THE Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles started strong and never looked back to defeat the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 70-48, to earn the last ticket to the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball Final Four on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The win means Ateneo will face the twice-to-beat University of the Philippines in the semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Jared Brown, the first-year player out of Westmont College in California, fired in 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and added four rebounds, four assists and a steal in his 26 minutes and four seconds on the floor.
Brown and Mason Amos combined for 22 points to boost the Blue Eagles to a 40-26 lead at the half.
In the third period, Ateneo did not allow Adamson to pull off a comeback, providing all the answers to boost its advantage to 17 heading into the fourth, 56-39.
The Blue Eagles then opened the fourth with six straight points off Kai Ballungay, Sean Quitevis, and Joseph Obasa for a 62-39 cushion with 6:18 remaining in the game.
"I guess probably in the scoreboard it didn't look like a tough game but it was a very tough game. It's always is with Adamson and I think that's reflective probably on the low score," said Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin.
Quitevis, who shot just 25 percent from deep in the elimination round, went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, finishing with 11 points while Amos added 10 points.
Adamson finished the season in fifth place — down a spot from Season 85.