October 1, 2009, QUEZON CITY, Manila – The Araneta Coliseum is flooded – not with water but people in either red or blue shirts. The Season 72 of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals between Blue Eagles (Ateneo de Manila) and Red Warriors (University of the East) provided people who are basketball enthusiasts some temporary relief from the disaster brought about by Typhoon Ondoy.
Early in the first quarter, the Ateneo Blue Eagles took a 17-point lead over the UE Red Warriors who seemed to have lost their play. However, a 19-1 rally by the UE Red Warriors in the last 4 minutes of the second quarter in a combination of outside and perimeter shooting cut the Blue Eagles lead to just 2 points, 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
A lose ball foul by Baclao gave the Red Warriors the opportunity to shoot a 3-pointer courtesy of Paul Lee at the end of the first half taking the lead from Ateneo for the first time in the game by 1 point, 35-34.
Jai Reyes of the Blue Eagles exploded in the second half to give Ateneo a consistent lead, who was 4 out 4 in early fourth quarter from the three-point field.
UE’s solid ball defense just gave them their first turnover of the game midway in the fourth quarter and kept them just a shot or two behind. However, a back to back treys from Jai Reyes and Kirk Long in the last 5 minutes, and Rabeh Hussaini’s back to back two’s pulled the lead further to give Ateneo the win in Game 1 of their Best of 3 Championship Games with UE.
Final score: Ateneo (78) – UE (71)
Quarter Scores:
1st Quarter: UE (11) – ADMU (24)
2nd Quarter: UE (35) – ADMU (34)
3rd Quarter: UE (53) – ADMU (57)
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