MANILA, Philippines -- Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) clipped the lethal paws of a visibly overmatched National University (NU) on Wednesday to score an 82-64 walkover and remain in top flight halfway through the 73rd UAAP juniors basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.

The Eaglets made bonemeal of the Bullpups’ short rotation despite a woeful shooting day from main man Keifer Ravena, as big men Von Pessumal and Paolo Romero took over to propel the defending champions at solo first with a peerless 5-0 record.

But the outcome hardly reflected the Eaglets’ clinical noosing of the Bullpups as they went through 3 deadlocks and 6 lead changes, including a crippling 13-4 NU fightback that erased a 62-42 Ateneo lead with 3:24 remaining in the 3rd.

NU gunslinger Roque Estoce keyed that run with a pair of baskets that pushed the Bullpups to within 11 points, 55-66, before the Eaglets uncorked an 8-0 counter salvo to restore the lead at 72-55, and virtually put the game away.

Ravena shot a measly 4-of-16 from the field but proved steady on the line with an 8-of-10 free throw clip to finish with a team-high 17 points. Pessumal and Romero backed him up with 13 and 12 markers, respectively.

Kevin Lara paced the Bulldogs with 20 points while Estoce added 15, including five in a decisive 9-4 blitz that cut a 33-43 NU deficit to only 42-47 late in the second period.

In the second game, Adamson University (AdU) hacked out a 92-80 overtime win against Far Eastern University (FEU)-FERN to share identical 3-2 marks with the second-running University of Santo Tomas, which clobbered University of the East (UE), 103-73, behind the 26-point, 11-rebound, 7-assist explosion of Kevin Ferrer.

Later in the day, De La Salle-Zobel chalked up a record 50 second-chance points to bury an error-prone University of the Philippines Integrated School, 125-72, and crowd FEU for the third spot with a similar 2-3 ledger.

UE and UP are currently at the rear with 1-4 and 0-5 cards, respectively.

The Scores:

1st game

ADMU 82 – Ravena 17, Pessumal 26, Romero 12, Mercado 9, Dumrique 9, Sacluti 7, Javelosa 6, Gamboa 5, Vitangcol 2, Suarez 2, Puno 0, Lim 0, Gadia 0, Austria 0, Tenorio 0.

NU 64 – Lara 20, Estoce 15, Tansingco 10, Meneses 6, Atangan 6, Parungao 4, Banquiao 2, Napa 1, Rivero 0, Carta 0.

Quarter scores: 19-17, 47-36, 66-51, 82-64.

2nd game

UST 108 – Ferrer 26, Sarcia 14, Gooh 13, Corre 11, Mison 10, Cabauatan 8, Ilarde 7, Castro 7, Florentin 6, Salas 4, Paglinawan 2, Reyes 0, Pelias 0, Lazaro 0, Latoreno 0, Cabural 0.

UE 73 – Martin 15, Magpantay 15, Ablaza 10, Gutierrez 8, Bernabe 6, Santiago 4, Diswe 4, Coligado 4, Liwag 2, Lapada 2, Rodriguez 2, Pajarilaga 0, Viajar 0, Duray 0.

Quarter scores: 31-15, 64-32, 85-49, 108-73.

3rd game

ADU 92 – Villondo 20, Manlangit 19, Saludo 17, Mendoza 11, Quinlog 8, Llaundered 8, Hermoso 5, Polican 4, Solomon 0, Margallo 0, Umengan 0, Soriano 0, Domingo 0.

FEU-FERN 80 – Fabian 21, Custodio 16, Tanoy 11, Sia 11, Palacio 7, Geloig 5, Pearson 5, Dimdam 4, Paulino 0, Lumahan 0, Estacio 0, Carino 0.

Quarter scores: 14-19, 41-38, 59-60, 79-79 (Reg), 92-80.

4th game

DLSZ 125 – Capacio 23, Reyes 20, Tempongko 14, Calugcug 12, Subido 11, Torres A 10, Roxas 10, Velhagen 5, Concepcion 5, Torres N 5, Salvador 4, Andaya 4, Sajulga 2, Samonte 0, Monteiro 0, Betia 0.

UPIS 72 – Cinco 18, Abenojar 14, Ancheta 14, General 11, Gregorio 4, Nacpil 3, Villaluna 2, Mercado 2, Quejada 2, Lina 2, Rodriguez 0, Lopez 0, Chua 0.

Quarter scores: 27-17, 62-35, 92-58, 125-72.

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