#FilOil2019: Ateneo makes winning debut in post-Kai Sotto era after trouncing Adamson

SAN JUAN -- Ateneo have just moved on from the Kai Sotto era, as they made their victorious start in the FilOil FlyingV Preseason Cup after knocking off Adamson, 74-71 in the lone Juniors game last Sunday afternoon a the FilOil FlyingV Centre.

Reggie Varilla have no qualms on losing their twin towers of Sotto and Geo Chiu as Forthsky Padrigao delivered the usual goods against the Baby Falcons in an all-UAAP battle.

The Batang Gilas stalwart led Ateneo with 18 points despite a bad shooting day, only hitting 35% of his field goals but made it up with his pesky defense by his seven steals which outnumbered the entire Adamson squad by three.

Joaquin Jaymalin backstopped Padrigao with 16 points for the Blue Eaglets who missed all of their six attempts from the stripe, yet they get the shots to fall where it mattered the most.

Matt Erolon was the lone Baby Falcon in double figures with 18 points in which they dropped their second game in a row in Group A.

Ateneo nearly blew an 11-point lead early in the fourth as Adamson chipped away before Erolon's freebies had tied the game for the fourth and final time at 66.

But Padrigao took over from there, scoring the last eight points, including a triple for a commanding 74-69 lead with 11.6 seconds left.

The Scores:

Ateneo 74 -- Padrigao 18, Jaymalin 16, M. Salvador 8, Espinosa 6, Felix 6, Ladimo 5, Corral 5, G. Salvador 4, Lazaro 2, Pangilinan 2, De Ayre 2, Diaz 0, Nieto 0, Lechoncito 0

Adamson 71 -- Erolon 18, Guarino 8, Miranda 6, Tulabut 6, Nitura 6, Gonzaga 6, Quinal 5, Figueroa 4, Dominguez 4, Hanapi 3, Libotog 3, Timbancaya 2, Ignacio 0

Quarter scores: 16-12, 33-27, 53-44, 74-71

(photo: FilOil Flying V Sports)