baclao had 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and five blocks in 30 minutes despite nursing an injured right hand.

The Blue Eagles won despite the scoring exploits of UST's top gunners Dylan Ababou and Khazim Mirza.

Ababou tallied 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting while Mirza added 18 points, 13 in the second half.

First Game

ATENEO 80 — Long 21, Al-Hussaini 14, Salva 11, Reyes 11, Baclao 10, Salamat 7, Austria 5, Golla 1, Tiongson 0, Monfort 0, De Chavez 0, Chua 0, Buenafe 0.

UST 70 — Ababou 19, Mirza 18, Maliksi 11, Camus 8, Teng 4, Aytona 3, Afuang 3, Fortuna 2, Bautista 2, Ungria 0, Green 0.
Quarters: 20-17, 36-39, 58-60, 80-70.

Second Game

UE 87 — Llagas 24, Espiritu 20, Lee 18, Zamar 9, Lingganay 6, Acuna 4, Acibar 4, Reyes 2, Tagarda 0, Sumido 0, Flores 0, Duran 0, Alabanza 0.

FEU 72 — Noundou 14, Cervantes 11, Barroca 10, Ramos 9, Garcia 8, Cawaling 7, Sanga 5, Vinluan 2, Tanuan 2, Eguilos 2, Caluag 2, Manalo 0, Knuttel 0, Exciminiano 0.
Quarters: 10-22, 41-45, 70-55, 87-72.