Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — More than getting the victory, new Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Louie Alas is grateful the team has returned to the court.
The Ateneo Men's Basketball Team faced the Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) Phoenix in the Round of 28 of the Pinoyliga Collegiate Cup on Sunday in the Blue Eagle Gym.
PinoyLiga: Ateneo triumphant in return, overcomes OLFU
This marks the first game of the Blue Eagles since the tragic team-building activity that claimed the lives of student-athlete Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia in Dipaculao, Aurora last June 8.
Ateneo played in what would be their only game in the 19th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup last June 6.
More than a week later, the team withdrew from the remainder of the tournament 'out of compassion following the tragic incident.'
"[We're] just happy. Very ano, very... Hindi kami nag-usap ng post-game eh. We just praise God for allowing us to play. Yun lang, yun lang talaga honestly. We're very thankful," Alas told reporters after the 71-60 victory.
READ: Ateneo’s Adili, Baterbonia pass away in drowning incident
Despite getting the win, OLFU fought hard against Ateneo in the tightly-contested affair.
But the Blue Eagles sparked a run in the third to pull away in the final frame and eventually get their first win.
Alas, who marked his first game as Ateneo's new head coach, said he was not surprised with how his wards performed early in the contest.
"Expected ko yung ano, expected ko yung struggle sa early part. But the way we practice for the past two weeks, sabi ko eventually you will cope up with this," he shared.
Ateneo will either face the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers or San Pedro College of Business Administration in the next round of the tournament.
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