Kymani Ladi continued to showcase his pedigree, lifting Ateneo de Manila University past the University of the East, 62-60, to take the early lead in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament, Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
The one-and-done recruit from Merritt College delivered in the clutch, drilling a go-ahead three-pointer to put the Blue Eagles back on top, 61-60, with 22.7 seconds left.
That came just moments after Wello Lingolingo gave the Red Warriors the lead, 60-58, with a tough off-the-dribble triple at the 31.9-second mark.
“We had a pretty stable first half… But then our shooting really abandoned us in the second half. We got good looks, but we just didn’t hit shots. At the end of the day, it was defensive rebounding that won the game. We had some critical stops in critical moments, and different guys stepped up,” said Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin as his squad improved to 2-0.
UE still had a chance to snatch the win, but Nico Mulingtapang lost the ball after Dominic Escobar came up with a timely steal. Lingolingo was then whistled for an unsportsmanlike foul, giving Ateneo two free throws and possession.
Escobar split his charities, while Jaden Lazo missed both of his attempts, leaving the door open for UE. However, Precious Momowei fumbled the ball in transition in the dying seconds, allowing Ateneo to escape with the victory.
“That shot shouldn’t have even happened. I think we had a good lead coming after the half. Credit to UE, they fought just as much as we did. Man, it shouldn’t have gotten to that point,” said Ladi of his game-winner. He finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Waki Espina added 17 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Jared Bahay chipped in eight points, six rebounds, and four assists, though he struggled from the field with a 3-of-10 clip.
UE, which dropped to 0-2, put up a stronger fight compared to its 72-57 loss to National University in its opener. Lingolingo caught fire after scoring just two points in the first half, finishing with a game-high 19 points and seven boards.
John Abate contributed 11 points before fouling out with 1:38 left, while Momowei tallied nine points, 18 rebounds, two steals, and a block in a monster effort.
Both squads return to action on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ateneo will face Adamson University at 4:30 p.m., while UE will battle the University of the Philippines at 2 p.m.
The Scores:
Ateneo (62) – Ladi 17, Espina 17, Bahay 8, Escobar 7, Lazaro 3, Gamber 3, Bongo 2, Adili 2, Espinosa 1, Lazo 1, Tuano 0, Ong 0.
UE (60) – Lingolingo 19, Abate 11, Mulingtapang 9, Momowei 9, Jimenez 6, Caoile 4, Malaga 2, Robles 0, Tañedo 0.
Quarterscores: 21-14, 35-24, 47-47, 62-60
