Ateneo places 4th in Jones Cup, makes country proud

When the Ateneo Blue Eagles were tapped to suit up for the 2018 William Jones Cup a few weeks ago, they knew that they were representing something bigger than their university. They had no less than the most basketball-crazy country in the world riding their backs. But instead of succumbing to tremendous pressure, the collegiate team led by former Gilas coach Tab Baldwin gave a very praise-worthy performance, falling just short of a podium finish in the 40th William Jones Cup held in the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Exceeding Expectations

The team managed to snag a 5-3 record, beating teams such as Japan, Indonesia, Lithuania, and Chinese-Taipei B team. The three losses were dealt by top-caliber teams like the defending champions 3D Global Sports (Canada), South Korea, and of course, Iran.

In arguably the most exciting game in the whole tournament, the Blue Eagles went back and forth against the host country’s national team Chinese-Taipei A. The Blue Eagles found themselves down two points with 3.1 seconds left in regulation. Matt Nieto, off a well-designed inbound play from coach Baldwin, sank the clutch three-pointer, giving them their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament, and earning the respect of the entire country.

The Iran Problem

The Blue Eagles played a solid first half against Iran, a team Philippine squads have developed an exciting rivalry with in recent years. While Ateneo jumped to an 8-point lead before the halftime break, Iran had other plans in the second half. Led by the sharpshooting Dalirzahan, Iran mounted a 20-7 run in the first few minutes of the third quarter. He went 3 out of 3 from the three-point line, dropping a total of 11 points for the period. His teammate, Mozafarivanani, also pitched in 8 markers in the third. But the stubborn Blue Eagles didn’t let the game get out of reach, and was able to limit their opponent’s lead to only 4 points before the start of the fourth.

In the final period, the Blue Eagles struggled to get the lead back or even tie the game. Despite that, they were down by only three points in the closing seconds of regulation, 66-63 in favor of Iran. With less than 30 seconds left in the game, Matt Nieto, the hero of Saturday’s game against Chinese-Taipei A, wasn’t able to convert a mid-range jumper to cut the lead. And after failed attempts by the Blue Eagles to stop time by committing an intentional foul, the play ended with another deep three-pointer from Vahid Dalirzahan, the final nail on the coffin.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles may not have landed a podium finish in the 2018 William Jones Cup, but that result doesn’t make their performance any less remarkable. They were tasked to carry the immense responsibility of representing our country  against top-level teams from other nations, and they gave us a brilliant campaign worthy of praise and appreciation for years to come.

Mabuhay kayo Ateneo Blue Eagles!