ATENEO managed to stay within striking distance of defending champion University of the Philippines — at least in the first three quarters.
But the Fighting Maroons went on a furious fourth quarter run that spelled the big difference last night.
UP carved out a hard-earned 72-66 victory over the Blue Eagles in Game 1 of their best-of-3 finals battle for the 85th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Maroons seemingly had it in the bag after a Cyril Gonzales layup gave them a 70-60 separation at the 3:50 mark of the final stanza.
But Ateneo whittled the deficit to 66-70 on a Dave Ildefonso free throw with 1:23 to go.
The Maroons, however, held their ground the rest of the way and scored a fitting follow-up to an 69-61 triumph over National University in their Final Four duel five days ago and gained a crucial 1-0 lead in the race-to-2 series.
The Eagles came off an 81-60 drubbing of Adamson University also in the semis last Wednesday.
UP will try to finish off Ateneo in the second game of the Big Dance on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
A deciding Game 3, if necessary, will be next Monday, Dec. 22, also at the Big Dome.
Zavier Lucero scattered 14 points, on top of 11 rebounds and two assists for the Maroons, while JD Cagulangan backed him up with 12 markers, eight boards and five dimes.
Harold Alarcon also had 11 and four for UP.
Forthsky Padrigao carried the fight for the Eagles with 16 points, two caroms, and four feeds, while naturalized Filipino center Ange Kouame added 15 markers and 10 rebounds.
Ildefonso and BJ Andrade also got 10 points each for Ateneo.
