Ballungay leads Eagles to victory over Tigers

In an intense match between Ateneo Blue Eagles and UST Tigers, it is the Eagles who ultimately swept the floor, marking an end to their three-game losing streak. This makes it the longest in the last decade. The team, under the guidance of head coach Tab Baldwin – who made his return from viral infection – celebrated a 67-59 triumph over the UST Tigers in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Kai Ballungay stole the spotlight, keeping the Blue Eagles’ Final Four hopes alive with an impressive score of 15 points and 14 rebounds. The victory propelled the team to a 5-6 win-loss record. With this defeat, the UST Tigers saw their tenth loss in 11 games and were officially eliminated from Final Four consideration.

The game witnessed admirable strategic defense from Ateneo, although Baldwin noted that the team’s shot timings seemed off. However, noteworthy performances came from Raffy Celis, an Ateneo de Cebu recruit, with eight points and 11 rebounds, and from Chris Koon and Jared Brown, who contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Even though this was a much-needed victory, Baldwin acknowledges there’s room for improvement in shot precision. Nevertheless, with Ateneo’s spirits riding high, the battle for the Final Four spot continues. The Tigers, despite a near triple-double performance from Cabañero, face elimination for the third straight season.