InterAKTV file photo/Roy Afable
Ravena finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. He had 16 points, six rebounds, and four assists in the fourth quarter to take over for the Blue Eagles.
“Sinabi ko lang sa sarili ko na ayaw kong magpatalo,” Ravena said. “We had the chance to go to the finals and we grabbed it na.”
Ateneo was down, 49-38, early in the final period before Ravena put on a show. The second-year guard scored or assisted in every Ateneo basket as the Blue Eagles unleashed a 21-6 run to take a 59-55 lead with less than four minutes remaining.
La Salle rookie Jeron Teng broke the silence for Ateneo with a layup, but the Blue Eagles responded with a Greg Slaughter basket at the other end.
Green Archers hotshot Almond Vosotros then scored five straight points to bring the lead back to La Salle, 62-61, with over a minute left. But Ravena dished off to the right corner to an open Buenafe, who buried a three-pointer to give the Blue Eagles the lead for good.
La Salle still had a chance when Ravena was called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Teng with 15 seconds left. Teng only managed to split his free throws, and turned the ball over in the ensuing possession. Buenafe sealed the game with two free throws.
Nico Salva contributed 12 points for Ateneo.
Yutien Andrada led La Salle with his 17 points and six rebounds.
Ateneo, the four-time defending champion, returns to the finals where it faces University of Santo Tomas. It will be a rematch of the 2006 UAAP finals, when the Growling Tigers led by Jervy Cruz and Jojo Duncil pulled off an upset over the Blue Eagles bannered by JC Intal and Doug Kramer.
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