Mighty Eagles soar high for PBL crown

Ateneo Hapee Negros Navigation completed its dominance of the PBL Chairman’s Cup by defeating Blu Sun Power, 60-56, in another gut-wrenching encounter that underscored the Blue Eagles readiness for the varsity war three weeks from now.

The Eagles fought it out with the Detergent Kings to the very end and claimed the victory in the best-of-five title series with a three-games-to-one edge before their jubilant fans at the Makati Coliseum.

Jeck Chia provided the spark when Enrico Villanueva, the Most Valuable Player of the conference and the title series, wavered in the stretch, scoring all his six points in the fourth quarter including a triple and a jumper that finally scuttled the gritty Detergent Kings . Villanueva, who finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds, was held to just two points in the final period but Chia picked up the slack and the Blue Eagles broke through for that four-point victory.

But more than the superb individual performances, it was defense that pulled the Eagles through.

"The boys wanted this win badly so they played their hearts out especially in defense," said Ateneo coach Joel Banal. "They were really focused on stopping whom they were guarding."

Hapee owner Cecilio Pedro was elated over the win and said the conquest gave the Eagles a morale-boost for the coming University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) wars which will commence July 13.

" It shows they’re ready for the UAAP," said Pedro.

Top businessman Manny Pangilinan, a leading supporter of the Ateneo team, said " every Atenean is delighted over the win after years of drought."

Ateneo gave Blu a dose of its own medicine after it slowed down the usually prolific Marlon Legaspi, Tristan Codamon and Erick Dela Cuesta.

Legaspi scored the game’s first basket but was nowhere to be found the rest of the way as he ran into a tough-defending Villanueva while Codamon and Dela Cuesta were held to a combined 10 markers.

A driving basket by Dela Cuesta gave the Detergent Kings a 48-47 edge in the fourth period but they lost the initiative immediately as Chia fired triple to gain lead which the Eagles nursed till the end. It was Ateneo’s its first major title on the commercial league > It won its last UAAP crown in 1989.