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With star playmaker Chris Tiu and top defender Nonoy Baclao hobbled by foul trouble, Ateneo turned to its prized center Rabeh Al-Hussaini and its band of role players on Sunday night to take Game 1 of the UAAP men's basketball finals series.
As he had been all-season long, Rabeh Al-Hussaini proved unstoppable on his way to scoring a game-high 31 points in a performance that underlined his worth as the top contender for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
"He was exceptional. If there were questions about the award then he answered those questions today," said Ateneo coach Norman Black, after the Eagles' 69-61 Game 1 win over the De La Salle Green Archers before a sellout crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.
De La Salle coach Franz Pumaren acknowledged that Al-Hussaini hurt the Archers' chances of taking the game.
"Rabeh had a monster game today," Pumaren said.
Black paid tribute to his role players for stepping up when Tiu and Baclao were riding the bench.
Tiu picked up his second foul with 2:31 remaining in the first period and sat out most of the first half. He finished with two points in 19 minutes of play, 10 less than his average this season.
Rookie-of-the-year frontrunner Ryan Buenafe, no stranger to taking matters into his own hands, picked up the scoring slack in Tiu's absence shooting 12 points in the first half to go with his 11 rebounds and five assists.
Jai Reyes and Yuri Escueta took turns in shackling Tiu's defensive assignment, Casio, who was held to 8-of-24 shooting.
Rookie Nico Salva and Mike Baldos also took turns in defending Maierhofer, who was eventually neutralized by Baclao late in the fourth period. Baclao matched a season-high seven blocks.
Except for JV Casio, who finished with 20 points, and Rico Maierhofer, who had 17, no other Archer finished in double-figures./Inquirer
