Jovet Mendoza of La Salle drives as Nicolas Salva of Ateneo tries to block his shot during Saturday's much-awaited La Salle-Ateneo UAAP seniors basketball game at the Araneta Coliseum. La Salle won, 66-63. (Photo by BOB DUNGO, JR.)

Games Sunday (Philsports Arena)
2 p.m. — UP vs FEU
4 p.m. — UST vs Adamson

Sam Marata caught fire from long range to power La Salle to a pulsating 66-63 victory over defending champion Ateneo Saturday night in the 73rd UAAP basketball wars before a roaring crowd of 16,566 at the Araneta Coliseum.

A nephew of the late Ricric Marata, one of the most respected gunners in the Philippine Basketball Asociation (PBA), Marata made two big shots in the dying minutes as the Green Archers came back from nine points down to deal the Eagles a stinging setback.

Marata, the 2007 Juniors Most Valuable Player for UP Integrated School, completed La Salle's amazing rally in the last five minutes by hitting a booming triple off the fastbreak to cut the lead to just one point, 63-62, then drained another one from downtown off a screen that put his team ahead, 65-63, with just 1:28 left to play.

Ateneo had beaten La Salle in their last six encounters stretching back to the 2008 season.

“I don’t know what to say. I am so happy,” said La Salle mentor Dindo Pumaren. “We were down nine points but the boys showed their heart. It’s already been two years (since we last won against Ateneo).”

Marata and Joshua Webb shared topscoring honors with 12 markers each with the former converting all of his four shots from beyond the arc. Lanky center Yutien Andrada had six points and seven rebounds, while Joseph Tolentino chipped in five points, four boards and five feeds.

Another major player in the run was former Letran dribbler Jarelan Tampus, who hit two baskets off the transition that turned a 51-60 deficit to just 57-62.

“He made the difference,” said Pumaren. “Sam (Marata) played well with those big shots,” added Pumaren, who was a teammate of his player’s celebrated uncle when they were playing for the Philippine team in 1987.

It was a disappointing loss for Ateneo, which made its first eight shots in the fourth period behind Justin Chua but missed its final seven shots.

“We didn’t finish strong,” admitted Eagles coach Norman Black, describing La Salle as being a “scrappy team.”

Black added: And it didn’t help that Kirk Long fouled out and Eman Monfort went down with cramps in the end.”

In the first game, National University coach Eric Gonzales made a “slit-throat” gesture in his pre-game pep talk, hoping that his team would put on a no-mercy attitude on struggling University of the East in its 73rd UAAP basketball tournament game on Saturday.

“Kill,” said Gonzales. “Kasi si Goliath di ba patay na pero kinuha pa ni David yung sword pinugutan pa? So dapat killer instinct. Ang ibig kong lang sabihin, tapusin na natin wag na nating papormahin.”

The Bulldogs made sure they would listen to their coach's order as they leaned on a big first half and recovered from another near meltdown to score a 70-63 win at the Araneta Coliseum that sent the Red Warriors down to a dismal 0-4 slate.

The Sampaloc-based squad, out to make the Final Four for the first time since 2001, went to a number of players such as rookies Glenn Khobuntin and Emmanuel Mbe and veteran Mervin Baloran to climb up to an even 2-2 record and assure them of a tie for fourth with the Ateneo.

Khobuntin, who was also a multi-medaled shot put thrower for Letran during his high school days in the NCAA, had his best game on his young collegiate career with 13 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.

Baloran chipped in 11 markers and seven boards while Mbe had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

It was NU's first win over UE since September 7, 2002, where the Bulldogs prevailed, 69-68, win against a Red Warrior squad led by current PBA superstars James Yap, Ronald Tubid, and Paul Artadi.

Since then, the Red Warriors have won 14 consecutive games with an average winning margin of 11 points.

“Basta wala akong alam sa history na yan. I just really wanted to win,” said Gonzales.

NU led 23-9 at the end of the first period highlighted by Kokoy Hermosisima's eight markers and then led 47-27 minutes into the third quarter.

The scores:
First Game
NU 70 — Khobuntin 13, Baloran 11, Mbe 10, Hermosisima 8, Ponferrada 7, Terso 6, Singh 5, Javillonar 3, Malanday 3, Ludovice 2, Magat 2, Tungcul 0.
UE 63 — Martinez 18, Lee 18, Reyes 9, Acibar 7, Duran 5, Zamar 4, Ayala 2, Santos 0, Rosopa 0, Razon 0, Enguio 0, Casajeros 0, Sumido 0, Noble 0.
Quarters: 23-9; 42-27; 56-47; 70-63.

Second game
LA SALLE 66 — Webb 12, Marata 12, Atkins 9, Tampus 6, Andrada 6, dela Paz 5, Tolentino 5, Mendoza 5, Vosotros 3, Villanueva 2, Ferdinand 1, Paredes 0.
ATENEO 63 — Chua 16, Monfort 11, Long 9, Buenafe 7, Salamat 6, Salva 5, Golla 3, Escueta 2, dela Cruz 2, Austria 2, Tiongson 0, Gonzaga 0.
Quarters: 14-15; 26-30; 46-42; 66-63.