Blue Eagles repeat over Tigers

BACOLOD , Philippines – Reigning UAAP five-peat titlist Ateneo turned back an old familiar foe in University of Santo Tomas, 58-56, in overtime to barge into the semifinals of the men’s basketball competitions of the 17th Sandugo-University Games here yesterday.

Playing before an overflow crowd at the oven-hot West Negros U Gym, Kiefer Ravena scored four of his team’s last five points to help seal the Eagles’ quarterfinal victory.

Ateneo, with a practically new roster minus resigned coach Norman Black and key players like Greg Slaughter, Nico Salva, Ryan Buenafe, Justin Chua and Tonito Gonzaga among others, thus repeated over a UST squad that has coach Pido Jarencio but without ace guard Jeric Fortuna.

Ateneo will thus face the winner between the quarters match between University of the East and Cebu champion Southwestern U today at the USLS Gym.

Over at the University of St. La Salle pool center, Wilfredo Sunglao of San Beda added three more gold medals to his previous four-gold haul to emerge the Games’ most bemedalled athlete.

The 20-year-old Sunglao, 20, ruled the 50-meter and 200m freestyle then led the 200m freestyle relay team of Joselito Vinluan Jr., Lorenz Joshua Francisco and Christian Jude Subibi to victory to finish with a spectacular seven-gold harvest in this weeklong event sponsored by Sandugo and backed by Smart.

Sunglao, who was originally recruited in the national men’s water polo team, earlier won the 100m fly, 100m back, 100m free and the 400m medley relay where he teamed up with Ruenpone Jugar, Andrei Lorenzo Manzo and Joseph Lance Sanone.

“I’m not bragging or anything but I just feel that we’re the team that came most prepared,” said Sunglao, who has now a total of 17 golds in this annual meet plus 30 in the Palarong Pambansa during his high school and elementary days.

UP’s Calire Adorna, 19, shared the spotlight by finishing with a six-gold haul in the women’s side, including yesterday’s victories in the 400m individual medley and the 200m free relay where she anchored her team of Kristina Bartolome, Erica Lukang and Antonette Aquino.

Adorna, a fourth year Sports Science student, also struck in 200m free, 400m medley relay, 200m IM and 100m back.

“I’m just happy I helped the team win gold medals,” said Adorna, a Nangka, Marikina City native who has won four gold medals in the UAAP swimming competition early this year.

Sunglao and Adorna’s dominating stints also made the two-day swim event a two-school affair as San Beda and UP accounted for 23 golds with the Sea Lions racking up 17 and the Lady Maroons winning a total of 15.

Over at the Pana-ad Parks and Stadium, Far Eastern U won five more gold medals in the final day of track and field competitions to reign as overall champion for the second straight year.

The Morayta-based school topped the women’s and men’s 4x100m relay, the men’s and women’s 5,000m courtesy of Jeson Sid and Dalyn Carmen, and the 400m run through Josie Malacad.

In women’s football at the North PT field, Princess Marie Trinidad struck with a 33rd minute rocket to lift Ateneo to a 1-0 victory over arch-rival La Salle for the first finals berth.

The Lady Eagles will face UP, which dethroned last year’s champion UST by winning the penalty shootout after a 1-1 standoff in regulation play, for the gold medal.

In men’s football at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos pitch, reigning NCAA champion San Beda fought UP to a 1-1 draw.

In men’s volleyball, Adamson downed St. Benilde, 18-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-18, while National U waylaid Holy Cross of Davao, 104-37, to sweep their bracket in women’s basketball.

In chess, St. Benilde, composed of brothers Gel and Den Reyes, Jeric Cajanes, JC Abucejo and Peter Donguines, swept its first six matches in the men’s team event to clinch the gold with a round to go.

“Even if we drop our last match, we would still emerge as champion because of our big lead,” said National Master Rolando Andador, who is St. Benilde coach International Master Fernie Donguines’ assistant.