Make Or Break: AdMU vs. FEU

First Round Flashback:

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.

One Big Fight.

Fabilioh.com for the picture.