Dennis Barison Blog: UAAP 72 Final Four Clincher Ends, Blue Eagle Remains on Top

Defending champion and this season #1, ADMU Blue Eagles face-off with FEU Tamaraws, league’s #2 to finally closes the search for UAAP season 72, Final Four. Although Final Four was already revealed earlier after last year’s runner-up DLSU Green Archers' failure to secure its place to the prestigious four, giving the slot to UST Growling Tiger. This year’s Final Four teams include, ADMU Blue Eagle, FEU Tamaraw, UE Red Warrior and UST Growling Tiger.

Due to the current league’s point system, last Saturday, 12 September at the Big Dome (Araneta Coliseum), two top teams have to face each other for the #1 slot. While ADMU has an 11-1 score card compare to FEU’s 11-2, still the Tamaraw has the chance to claim the top rank if they beat the defending champion by more than five (5) points.

On Saturday’s main event, a breath-taking game filled the Big Dome with mostly blue enthusiastic crowd cheering for their team. Blue Eagles made the first basketball point in the game but half-way through the quarter the Tamaraws pulled-off dominating the game and ending the first quarter with an 11 points advantage.

The Eagles came back with an 8 more points in second quarter but not enough for its first two quarters combined total to be in the lead having a half time score of 35-32 in favor of the Tamaraw. Tamaraw then strengthened its lead in third quarter with a 15 points lead but it was in the final quarter that the Ateneo squad finally back to the game with a 10-0 run but still not enough to cut the lead.

At 4:19 remaining, Jai Reyes (the Jainamite) made a three-point basket to finally claim the lead of the game with 62-61. It was after that shot that the Eagles started to soar high and never look back ending the game with a final score of 74-73.

Being the #1 and #2, both Ateneo and FEU has the twice-to-beat advantage against its rival on the road to the finals. FEU will be facing the #3 seed; UE Red Warrior on Saturday, 19 September while #1 Ateneo will schedule to battle the squad of this year’s MVP Dylan Ababou, the UST Growling Tiger on Sunday, 20 September.