SPORTS

Vargas Takes Over as Ateneo Outlasts La Salle in Game 1 of UAAP Finals

By Yvanna Adriano

Frontcourt Contributor

Ateneo survived a furious second-half push from defending champions La Salle and escaped with a 72-69 victory after King Eagle Jem Vargas drilled a buzzer-beating three-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining.

With the score tied at 69-all and overtime seemingly inevitable, Vargas received the ball on the final possession and buried the game-winner from beyond the arc, sending the Katipunan faithful into celebration and giving Ateneo a crucial 1-0 lead in their first championship series in decades.

The Blue Eagles found themselves trailing by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, 38-49, after a basket by La Salle's Cruz with just over two minutes in the period. Ateneo, however, responded with timely triples from Piencenaves, Yape, and Vargas to cut the gap before the end of the quarter.

The momentum carried into the fourth period as the Blue Eagles steadily chipped away at the lead. Yape opened the final frame with another three-pointer before Vargas took over, knocking down key baskets and generating crucial defensive stops to keep Ateneo within striking distance.

The game turned into a back-and-forth affair in the closing minutes. Vargas gave Ateneo the lead with three points, but La Salle responded to regain the advantage. The Green Archers led the game 67-63 with under two minutes remaining, but Ateneo answered with six straight points and eventually forced a 69-all deadlock in the final seconds.

With overtime just 0.7 seconds away, King Eagle Jem Vargas delivered the biggest shot of his collegiate career, sinking the buzzer-beating triple that secured the 72-69 victory.

"Game 1 doesn't win a championship," Ateneo Head Coach Rom Salvatierra said during the postgame press conference. "Against a team like La Salle, you have to stay composed and keep competing possession by possession. There's still a lot we need to clean up; now our focus shifts to the adjustments we need to make going into the next game."

Vargas echoed his coach's sentiments: "We're happy with the result, but we know the job isn't finished. We earned ourselves another opportunity. On Sunday, we fight again."

The win puts Ateneo one victory away from the UAAP trophy, while La Salle will look to bounce back and force a winner-take-all Game 3.

jem

8:14 PM

Where are you, girlfriend? 😊

What'd you think?

fuck

that was so hot

Kiss mo nga ako.

read

gc ng mga walang papa

8:46 PM

Ronnie

Totoong UAAP gf na.

Ronnie sent a photo

gwenny

a kiss shot?!?!?!!?!?!?!

BAT MAY PADILA!!!!!!

Ronnie

Gigil na nga yan kanina pa sa PressCon. Nakatingin lang kay Yvs.

Yvanna

pray for me

gwenny

inde, pagigilin mo pa sya

Yvanna

kakain ako with hoops gen 1 and hoops gen 2 and the other nepos

gwenny

ay

AHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

sama

Ronnie

Good luck, b!!!! 😘

gc ng mga walang papa

9:18 PM

Yvanna

icb im eating at a table with the ateneo greats

gwenny

pahingi ako autograph ni anj buenaventura

Yvanna

di ko sila kinakausap di ako makapaniwala totoo sila

natatakot ako kay kovi

ang classy ni ate alessandra

ang energetic ni chini

kanina pa nagaaway si gil tsaka si teo

sungit/tahimik ni russ

gwenny

ksp

e si vargas

Yvanna

he's very happy

Ronnie

From hindi marunong ngumiti to todo ngiti na. 😂

gwenny

the power of the uaap gf

Ronnie

Ikaw nga ang UAAP player. Maghanap ka na lang.

gwenny

gusto ko sa basketball

let me in