MANILA, Philippines – Moments after sustaining a deep gash that caused blood to stream down his face, Ateneo point guard Matt Nieto already wanted to return to the basketball court.

Nieto found himself on the receiving end of an inadvertent elbow by La Salle big man Ben Mbala late in the second quarter of Game 1 of the UAAP Season 80 finals, as he tried to stop the Cameroonian center from spinning to the lane.

• Ateneo takes Game 1 against La Salle, one win away from crown

He crashed to the court immediately upon impact, and when he got up blood was already streaming from a cut above his left eye. Yet Nieto said he barely felt the pain.

"Actually, hindi ko po masyado naramdaman because of the adrenaline. I didn't know there was blood," said Nieto, who credited Ateneo team doctor Raul Canlas for stemming the blood outflow.

Nieto was immediately subbed out and was taken to the dugout, even though he desperately wanted to stay in the game as Ateneo clung to a 43-36 advantage with 36 seconds left in the second quarter.

"I don't want to let the team down," he said. "Ayaw ko mawala sa laro, so gusto ko agad bumalik the moment that happened. But they had to stop the blood."

• Mbala says he didn't intend to hurt Matt Nieto

Nieto returned to action in the third quarter, with a bandage above his left eye. After scoring nine points in the first half, he was limited to only two more in the second, but nevertheless provided a steadying presence at the Ateneo backcourt.

He helped limit the impact of La Salle skipper Kib Montalbo and kept the Blue Eagles on an even keel in crunch time. Ateneo went on to win Game 1 of the finals, 76-70, to move to within one win of the championship.

Nieto said he has no regrets sustaining the injury when he stepped up to try to defend Mbala.

"Siguro, he's just too tall, so sakto iyong elbow niya sa face ko. But I was really expecting his spin, and I really wanted to get the spin, because I'm going to sacrifice even my face, even my body to get that possession for us," Nieto explained.

"So even though I'm down, even though they did call the charging on me, I just wanted you to know that I'm gonna sacrifice everything, even my face for that possession, because that possession will win us the game."

Nieto was still assessed the blocking foul on Mbala on that play, a call that infuriated the Ateneo coaching staff. At the end of the game, however, they commended Nieto for his gutsy stand.

"Hindi naman hineadbutt ni Matt iyong ulo niya doon sa siko (ni Mbala)," said Ateneo coach Sandy Arespacochaga. "But that's the call of the ref. We're upset with it, but credit to Matt."

"He stood up, and he still played a good game," he added.

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