6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU (Round 2)

Ateneo 79, De La Salle 62

-Who says that the Blue Eagles will have a difficult time without Greg Slaughter? With the towering threat on foul trouble (and hence a relatively weak post game), the Katipunan squad earned their eleventh straight win in fashion, hitting timely shots and never letting the Green Squad initiate runs through a stifling defense that forced them to score from the outside and chuck up jumpers and threes.

-Nico Salva was not able to hit anything save one during the UE game, and maybe he thought that this was the time to bring the groove back and provide another stellar performance. And come out big he did, as he was able to tally 19 big points not so much by hoisting jumpers but by bringing the ball inside in a Kobe-ish manner. Emman Monfort, on the other hand, proved that he is not only the best point guard but the gutsiest one as well, grabbing boards here and there and increasing his free throw percentage for every push and shove inflicted by the green guards on him. Finally, one might ask, how about the first round match's hero, Kiefer Ravena? The Phenom had his own turns as well, becoming the third Blue Eagle who scored double digits alongside Monfort and Salva… including that difficult magnificent side jumper after a Simon Atkins three that trimmed the lead to two during the second quarter.

-That must have hurt for the Green Archers when they were struggling even when the Blue bench took their roles (despite not scoring much compared to the DLSU bench). But the one who really did serious work was the most energetic Blue Eagle of this season, Tonino Gonzaga. He had 12 markers part of which were two treys, and one of them stopped a possible DLSU run early in the fourth quarter that could have given them a chance to trim the lead to as little as five. People watching on TV could have seen his "Angry Eagle" face once he made another lay up, which explicitly told everyone that he was meant to be taken seriously.

-Two important concepts that emerged in the Black's Board today would be "match ups" and "deference." Coach Norman played a game of strategic basketball, as he put JP Erram to man the paint in order to check the DLSU frontcourt and force crazy jumpers from everyone. He even made it a point to tire out the DLSU bigs by putting Salva and have him take the ball inside through dribble-drives past the slower Torres and Van Opstal. Apparently, it worked, right? On the other hand, one key to Ateneo's success today would be the way everyone makes the extra pass to the people in the right spots during the right time. When it looked like Erram would take a jumper, he saw Nico Salva down under and handed him the ball for the easier deuce. Monfort did the same when he executed the classic pick and roll and have someone drive or pound the ball inside. Oh, and did anyone see that outstanding passes to Salva and Chua?

-On the green side, props to Van Opstal for taking advantage of Slaughter's foul trouble en route to the only DLSU double-digit marker. This also goes to Almond Vosotros for being the only DLSU player to get things right. Seriously, perhaps LA Revilla could go off the bench, since Vosotros seems to be familiar with the system more than he does. And by the way, did anyone note that Ponso Gotladera came in? Maybe too insignificant to mention.

-With the Final Four spot nearly out of the equation, perhaps it's nigh time that the Green Archers think about the future, or at least provide immediate solutions to their problems. Is it with the players? Perhaps. Is it with Coach Dindo Pumaren? Most likely. However, at least they should look at their current problems and provide short term solutions. How about a new player rotation? Or perhaps, a day for free throw shooting, where until no one gets 500 made, no one is to leave the training facility?

The scores:

Ateneo 79 – Salva 19, Ravena 13, Monfort 13, Gonzaga 12, Slaughter 8, Chua 7, Long 6, Tiongson 1, Erram 0, Sumalinog 0, Golla 0, Austria 0

De La Salle 62 – Van Opstal 13, Vosotros 9, Tampus 9, Torres 8, Revilla 6, Villanueva 6, Atkins 4, de la Paz 3, Paredes 2, Webb 2, Gotladera 0, Mendoza 0, Marata 0

Quarter scoring: 14-11, 31-26, 53-42, 79-62

Credits to Fabilioh for the pic and Inboundpass for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UE (Round 2)

Ateneo 74, UE 70

-There will always be days like this, when the team is not shooting well and almost everyone was too lazy to defend. But then, why does this have to happen to the same team that nearly got the blue boys when they were half-asleep? The Red Warriors once again threatened to take a win from Ateneo (which they successfully did against De La Salle almost a week ago), but the Blue Eagles held on to a safe four-point advantage by the sound of the final buzzer.

-On the other hand, props to the Red Warriors who have always played their hundred percent when they face the Blue Eagles, despite having a poor record that seems to pose no hopes of making it into the Final Four (but then, who knows?). The Blue Eagles were even lucky to have them as opponents before the bout with the Green Archers, as the Red Warriors have shown them situations that they might face as well when they come to face the greenies. Part of their success was due to their luck in making jumpers, while the rest were that of Paul Zamar and J.M. Noble, the one who played the game of his life as he had his way with 21 points, including a big three that put UE closer during the dying seconds of the game. Too bad, their opponent was too calm and too clutch for down-the-wire games like these.

-Fortunately, when all shots from the outside didn't come in, Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena rescued the Blue Eagles. The former got himself in position during the whole game, taking on every Red Warrior big man banged at him, while the latter made turnover baskets that turned the tide after the first half, when UE takes a four point lead at 37-33. We just can't stop praising these two blue chips; nevertheless, they deserve this. On the other hand, Nico Salva's jumper was found nowhere, with him hitting only one of twelve, with most of them failed jumpers that he used to hit the previous game against UST.

-The bench also played relatively well on the offensive bench, with their 18 points well spread among them. Tonino Gonzaga, the most consistent one from the bench so far, led the pack with 7 points, followed by Chua's six markers, two of them from midrange.

-But highest individual praises should be given to Emman Monfort, who, a lot of people have been talking about as the best point guard this season. He tallied 13 markers, 6 boards, 6 dimes, and a steal, but his most important contribution was basically that which he does best: making those clutch free throws to give Ateneo the win.

-Perhaps we might also skip what was given and branded as plain stupidity, that Lourd Casajeros flopped and it worked for him.

The Scores:

Ateneo 74 – Slaughter 19, Monfort 13, Ravena 12, Long 7, Gonzaga 7, Chua 6, Salva 5, Austria 3, Golla 2, Sumalinog 0

UE 70 – Noble 21, Zamar 15, Duran 8, Casajeros 7, Enguio 6, Javier 4, Sumido 3, Sumang 2, Santos 2, Tagarda 2, Flores 0

Quarter scoring: 15-17, 33-37, 56-49, 74-70

Credits to Fr. Nemy Que, SJ for the pic, and Inboundpass for the box scores.

Where To, Smart Gilas?

It seems that after the Olympic qualifier, we won't be seeing the same Smart-Gilas team that brought a revived enthusiasm for Philippine basketball. There are those who would try their skill in the professional leagues, namely JV Casio, Andy Barroca, Mac Baracael, Marcio Lassiter, and Chris Lutz, who applied for the PBA draft. On the other hand, the Cebuano Hotshot, Dondon Hontiveros, called it quits after a tiring stint. The same goes for Asi Taulava, who already felt that a handful of PBA seasons and stints with the various national teams were more than enough.

The good news is, Smart-Gilas Pilipinas team captain Chris Tiu decided not to play in the professional league, and hoped that his contract will be renewed with the Philippine team. And hopefully, Tiu's decision to stay would also invite Coach Raijko Toroman to do so as well, seeing that there's still someone left who knows his system.

But the more important concern is the replacements for those who have departed. Who could be the ones who can wear the red, blue, and white, and represent our country in international tournaments?

-News came in a few months ago about the addition of professional cagers Sol Mercado, Jimmy Alapag, and Kelly Williams in the Smart Gilas roster. Of course, their professional experience have already said a lot about them, and they could provide the necessary force that the national team needs. But the question is, can they work full time with the national team like Hontiveros or Taulava? Could they also be willing to leave their respective teams and participate on a full time basis?

-Also, remember that there are current Smart Gilas players playing in the collegiate ranks. Greg Slaughter still has to work for his college degree, including two years of serving as the pillar of the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles. Aldrech Ramos, on the other hand, is in his final year in Far Eastern University. These two will be helpful especially that Japeth Aguilar and Marcus Douthit need reliable back ups to cover the paint.

-Speaking of collegiate players, how about considering recalling JR Cawaling, also in the final year of playing for the Tamaraws? Or former applicant Ryan Buenafe, who is on a hiatus at the moment to catch up on academic requirements and trim his weight down?

-It might be also good to review the previous Powerade Pilipinas national team, led by Yeng Guiao, and pick out some gems. Governor's Cup Finals MVP Arwind Santos is a likely candidate, and so is Alaska Aces guard Cyrus Baguio. James Yap would be a good addition, as well as Gabe Norwood. But then, we run again into the question of commitment.

-Is anyone familiar with the Sinag Pilipinas team that Coach Norman Black came up with for international amateur tournaments? There are a handful of names from the collegiate ranks that could be standouts for the Smart Gilas team. But the most qualified candidate among them would be FEU Tamaraws' RR Garcia. The Season 73 Most Valuable Player can do even more than what Mark Barroca can do in his FEU days, and maybe he will be as valuable as Barroca was in the team. Fil-Ams Bobby Ray Parks and soon-to-be Blue Eagle Chris Newsome could also be good additions. On the NCAA side, we have "The Beast" Calvin Abueva and Garvo Lanete, from the Stags and the Red Lions respectively. And this may not be an immediate concern, but Smart Gilas should do all it takes to sway the Phenom Kiefer Ravena and have him play for the country. After all he has already done so in the U-16 and U-18 categories.

So, having all these options, what would it be for Smart Gilas? Or would everyone still hang on to the hopes that the guys in the PBA draft drop their names off when Friday comes?

Credits to Inquirer.net, Interaktv, GMANews, CDOLifestyle.com, Kvitters, Nugglepurl, and Metagini for the pictures.

Notable Names

The list of PBA draft hopefuls have already been released, and there are already significant names in collegiate basketball that have appeared. The big question that lies here is: How will they fare in the professional level?

Here are some of those former college cagers, coming in alphabetical order

Dylan Ababou (UST, Smart Gilas)

The former Growling Tiger became the head of their ambush during Season 72, who placed fourth and were defeated by the Rabeh Al-Hussaini-led Ateneo in the Final Four. Known before for his midrange game, Ababou has since gained a lot of skills, which include (thank God) inside scoring and defense, thanks to the Smart Gilas training program. Can he make use of these skills to make it? Perhaps he would, in the early second round.

Ken Acibar (UE)

Many Red Warrior fans wished that Acibar could have stayed and become the pillar of the Red Warriors this Season 74. Apparently, due to the change in the coaching staff, he decided to leave the team (and its chances of becoming a competitive bunch in the UAAP) together with Paul Lee and Coach Lawrence Chongson. A forward capable of becoming a threat both outside and inside, he might earn a significant spot and be drafted early.

Mac Baracael (FEU, Smart Gilas)

The guy who was shot after a game-fixing fiasco fully recovered after his years in the UAAP, even becoming a dominant shooting forward who knows his game very well and how he would fit in Coach Toroman's system. Let's see how he will carry it over in a professional league that demands him to become more of a small forward than a power forward.

Andy Barroca (FEU, Smart Gilas)

The last discussions that we have about Andy Barroca and his playing years in the UAAP involved allegations of game-fixing during Season 72. However, it seems that it did not dishearten him, when he played full-time for Smart Gilas and made a name for himself. He has the skill and the basketball IQ to become a legit point guard in the PBA, but plugging in prejudices, can this be the opportunity for him to prove that there is no such thing as "game-fixing" in his vocabulary?

JV Casio (DLSU, Smart Gilas)

Why oh why, does Casio have to enter the PBA draft, when he is the best player of Smart Gilas? The last time he wore the green and white, he was seen finding his spots and shooting timely jumpers. And things changed a lot since then, for he developed as a reliable guard both from inside and the outside, on both ends of the floor. Too bad he was injured during the last stretch of the Jones Cup. Had he been there, Team Pilipinas could have a shot of becoming number one. The challenge now is for him to elevate and adjust his game in the professional level.

Reil Cervantes (FEU)

Cervantes also decided to forego his final option to play for the FEU Tamaraws (which seems to be a bad decision from the perspective of the present Tams, who terribly lack big men to fill in his post) and head straight to the professional league. Now what can a big man that knows how to post up as well as hit outside jumpers do? A lot, actually.

Brian Ilad (DLSU)

Last time we've heard from him was his quarrel with UE Red Warrior Mark Fampulme, and that's the only time his name became significant. Even along former Maroon Magi Sison, he didn't rack up good numbers in the D-League. Expect this guy to be left out until the late 2nd round.

Paul Lee (UE)

Season 73's chief Red Warrior was the one whom teams have been waiting for, ever since news broke out that he will be leaving the University of the East together with Coach Chongson. Whether he will live up to the expectations or not depends on how he will adjust his game. Will his shooting antics work well in the PBA? Only way to know how is to let him play.

Allein Maliksi (UST)

Maliksi used to be the Growling Tigers' spunk off the bench, until he became the D-League MVP. And from resident dunker to all-around player, expect him to be drafted mid-1st round, especially with a team that needs both inside and outside offense.

Kit Rosopa (UE)

Like Ilad, is this a wise decision for the UE second-stringer? Even though he provides power in the post in his Red Warrior days, he might have a lot of adjustments, and part of them is accepting the fact that he can just be a third-stringer or a twelfth man. Perhaps it's not too late to back out and return to the D-League.

Eric Salamat (Ateneo)

Ateneo's court general really has what it takes to become a premier one or two in the PBA. He can pass, shoot threes, play D, and run from coast to coast for transitions. However, with the overload of guards in the professional league that are taller and quicker, he might have to put aside his ego and learn that even though he has a fighting chance of being drafted in the early first round, he will end up on the bench

Magi Sison (UP, Smart Gilas)

Despite improved numbers, Magi Sison has already been branded as a fluke of a big man, judging from his Fighting Maroon days and his short stint with Smart Gilas. But given the proper training and conditioning to become a legit forward, he can be dominant. Or not.

In the end, let's just cross our fingers and hope that they become key components in the teams that will get them.

Postscript:

Of course there are some names that we would expect to come out, but aren't there:

-FEU alum Paul Sanga didn't apply for the draft at all. Maybe he thought that there is more to it than shooting jumpers in the professional level.
-Not surprising at all: Joshua Saret, who has not improved greatly after leaving the Fighting Maroons basketball program.
-It has been more than two years since we've heard about former top Bulldog Edwin Asoro, and maybe the professional league is not for him either. And perhaps this is what would happen to other former 'Dogs like Jewel Ponferada and Kokoy Hermosisima, who obviously need more exposure in the D-League. Danny Ildefonso and Lordy Tugade are getting old already,and it's nigh time that they get their replacements.

And conversely, other names that should NOT be there (you decide):

Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz will apply for the PBA draft and opt out of the Smart Gilas-Pilipinas team, which brings us to a separate discussion...

Credits to the following for the photos: GMANews, Bleachersbrew, Philstar.com, Greenarchers.ph, Pinoy Exchange, GBrew, The Varsitarian, Abante, Fabilioh, and Flickr

All In A Day's Games (21 August 2011)

UAAP


National U 65, State U 43

The Fighting Maroons have been going haywire since the First Round, but this was the worst game they have played. With their screens not working against the NU defense, Paolo Romero, Jett Manuel, and even non-jumpshooting Jelo Montecastro continued to chuck up shots while giving the Bulldogs the boards. On the other hand, why does Coach Eric Altamirano let Mbe remain in the fourth, when they already have an insurmountable lead.

NU 65 – Parks 22, Mbe 17, Terso 7, Javillonar 6, Khobuntin 4, Villamor 2, Celda 2, Alolino 2, Singh 2, Ignacio 1, Neypes 0, Labing-isa 0, Celiz 0

UP 43 – Romero 7, Montecastro 6, Maniego 6, Juruena 6, Gamboa 5, Mbah 4, Gingerich 3, Silungan 2, Manuel 2, Gomez 2, Wong 0, Wierzba 0, Fortu 0

Quarter scoring: 17-6, 27-13, 48-26, 65-43

Far Eastern U 62, Adamson U 61

Terrence Romeo might have exploded, but this does not excuse him from committing another boneheaded turnover that allowed the Soaring Falcons' Alex Nuyles to to trim the margin to a point after being behind by as much as 15. The tams should be thankful for Aldrech Ramos' superb performance. If not for him, they could have lost the game and be on the verge of elimination from the Final Four.

FEU 62 – Ramos 18, Romeo 14, Garcia 14, Tolomia 8, Escoto 4, Cruz 2, Exciminiano 2, Pogoy 0, Mendoza 0, Bringas 0, Knuttel 0

Adamson 61 – Nuyles 17, Camson 9, Alvarez 9, Lozada 8, Cañada 7, Brondial 6, Cabrera 4, Manyara 1, Petilos 0, Etrone 0, Colina 0

Quarter scoring: 14-12, 30-24, 47-39, 62-61

PBA


Petron Blaze Boosters 85, Talk N Text Tropang Texters 73

The Grandslam can wait another season for the Tropang Texters, as the Boosters stayed ahead for the rest of the game despite being branded as this series' underdogs. It's true that they were fortunate enough for TnT to miss point guard Jason Castro, but they had bigger misfortunes, namely injured ones Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Joseph Yeo, Jay Washington, and Lordy Tugade. Former FEU Tam Arwind Santos was crowned the Finals MVP, leading the ragtag pack with a magnificent 16-point, 16-rebound output.

Petron 85 – Grundy 26, Santos 16, Miranda 16, Ildefonso 13, Cabagnot 12, Pennisi 2, Duncil 0, Hubalde 0, Salvacion 0.

Talk N' Text 73 – Baker 22, De Ocampo 15, Williams 13, Alapag 13, Carey 6, Castro 2, Peek 2, Dillinger 0, Reyes 0, Aban 0. Fonacier 0, Alvarez 0.

Quarter scoring: 28-17, 40-34, 64-53, 85-73

Thanks to inboundpass for UAAP box and photos, and Interaktv for PBA box and photo

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST (Round 2)

Ateneo 82, UST 57

-The Blue Eagles were comfortably sitting atop a 30-point lead after one of those many scoring runs initiated by Kiefer Ravena and Nico Salva in the third quarter. In fact, the final canto was garbage time for the boys in blue, with the third stringers even giving the Tigers a hard time trimming the margin and losing in an honorable fashion. Now we see a balance of a clicking offense and stifling defense, and if the team plays like this in every game, then a perfect season is highly possible.

-While Ravena led the blitzkrieg with a barrage of steals and easy lay ups, the spotlight for this afternoon belongs to Salva, who seized the opportunity to sink his long jumpers after bread-and-butter plays set by the guards. But more than that, he also made it a point to drive when possible, earning two and-ones (one of them over Chris Camus) and finishing with 20 points.

-For the Blue Eagles, it doesn't matter if the bench did not score much. What is important is the way they kept the game in favor of the team. The main course that they deliver is basically their defensive efforts. But then, we Justin Chua woke up from his scoring slumber, getting in 18 big points, not only from the line but also from post ups. Again, if we see this version of the Panda, then big men all around the league have to worry at Ateneo's post game. (Too bad, Mark Tallo, you could have been the one in place of Bon Jovi Cipriano, who scored 3 points in the final canto)

-Could anyone have noticed that only Jeric Teng, Karim Abdul, and Melo Afuang have scored in double digits? And Jeric Fortuna only had a fifth of his shots going in, the "greatest point guard in Season 74" having 7 markers in total. This is what team defense does to teams who take their chances on the outside. Perhaps it's time for UST to get the guys to pound the ball inside more and shoot threes less, especially now that they do not have sniper Clark Bautista.

-There's something iffy about the way referees decide on whether to call a foul or not when Jeric Teng handles the ball. It seems that there should be calls he should be getting, but were not whistled anyway. It might be good to review those as a response to what the refs have been doing lately (stop it haters, for if the refs were cooking it up, it would not be necessary to do so since Ateneo was in cruise control all through out). And to add more to Teng, why does he have to get that huge bulk of playing time? Does it have anything to do with a comment on Inboundpass? Hopefully not.

-Kevin Ferrer was a disappointment. After a hard shove on Ravena, he had the guts to exchange words and gestures with Von Pessumal. Everybody knows that Season 73 is over and the Eaglets have won the championship, so such expressions of bitterness and past adversity, if these actions were, should be gone by now. But a more important question: would the time come for Coach Pido Jarencio to use him well? Or will there be a new coach for the Growling Tigers?

The Scores:

Ateneo 82 – Salva 20, Chua 18, Ravena 14, Monfort 8, Long 7, Slaughter 6, Cipriano 3, Gonzaga 3, Sumalinog 2, Erram 1, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0, Estrada 0, Tiongson 0, Golla 0, Austria 0

UST 57 – Teng 20, Abdul 12, Afuang 10, Fortuna 7, Ferrer 4, Vigil 2, Lo 2, Tan 0, Sheriff 0, Pe 0, Ungria 0, Camus 0

Quarter scoring: 15-6, 40-22, 68-37, 82-57

Postscript

It was actually very surprising that the De La Salle Green Archers, a Final Four contender, would lose to UE. What really happened? Nothing much, like the usual things that they do, which include chucking up shots, making bad passes, missing easy lay ups as well as those free throws.

One significant observation today was the way UE broke the vaunted La Salle press and got easy fastbreak scores. There were various possessions were their touch passing allowed them to quickly move the ball across, leaving only two guys in green and white on their side of the court, allowing those running Red Warriors to get an easy lay up. Deep down, we know that there is something wrong with the execution of the press.

This is a big question the De La Salle system should face right now. Inarguably, DLSU has good players, and it's just that the offensive and (most importantly) the defensive sets won't work well with them. This team is not like the four-peat team and its immediate subsequent teams who knows the players' roles on- and off-the-ball in offense, as well as knowledge of the full court press. This bunch of kids today do not even get close to Cardona, or Casio, Sta. Maria, Ritualo, or any of those elite players in the Golden Age of Green Archers basketball. If they need to win games, they have to play the game their way, and Coach Dindo Pumaren should know how to adjust and meld them together.

If the current DLSU system does not work, then there should be changes in their team, which could include:

• Dishing the full court press, since teams already know how to break it, and the present Green Archers don't know how to fully execute it. Better yet, come up with a defensive system that plays on the strengths of the players. Almond Vosotros knows this because he fits in the system, but his teammates do not.

• Revamping the whole team and get those guys who can deliver. DLSU has been getting the big names of the junior ranks without considering how to make them fit. Ateneo Coach Norman Black believes that the players have to buy into the program, and he even asks that they become familiar with more than forty plays and figure out where they would fit in which play. Coach Dindo, have you thought of doing that?

• Or the simplest and easiest way out: replacing Dindo Pumaren. Need to prove himself for one more year? UAAP fans, you be the judge.

Credits to Inboundpass for the box and Fabilioh for the pic.

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU (Round 2)

Ateneo 74, Far Eastern U 67 (OT)

-Before the events that have recently transpired, let's backtrack a few steps to see how the Tamaraws fared against the Blue Eagles in similar situations:

• Season 72, Round 2 Elims (AdMU wins 74-73, clinches number one spot, went on to win their second straight championship)

The FEU Tamaraws were ahead by as much as 18 points entering the fourth quarter. The Eagles then went into berserk mode, making their shots from downtown and drawing and-ones to claw back into the game, thanks mostly to that guy wearing number 13. The heartbreak for the Tamaraws, though, was Reil Cervantes' split from the charity stripe after a Rabeh Al-Hussaini basket that could have sent the game to overtime.

• Season 73, Finals Game 2 (AdMU wins 65-62, clinches third straight championship)

This is a softer case. After a 72-49 beating of the Tamaraws in the first game, the Eagles found themselves behind by nine (though it was as large as a 12-point margin) after the first quarter of Game 2. Again, thanks to teamwork and the clutch three-pointer by, again, that guy wearing number 13, they were able to win the game and their third straight title.

Boy, does FEU have butterfingers over leads.

-It is expected that the second round would be difficult, as teams would double their efforts and learn from their previous encounters with the Blue Eagles, hoping that they could at least prevent an elimination round sweep. FEU was one of the hopefuls to do just that. They made sure that their players get to their spots and shoot after kick outs, and on the defensive end at least check Kiefer Ravena and Greg Slaughter. But  the ending of the story didn't go to their favor, as Ateneo extended the game to overtime, took the lead and won their eighth game.

-"Clutch" would be the one word that summarizes this game (… or at least the last two minutes of regulation and the overtime). Down by 6, 57-63, with a little more than a minute remaining, Emman Monfort and Kiefer Ravena stepped on the gas pedal to score six straight points and send the game to overtime. The former stole an inbound pass and ran to the other side for a quick lay up, while the latter was able to make two driving lay ups that shattered the hopes of the FEU crowd. This is how Ateneo trusts its small and mighty point guard and the Phenom that it can call their own.

-RR Garcia was outstanding in this contest, as he hit shot after shot in the first half (yes, even with three defenders raising their hands). He had 17 big points spread around the court, from lay ups to spot-up jumpers and three pointers. Apparently, he was not able to carry his team for the win, with that last three pointer that got the FEU crowd prematurely celebrating (including his chestbump with Ping Exciminiano).

-Goaltending on Greg Slaughter for blocking Garcia's shot? Not quite. Garcia's layup would not have gotten in because it bounced away from the goal (meaning the board and the ring). What Slaughter just did, based on appearances, was use the board for a teammate to grab the ball and sprint towards the other side. Or this may be a wrong way of looking at it.

-Justin Chua led the bench today with nine big points, most of them off free throws after banging bodies and fishing fouls from the Tamaraws' bigs. Although he just had 1 of 5 shots, he made up for it by posting a decent 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Tonino Gonzaga, the Blue Eagles' energy off the bench, had 6 big points after playing for 16 minutes. On the other hand, Frank Golla still needs improvement in terms of putback shots, for he had two terrible ones that could have shifted the momentum earlier. Do we see the gradual rise of the bench here? Hopefully. If Chua is this dangerous, then the Blue Eagles will not have a problem matching up against almost every frontcourt member of any team.

The Scores:

Ateneo 74 – Salva 18, Ravena 15, Slaughter 14, Chua 9, Monfort 7, Gonzaga 6, Long 3, Austria 2, Tiongson 0, Golla 0

FEU 67 – Garcia 17, Romeo 11, Cruz 10, Ramos 8, Escoto 7, Bringas 6, Tolomia 5, Exciminiano 3, Pogoy 0, Mendoza 0, Knuttel 0

Quarter scoring: 13-21, 25-38, 42-47, 63-63, 74-67

History notes from Fast & The Spurious, photo from Fabilioh, and box from InboundPass.

The First Seven Games

Here's a quick look at the different UAAP teams after the first round of the eliminations of Season 74:

AdMU Blue Eagles (7-0)

-vs. AdU 55-51
-vs. DLSU 81-72
-vs. NU 86-62
-vs. UE 73-61
-vs. UP 77-57
-vs. UST 66-53
-vs. FEU 69-49

The Blue Eagles have been on a roll since that hard-fought win over the Soaring Falcons, winning by an average margin of 15 points not through explosive offense but in patient and solid team defense. With the bench guys not having their breakout game as a whole, this team can only get better as the league heads to the second round.

Spotlight: Kiefer Ravena (14.6 ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.7spg) lives up to his name as the Phenom, surprising opponents with outstanding basketball both on the offensive and defensive end. Most of his contribution came in the form of fastbreak lay ups, timely passes, and excellent pickpocketing. More than that, everyone knows that he has four more years to develop his already all-around game.

AdU Soaring Falcons (5-2)

-vs. AdMU 51-55
-vs. FEU 72-59
-vs.UST 81-71
-vs. UE 85-54
-vs. NU 56-63
-vs. DLSU 66-58
-vs. UP 72-46

The veterans of San Marcelino declare themselves second best as a response to their first game against the Blue Eagles, sealing wins in a fashionable manner save for their loss to the Bulldogs, a big ink blot in their record. And what made them rise to the top? It's their way of hoisting timely shots, which include bombing three-pointers, and their clamp-down defense on the inside. And yes, Leo Austria is a coaching genius, for real.

Spotlight: Alex Nuyles (15.4ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.3apg, 0.7spg) has always been on the way to development. Now in his arguably best, he can put teams away in various ways. However, lately, he has been comfortable with shooting from the outside and failing to make extra passes. If this continues, the Falcons better not be surprised when they drop a notch or two in the standings.

FEU Tamaraws (4-3)

-vs. DLSU 74-65
-vs. AdU 59-74
-vs. UE 66-47
-vs. NU 62-59
-vs.UST 62-59
-vs. UP 63-76
-vs. AdMU 49-69

It seems that early on, the Tamaraws have not lost their spunk even if they did not have center Pipo Nondou, for they have shown their will to win and put opponents away early during the first three games. But things went out of hand in the next four, nearly losing to NU and UST, and blowing it away against UP and Ateneo. Looks like the Tamaraws need dousing in order to wake up, especially former S73's best kid Terrence Romeo.

Spotlight: Season 73 MVP RR Garcia (15.1ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.6apg, 0.9spg) does not live up to the hype he had last season. But then, without his offense (which mysteriously disappeared in FEU's games against UP and Ateneo) that does NOT involve him taking up too much shots instead of forcing it inside or finding his right spots, the Tams could have been in a worse position.

DLSU Green Archers (4-3)

-vs. FEU 65-74
-vs. AdMU 72-81
-vs. UP 79-67
-vs. NU 74-63
-vs. UE 87-63
-vs. AdU 66-58
-vs. UST 74-71

After two straight losses under powerhouses FEU and Ateneo, the Green Archers made up for it with big wins against UP, NU, and UE, which should not be surprising. A late game breakdown, however, against AdU exposed small weaknesses, and their game against UST was only an escape even after leading for more than 20 points. How would Coach Dindo Pumaren make the adjustment, considering that DLSU puts so much trust in him so as not to start putting him in the grill? And Simon Atkins, better explain what you are doing right now.

Spotlight: LA Revilla (11.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.9apg, 2.0spg) is obviously the leader for this team, as he was the one who led La Salle to where they are right now. What could have happened to DLSU had he still not recovered from his health predicament? Definitely not really good. Oh wait, did we just say that Oda Tampus can carry the gang green to wins? Not even close.

UST Growling Tigers (3-4)

-vs. NU 73-72
-vs. UE 70-63
-vs. AdU 71-81
-vs. FEU 59-62
-vs. AdMU 53-66
-vs. UP 68-49
-vs. DLSU 71-74

They might not have sniper Clark Bautista, but the addition of Karrim Abdul became an advantage for the Growling Tigers. They have been doing a good job in both ends of the floor, it's just that they fail to decently close their games. Also, the Tigers seem to lack personnel beyond their first five (Is Robin Tan a real point guard?). Coach Pido Jarencio needs to keep his cool and rotate players efficiently if they want to go beyond fourteen games.

Spotlight: Jeric Fortuna (16.1ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.4apg, 1.3spg)is Coach Pido's favorite, and his solid performance on the court tells us why. Among the Tigers, he is the only one who knows what it means to have proper timing, necessary in taking up the duties of a real court general. It would not be surprising if people name him as this league's best point guard, for he has already proven this claim, and might continue to show further evidence in the second round.

NU Bulldogs (2-5)

-vs. UST 72-73
-vs. UP 75-66
-vs. AdMU 62-86
-vs. FEU 59-62
-vs. DLSU 63-74
-vs. AdU 63-56
-vs. UE 71-72

Coming out in the Season 74 hailed as title contenders, this team composed of an elite batch of rookies seem to not live up to the expectations. They had a lot of games that they could have won, and yet Coach Eric Altamirano's last-minute strategies didn't work at all. But still, we can't count out the fact that there are still promising performances to be seen, including former UST Tiger Cub Kyle Neypes who has not seen a lot of action lately.

Spotlight: Bobby Ray Parks (17.1 ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, 1.1bpg) is unquestionably dominant. He can drive, he can dish, and he certainly can shoot outside. But where are his teammates when he needs them? The veterans like Joseph Terso and Glenn Khobuntin were nowhere, as well as his former RP Youth members. While he looks dominant, he still has to learn about teamplay and develop his ability to close games, which the Red Warriors can really attest to.

UP Fighting Maroons (2-5)

-vs.UE 69-61
-vs. NU 75-66
-vs. DLSU 67-79
-vs. AdMU 57-77
-vs. FEU 76-63
-vs. UST 68-49
-vs. AdU

Bracketing the fact that the Red Warriors were being the Red Warriors, the Fighting Maroons' first win gave a glimpse of hope to the Diliman-based UAAP fans, hoping that they could at least have a fighting chance of making it in the Final Four. However, despite having former CSB Blazer Jelo Montecastro and Alinko Mbah in their arsenal, they played liked what they were in Season 73, chucking up shots wishing that they would get in. Unfortunately, it only worked once, against FEU. Now they have to go back to the drawing board and redesign their plays, or better, have Jett Manuel and Mike Silungan take the ball inside.

Spotlight: Alinko Mbah (7.4ppg, 8.0rpg, 0.4apg, 0.9spg, 2.4bpg) provided what was missing fundamentally from the Maroon last season, namely responsibilities in the paint. While the rest of the Maroons take jumper after jumper, he was the one who takes care of the inside, grabbing rebounds and scoring in the paint. However, he has to improve his ways of maneuvering and posting up, which could be his possible strengths when given time to improve.

UE Red Warriors (1-6)

-vs. UP 61-69
-vs. UST 63-70
-vs. FEU 47-66
-vs. AdMU 61-73
-vs. AdU 54-85
-vs. DLSU 63-87
-vs. NU 72-71

It's as if everyone would be surprised with the outcome of Paul Lee and Ken Acibar's departures. Unorganized rotations and lack of team chemistry, mingled with a lack of experience made the Red Warriors this season's cellar dwellers. Can Coach Jerry Codinera perform a miracle in the second round? Even with crossed fingers of the UE crowd in every game, looks like it won't happen.

Spolight: Paul Zamar (13.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.7apg, 0.3spg) did not show any signs of growth since his rookie year. He entered the Red Warriors as a shooter and remained at that, without moving a notch up in terms of his gameplay. Minus their game against FEU, he scored double digits throughout the first round, with 95 points in total. But then, he needs to be more than a shooting point guard to pull this team up (hint: see those assist figures?).

Credits to PBFantasy for the stats and the UAAP Sports Website for the pictures.

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU

Ateneo 69, Far Eastern U 49

-Fine. We have to admit that the Ateneo Blue Eagles did shoot poorly in this contest. But then, what made the difference is not (so much) its effort to pound the ball inside and draw fouls. Rather, it's the way they held the Tams down to the second lowest scoring output in Season 74. Wait a minute, FEU, a team which boasts of potent offense, shot that bad? It must have been a joke. But Coach Norman says it's not.

-Skill is one thing. Discipline is another. Everyone knows that the referees were acting like airport scanners, frantically blowing their whistles every now and then . And yet, Terrence Romeo had the guts to complain at such a moment that they are trying to get a bit closer. And then the T happened. Add to that Bert Flores irritating the refs because he cannot maintain his poise. Another T. When will these guys ever learn? Was it previously mentioned that Anton Montinola had a warning as well?

-Before hitting two straight triples, Kirk Long was basically silent the whole game, only scoring three points through a lay up and a split from the charity stripe. But boy, was his presence stamped all over the defensive end. Together with Emman Monfort and Kiefer Ravena, he gave a helping hand in shutting down the FEU backcourt. RR Garcia needed 23 shots to go double digits, while Romeo only had a fifth of his own. This is the type of defense that the Blue Eagles will miss come Season 75. Any small forward up to the challenge?

-Too bad here is another game that the Blue Eagle's bigs were outrebounded, albeit by one (although FEU had six more offensive boards). Fortunately, each and every one hacked to death by the Tamaraws was able to seize the opportunity to widen the gap. Twenty-three of 28 foul shots were made, nine of them from Slaughter.

-Let's not heckle the bench too much. In the words of the Blue Eagles bloggers of NFP, it doesn't matter if the other team had more bench points than ours. What matters is that we win games. Although the Blue Eagles only had 13 bench points, we have to credit the intangibles, including the way they prevented FEU from scoring their own baskets. Everyone who watched should have seen Aldrech Ramos's face when, after being guarded by Slaughter who in turn was sent back to the bench to rest, he would bang bodies with Justin Chua.

-What else can we say about the sweep? Splendid, and a little bit of stats could back up that statement.

• Average points scored - 72.43 ppg
• Average margin - +14.57ppg
• Average points allowed - 57.86ppg

One Big Fight.

The Scores:

Ateneo 69 – Ravena 19, Slaughter 15, Salva 10, Long 9, Gonzaga 4, Chua 4, Monfort 3, Sumalinog 2, Austria 2, Golla 1, Erram 0, Tiongson 0

FEU 49 – Garcia 15, Escoto 8, Romeo 8, Sentcheu 5, Ramos 5, Exciminiano 4, Tolomia 3, Cruz 1, Mendoza 0, Foronda 0, Knuttel 0, Cawaling 0

Credits to Fabilioh for the photo and inboundpass for the box.

All In A Day's Games (4 August 2011)

State U 76, FEU 63

Shocking. This could perhaps be the only way to describe this game. While FEU came in as a legit contender, the team that used to be tagged as cellar-dwellers hit the crucial shots and kept their poise, en route to their second win of the season (a thirteen-point win at that). Jett Manuel served as the main man for the Maroons who had 20 markers, leading the charge against the sleeping Tamaraws. And where was Terence Romeo during the whole thing?

UP 76 – Manuel 20, Silungan 16, Montecastro 14, Mbah 14, Gamboa 3, Romero 2, Maniego 2, Juruena 2, GIngerich 2, Wong 1, Wierzba 0, Pascual 0, Evangelista 0

FEU 63 – Garcia 17, Ramos 13, Tolomia 12, Bringas 8, Romeo 6, Escoto 2, Knuttel 2, Exciminiano 2, Cruz 1, Sentcheu 0, Pogoy 0, Fabian 0, Foronda 0

Ateneo 66, UST 53

Ateneo basketball is about two things: team play and overall performance. While it may be true that Greg Slaughter was locked down (thanks to UST's superb defensive effort early in the first half), the rest of the team, led by Kiefer Ravena, picked up the slack (and yes, Bacon Austria had five points, while Justin Chua had his usual two). While it may be true that the Blue Eagles shot poorly from outside, their defense and transition offense made up for it. The result? Not really a satisfying win for the blowout-hungry Sixth Men, but still a win.

Ateneo 66 – Ravena 18, Salva 14, Gonzaga 8, Austria 7, Slaughter 6, Long 6, Sumalinog 2, Monfort 2, Chua 2, Golla 1, Erram 0, Tiongson 0

UST 53 – Fortuna 18, Teng 12, Ferrer 6, Pe 6, Camus 5, Abdul 4, Afuang 2, Vigil 0, Tan 0, Sheriff 0, Lo 0, Ungria 0

Postscript:

• Too bad Ateneo didn't reach its 70-point quota, although this was the second least points allowed by the Blue Eagles, Adamson being the least with 51 points.
• Tonino Gonzaga will get better, and hopefully he peaks in the second round.
• BACON Breakout?
• Mr. Atayde, you amuse us.

Jett Manuel photo from Hoop Nut, Zags photo from Fabilioh.com, and box scores from inboundpass.com.