Post-game interview: Blue Eagles coach Norman Black

Three-time defending champion Ateneo simply proved too much for Ray Parks and the National U team, turning what was expected to be an exciting duel into a ho-hum match at the Araneta Coliseum today.

Making good use of their deep bench, the Blue Eagles established control early and dominated the Bulldogs to complete an emphatic 86-62 victory – their third in as many games in UAAP Season 74.

Not even the addition of Parks, a highly touted rookie, could stop Ateneo from keeping its mastery of NU.

The Eagles handled well Parks on the defensive end and worked on an offense that the Bulldogs just couldn’t stop.

“It’s just so hard to stop Parks but we did a good job slowing him down. Kirk (Long) defended well against him,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black.

“Offensively, we tried to control the boards and get the fast break points on every opportunity,” Black added.

The Eagles have beaten the three teams considered the biggest threats in their “four-peat” bid, but Black stressed: “we can’t be overconfident and we can’t take any team for granted.”

“The key is for us to stay humble,” the multi-titled Ateneo mentor said.

Ateneo starters Greg Slaughter, Kiefer Ravena, Nico Salva, Emman Monfort and Long all put in big numbers and the reserves also did a good job, outscoring their NU counterparts, 28-11.

Working on all cylinders, the Eagles took the half at 38-20 and stretched their lead to 69-37 at the end of the third period.

“Coach Eric (Altamirano) always wants a strong start for his team. We’re able to match their intensity at the start and get to keep a good job to the finish,” said Ravena, Ateneo’s own marquee rookie winding up with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists versus the Bulldogs.

Parks struggled with only three points in the first half but hit his strides in the second, ending up with 20 points, six rebounds, one assist and one block against four errors in 35 minutes of action.

Slaughter paced the Eagles with 15 points while Salva contributed double-double numbers with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Eagles beat the Bulldogs practically on all fronts, controlling the boards, 43-31, and issuing 21 more assists than NU.

Long, Emman Ravena, Salva and Raymond Austria accounted for at least three each in Ateneo’s 30 feeds – the most by any team in game since FEU dished out the same number in 2005. – Nelson Beltran

The scores:

Ateneo 86 – Slaughter 15, Ravena 13, Salva 12, Long 11, Sumalinog 7, Monfort 7, Erram 6, Tiongson 6, Capacio 2, Gonzaga 2, Chua 2, Austria 2, Pessumal 1, Cipriano 0, Estrada 0, Golla 0.

NU 62 – Parks 20, Alolino 11, Mbe 10, Celda 7, Javillonar 6, Celiz 2, Khobuntin 2, Magat 2, Labing-isa 1, Terso 1, Villamor 0, Rono 0, Eman 0, Ignacio 0.

Quarterscores; 16-11, 38-20, 69-37, 86-62.