Blue Eagles clinch Final Four Spot (vs. University of Cebu)
-After dismantling Lyceum in the Sweet Sixteen leg of the Philippine Collegiate Championship League, Ateneo came ready but only late in the second quarter, as the opening canto looked like it's going to be a win for the Mapua Cardinals. Down by 15 points, swingman Kirk Long started a run of his own, which led to a 32-30 lead entering the half.
-On the other hand, Salamat went too emotionally ballistic. Besides a bad game wherein he only had a measly 2 points, he was also called for an unsportsmanlike foul together with the Cardinals' Jonathan Banal
-Nico Salva was explosive late in the game, as no member of the Cardinals' frontcourt was not able to stop his low post and fade away moves.
-The Cardinals' frontman Allan Mangahas had an impressive offensive effort early in the game, but his last good basket was the last Mapua basket during the third quarter, where they had a 4-point cushion (that was gone in a few seconds during the final canto)
-What turned the tables in favor of Ateneo during the final quarter was the technical foul called on Banal for improper behavior, as the Blue Eagles were given four freebies plus the possession, increasing their lead from four to eight, with five minutes remaining on the game time.
-This was one of the biggest comeback games for this year's Blue Eagles, as it proved that they are not only the champions of the UAAP but also they are legit contenders and could be scoring a repeat... only if they defeat University of Cebu (with the towering JM Fajardo) and San Beda (if they win against La Salle now).
Ateneo 65 – Long 23, Salva 12, Monfort 11, Tiongson 7, Golla 6, Chua 2, Gonzaga 2, Salamat 2, Escueta 0, Erram o, Austria 0 dela Cruz 0
This game just showed how difficult it is to meld superstars together and play as one coherent team.
This is not to say that it is impossible, even though most would think that it is because all of these three are role-playing scorers who carry most of the offensive load in their own teams (Cleveland and Toronto in the case of James and Bosh, and the old Miami Heat for Wade). What this game revealed to us is that to create a team of superstars, it takes time and adjustments to bring them together, to be able to "read" each other and feel their own rhythms from both sides of the court.
And as coach Erik Spoelstra said, "it takes time."
L.A. Lakers 112, Houston 110 This is one of those moments wherein the Lakers' closer is not named "Kobe Bryant."
While everyone thought that the Purple and Gold will go 0-1, with the underrated Houston Rockets leading by double digits entering into the second half, Steve Blake and Shannon Brown exploded, hit back-to-back three pointers, made key steals and converted them into points, to bring the Lakers back into the game.
Add to that the three-pointer delivered by Blake off a pass from Bryant, to put the Lakers up by 2 in the final seconds, as well as Lamar Odom's block against Aaron Brooks' layup which could have extended the game to overtime.
This shows that the Lakers now ceased to be a Kobe Bryant-Pau Gasol show (who got 24 and 29 respectively, with the Spanish Armada grabbing 11 boards along side Odom's 10). Perhaps it is a message that the Lakers now are stronger not just as a pack of players, but as a cohesive and effective team.
And everyone, even Miami, ought to be afraid of the fact that the Purple and Gold keeps on getting better and better.
Portland 106, Phoenix 92
Take it from Steve Nash, and believe every word he said. As far as everyone remembers, he mentioned that he himself does not believe that the Suns will make it in the playoffs this season.
The Suns came and played their usual run and gun with Hedo Turkoglu and Hakim Warrick. But despite all efforts, they fell short against the Portland Trailblazers, who, despite front office mismanagement, was able to keep its key players and maintain their poise all throughout the game.
French forward Nick Batum came in as a surprise when he played only for 27 minutes, but he was efficient as he scored 19 points and 11 rebounds, five of them as second chance opportunities. On the other hand, Jason Richardson, who a few months ago brought down the struggling Trailblazers during the '10 playoffs, had 22 big points, with 9 out of 13 treys, but was not able to deliver during the final minutes.
Again, just not enough, Phoenix Suns. Just not enough.
At the end of the first quarter, perhaps there was one thing that the Blue Eagles fans had in mind: FEU came to play. It is highly possible that there will be a series-deciding Game 3 on Sunday, where the Blue Eagles will find challenging.
And that was almost the same impression that the Tamaraws imprinted upon the minds of the crowd three months ago, when a rebuilding Blue Squad faced the revitalized Green and Gold, ready to take back what they believed was theirs. Eventually, Ateneo lost the tight match and grab an 0-1 card, the first since four years back.
These were different events, different circumstances. But one thing was common: there was thedesire and eagerness to fight until the final buzzer just to get the win. However, the difference was very clear. While FEU went on to win its two bouts with Ateneo during the eliminations, the Blue Eagles were able to bag the most crucial ones, those that led to their third straight championship.
Following a 72-49 rout of the Tamaraws during the first game, the Eagles found themselves in a precarious position after the opening act, trailing by nine. Despite this big deficit (considering this is a very tight Finals match where leads as large as three can already affect a team), Ateneo maintained its poise and tried to work its way up. Thanks to 17-9 second quarter, the Blue and White trimmed the Tams' lead down to one, and by the third, the Eagles took hold of the ballgame, a possession ahead of FEU.
And from there, it was the wildest ride that the Blue Eagles and the faithful Sixth Men had.
Lots of lead changes, attempts at catching up, and dramatic situations surfaced during the last ten minutes of the game. FEU wants to regain the lead badly and land on a soft cushion as the final minutes tick off, but they can't just get the hold of it as the Blue Eagles protected their lead through and through. They've had a lot of opportunities to take that precious lead, but missed free throws and bad possessions allowed the Eagles to let time pass while holding on. The most significant one, which could have turned the tables for the Green and Gold, came when Frank Golla "supposedly" fouled Paul Sanga from beyond the arc, giving him three foul shots to tie the game. Out of three, only one went in. The score: 61-59.
All through out the eliminations, there were a lot of moments where Ateneo was not able to hold its ground. They've blown games that should have secured the wins. They have played lousy defense and deviated from Norman Black's instructions. They have let open threes and clutch jumpers. To be simple, they've just let the other team pass by without fighting back.
But this one's definitely different. And it was because of the trey.
Ryan Buenafe, who made only 2 out of 27 three-point attempts, set up an isolation play, waved off Carl Cruz (who in turn stepped back) and took perhaps the bravest shot ever. He threw up the three-pointer that cemented the lead and put away the Tamaraws up for good.
That shot was perhaps the most glorious moment for an Ateneo team and crowd who perceived this as a transitional season, where there is no promised or expected championship title, where there is no one who stands as a star or consistent go-to guy, where a grandslam seems to be impossible.
But impossible and unexpected as this may be, it happened. Bacon Austria went to the charity stripe to add one more point and nailing the coffin. Reil Cervantes made a three to bring some dignity into their final score.
As the final buzzer sounded, it was history. It was what everyone believed in and fought for.
It was the sweetest, to say the least.
The scores:
ADMU (65) – Buenafe 23, Monfort 10, Salva 9, Long 7, Chua 7, Salamat 3, Golla 3, Escueta 2, Austria 1, Erram 0, Gonzaga 0, De Chavez 0
FEU (62) – Cervantes 15, Sanga 13, Ramos 9, Cawaling 8, Noundou 6, Garcia 6, Romeo 2, Exciminiano 2, Bringas 1, Cruz 0, Guerrero 0 Inboundpass.com for the box, Fabilioh.com for the image.
Trash the eliminations and put away your predictions. They didn't mean anything when these top two teams in the UAAP faced each other last Saturday.
(Not too) surprisingly, the results were very different from what happened before.
Ateneo's 26-8 first quarter run has already said everything that there is during the first game of the Finals. Led by various breaks from runners Eric Salamat and Kirk Long, the Eagles cruised through Game 1, crushing the FEU Tamaraws' competitive spirit and proving that even though things have changed, they can still defend the crown.
And the key was fantastic defense like you've never seen before. In almost all instances, there's always an Eagle in the front of an FEU cager holding the ball. Even in off-ball situations, most of them are ready to defend and check their man. FEU's top scorers, RR Garcia and Terence Romeo, never got a chance to shoot well both from inside and outside. Add to that the fact that the whole team wasn't really shooting very well, most especially those people whom they can truly rely on in terms of scoring, namely JR Cawaling and Paul Sanga.
Furthermore, it was a one-sided battle for the boards. The Ateneo frontcourt did a good job of boxing out and even securing second chance opportunities when each and every shot missed. Even the backcourt were there to grab the ball, run, and get easy baskets, resulting in 15 big fastbreak points, which made up the huge chunk of the lead.
Maybe a lot would ask: What went wrong with FEU? Jittery. Nothing coming in. Key players played like third stringers in a crucial game, Tonino Gonzaga can even beat them in terms of +/- ratings. Bottom line is, they just don't have that spunk and confidence in a Finals game. Worse, they battled for the championship and messed with the wrong guys, those who have already made key performances in the previous two Finals.
So what to do with a nervous team? Throw them on the ground. Exploit their defense. Go for the kill like there's no tomorrow. Be more than what others expected. And this was what the Eagles did.
This is the Ateneo way.
But this is just the first of a possible three-game series. Game 2 will be a different thing altogether. Both the Eagles and Tamaraws are hungry, and it's just that the former were hungrier during the first game. Let's see how this drama will play out in its next episode.
One Big Fight.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
-Although you can't give individual credit to the Blue Eagles because they really played as a team, there are some things that have to be lauded: Justin Chua's willingness to crash the boards and run on backdoor plays, Salamat and Long's tireless running on both sides of the court, Frank Golla's effort to stand on his own ground and not let anyone pass, and Emman Monfort's struggle to keep up with all the hacks and elbows on him. Good job, guys.
-Perhaps the most significant defensive stops that the Eagles have made during this game were on Reil Cervantes and Paul Sanga. While Cervantes' points were all from the charity stripe, Sanga's midrange shooting turned off (but out of stupidity, there were moments wherein Garcia and Romeo were still feeding him the ball in spite of this cold night)
-Aldrech Ramos and JR Cawaling were out of sight, out of mind during this first game.
-Speed also became the key. The Blue Eagles tired out the Tamaraws by running from all sides of the court and holding them off. I hope that FEU still plays Ateneo's fast game during Game 2.
-Everyone's favorite #8 with 8 points. The heart of a champion. 'Nuff said. No seriously, Bacon Austria came out to play and proved that he is part of this team.
ADMU 72 – Long 14, Chua 13, Salva 10, Monfort 9, Austria 8, Salamat 8, Erram 4, Gonzaga 2, Golla 2, Buenafe 2, Tiongson 0, dela Cruz 0.
-A grueling fight to the finish for both teams caught everyone's attention on a rainy Saturday afternoon. After leading by six heading into the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the Eagles was not able to keep up with the energy of the Tamaraws, allowing them to get by with a two-point win and thus sealing the number one spot for them.
-Lots of effort have been put forth by Ryan Buenafe and Nico Salva, who both saved Ateneo during their match against Adamson two weeks ago. We expect that they carry the same intensity that they had during these last three games as the Eagles enter the Final Four.
-As a point guard off the bench, Emman Monfort was able to hold off the FEU guards and prevented them from scoring inside, forcing them to take threes and just hope that they went in.
-During the first half, most Eric Salamat possessions led to Eric Salamat baskets.Most of the time in this game, we have lost the offensive rhythm that keeps us afloat during those kinds of games. Guess it's time to go back to the Black's board and redesign offensive plays.
-Hats off to our opponents RR Garcia for that courageous attempt at the three, and Terence Romeo for forcing his threes.
-Big bench players (both literally and figuratively), have to really step up in these times, most especially Arthur dela Cruz and Jason Escueta.
-May this loss serve as a means for the Blue Eagles to fully wake up and play the trademark team basketball that they used to do.
Here are some interesting things to look out for when the NBA season starts (courtesy of FB&G.com):
12. How much burn will the rookies get?
Second-round picks Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks showed a lot of promise this summer, but will it translate to success in the NBA? Both players will most likely only see small glimpses of the court during trash time, but Luke Walton’s ongoing injury woes could creak the window open a little. Caracter’s conditioning is also an issue, as the team only partially guaranteed his salary for the upcoming season, contingent on a weight check-up next week.
11. Does Pau take another step?
Pau Gasol’s image and stature around the league has undergone somewhat of a rapid metamorphosis in his two-plus seasons as a Laker. When he first arrived in L.A., Gasol was widely regarded as a soft, willowy big man—a strong offensive threat, adept passer, but a black hole on defense and largely incapable of serving as option 1.A. on a contending team. Nearly three years later, Gasol has improved to the point where he is considered by many to be one of the top three or four big men in the entire league. Last season, Pau upped his rebounding average to a career-high 11 per game, while also holding his own in the playoffs against the likes of Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire and Kevin Garnett. With an offensive game as polished as any big man in the NBA, Pau’s ascent toward becoming an All-NBA second or first team selection will primarily depend on his growth on the defensive end.
10. Artest’s sophomore year
Ron proved his longtime naysayers wrong and was a key cog in the Lakers second consecutive championship. His irreplaceable defense and magnificent performance in Game 7 against Boston (both during and after the game) transformed the always entertaining forward into folk hero status in Tinseltown. Now that the proverbial monkey is off his back and he’s proven himself as a winner, what happens next? Does Artest come out with the same burning desire to win what would be his second title in a row? The addition of Barnes, along with the incumbent Bryant, means the Lakers have an enviable three premiere defenders at the wing spot, which should help with any fatigue issues after Ron played the longest season of his life.
9. Who backs up Bryant?
While the Lakers have all kinds of options on the wing with the addition of Barnes, the newly resigned Shannon Brown will still be relied upon to fill the lion’s share of minutes at the two behind Bryant. The Lakers need both Shannon and Sasha Vujacic—who figures to serve as a third string guard—to provide consistent support if they want to limit Kobe’s minutes during the regular season. Both players are coming off subpar regular seasons and playoff runs, but the hope is that Shannon’s second full year with the team and the confidence gained by Sasha after nailing two pivotal free throws in Game 7 will bode well for both guards.
8. Lamar Odom, post-World Championships
If you factor in the Lakers’ deep playoff runs over the past two seasons, Odom has been playing basketball for nearly two years straight. At a certain point, the 11-year forward has to start showing signs of fatigue, right? Even Lamar himself admitted that he wasn’t in tip-top shape when Team U.S.A. first took to the practice floor last month. Depending on how deep his team goes in the now single-elimination round of the FIBA World Championships, Odom could be looking at little to no time off between the end of the tournament and the start of training camp with the Lakers. The team’s improved bench should help some in this regard though, along with his experience as one of the de facto leaders of Team U.S.A.
7. Return of the bench mob?
If all goes as planned, the Lakers bench should be much-improved when the team heads to training camp in a short few weeks. With the additions of trusty veterans like Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff, the Lakers bolstered one of their lone weak spots from the past season—and did so with players who should fit in well with the team too. As with any new additions though, there’s no telling how seamless that integration will be until they actually step foot on the court. Steve Blake, in particular, should help shore up the Lakers’ longstanding weakness at point guard, while also spelling the aging Derek Fisher.
6. The importance of home court advantage
Conventional wisdom says that a group as seasoned as this Lakers squad is past the point of needing home court—even in a potential Game 7 situation against the likes of Boston, Orlando and Miami. Throw conventional wisdom out the door when discussing home court advantage, though; as much as players claim that it doesn’t matter, it clearly paid off in Game 7 against the Celtics. The race for home court throughout the playoffs figures to be a tough one too this year with Heat added to the fold. Where do the Lakers’ priorities lie at the end of the season if the team is banged up and it might make more sense to rest the starters?
5. Phil’s last stand?
It’s Phil’s last season. Again. There has been a lot of talk this offseason about motivation for this year’s team and near or at the top of that list has to be the quest to send Coach Jackson off into the sunset with a mindboggling fourth three-peat. For a man who practices Zen, winning a title this season would certainly represent a great deal of symmetry in what has been an amazing career. Then, there is the other camp who believes that Jackson wouldn’t turn down another chance to coach a potential four-peat team, especially considering there’s a decent chance the following season would be condensed due to a lockout.
4. Can Bynum finally stay healthy?
Is this the year when we finally get to see what Andew Bynum is made of for all 82 games…or at least something close to that figure? If you could describe the center’s career at this point with one phrase, it might be stop-and-go. How Andrew responds to yet another knee injury will go a long way in determining the Lakers three-peat fate. Even on one leg for most of the playoffs, #17 still provided a huge boost, particularly on the defensive end. If the resolve he displayed during the NBA Finals is any indication, Bynum’s head is in the right place and he could be on his way to a big season.
3. Kobe continues to build his legacy
For the first time in years, Kobe took the summer off to rest his battle-worn body—a body that many pundits claimed was beginning its steady decline last season. The All-NBA veteran had a few injuries to recuperate too, starting with a troublesome knee and mangled finger. Assuming both have healed to the point where they won’t be an issue for Bryant this season, all signs point to a monster year. With five NBA titles under his belt, Kobe is officially in “legacy mode,” only one championship away from tying His Airness and one away from his team tying the Celtics. Not that motivation has ever been an issue for him.
2. Battling the injury bug
The Lakers won their second consecutive championship last season in spite of a myriad of injuries that affected everyone in the starting lineup not named Derek Fisher. One year older, will the team be able to replicate their success if the injury bug bites once again? An improved bench should help this cause, but injuries on an aging team will again be a wild card as the team looks to cement its place in the history books.
1. Where’s the motivation?
Top to bottom, the Lakers are, by and large, a well-disciplined, focused team. After winning back-to-back NBA titles and most of the team basking in the glory from their seven-game duel with Boston, the Lakers will still have to resist the urge to take their foot off the pedal this season. Kobe Bryant will make sure they stay on course though, as he prepares to fight for his second career three-peat. Moreover, the emergence of the Heat as a new league superpower should have the Forum Blue and Gold ready to go to battle from day one of training camp.
The first game of Season 73 went as expected by those who waited for it all year long. With the Tamaraws' key players from Season 72 intact and Ateneo trying to rebuild another championship team after the loss of main men Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao, and Jai Reyes, both of these teams stood on equal grounds. The game was tension-filled as baskets were traded and one could not put away the other for good.
This showed how FEU was determined to finally get a championship stint, while Ateneo still struggles to adjust. With Ateneo leading by 4 before the fourth quarter, the Tamaraws relied on sophomore RR Garcia's big baskets to give them a lead during the final minutes of the game. Unfortunately, when FEU was up by two, Nico Salva was not able to force overtime, as he botched a reverse lay up, giving Garcia a rebound and sending him to the charity stripe to put another point and give FEU the win, 72-69.
Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles (10-3)
Make: -The Eagles will have to bring their A-game into the Coliseum this Saturday, showing that they have improved after twelve regular season games. Everyone has to step up and not just rely on individual breakout games. They have to bring out the smoothest and most efficient offensive flows as much as possible, finding open baskets that escape the FEU defense.
-Three point shooting will help much in this game. Previously, the Blue Squad went cold in the arc, with a measly 1 out of 14 3-point attempts. But since then, 3-point shooting has been more efficient, led by gunners Emman Monfort and Juami Tiongson, with some from Salamat.
-Forcing the ball from the inside and earning fouls from the FEU big men will help them win this last game of the season. Ateneo has been very efficient from the charity stripe in this season, making more than seventy percent of their free throws. Also, by bringing the ball inside (through the big men and Ryan Buenafe), they can put the pressure on the interior and give the shooters (Monfort, Long, et al.) space to do their thing.
Break:
-It looks like Nico Salva (and his broken finger) will find difficulties on the offensive end. Though he worked well against Adamson, his performance against UE and UST showed that he has to get over his scoring slump. If he has not yet gotten over it, then it's one offensive weapon down for Ateneo.
-Defending the three point line is another concern for the Eagles. Their game against UST should be a wake up call for them to move quickly during ballscreens and stick close to the snipers. Garcia, together with forward Paul Sanga and guard Terrence Romeo are threats from the line, and if they continue to click, then there will be problems with Ateneo catching up. Far Eastern University Tamaraws (11-2)
Make: -FEU lost its dominance in the second round, when a late run by Adamson brought them their first defeat, while their second was dealt by an 80-66 blowout against La Salle, thanks to Simon Atkins. If only they can get back to their trademark defense which involves holding off the pain through Reil Cervantes and Aldrech Ramos, then they might get back on track and gain momentum just in time for the Final Four to commence.
-Even though JR Cawaling has been silent in the second round, rookie Terrence Romeo and sophomore RR Garcia have been carrying the scoring load for the Tamaraws. So far, they have been very efficient both in the perimeter and beyond the three-point line, thanks to the effective high screens designed for them by coach Glenn Capacio. The combination of these two might just be the key to winning the game for them.
-As long as Aldrech Ramos is present in the game, the pain is never a problem for the defense of FEU. The advantage brought by his height and wingspan could make inside scoring difficult for the Eagles. What Ramos is capable of would be a potential threat for the Eagles, for it could pose various inside scoring problems for Ateneo's scoring guards. Break:
-With the exception of Romeo, the presence of the bench players was not much felt during FEU losses. Most of them were scoring below five points and shooting poorly both from the inside and the outside. If this continues, then the starters would need to tire themselves out and step up just to keep up with the Ateneo bench players, who, during the last three games, have really stepped up and played like role players (hint: Chris de Chavez?)
-While they take a firm grip in the paint, they have to still defend the perimeter and the three-point line. What brought them down during their match against DLSU (and AdU, in the final minutes) was the fact that they gave space to their shooters (Alvarez and Atkins were able to make crucial threes with the FEU guards giving them too much space). A major breakdown in defense which would affect the way they clamp down on the perimeter.
-All of those stat sheets and scoreboards lie. If not for errors on defense and sloppy offense for the last five minutes of the game, it should have been as good as done earlier.
-Hooray for Chris de Chavez for his breakout game. Surprisingly, he was able to find his niche in the second stringers and was able to put Ateneo up ahead early in the first canto.
-Related to this is the superb performance of the bench. They were able to keep the momentum up (and, for some, close the game out) while Salamat and Buenafe were taking a rest for this game (perhaps to prepare for FEU).
-Credit to Jeric Teng for never giving up on his team. While the rest were already acting as if the game ended, he was steady from start to finish. I hope that his attitude will serve as an example to the Blue Squad.
-With the different player rotations that Coach Norman made today, I think he's trying to prove a point to the team. The problem is, when needed most, the key players were seated in the bench. A lesson of team trust? Of stepping up?
-Though the game was already good team basketball for the Eagles, there were still a few things that need to be tweaked, like Eric Salamat's ball distribution and Nico Salva's jumpers. Hopefully they'll all go back in the match against FEU, which is Ateneo's last game of the regular season.
Special Awards
Best in Blue: Chris de Chavez (for his breakout performance)
Worst in Blue: Nico Salva (back to his slump)
Best Opponent: Jeric Teng (proved his ability to catch up with clutch)
Worst Opponent: Paulo Pe (hrrrrrrrnnnnnggghhhhhh... if not for the four points he contributed, there wasn't anything else)
Ateneo 81 – Salamat 18, De Chavez 12, Chua 11, Long 10, Buenafe 6, dela Cruz 6, Monfort 6, Golla 5, Salva 3, Austria 2, Tiongson 2, Escueta 0. UST 77 – Teng 23, Bautista 16, Afuang 10, Daquioag 10, Mariano 8, Fortuna 6, Pe 4, Aytona 0, Camus 0, Marata 0, Mamaril 0, Marquez 0, Lo 0, Tinte 0, Lo
-Let's not fret too much about Jumbo Escueta's shorts. Despite being slapped a technical foul during the start of the second half, the Eagles managed to face the tough situation which brought them back to Round 1, eventually getting over it and seal the twice-to-beat advantage. -Two double-doubles in a game? Ryan Buenafe and Nico Salva provided most of the spunk during the game, managing to grab half of Ateneo's boards as well as those important baskets. -Emman Monfort was a key player to the two games against Adamson this year. He was able to sink in all his crucial free throws to seal the win for the Eagles. We hope to see more clutch performances from him during the games where we need to really win. -Why wouldn't we have games that are fairly officiated? Referees, better be careful with your calls. -It was disappointing that Art dela Cruz was not able to step up in the game. Gunning for Rookie of the Year honors, I think that he get over his slump and bring his old form back. -And now, onwards to beating FEU. Time to seal the first spot and schedule the battle with La Salle.
Ateneo 55 – Buenafe 14, Salva 13, Long 10, Salamat 7, Monfort 7, Chua 4, Escueta 0, dela Cruz 0, Tiongson 0, Golla 0, Austria 0.
-Against FEU, it was team chemistry. Against La Salle, it was closing out. For UE, it was catching up late. These were the lessons that the Eagles need to learn in their losses. -Last game was The Eagles at their best. This game was at their worst. Though they had a good run at the end of the third, various errors that went alongside bad calls hounded the Hail Mary Squad. -Perhaps it was UE's pesky offense that drained Ateneo's energy, that despite playing great defense, swingman Kirk Long was unable to finish and bring the bacon home. In place of Paul Lee, James Martinez hit crucial back-to-back threes to put UE up four minutes left. -Art dela Cruz's fumble revealed much about the rookie: he ought to work on his game more not in terms of skill but in terms of dealing with pressure. -For some reason, Eric Salamat took the game personally and carried it all by himself. Where was team basketball when we need it the most? -It has been an annual thing for Ateneo to lose to a non-contender. Hopefully the loss will pump them up and provide the spunk needed to beat Adamson on Sunday.
-Revenge is a dish best served damn cold... at the right place, the right time, and the right circumstance. It was a Blue Sunday as the Blue Eagles took advantage of their hot shooting and La Salle's cold spells to pull away as early as the second half. -By now, it is obvious who the next King Eagle will be. Chipping in 22 points, with four out of five shots from behind the arc. He also played great defense, picking a few pockets from the terribly lousy La Salle guards and making significant defensive stops throughout the game. -In Nico Salva's absence, there is Art dela Cruz. The rookie of the year candidate stepped up and had his big double-double performance with 10 points and 10 boards. His unblockable left ook shot is something that reminds us of how afraid everyone was five years ago when Mac Cardona holds the ball. -The Blue Squad should be happy with how the game went, from start to end. The Blue Eagles' first string was able to rest late in the second and third quarters without anything to be worried about. The bench, led by dela Cruz and Emman Monfort were able to hold on to the big lead, even extending it to 25. -For the information of everyone, Ateneo's win over La Salle extended the season winning streak to six, three of those being blow out games (including this). This is a new team, very different from Season 72, but with the same determination to grab another championship before the Slaughterhouse commences. -The referees ought to be given lessons on making good foul calls. Jovet Mendoza scoring 20 points, most of those from the charity stripe? Oh, come on.
Ateneo 74 – Long 22, dela Cruz 10, Buenafe 9, Salva 9, Monfort 7, Salamat 6, Golla 6, Austria 3, Escueta 2, Chua 2, Erram 0, Tiongson 0.
DLSU 57 – Mendoza 20, Villanueva 7, Andrada 6, Tampus 5, Tolentino 5, Atkins 5, Marata 4, de la Paz 3, Webb 2, Vosotros 0, Paredes 0, Elorde 0, Ferdinand 0, Banal 0.
-Ladies and gentlemen, the color of the SM Advantage Card is blue. With everyone pumped up and ready to play team game, the Eagles cruised through and found the key to winning against NU (who, of course, is without Glenn Khobuntin and, later in the game, Joseph Terso). -We have seen in this game the best play of Season 73. The scoring chains of Ryan Buenafe has been unleashed and he is now ready to destroy the interior defense of everyone going against the Blue Squad. -Unexpectedly, Chris de Chavez was able to make that chance shot to seal the victory with a 20-point lead. -Justin Chua's defense on Melvin Baloran and Emmanuel Mbe has been truly remarkable. He was able to shove them out of their comfort zones, as they struggled on the inside. -There were a lot of bricks raining down. Even though Ateneo literally had eight opponents on the court during the fourth quarter, it was a good thing that Mbe is actually a bad free throw shooter. -All roads now lead to revenge. Definitely the biggest regular season fight of this year.
Ateneo 69 – Buenafe 14, Chua 10, Monfort 9, Salva 7, dela Cruz 6, Salamat 6, Long 6, Golla 4, de Chavez 4, Tiongson 3, Escuate 0, Erram 0, Balmaceda 0, Gonzaga 0, Austria 0.
-It's the second straight game to have everything but Twitter and text; however, details given by the Ateneo Twitter pagewould be enough to judge that this is a blowout game. -Eman Monfort broke his own silence and exploded for 23 points. We've been waiting for this. -On the other end, it shows that the Eagles need some consistency from the starters. Justin Chua was able to start doing his homework, who had hot hands as well during that game. -Nico Salva has to shoot less and move more. His broken finger got him during that time. -An Alvin Padilla and Woody Co run tried to catch up with the Eagles, and it is good that during that time, the Eagles were ready to man up and defend well. -Expect more minutes (and creativity) from rookie Art De la Cruz. He might be the next big thing from the bench.
Ateneo 75 – Monfort 23, Chua 16, Buenafe 12, Salamat 9, dela Cruz 6, Golla 4, Long 3, Salva 2, Escueta 0, Erram 0, Tiongson 0, de Chavez 0, Austria 0.
UP 59 – Ma. Reyes 15, Co 13, Silungan 11, Sison 10, Padilla 6, Saret 2, Manuel 2, Mi. Reyes 0, Maniego 0, Hipolito 0, Juruena 0, Gomez 0.
From just a simple playmaker to a clutch shooter and closer, it could be that Lester Alvarez of the Adamson Falcons could be the next big thing. Here is an interview poster by Rick Olivares, with him talking about the experience of playing (and winning) against La Salle.
-Just when you thought that everything's already sealed, the Warriors came out hot on shooting (which, stats would say, is an unlikely thing to happen considering the fact that the Red Warriors shot poorly from beyond the arc), while the Eagles just couldn't get good looks... until the fourth quarter. -In this game we see how "important" Frank Golla is as part of the Eagles rotation, as well as his contribution on defense. Without him, UE big men Sam Razon and Ken Acibar continued to get good looks from inside, causing problems on Ateneo's frontcourt defense. -The individual members of the Blue Squad gets better, while Eric Salamat gets his form back. Yes, it's the return of the Salute. He chipped in 23 points including two crucial three-pointers in the fourth to catch up with Paul Lee and the Red Warriors. -Tiongson is the closer. Chongson is the loser. -We should stop those sloppy first half performances. Seriously. -And each member of the sixth man, as I see it, dislikes the possession arrow. Why can't we just have those Season 71-72 rules on ball possession?
Ateneo 80 – Salamat 23, Salva 13, Chua 13, Long 10, dela Cruz 6, Monfort 6, Tiongson 4, Austria 3, Gonzaga 2, Escueta 0, Erram 0, Golla 0, Buenafe 0.
-Again, a Twitterrific view in the middle of work, thanks to a few updates. -This might not be a good game to watch for the nation's scholars. It is good that the Eagles today assured us of a win. -Magi Sison still in his seemingly nonexistent presence in the court. Plus, there is this stupid decision by UP to put an injured Woody Co in when facing a 23-point deficit. -This game proves that the third string can do something. I hope we see more of Tiongson, Balmaceda, and, wait for it, Jeric Estrada. -Sloppy first quarter performances should not be a trend. UP might have fought well, but when Ateneo pumps it up, there's no one who can slow down their momentum on both ends. -It's still too early to say that Ateneo returned shooting well from beyond the arc. Let's see if we can jack up well-placed threes in our later games.
Scores:
Ateneo 78 - Salva 18, Tiongson 13, Salamat 12, Golla 8, Chua 8, Escueta 6, Long 3, Estrada 2, Dela Cruz 2, Monfort 2, Buenafe 2, Austria 2, Erram 0, Balmaceda 0, Gonzaga 0, De Chavez 0
UP 53 - Sison 13, Padilla 12, Lopez 6, Silungan 5, Co 5, Gomez 4, Reyes Ma. 3, Reyes Mi. 2, Juruena 2, Manuel 1, Saret 0, Maniego 0, Hipolito 0, Gingerich 0
Game 6 - Alaska Aces vs. Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters Series tied at 3-3. ALASKA 94—Simpson 21, De Vance 19, Baguio 14, Tenorio 12, Dela Cruz 11, Borboran 8, Hugnatan 8, Fonacier 1.
TALK ‘N TEXT 83—Alapag 20, Castro 19, Daniels 16, Williams 11, De Ocampo 7, Dillinger 4, Carey 3, Cardona 2, Yee 1, Aban 0.
Quarter scoring: 31-17, 54-43, 77-63, 94-83
Game 6 - San Miguel Beermen vs. B-Meg Derby AceLlamados SMB Wins Series, 4-2, enter PBA Finals
San Miguel 91--Freeman 26, Washington 18, Santos 14, Cabagnot 12, Yeo 8, Hontiveros 5, Ildefonso 5, Villanueva 3, Pena 0.
B-Meg Derby Ace 83--Washam 30, Yap. R. 15, Yap J. 14, Simon 6, Artadi 5, Pingris 5, Reavis 4, Maierhofer 2, Allado 2, Canaleta 0, Adducul 0.
Quarter scoring: 25-16, 51-42, 71-58, 91-83 Inboundpass.com for UAAP box and Inquirer for the PBA Box
-Determination became the key for the Eagles. Having known that they can't upset everyone by losing two straight games, they were able to respond to the urgent situation, and strategically made modifications. What a glorious comeback for the Eagles. -We were weak from beyond the arc, but it was our key to increasing our lead against NU. We only had a couple missed shots from three, and Kirk Long and Eric Salamat beat the dogs with good threes of their own. Kudos to Emman Monfort and Juami Tiongson as well. -Where Ateneo came out lucky in this game, NU did not. Though Hermosisima and Malanday shot their own threes as a response to Ateneo's zone defense which clamps down on the inside, they went cold when it mattered most. What happened was that everyone just jacked up three-point shots with the hopes of clawing their way back into the fourth (like La Salle did); however, all of those were useless. -To those who were critical of Ryan Buenafe's gameplay, perhaps there is a reason to be. In this game, all he did was to set up flash passes. It's a good thing that Kirk Long was able to balance this by playing smooth basketball fundamentals. The coaching staff ought to discipline Ryan and force him to play like he was during his rookie season. -Highlight of the week: Salute back to Eric Salamat, for he deserves it. He did what he had to do as a King Eagle, playing well all through out and, more than that, leading the team to become a "closing team," that is, the whole team doing everything to close the game out and seal the win. -We ought to have enough losses for round one. Pump it up, man up, and play good basketball… and the Sixth Man ought to be one with the team.
A sudden change in schedule transferred the match between the Adamson University Soaring Falcons and the Far Eastern University Tamaraws from 2:00pm of this Saturday to tomorrow's 4:00pm.
And this is just DLSU doing justice to these two teams who sit at the top two positions in the league.
Far Eastern U is undeniably the strongest team in the whole UAAP league this season. They proved that they are a team worthy of being hailed as favorites as they were able to bring down their fellow contenders Ateneo, La Salle, and NU. Their roster boasts a variety of talents which could come in handy in various situations. And to top that, they have that particular kind of chemistry that wins championships, with unselfish basketball at its core.
On the other hand, Adamson came out strong in all their past games. Save for their 66-69 loss against the Blue Eagles, they were able to maintain their poise and momentum in all 40 minutes of each of their games. Their recent bout against UST proved that they can withstand even the very best offensive runs by doing all possible means to get the stops and convert them into baskets.
Tomorrow's game will be decided on how they will adjust their defense according to their offensive styles. Both teams already have their own shooters and inside scorers. Let's see how they will respond against each other.
This might be the best non-Ateneo Sunday game for this year's first round.
-Ryan Buenafe. With him penetrating the basket and bringing the ball inside, he is virtually unstoppable. The Bulldogs just don't have any single body to put on him. If he performs consistently all through out (including defense), then it would force the Bulldogs to adjust and eventually allow other Blue scorers to have their opportunity.
-Solid defense on Kokoy Hermosisima and Jewel Ponferrada would only force them to bring the ball to Emmanuel Mbe. However, if Ateneo could slide in and out and play interior help defense, then their headed for points off turnovers.
Break:
-The inconsistency of the Blue Big Men would make a nailbiter out of this match. Unless we get regular stops from the inside and Jumbo Escueta and Justin Chua could efficiently score, things are going to get difficult.
-Never remind me about what happened here. The Hail Mary Squad has to hold leads very well if they win the game.
National University Bulldogs (2-3)
Make:
-Emmanuel Mbe might spell the difference in this game. Having a variety of skills (except ball-handling), he might be the best guy around when it comes to beating the defending champs. His height and power might spell danger for the Eagles
-Consistent ball movement with the aim of allowing Hermosisima and Ponferrada to go all-out from the inside. Once they are able to break Ateneo's zone and force them to stretch, the game will already be on their side.
Break:
-Too much of the offense on Kokoy Hermosisima. In NU's losses, it was Hermosisima who carried the team all over. However, while he reaches the expectations as the Bulldogs' premier go-to guy, he could not set plays which would open his teammates.
-Ball handling during fastbreak became a problem for NU against defensive teams. During their very first regular season game, against Adamson, there were a lot of instances when NU seems to let the ball loose when guarded by quick players. Now that they are facing against a backcourt which puts themselves on top when it comes to steals, they would not be able to convert breaks easily and somehow hand the ball over to the Eagles.
This is an outright display of might for the Tamaraws, flexing their muscles and showing no mercy towards the helpless Maroons. Surprisingly, Terrence Romeo led the Tamaraws with 21 points, while Woody Co sat out midway during the second half, having been diagnosed with plantar fascitis. FEU gets away with an unstained record, while UP is still winless.
The Tigers, with the help of Jeric Fortuna and Jeric Teng, tied the record for most three-pointers in a game with 16. However, these were not enough as lead Falcon Lester Alvarez led the way with 22-points which includes the crucial last-minute baskets. Adamson went up with a 3-1 slate, while UST is at the .500 mark with 2-2.
UST 71—Teng 23, Fortuna 15, Camus 11, Bautista 11, Mariano 5, Pe 2, Daquioag 2, Afuang 2, Wong 0, Tinte 0, Mamaril 0, Lo 0.
Quarters: 19-13, 34-32, 52-53, 75-71
NBA (well, FIBA to be exact)
USA White 114, USA Blue 96
The stage is nearly set for the FIBA World Basketball Tournament in Turkey, and it is fitting for coach Mike Krzyzewski to start building the pieces for Team USA. Because there will be no one from the 2008 Redeem Team who will return, the candidates of "Team Reconstruction" played a game to help coach M to choose. Thus, they divided in two and called a Blue vs White battle. And in the end, it was the Kevin Durant-led White Team who totally dumped the Blue of Rudy Gay.
Scores:
White 114 - Durant 28, Iguodala 17, Gordon 16, Rose 15, Curry 14, Chandler 13, Granger 5, Wallace 4, Odom 2
Blue 96 - Gay 23, Mayo 18, Westbrook 14, Green 11, Love 8, Rondo 7, McGee 7, Billups 6, Lopez 2
Quarter scores: 29-23, 56-44, 81-69, 114-96
PBA
Semifinals: San Miguel 74, B-Meg 70
FEU alumnus Arwind Santos hit the last triple of the game to finally complete the comeback for SMB, who trailed by as much as 17 points during the first half. Wingman Dondon Hontiveros scored 17 to lead the balanced Beermen, while it was import Tony Washam who carried the Derby Ace load with 22 points and 13 boards.
B-Meg 70 - Washam 22, J. Yap 17, Allado 10, Timberlake 5, Artadi 5, Pingris 4, Canaleta 3, Maierhofer 2, Reavis 2, Salvador 0, R. Yap 0
Quarter scores: 14-24, 33-45, 57-58, 74-70
Semifinals: Alaska 90, Talk n Text 86
With various deadlocks and lead changes big and small, it was Alaska who was favored by the circumstances. Finding themselves behind during the final canto, their first and second stringers woke up and rallied past the Talk N Text Tropang Texters. The biggest moment of the game came when former Blue Eagle L.A. Tenorio hit the game-deciding trey more than two minutes in the ballgame as a response to Tropang Texter Jimmy Alapag. Together with the Beermen, the Aces break the tie, now leading 2-1 into the series.
-Part of the rebuilding process is the need for experimentation, and coach Norman Black did just that during this game. He experimented with various lineups to catch up with the Phoenix Suns-like play of DLSU.
-A closer. That is what we need. Perhaps this would be the worst game where Ateneo had the chance to win the game through a comforting 9-point lead. Someone has to step up and play both offense and defense. Besides the game being against La Salle, this was the most heartbreaking because the blue team never expected that the squad will lose.
-Kirk Long was the factor. A pump three, behind the back layup, and five fouls.
-Sam Marata took the opportunity to bring the lead to DLSU when Ateneo played sloppily.
-I think the 6th Men got used to winning too much. We have to cheer harder even in the midst of difficulties.
DLSU 66 – Webb 12, Marata 12, Atkins 9, Tampus 6, Andrada 6, de la Paz 5, Tolentino 5, Mendoza 5, Vosotros 3, Villanueva 2, Ferdinand 1, Paredes 0.
Ateneo 63 – Chua 16, Monfort 11, Long 9, Buenafe 7, Salamat 6, Salva 5, Golla 3, Escueta 2, dela Cruz 2, Austria 2, Tiongson 0, Gonzaga 0.
Make: -Eric Salamat's health and, therefore, his effectivity in his game counts. Coming off the bench with a knee contrusion, there is no guarantee that he can play a hundred percent and therefore get his game back. -It's still defense. La Salle's games against UE and UP made all their shooters look really good from the outside , while their match against NU proved that with good defense, everyone in the Green Squad will falter. A more efficient zone defense which could also give way for bodies to be placed on their shooters.
Break: -Too much shooting from beyond the arc. It would be better for them to choose their shots well, with most of their attempts from the paint and trying to force fouls. -Filling in the point guard spot. Coach Norman Black should perhaps work out an effective 8-10 man rotation which would allow their combo guard and forward players to find their spots.
De La Salle University Green Archers (2-1)
Make: -Wingmen efficiency. They were able to beat UP and UE with their mid- and long-range effectivity, coming from their experienced back court composed of Tolentino, Atkins, and Marata. Making those long jumpers would eventually force Ateneo to stretch their defense, therefore allowing more opportunities inside the paint. -Two players off the bench would be quite crucial in bringing La Salle to their first ever victory against the Eagles in two years: Almond Vosotros and Yutien Andrada. While Andrada can shut down almost every member of the Blue frontcourt, Vosotros can outrun anyone and destroy the rhythm of Ateneo defense. Ateneo has to have someone who can check him
Break: -The tiring full court press seems to not work with Ateneo anymore. However, if they continue to employ this defensive play, they are in danger of racking up too many fouls. Previously, UE was able to capitalize on the early penalty and calls toward the charity stripe. With quicker players who can bring the ball on both sides of the court, Ateneo might just seize that opportunity as well. -The Archers have a tendency to play hit-or-miss and will gamble on wild out-of-this-world jumpers (among those who do these is forward Joshua Webb). Once they start to panic and lose the determination to bring the ball inside, then the game should finish early in the second half.
-First things first: Justin Chua. With his advantage over the UST frontcourt guys combined, he was able to score off kickouts and even drove down the lane for a weird layup. He really was someone we need in times like these. Beef up like Jumbo, and you'll be a formidable big man. -Norman Black's frontcourt combo seemed unusual for the spectator. However, it has proved to be useful, considering that it responded to the need to neutralize UST undersized big men. -Emman Monfort, after becoming the unlikely hero against the Falcons, slightly turned the tables after doing a "Vujacic." The Eagles should have pulled away early if not for that. -For this season, digging deep into the bench and tapping all those the Eagles really need in particular situations would prove helpful not just this season, but in the future as well. Perhaps a way of building the next "power team"? Maybe. -Eric Salamat ought to rest and play limited minutes. His injury restricted him to play his game, as he was left limping after breaks. Good job with his swipes, though. -This is the game that the Season 72 fans miss. We have to accept that we got too used to winning by a blowout. Let this be a message that it can still happen. But then, discipline is what we need.
Ateneo 68 - Chua 17, Salva 14, Monfort 8, Salamat 7, Golla 7, dela Cruz 5, Long 2, Austria 2, Buenafe 0, Tiongson 0 UST 56 - Bautista 11, Teng 10, Camus 8, Mariano 7, Fortuna 7, Pe 4, Afuang 4, Marata 2, Aytona 2, Daquioag 1, Wong 0, Tinte 0, Mamaril 0, Lo 0
-a Twiterrific view of the game (thanks to a few reliable sources) was not great. Mostly not great if this is your team's first win. (From this point on, just append the phrases I heard/They said, etc.) But then, a win's worthy of writing about, no matter how "blurred" one's vision is, isn't it? -Eric Salamat's "knee contrusion" started to bother him once again. I hope that it will turn out just fine. We still have 12 more games to play. Nico Salva added his own pains as well. -I agree with my brother. Expect that Ateneo games will cause various strokes and nervous breakdowns. I'm guessing there will be no blow out victories for this season… even until the championship match (I'm already assuming here). -a good potential blow-out game, but too bad Adamson got too hot and got close during the fourth quarter. I know the nickname "Pocket Rocket" isn't much of a catch, thank you nevertheless, Emman Monfort. -believe me, there are Sixth Men who can do the job even better while they are concentrating on their jobs. -The same things that will keep us alive: momentum and discipline. We were nearly beat there. Good thing we've got some of these two to keep us alive. I expect more of these things in the next games.
Ateneo 69 – Long 12, Salva 10, Salamat 10, Buenafe 10, Monfort 8, Escueta 7, dela Cruz 3, Golla 3, Erram 2, Tiongson 2, Austria 2, Gonzaga 0.
-Perhaps just a case of bad decision-making during the last stretch. In the end, it was only by a stroke of luck (or is it? RR Garcia, hmm) that Ateneo got a chance to tie the game and force overtime. Unfortunately, Nico Salva opted to go for a reverse layup instead of the usual.
-Roose Garcia scoring 25 points is a huge factor on both sides. While FEU proved that there can be quite a good few who can step up, they have reason enough to fear a rebuilding Ateneo team who locked down JR Cawaling and Aldrech Ramos down the stretch. But Exciminiano with 2 points and 10 boards? Oh, c'mon.
-Arthur dela Cruz is a surprise. He just needs to be more creative with his shots, as FEU got him during the second half.
-Erram and Escueta, given enough playing time and opportunities to step up, could turn out to be formidable big men after 13 more games. Let's see how they get into the Black rhythm.
-Removing the pressure off Emman Monfort and giving Juami Tiongson playing time might help. However, size problems could make that improbable.
-The Sixth Men were too silent and passive during first game. I know that FEU hogged the tickets, but that's no reason to not cheer our hearts out.
*This is a rough draft of an article supposedly co-written with my brother as well as some of his friends. For the final version, I will announce the definite name of the website and the URL of this co-authored blog. But for now, enjoy.
Redemption is the name of the game.
The 2010 NBA Finals ended in a much sweeter and glorious note compared to that of last year, as the Los Angeles Lakers took their second straight title after defeating historic rivals the Boston Celtics. And for everyone in the purple and gold, especially those who were part of those who lost last 2008 to this same Green Team, all was more hard fought.
For Kobe Bryant and the rest of the '08 Lakers, this is not just any back-to-back title. It is a symbol of their revenge, their way of getting back at the Celtics for bullying them two years ago. It stands proof that Kobe Bryant fully cemented his legacy as one of the greatest Lakers ever who had the chance to beat the Boston Celtics - a position he shares with Magic Johnson, avoiding what has happened to Laker legend Jerry West. For Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, it is a symbol of the toughness and passion that they have grown into, and for the rest, a chance to get back at the mistakes of the last two years.
But surprisingly, they were not the ones whose celebrations stood out and became real and live expressions of emotions.
It was nothing more real, more emotional, more victorious, than Ron Artest's, and for him, this is more than a title, heck more than a salvation of one's legacy or basketball career in hopes of becoming a legend someday.
The Larry O'Brien trophy brought him back his sense of self, both as a basketball player and as a person.
The Ron Artest Way
When the Lakers signed Ron Artest for a five-year deal, there were two points raised by sports critics and analysts about his integration into the Lakers team.
The first was the way he would adjust to the Lakers team defense (which, obviously he would provide a big boost to) and the famous triangle offense. But that was the least of their concerns. Rather, what they were worried about was Ron Artest's on- and off-court behavior, which could affect the overall discipline, image, and gameplay of the team.
Anyone who has watched the NBA at least for the last five or six years has heard of Ron Artest's significant attitude and swagger. Despite being regarded as one of the top defensive men of the decade, he also got the "rough bad boy" image, being strongly associated with his acts of defiance and, for lack of a better and more accurate word, "violence."
And we can count various demerits, starting with the famous (and the biggest and most violent) brawl way back 2004, when, back as an Indiana Pacer, his foul on the Detroit Piston's center Ben Wallace ended up with him throwing a punch at a fan and eventually being suspended for the regular season.
The trade which sent him to the Sacramento Kings for year-long stint did not do any kind of damage control in his image. He never did get worse, but there were still traces of the Ron Artest of the brawl, with technical fouls and occasional ejections every now and then. But looking on the bright side of his career, he provided the energy that the withered Kings needed just to hang on. Along with the young, blooming Kevin Martin, Artest carried the load of the Kings on both ends of the court until the first round of the playoffs, where the San Antonio Spurs eliminated them in six games.
Afterwards, a trade brought him to the Houston Rockets, which promised a new era not only for himself, in the course of his attempt to show that he is still worthy of respect, but also for the Rockets as a team. Together with Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Shane Battier, Artest shaped Houston into a Western Conference contender, cementing a smooth road to the playoffs, albeit a rough and violent one.
The Lakers fans won't even forget their woes against Ron Artest in the course of the seven-game battle between L.A. and Houston. Before the regular season ends, Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest were charged with technical fouls each for badmouthing each other near the end of the game. During Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals, he was ejected when he showed antagonism over Bryant after a contested call. He faced another ejection in Game 3 when he put up his arms on the face of a driving Pau Gasol.
Eventually, the series ended with the Lakers winning, as Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest shared congratulatory remarks and words of encouragement after game seven, putting behind everything that happened between them during those momentous playoff series. And during that time, nobody ever thought of a partnership between them.
Wearing That Lakers Jersey
The 2009 Los Angeles Lakers, after winning the championship against the Orlando Magic, find themselves still intact as a team, save for one - Trevor Ariza. For the team, he is as valuable as every teammate, most especially during the course of the playoffs where he showed what he can really do - make the necessary stops, run for fastbreak points, and even hit crucial threes and perimeters if not cutting and dunking. As soon as his contract expired, the Lakers were already determined to sign him in for five more years.
However, things didn't turn out as it was planned, as Ariza's agent turned down the Lakers' offer which covers the mid-level exception, the only available offer for the Lakers so as to avoid overspending, being way above the lowered salary cap. Because of that, Ariza's management agreed with the other contesting offer, that of the Houston Rockets.
In spite of Artest's performance, the Rockets did not want him back, becoming satisfied with Ariza. It was then that the Lakers, in a way, chased after him. They offered him the MLE contract, which he immediately accepted. He wore the number 37, the number of weeks that the late Michael Jackson's album, "Thriller," stayed on the number one Billboard Chart.
For Artest, being in L.A. was a very special opportunity for him. It is a gift, a positive reinforcer which suited his needs for fame and respect. From the most hated by the Staples crowd, he was warmly accepted by Tinseltown. He grew instant fame not just with his offseason modeling sideline across different L.A. independent labels, but also his gimmicks which he frequently tweeted (and constantly retweeted) in his "TruWarier" account. With these perks, it seems that the Lakers will keep him behaved for at least five years.
The regular season began without even a harsh comment pointed against Artest. There was no major news of misbehavior, even gaining the love of the L.A. crowd while playing great team defense alongside Kobe Bryant and the purple and gold. It seems that everyone realized that a little change might provide them a boost, with greater hopes of defending the title and repeating their 2009 performance.
But everything was not all good between Artest and the Lakers. At times, it was evident that he was not like Ariza who could fit into the triangle perfectly, primarily because of their differences in speed and offense. While half of the Lakers analysts were praising Ron Artest for becoming a defensive boost in the Lakers, the other half was complaining about his offensive inefficiency, as he was characterized with poor perimeter shooting and slow cutting which disrupted the speed of the execution of the triangle. Add to that the fact that Artest was absent when the Lakers needed him most during the Christmas season, when he said he fell down the stairs while bringing gifts back home and was sidelined with a mild injury.
And during the course of the regular season, Laker fans worried about not only the looming injuries of Lakers stars, most especially Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, but also the effectiveness of Ron Artest as a replacement to Ariza.
The Transfiguration: The NBA Playoffs
These doubts and criticisms continued to surface even until the NBA playoffs. Albeit finishing with a decent 57-25 record in the West, the Lakers are still facing a tough road ahead, as they were set to fight a battle within the team (their injuries and efficiency) and without.
During the first round, the Purple and Gold were put against eighth seeded Oklahoma Thunder, which boasts of a high-octane offense led by the young rising star Kevin Durant. Artest was once again given a chance to prove himself a true Laker warrior when he was assigned to put the shackles on KD and prevent him from having big games.
And defended he did. Laker fans were once again comforted by the fact that Artest was there, as he never left Durant on his own throughout the six-game battle. He always had his body to put against Durant's, and a hand raised not only on his shot but also in his face. As the Lakers pulled away to win and advance to the next round, KD35, the 2010 scoring champion, was effectively limited to below 35 points, not allowing the Thunder to greatly pull away and the Lakers to close them out.
From there, Artest would have his own up and down performances, putting the Lakers on several high and low moments. His offensive efficiency against Utah, in the course of also taking the responsibility to defend the wingmen of the Jazz, was also questioned; however, he proved that he can contribute as well, finding his shooting spots, and even running up to get the offensive board, run back down to the three point line, and make the trey. In sweeping the series, Artest has proven himself quite helpful.
But not as much during the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns. He went well with the Lakers team defense when they put the Suns away during the first two games. But in the two consecutive losses against the Suns in their home court, it was Artest who destroyed two opportunities of the Lakers offense to put them away. He was known to have hurried the offense with his quick but contested three-pointers, missing most of them. During times when he was supposed to step up and be the man, he failed to do so, even causing problems with turnovers and transition defense. During the course of the series, he was as random as a quantum particle, doing good and bad at times, coming out big in one moment, and not being helpful in another. The way he becomes a teammate to the Lakers became a major concern for the rest of their playoff games. Most of the Lakers fans even wished Ariza was there to play this game for them.
Come Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, where the Lakers sense the need to win to break the tie and gain the momentum before heading to Phoenix for Game 6. During the dying minutes of the game, Phoenix rallied from an 18 point deficit to tie the game101. As a last resort, the Lakers got the ball to Kobe Bryant as he struggled to shoot the ball from the right arc. His shot did not even touch the rim, but Artest cut into the paint, grabbed the ball and immediately put up a difficult last-minute shot to end the game in favor of the Lakers, 103-101. For some, it was his first act of redemption, as that last minute shot has proved that he is a valuable teammate, and for him, this shot gave him back the confidence that he was supposed to have as a Laker playing alongside the 2009 World Champions.
Artest's randomness (as well as the critics' doubts) didn't diminish even during the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. He was a very important defensive element in Game 1, always playing the D against the Celtics' best scorer and team leader, Paul Pierce. However, he once again destroyed the team offense in Game 2 with their only home loss in the playoffs, hitting too many three pointers and not making a single one of them. Though insignificant in the next games (save for his defense on Paul Pierce), his biggest playoff mistake was not getting the last two Laker free throws in Game 5, eventually failing to make it a one-possession game and letting the Celtics get away and head to the Staples Center with a 3-2 series lead.
His great moment came in at Game Seven, when, after the Lakers massacred the Celtics in Game Six, everyone is expected to be at their best. Apparently, it was quite the contrary, as the Lakers found themselves digging a very deep hole, with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol going cold and inefficient. With the Lakers struggling, there has to be someone who has to step up and lead the team to a surge that could bring them to the win. Fortunately, they have the quantum particle, the one who is least expected to step up in the final game, where the pressure is greater than one expects.
It was Ron Artest who became the overnight hero, leading the Lakers to their biggest comeback in 2010. He started a 9-0 surge early in the second half to put the Lakers back on track, and made a cut sometime in the second half and scored a three-point play to once again keep L.A. afloat after being down by double digits. However, what made him special in Game 7 was the way he put a dagger in the heart of the Mean Green Team, making the trey after receiving a pass from Bryant and putting the Lakers ahead by six in the final minutes. In the end, he stepped up when no one did, made noise when everyone was quiet, pushed when no one can barely move and make a change in the game, and became a killer when no one could not be. He truly became the man of the game, the one everyone counted on when no one would dare do so in the most crucial of all games.
Getting Back Up
This single game seven, everything was redeemed. Sure, we can't throw away the swagger that Ron Artest has been. We can even say a lot of things about his problematic behavior which we can trace way back in Chicago (with the Hennessy in the locker room), Indiana, Sacramento, and Houston. But then, this outstanding performance is enough to bring back the respect that he ought to get - a kind of respect towards the way he played the game. His highlight performance was able to save his dignity as a real star in the realm of professional basketball, one that has to be taken seriously in all aspects of the game. For once, he was the man who cannot be denied on both ends of the court.
Playing alongside Kobe and filling in the shoes left by wingman Trevor Ariza, not only did Ron Artest save the Lakers from another loss against the Celtics. He also saved his own infamous legacy, making one of the most memorable, zero-to-hero performances in NBA history.
And even the postgame interviews, press conference, and his post-Finals appearances can attest to that. Ron Artest, so far, has been the greatest Cinderella story ever, and I do believe that no one could forget this man who rose, fell, and rose back up again with a glorious finish.
