Former University of the Visayas star slotman Greg Slaughter led the defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles to a 55-51 victory over the scrappy Adamson Soaring Falcons yesterday at the start of the 74th UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
Slaughter, a two-time Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. MVP, had a rousing debut in the UAAP as he scored 23 points and defended the middle with ferocity, coming up with a game-saving block in the waning seconds of the match. The 7-footer also had eight rebounds, two assists to with his two blocked shots.
“I was a little bit nervous but once I got on the court, it was just basketball and I’m happy I had my teammates and coaching staff with me the whole way,” said Slaughter after the match.
The Eagles were down by seven, 44-51, with 6:58 left in the game after leading by as many as 11 in the first period.
After Slaughter accidentally tipped the ball into Adamson’s basket for that seven-point Falcons lead, he came back to the other side of the floor and completed a three-point play off a nice hook shot.
After a gritty layup by Nico Salva, Slaughter added two free throws to tie the game at 51 with 2:15 left.
Kirk Long completed Ateneo’s comeback as his fastbreak layup attempt was counted after Adamson’s Rodney Brondial was called for goaltending, for a 53-51 lead.
Slaughter completed his impressive all-around performance with a block on the driving Lester Alvarez that preserved their slim two-point lead. Emman Monfort tfinished the game off with two free-throws after he came up with a steal off a botched Adamson play.
The loss by the Falcons was their 29th straight to the Eagles. The last time Adamson won was on Sept. 18, 1997.