Batang Gilas gunner Jolo Mendoza stars in Blue Eaglets title conquest

MANILA, Philippines -- Jolo Mendoza rifled in 30 points while Matthew Nieto added 25 as Ateneo trounced holders National U, 90-73, to wrest the UAAP Season 77 juniors’ basketball crown on Friday at the Filoil Flying V Arena.

Mendoza, a member of Batang Gilas Pilipinas that played in the Fiba World U-17, fired 19 in the second period as he nearly single-handedly gave the Blue Eaglets a 52-34 cushion.

The third year gunner then joined forces with Mythical 5 mainstay Nieto in delivering the coup de grace against the stubborn Bullpups, who put up one final stand, as Ateneo clinched its first title since 2011 and 18th overall.

“Gusto ko lang talagang manalo (I just wanted to win game this for Ateneo),” said Mendoza, who missed the Mythical 5 slot but made up for it by winning Finals MVP honors on averages of 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the series. "Maganda ang feeling na maka-30 pero mas maganda ang nag-champion (It's good to score 30 but it's better to win the championship). "

Mendoza got pointers from King Eagle Kiefer Ravena from the sidelines.

"I just stayed more aggressive. Sinabi nga nila Kiefer (Ravena), kailangan ko maging more intense but composed (Kiefer Ravena was telling me to play with more intensity but at the same time stay composed),” he said.

It was a perfect ending to a dream season for the Blue Eaglets, who had romped off with a 14-game sweep of the elims to soar straight to the finals. Although they dropped the first game (72-76), the Ateneans rebounded with back-to-back victories to dislodge the Bullpups as the new champs.

“I guess I still have a job,” Ateneo coach Joe Silva, who struck gold on his fourth year at the helm, said in half-jest. “For the past four years, we’ve been experiencing heartaches and pain and now we know how it feels to be champion. It’s somehow a validation for me and reward for all the hard work.”

With Mendoza on the firing end, the Eaglets pulled away from a 28-28 standoff with a 24-6 windup to go up by 18 at the turn.

The Bullpups threatened to within 69-74 at the halfway point of the fourth before Mendoza and Nieto triggered a 9-0 blast that restored a fresh 16-point lead.

“We just told the boys to play defense (in the face of the NU rally) and they did so. The boys really wanted this,” said Silva, who also never tasted a championship as an Eaglet in the late 1990s.

Season MVP Mike Nieto added 12 in the clincher, capping a successful stint in the high ranks before moving up to the Blue Eagles team.

John Clemente shot 24 for NU, which only drew nine markers from Mythical 5 mainstay Mark Dyke. The Bullpups failed to complete a golden treble for NU, which earlier won the men's and women's crowns.

The Scores:

AdMU 90 – Mendoza 30, Ma. Nieto 25, Mic. Nieto 12, Mamuyac 8, Salandanan 6, Ramos 5, Joson 3, Hassan 1, Ildefonso 0, Andrade 0, Eustaquio 0, Termoso 0, Bernardo 0, Gatmaitan 0, Moreno 0, Rosales 0.

NU 73 – Clemente 24, Sta. Ana 13, Manalang 10, Dyke 9, Baltazar 7, Camaso 5, Atienza 3, Ferreras 2, Mina 0, De Guzman 0, Callejo 0, Claveria 0, Saquian 0, Dela Cruz 0, Penano 0

Quarterscores: 22-21, 52-34, 65-57, 90-73.