Eagles claw 3rd straight win in Fr. Martin Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles marched to their third straight win, outplaying the University of the East Warriors, 66-49, Saturday in the 12th Fr. Martin Division 2 Cup basketball tournament at the St. Placid gymnasium of the San Beda College-Manila campus in Mendiola.

The Eagles’ latest triumph came as the San Sebastian College Stags and the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs won over separate rivals in this cagefest, which is supported by Bauerfeind health care products and Wang’s Basketball.

Aaron Black, son of former Ateneo coach Norman Black, and Cameroonian Chibueze Ikeh had 11 points each, while rookie Hubert Cani and Jerie Pingoy had nine and seven points for the Blue Eagles.

The SSC Stags drew 14 points from Jason David, while Josh Grilli and Aljon Capobres banged in 12 points apiece as they turned back Angeles University Foundation, 91-77.

Brian Lacap topscored for 13 points as the UST Tigers Cubs won over the Lyceum Junior Pirates in the junior division.

The Blue Eagles, who had earlier beaten the National College of Business and Arts Wildcats, 73-71, are now in the solo lead of Group B, while the Stags have a 1-1 win-loss slate in Group C.

The six-foot-nine Ikeh led an 8-2 uprising with his inside game, and the Blue Eagles eventually took a 33-25 halftime lead.

Cani struck with seven points in the third canto, including a trey that widened Ateneo’s edge by 13, 38-25, in the last 9:41.

Ikeh’s drive past UE big man Cameroonian Bernard Awana allowed Ateneo to grab a 48-29 spread.

In other matches, Chino Medina fired 13 points as the Technological Institute of the Philippines-A outplayed Jose Rizal University, 51-45, in the senior division, while Ian Lipio shot 17 points for Xavier School, which defeated Trinity University of Asia, 75-55, in the junior side.