'13-'14 P&G Game 6: vs. Houston Rockets

After getting creamed by the Dallas Mavericks on the road, the Lakers found themselves facing a familiar face in a familiar foe: Dwight Howard wearing the red and white of Houston. Luckily, the purple and gold jumped to an early lead, which was vanquished after several Houston runs in the second quarter. Fortunately, a last-minute play that ended with a swished triple by Steve Blake gave them their third win of the season, 99-98.

Yay of the Game:

11 of the 14 triples in the first half went in for the Lakers, giving them a 14-point lead entering the second half. Unfortunately, the Lakers ended the game with only 16 of 35 triples made total, which means that they only made 5 out of 21 in the second half (the biggest of them all was Blake's triple). Jodie Meeks and Blake shot the lights out as they ended with a combined 9 of 13 triples; Wesley Johnson, however, only went 3 of 8.

Nay of the Game: 

36-17 was the number of fouls between the Lakers and the Rockets respectively. The referees had their whistles locked on the Lakers, as they called even on touch fouls. While the Lakers had a decent 11 of 15 clip from the charity stripe, the Rockets had 52 free throw attempts, and James Harden who ended up with 35 big points, got 14 of his 16. However, the Hack-A-Dwight strategy worked as Howard only got 5 of his 16 charities.

Play of the Game:

Blake Mamba came just in time to make that triple, giving the Lakers the win. It's actually a good play considering that Gasol is ready for the rebound in case the shot misses.




The Lakers are now at...

3-3 (3rd Pacific, 8th West). After this, they have a chance to go above .500 for the second time this season as they face the New Orleans Pelicans, who are hungry for a home win against the Lakers.

Highlights:

'13-'14 P&G Game 4: vs. Atlanta Hawks

After two consecutive losses, the Lakers came back with a 105-103 win against the Atlanta Hawks; however, it was a game that was nearly lost after the Lakers blew a 21-point lead in the second half.

Yay of the Game:

13-4-4 was Nick "Swaggy P" Young's statline of the game after coming off from the bench for the first time this season (Wesley Johnson starts for the first time. In 21 minutes of play, he made 5 of 9 field goal attempts, with one of four triples. It seems that it would be more beneficial for the Lakers to relegate him as an energy provider, although it would

Nay of the Game:

100% of Atlanta G Kyle Korver's triples splashed into the net, which allowed the Hawks to bounce back in the fourth quarter and almost had the chance to snag the win away from the Lakers. Judging from the four games that the Purple & Gold has played, it is obvious that they still can't properly close games out and play tough defense. This is something that Coach... oh wait, it's Mike _'Antoni out there who's handling the reins. Somebody page the assistant coach for defense.

Play of the Game:

Here's Pau Gasol showing for the nth time that his critics were wrong in labeling him as soft.


The Lakers are now at:

2-2, coming off from last season's attempt at just being at .500. This might change when they hit the road and face Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, and the Dallas Mavericks.

Highlights:

'13-'14 P&G Game 3: vs. San Antonio Spurs

Despite building a huge lead in the first half, the Lakers realized that it's all about sustaining the lead as they failed to do so against the San Antonio Spurs, as the purple and gold suffered a measly 85-91 loss against the 2013 Finals runners-up.

Yay of the Game:

26 combined points for bench hitters Wesley Johnson and Jodie Meeks, who kept the ball rolling in terms of scoring despite this second straight loss. The difficulty that the Lakers have to face is not a matter of sustaining scoring streaks among individuals, but making sure that everyone gets at their right spots and enjoys scoring sprees. They have done that during the first half, but it seems that most of them have lost steam and gave up on defending the ball once the Spurs had the advantage.

Nay of the Game: 

8-27 from triples. This is not really the bad point against the Lakers this day (the Spurs had a late 9-1 run that put them up big in the waning minutes of the game); however, it's worth looking at the way they execute offensively, especially in terms of choosing their shots from beyond the arc. Considering that the first two games, they reached 40%, this isn't a good day for the Lakers offense. Again, consistency on the O is a must for everything to fit, especially now that without Kobe, the team is more oriented and set to work well on offense before defense.

Play of the Game:
Check out the huge Jodie Meeks slam that kept the Lakers up by 13 in the first half.



The Lakers are now at:

1-2 (5th Pacific, 12th West), and up next is an Atlanta Hawks team trying to build itself up after the departure of Josh Smith, trusting solely on Al Horford and Paul Millsap.

Highlights:



Credits to Yahoo! Sports and YouTube for the pics and videos respectively.

'13-'14 P&G Game 2: vs. Golden State Warriors

During the second day of the Lakers' back-to-back games, reality hit them as a torching hot Golden State held them down on the ropes, handing the Purple and Gold a 125-94 loss.

Yay of the Game:

8 out of 18 triples kept the Lakers at bay, and it could have gotten worse if they did not shoot their triples. Ironically, the best shooter of the day was Wesley "Mr. One of Eleven" Johnson, who sank 3 of his 6 three-point attempts

Nay of the Game:

-16 was the difference between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in terms of assists. Clearly, the Lakers had problems as well with handling the ball and finding the right guy to take the shot (the Lakers also had 16 turnovers, 8 of them coming from steals). Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar shot at a combined 8 of 26 from the clip, and most of those shots could have been given to Pau Gasol (5 of 10) and Chris Kaman (5 of 9)

Play of the Game:

There's virtually nothing worth seeing here, except Klay Thompson hammering the Lakers down with 38 points.


The Lakers are now at:
1-1, tied with the Clippers and the Warriors. Up next is the San Antonio Spurs, who is a relatively old team that has not lost much but gained a few pieces like Jeff Ayres and Marco Bellinelli. Hopefully the Lakers bounce back from this win and realize that even when the odds are against them, they can still snag a few wins.
Highlights:

'13-'14 P&G Game 1: vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Considering the major overhaul the Lakers undertook in the post-Dwight era and the absence of Kobe Bryant, this game stands perhaps as the most shocking opener, as the Lakers beat the Clippers, 116-103, in their shared turf.

Yay of the Game:

76 bench points served as the key to beating the Clippers in the fourth quarter, thanks to the efforts of Xavier Henry (22 points, 3 of 4 triples), Jordan Farmar (16 pts, 4rebs, and 6asst), Jodie Meeks (13 points), Jordan Hill (12 points, 8 rebs), and Chris Kaman (10 points, 8 rebs). Lakers fans might not get the same thing from them in the coming games, but as long as they can hold the fort in Bryant's absence, then the team should be fine entering the first half of the season.


Nay of the Game:

3 points of the Lakers' 116 belonged to Shawne Williams. So much for starting the game, huh.


Play of the Game:

They say Xavier Henry wouldn't do much... that is, until he delivered a fastbreak jam.



The Lakers are now at:

1-0, which is an achievement considering that in the past two years, the Lakers lost in their respective season-openers. Up next is the Golden State Warriors, who seem to possess the same offensive firepower as the Purple and Gold. Different team, same challenge: to keep the team up in the absence of the Black Mamba.

Highlights:

Six Figures That Mattered During the UAAP Season 76 Finals

The men's basketball tournament of the 76th Season of the UAAP ended perfectly with the DLSU Green Archers bagging the championship at the expense of the UST Growling Tigers, who have fought hard from below by defeating Ateneo for the fourth seed, NU twice for the Final Four slot, and finally sealing Game 1 of the Finals, only to falter for two straight games. But what factors played a big role in this thrilling championship series that everyone wished for? Here are some figures that could give us a picture of what occurred in the last three games:

• 58% was Finals MVP Jeron Teng's free throw shooting percentage, which is a far cry from his first five games of Season 76 and has played a big role in the Finals, especially due to the fact that a lot of fouls were called in the Green Archers' favor. This perhaps is one reason as to why the younger Teng deserves to grab the Finals MVP plum. Sure, it's not much, but this is a huge improvement, considering that most of the free throws he made came in clutch time. P.S. his true shooting percentage stood at about 45%, which is not really bad considering that he takes a considerable volume of shots
• 69 was the total number of points that the older Teng scored for the UST Growling Tigers during the whole stretch of the Finals, accounting for 31.3% of his team's total points (Karim Abdul, on the other hand, had 26.4%, and combined with Teng, accounts for more than half of the team's total points scored). Teng shot 44.1% from the field (26 of 59, and 9 of 21 from beyond the arc), and hit 8 out of 11 free throws. This three-game series showed how he is more of a volume scorer that can put up points when necessary, and thanks to his performance, he grabbed enough attention for him to be considered as a first-round pick in the upcoming 2013 PBA draft.
• 66-39 are the number of offensive boards for DLSU and UST, respectively. These second chance opportunities largely defined the Finals victories, and it is clear that in this aspect, the Green Archers have the upper hand because of their frontcourt trifecta composed of Jason Perkins, Arnold Van Opstal, and Norbert Torres. The total rebounds that DLSU and UST garnered respectively was 155-124, which means that 45% of DLSU's total rebounds led to second chance opportunities, compared to UST's 31%. Really shows height is might, doesn't it?
• 4.67 points per game was senior forward Aljon Mariano's points per game during the 3 Finals games, which for most has been his most disappointing moment of the season. He only shot 17.9% from the field (and none from beyond the arc), and grabbed 7.7 rebounds a game, quite distant from his 8.5 average during the eliminations. However, it must be noted that Mariano was playing with a serious ankle injury for the rest of the season. With one more year to boot, can he carry the Growling Tigers to another championship stint?
• 47 was the total number of points that guard Almond Vosotros had in the Finals, two of them being the biggest, which comes from his sideline jumper that sealed the game for the Green Archers during Game 3. Vosotros made up for his awful 6 of 38 clip prior to the Finals and scored most of the big baskets in the games that mattered the most (he shot 19 of 55 in the 3 games). 
• 9.67 was Karim Abdul's rebounds per game in the Finals, the most among all the Growling Tigers. While Teng takes care of the outside, it was Abdul who manned the paint and provided the anchor for UST on both sides. Abdul's disappearance due to foul trouble during Game 2 really turned the tables against the Growling Tigers, and had it not happened, things could have gone differently.

TAKE NOTE: The Green Archers bagged their 8th championship in the UAAP (with 13 championships overall), while it was the Growling Tigers' 3rd Finals appearance in the span of 10 years (with 6 Final Four appearances), and a record of 3-5 in Finals Games under Coach Pido Jarencio.

Credits to pba-online.net for the statistics and GMA Network Online for the pic.

Season 76 Finals Preview: DLSU vs. UST

De La Salle Green Archers (10-4, #2) vs. UST Growling Tigers (8-6, #4)

Let's admit it, all the hype behind the DLSU-UST Finals is mostly the match-up between the Teng brothers. But then, it's more than that.

Season 76 Matches

Round 1: UST def. DLSU, 63-58 (OT)

• Jeric Teng (UST): 23 pts (10/24 FG, 0/5 3FG), 2rebs, 3 assts
• Jason Perkins (DLSU): 13 pts (5/11 FG, 0/1 3FG), 9 rebs (4 ORebs), 2 assts
• Rebounding difference: +8 DLSU (52-44, 17-9 Orebs)
• Free throws: DLSU 9/19 (47%), UST 17/23 (74%), Jeron Teng fouled out in OT
• DLSU went on a 10-2 run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 51, only to falter at the final minutes, with UST finishing the last five minutes with a 12-7 run

Round 2: DLSU def. UST, 69-64

• Jeron Teng (DLSU): 19 pts (6/14 FG, 1/2 3FG, 6/7 FTA), 11rebs (5 ORebs), 2assts, 1stl, 1blk
• Karim Abdul (UST): 18 pts (4/12 FG, 10/14 FTA), 12 rebs, 1stl
• Green Archers snapped the Growling Tigers' 3-game winning streak, sweeps the second round of the eliminations
• Rebounding difference: +12 DLSU (53-41, 19-9 ORebs)
• Free throws: DLSU 13/17, UST 23/30

Five Factors

1. Backcourt

DLSU

LA Revilla - 6.2 ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.5apg, 0.9spg, 0bpg

Almond Vosotros - 13.0ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.9apg, 0.2bpg

UST

Jam Sheriff - 2.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.9apg, 0.4spg, 0bpg

Jeric Teng - 12.4ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.9apg, 0.6spg, 0bpg

Coach Pido Jarencio took the risk of fielding in Sheriff instead of Ed Daquioag, and in the Final Four bout against the NU Bulldogs, having a pure point guard who is going to run and merely set up passes proved to be effective. Given that Sheriff had to battle it out with Gelo Alolino and Robin Rono, both scoring point guards of their own right, handling LA Revilla might not be that difficult for him. However, one has to take note that Revilla is a more potent and able scorer than Alolino or Rono, and can go on a scoring frenzy especially now that he has the height advantage.

The Green Archers, however, have to hope as well that Almond Vosotros' shooting touch would return just in time to save the team. Since his 6 of 16 performance against the UE Red Warriors, he's gone 6 of 38 in the next four games (UE, UST, and twice against FEU), making only 1 out of 29 triples. The swashbuckling, pistol-wielding Jeric Teng, meanwhile, is back to his old form as a volume scorer, with mastery on the high and mid-post on the left baseline that makes up for the fact that all season long, he has just shot barely 18% of his triples. What can only be DLSU's hope in placing Vosotros against Teng is the former's resilience and determination in defending and containing Teng, keeping him out of his comfort zones, forcing threes out of him instead of letting him post up and position himself for a bank shot.

Advantage: 60-40 UST. Jeric Teng's consistency carried them to the Finals. If DLSU wants to catch up, they are going to need Vosotros and Revilla together to work.

2.Frontcourt

DLSU

Jeron Teng - 14.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.0apg, 0.8spg, 0.5bpg

Jason Perkins - 12.5ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.7apg, 0.3spg, 0.6bpg

Arnold Van Opstal - 8.9ppg, 6.3rpg, 0.9apg, 0spg, 0.9bpg

UST

Aljon Mariano - 12.7ppg, 8.9rpg, 2.3apg, 0.5spg, 0.2bpg 

Kevin Ferrer - 12.4ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.9apg, 0.7spg, 0.9bpg

Karim Abdul - 15.1ppg, 11.4rpg, 1.1apg, 0.9spg, 2.0bpg

The Green Archers play defense, and it's anchored on their frontcourt. In their second round sweep, it was mostly the different combinations on the four and five spots that Coach Juno Sauler played that carried the whole team. Perhaps it's Arnold Van Opstal's huge improvement from Season 75 as well as the overall play of the Hefty Lefty that has made the difference so far in this elimination rounds. Van Opstal can pretty much manage the post and dominate whoever going against him, while Perkins set the perfect picks for Teng and Revilla to cut through and make outside shooters more available once the defense collapses on the paint.

The same can be said of UST, but with an asterisk: Karim Abdul's performance. The third year center has it all on both sides of the court: speed, ability to cut, the post, midrange shooting, manning the paint, and the list even goes on (his Final Four averages, on both games against NU, shot to 13-13, close to his elimination figures). There are times, however, that he just settles to pull up rather than bully his defender in or get past him after a hard pick. If the Growling Tigers want to win this championship after a rather dramatic Season 75 loss against the Blue Eagles, then it will all be up to Abdul to carry them.

Advantage: 80-20 DLSU. Not that UST's frontcourt game isn't good, but they can't have two Karim Abduls to match up against the Twin Towers.

3.Bench

DLSU

Norbert Torres - 7.1ppg, 8.2rpg, 0.8apg, 0.1spg, 0.6bpg, 23.3mpg
Thomas Torres - 5.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.6apg, 0.6spg, 0.2bpg, 20.8mpg

UST

Ed Daquioag - 8.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.4apg, 0.6spg, 0.2bpg, 23.3mpg
Clark Bautista - 8.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.6apg, 0.4spg, 0bpg, 27.2mpg

Both teams have players that can produce nearly as good as starting lineups, and with defined roles to boot. Thomas Torres has been playing great basketball in the second round, lowering his turnovers and becoming more efficient in scoring, despite the fact that he does not play the role of court general as good as Revilla. Norbert Torres can be paired up with either Perkins or Van Opstal, and there seems to be no decrease in the backcourt performance. As for the Growling Tigers, both Clark Bautista and Ed Daquioag can be relied for quick points, especially when the team has to either catch up or secure the lead. Daquioag's ability to get past slower defenders and even play against point guards (remember that he took the one spot early in the season before Coach Pido inserted Sheriff late in the season) makes him a fastbreak threat, while Bautista remains to be a threat from beyond the arc coming off pops or when standing by and waiting for a catch-and-shoot (23 of 79 triples at 29%, which is not really a bad thing considering his reputation as a "hit-or-miss" gunslinger). However, the scales tip on the Green Archers primarily because no one among the frontcourt guys from the bench can equal his performance (Paulo Pe obviously isn't anywhere near him). If DLSU can force Abdul to sit on the bench due to foul trouble, then the game's as good as done.

Advantage: 80-20 DLSU. Twin Towers. That is all that we need to remember.

4.Offense

If at all, the Growling Tigers have become consistent with their offense, starting with their match against the Blue Eagles. Jeric Teng is back to his former self, which relieves much of the pressure that Aljon Mariano and Kevin Ferrer has carried all season long. It seems that the Growling Tigers know at the back of their heads the offense that Coach Pido wanted for them since Season 75. The Green Archers, however, lived on adjustments all season long, and if it only comes down to responding to each other's shots, DLSU could have their own way not by responding to threes (unless Vosotros brings his A-game back) but to fish fouls and score on the posts or from pick-and-roll plays. If all goes well, expect a slugfest to happen.

Advantage: 60-40 UST. *makes the Jeric Teng gunslinging gesture*. Consistency has been the name of the game for the Tigers, and with Teng, Mariano, and Abdul becoming creative and selective in terms of their shots, whether inside or outside, the DLSU offense has to find their own way of responding to UST's.

5.Defense

This is what would decide everything, given that the Finals is about the top two defensive teams in the league. DLSU has the clear advantage on the paint, but they must hold the fort on the outside and not succumb to the temptation to stretch the defense too far to excessively cover UST's shooters. The second round matchup has shown how Coach Juno Sauler responds to UST's red-hot shooting and has his own ways of dousing it with cold water, and it should work given that the Growling Tigers have largely lived and died with the three-point shot.

Advantage: 70-30 DLSU. Again, UST's lack of (flexible) big men would make things more difficult for them on the defensive end. And if UST intimidated NU with their physical play, the same cannot be said of the Green Archers.

The Verdict:

DLSU in 3 games.

Season 76 Senior Salute

The Blue Eagles' tough season ended with an 82-74 loss against the UST Growling Tigers last 18 September, which booted them out of the Final Four after 14 years, ending as well that magnificent five-year championship run in the men's basketball division. However, this big loss (the biggest even) that the Blue Eagles had would not be the final word for the team's graduating seniors, who have contributed a lot to Blue Eagles basketball in their own way. If not for them, the five straight championships in these past seasons might not have been possible.

So without further ado, the graduating class of Season 76.

Frank Golla

Season 76 statline: 4.5ppg, 2.9rpg, 0.3apg, 0.3spg, 0.1bpg, 23.2mpg

Let's admit it, Golla isn't one of those who were admired by the team, and most of the time he was on the receiving end of criticism, especially now that he serves as the anchor of the Blue Eagles in the paint after the departure of Justin Chua, Greg Slaughter, and Nico Salva. But after Season 76, what matters is that Golla stayed for one more year, and took up the difficult task that was expected of him. He showed that he can contribute to this team not only inside the paint, but even six or seven feet outside of it, knocking down jumpers every now and then. He also surprised some Blue Eagles fans by finishing some good plays set up by Kiefer Ravena or Ryan Buenafe to him, being on the receiving end of crazy passes on the inside. In the end, the Blue Eagles can only be thankful that in a year wherein the team is searching for a big man, at least they found one in Golla.

JP Erram

Season 76 statline: 4.8ppg, 5.2rpg, 0.4apg, 0.1spg, 1.0bpg, 13.9mpg

During the Finals of Season 76, then-Coach Norman Black took the risk of fielding a rookie to man the fort. Blue Eagle fans have seen him as the second coming of Nonoy Baclao during the preseason, but no one expected him to log minutes on a playoff game. Fortunately, the risk paid off, as the Blue Eagles have found a secret weapon in Erram, as a go-to guy when the team needs to have a big man stretch defenses on the offensive end while preventing point in the paint on the defensive end.

Erram's career was already on track to replace Greg Slaughter in the five spot, but was sidetracked when his ACL was injured last Season 75. Since then, the former volleyball player from Ateneo de Cagayan was relegated to s bench role, replacing Golla. But despite being in such position, he did not fail to deliver when logging minutes, as he was remembered to be on the receiving end of junior Blue Eagle Von Pessumal's passes from the inside, as well as shooting midrange jumpers. The Blue Eagles could have gotten more from him had he not gotten injured, but his effort has been more than enough and commendable in his four years of stay in the team.

Juami Tiongson

Season 76 statline: 10.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.2apg, 0.7spg, 0.1bpg, 26.7mpg

Before entering the college ranks, Tiongson was one of the Blue Eagles' prolific scorers, being a three point specialist who can also penetrate and score off ceiling-high floaters. However, in the seniors'division, he had to wait for a few more years before he can show the Blue Eagles just exactly what he can do.

Tiongson started out in Season 74, relieving for point guard Emman Monfort as court general (or sometimes on the two spot as replacement for Kiefer Ravena), and he did not disappoint, showing his skills more on the offensive end. Season 75, however, was his baptism of fire, as he started alongside Ravena on the backcourt. And during that season, he showed that his stint as a Blue Eaglet star is not just about him scoring, but also taking the helm as a court general.

Ryan Buenafe

Season 76 statline: 11.1ppg, 8.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4spg, 0.7bpg, 29.9mpg

Once in a while, the Blue Eagles had players that make a big difference in the game and have become signposts of success. During the early 2000's there was Larry Fonacier, who shot triple after triple after triple en route to big victories. A little further on, we have L.A. Tenorio, the ferocious court general who not only leads offensive assaults with crazy dribbles and passes, but also with surprise triples and drives. This generation of the Blue Eagles has another one of those icons, which came in the person of Ryan Buenafe.

If "clutch" couldn't appropriately describe Buenafe in his past five years of playing for the Blue Eagles (Seasons 71-73, 75 and 76), maybe this video will:


Buenafe was one of the rookies that the Blue Eagle fans of Season 70 have been waiting for, as early as the time when the team lost to the Green Archers during their Final Four semifinal match. And when Season 71 began, he did not disappoint. Every chance for him to score or assist is always a thing of beauty, for he finishes either with a crazy pass to a cutting teammate, a wild kick-out to a sure triple, or an acrobatic layup that frequently leads to an and-one. His biggest moment came in Season 73, when in the dying minutes of the second Finals match against FEU, he sank an elbow triple, one of his few successful attempts, that sealed not only the victory against the Tamaraws, but also the pivotal third straight championship.

But besides that, he was everything but an efficient scorer. He does not post wild statistical figures (the best for this season being his near triple-double against the Adamson Falcons in Round 1), but everything he does on the court matter a lot, from those crucial passes and attempts at fadeaway jumpers to the gestures or short verbal jabs that he makes against his opponents. That is why those who root for other teams in the UAAP hate his antics so much inasmuch as those in blue loves the way he slings them (which had some followers of the league saying, Ok naman ang Ateneo, si Buenafe lang talaga eh).

In a league that has gone to be friendlier, with rivalries gone softer (with how stars Kiefer Ravena, Jeron Teng, and Kevin Ferrer talk to each other on Twitter), the whole Blue Eagles team remained to play a "gentlemanly" kind of basketball... well, except maybe for Buenafe. This guy knows how to mess with the opponents' psyche (ask the Tengs, or Kevin Ferrer, or Almond Vosotros), but more than that, he has gestures that pump up the Sixth Man. It could have started with Season 73, when he raised his jersey up high to show the whole Araneta Coliseum who rightfully owns the UAAP championship. After his Season 74 break, he went back with his antics, even sporting some hair day while putting a gesture after sinking a three. And in Season 76, he remains the hope for the Blue and White, as he also makes a weird sign of the cross gesture, but this time with three fingers out and ending with what resembles to be a throat-slash.

All of these is what made Ryan Buenafe what he is, and Ateneo basketball will have to wait for a few more years, decades even, to have someone like him to don the blue and white.

Pics from Fabilioh.com Facebook page, Stats from pba-online.net.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST (Round 2)

Ateneo 74, Sto. Tomas 82
Growling Tigers eliminate the Blue Eagles out of Final Four Contention

The fourteen year streak has ended. In a nearly dominating fashion, the Growling Tigers have finally put away all hopes for the Blue Eagles to get six straight championships for the men's basketball tournament in the UAAP. It was at least their own version of getting revenge against the Blue Eagles, who have deprived them of a championship last Season 75, even sealing another victory during this season's first round. They have mounted a lead as large as 18, and despite the Blue Eagles threatening to snag the win, Jeric Teng and Tata Bautista have held the fort and built another huge lead in the fourth which, unfortunately for the fans in blue, was never overcome. And with the Blue Eagles out of the Final Four, this is the first time in fourteen years that they have not entered the postseason, which is the longest run during the past two decades.

Players to mark: Chris Newsome and Juami Tiongson. Newsome's three fouls early in the first quarted limited him to only 21 minutes of play, making life difficult for the Blue Eagles to defend the paint and thus fall down into a double-digit hole during the first half. But with the way he played in the second half (not only in the big Blue Eagle run that had the Blue Eagles hold on to the lead for at least five minutes, but also in the final minutes of catch-up basketball), it would be safe to assume that the game could have gone otherwise had he not been limited by his fouls. In this game, he had 13 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, a block, and a turnover, all in just 21 minutes. What is amazing is that Newsome averages 30 minutes a game, and he pretty much reached his game averages (13.1ppg, 8.6rpg, 2.6apg, 0.6spg, 0.5bpg, 2.6TOpg). Moreover, his presence on the court makes life difficult for the UST's frontcourt guys.

But one major disappointment at this game would be Juami Tiongson, who fell flat compared to his season averages. During the last 13 games, Tiongson was the Blue Eagles' fourth best scorer with 10.9ppg, making at least 3 triples a game. However, during the most important moment of his career, he was not able to duplicate his previous performances as he ended up with just 2 points, 3 rebounds, a dime and a swipe, coupled with two turnovers. Tiongson became the missing link in this game in the absence of Newsome, as he was not able to make the shots that he normally takes, especially those corner and elbow threes that could have made a big difference.

Some final remarks on Kiefer Ravena and the Last Buenagame. The Phenom ended his third year of college basketball, perhaps his worst so far since he started to play for the Blue and White, with 20 big points, leading the Blue Eagles in this game. However, despite being Ateneo's top scorer in this game, he was not able to (virtually) single-handedly lead the Blue Eagles to win in their most important game. Not only did he miss crucial free throws in the final minutes (both attempts at the charity stripe that could have trimmed further the six-point lead that the Growling Tigers have during the last few minutes of the game), but he also served as the tail-end of bad miscues. This last game he had might have been a salvation of sorts, as he ended up with only 3 points and out of the game (ejected with five fouls) in the Blue Eagles' bout against NU; but then, however good this game could be for him, it did not translate into win.

And regarding Ravena's over-all performance this season, two things can be brought up. First, his ankle injury cost him a lot, not only in terms of missing three crucial games during the beginning of the eliminations, but also in terms of his overall performance. Ravena was not his own, dominating self during this season, as he posed different highs (in scoring and rebounding) and lows (free throw shooting) this season. And related to this is the second, the fact that he did not live up that much to the expectations that he can carry this team (at least for this season), having Newsome and Ryan Buenafe on his side. One could justify that the lack of big men also hindered Ravena's output this season, but even with that fact, it should not have decline not that much. But then, expect Ravena to come back hungrier and stronger next season as he enters his final two playing years.

And Ryan Buenafe? The whole UAAP will miss him so much; however, his game did not turn out that big during his last game, with little results yielded by maximum effort. Those 9 points and 7 rebounds (3 of 13 from the field) were undoubtedly big, but he could have done definitely more, despite the fact that it's not far from his 11-point, 8-rebound average. However, this does not discount the fact that he's the best clutch player that the Blue Eagles have seen during the past few years, and he has it all to make it big in the PBA, moreso if he continues to improve his versatile game.

Karim-ed Down. Two statlines to show how Karim Abdul became a big factor in the Growling Tigers' win:

A: 25 pts, 11/18 FG, 9 rebs
B: 17 pts, 7/25 FG, 11 rebs

Statline A is Karim Abdul's, which shows that Pido Jarencio's plan in the first half to dump the ball on him on the low post pretty much worked against the Blue Eagles. This is perhaps Abdul's biggest game in the eliminations, affirming the fact that he is the fulcrum of the Growling Tigers' offense, because without him, Jeric Teng or Clark Bautista or even Kevin Ferrer can't even get to their sweet spots.

And Statline B? That was Frank Golla, JP Erram, and Buenafe's statline. Without Newsome, the Blue Eagles' frontcourt could not do anything against Abdul, either giving up duty fouls or just letting him score from the inside. What happened in this game is nothing but a summary of the Blue Eagles' defense without a big man to anchor and hold the fort down. Yes, it is true that they were able to somehow contain a lot of big men in the league this season (Charles Mammie, Anthony Hargrove, and all the towering combinations that DLSU gave them); however, this did not happen tonight. If the Blue Eagles would want to get that crown back in the next season, they have to get themselves a big man. News is the team already chose to ride the waves, getting and training an African center to do the dirty job alongside transferee Ponso Gotladera. If that is the case, then things are going to be interesting insofar as Season 77 is concerned.

The game of triples. What I'm talking about is not the total triples that both teams make (Ateneo made 7 of their 22 attempts, while UST had 4 of 19), but it is the three triples early in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for the Growling Tigers. Clark Bautista made two corner threes without a man to defend him, and Jeric Teng, in his best game since returning from his shoulder injury (17 markers and 9 boards), got one via a stop-and-pop move. Had the Blue Eagles stopped at least one of those triples, then it might still be possible to salvage the game and snag that last Final Four slot. Again, it's brought about by the difficulty of not having a big man, as they put too much pressure on Abdul but giving up opportunities from the outside. Credit, though, goes to the Growing Tigers for having taken advantage of this the whole game long.

Endgame remarks. In all struggles and defeats, new things are learned. I cannot but stress the fact that the Blue Eagles have to get a big man quick, especially now that, alongside Tiongson and Buenafe, Golla and Erram would be leaving the Blue and White as well. But besides the point, a lot of players have improved by necessity, especially Nico Elorde who has stepped up in the last three games of the Blue Eagles with his shooting (of all things) and gutsy rebounding. We also have seen what Vince Tolentino as a stretch four can do, and perhaps we'll see better things once legitimate big men will run alongside him. We have not yet seen how Anton Asistio and Earl Murphy can fully do, but there is hope for these men. With this, the Blue Eagles do not have anything to do but look forward to the next season.

The Scores:

Ateneo 74 - Ravena 20, Newsome 13, Elorde 12, Buenafe 9, Pessumal 8, Golla 4, Erram 4, Tolentino 2, Tiongson 2, Capacio 0

UST 82 - Abdul 25, Teng 17, Daquioag 13, Ferrer 10, Mariano 7, Bautista 6, Sheriff 4, Pe 0, Lo 0, Lao 0

Quarter scores: 14-25, 26-39, 51-52, 74-82

Credits to PBA-online.com for the statistics, Fabilioh for the picture, and GMA Online for the box.

The Race To The Final Four: 12 (Plus 4) Possible Scenarios

Last Sunday, the Blue Eagles defeated the Red Warriors, 77-72, to increase their chances entering the Final Four, all at the expense of eliminating the Red Warriors from the race to the men's basketball championship. With five teams up against each other's necks in vouching not just for the Final Four slot but also for the twice-to-beat advantage that the top two teams enjoy after eliminations, it's time to find out where the Blue Eagles will find themselves into. This might be something new for recent Blue Eagles fans (maybe since Season 73), because this is only one of the rare moments since Season 66 that the team has been hanging on to the top four spot and not sitting pretty on top of the standings, but this is something that's important to consider because it will show how far can the team go, not only in terms of this season, but in their whole championship run that started in Season 71.

But first a few preliminary considerations.

• The Blue Eagles have only two games left, namely against the NU Bulldogs on the 11th of September and against the UST Growling Tigers, and there are only 4 possibilities that are left insofar as the team is concerned, which will be the bulk of discussion below. But because the focus of this discussion is to see where the Blue Eagles will be in the Final Four, one possibility will have to be ruled out, which would be to suffer two straight losses that will immediately boot them out of contention. However, I will also include them in the final part.
• Two games left should also be considered, namely the one between the DLSU Green Archers and the UST Growling Tigers, and one between the FEU Tamaraws and the UP Fighting Maroons. While the first game's winner could just be anyone, given their chances of winning against each other, the second game will be of less concern, because we know how UP and FEU respectively have played this season (duh moment there, right?). But nevertheless, I will include them should the slim chance of the Fighting Maroons defeating the Tamaraws would happen.
• Finally, because rankings are of utmost concern here, we will also consider the quotient system, which I have put here as the cumulative margins of victory between two, three, or four teams. We will also consider the usual league rules that apply when two or more teams share the same ranking. These rules might seem outdated (or I can be mistaken altogether), but from experience, here is how they go: (a) in case of same ranking in the first to third spot of the Final Four, seeding will be determined by the quotients of teams with whom they share the same ranking (e.g. if Team A, B, and C have a record of 10-4, their quotients will be added up, and the highest quotient will determine the highest spot), (b) If there are more than two teams with the same margin of victory, and two teams share the same quotient, the one with the greatest quotient between the two alone will get the higher spot (e.g. if Team A, B, and C are tied, and teams B and C have the same quotient, the higher seeded team will be the one who has the higher quotient between B and C alone), if it's still tied, then it will be necessary to look at the team's overall quotient (against all teams) by the end of eliminations, (c) if the fourth and fifth seed will have the same ranking, they can either be decided by quotient or by a playoff game.

Having those laid down, then I guess it's time to lay down the three possibilities wherein the Blue Eagles will garner at least the fourth spot in the Final Four.

1.If the Blue Eagles win against NU and UST.
Seems to be something that's doable but highly improbable, considering the level of difficulty when facing against the Bulldogs. Nevertheless, let's see what could happen.

1.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4
FEU 10-4
NU 9-5*
AdMU 9-5*

DLSU and FEU get the twice-to-beat advantage, respectively. While NU and Ateneo will be at the the 3 and 4 spot.

*If the Blue Eagles win with a margin of 11 points or more, then they can take the 3 spot and face FEU (which I think will be easier than being in number four).

1.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
FEU 10-4
NU 10-4
DLSU 9-5
AdMU 9-5

Nothing much here, everything's somehow sealed quotient's clear so far regarding this.

1.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
DLSU 10-4
NU 9-5*
AdMU 9-5*
FEU 9-5*

By quotient system between NU (+7), Ateneo (+5), and FEU (-20), the Bulldogs will get the twice-to-beat advantage, while FEU and Ateneo will settle for third and fourth place. However, if Ateneo wins by 2 points or more against NU, the it could raise Ateneo to 2 and NU to 3 (quotient will be as follows: Ateneo with +7, NU with +5, and FEU with -20).

1.4. If UST wins and UP wins
NU 9-5*
DLSU 9-5*
AdMU 9-5*
FEU 9-5*

These rankings are determined by quotient as of press time (NU with +12, DLSU with +11, AdMU with -6, and FEU with -7). This means that the margin of victory between NU and Ateneo has not been factored in yet given that they still have to face each other. Perhaps what could significantly change this is when the Blue Eagles will win against the Bulldogs with a margin of 2 points or more, which in that case would put DLSU on top while NU will slide at number two.

2.If the Blue Eagles lose against NU but win against UST
Highly probable, I should say.

2.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4*
NU 10-4*
FEU 10-4*
AdMU 8-6

This, I think, is most likely to happen. Quotient between La Salle, NU and FEU are +2, 0, and -2 respectively.

2.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
NU 10-4
FEU 10-4
DLSU 9-5
AdMU 8-6

By quotient against FEU, the Bulldogs will take the top spot.

2.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
NU 10-4
DLSU 10-4
FEU 9-5
AdMU 8-6

Quotient determines FEU's win.

2.4 If UST wins and UP wins
NU 10-4
DLSU 9-5
FEU 9-5
AdMU 8-6*

By the quotient system, the fourth spot is for the Blue Eagles to take; however, it is possible that because it is a crucial spot, the UAAP might just decide a playoff even though the Blue Eagles have a positive quotient against UST.

3. If the Blue Eagles win against NU, but lose against UST
This can happen, and this is the most dangerous situation because there are still two instances wherein the Blue Eagles can get booted out of the Final Four.

3.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4
FEU 10-4
NU 9-5
AdMU 8-6

Nothing needed to explain here, except the fact that UST will end up with a 7-7 record and will be eliminated finally.

3.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
FEU 10-4
NU 9-5
DLSU 9-5
UST 9-5

Pray that this doesn't happen.

3.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
DLSU 10-4
NU 9-5
FEU 9-5
AdMU 8-6*
(UST 8-6)*

As long as the Blue Eagles do not lose the game by 3 points or more, they are guaranteed the fourth spot, again UNLESS a playoff will be decided. Otherwise, when the quotient between these two teams get to 0 (the four-point Blue Eagles win in the first round is negated by the four-point Growling Tigers win in the second round), another alternative besides the playoff would be their total quotient, which, as it stands is +40 for the Blue Eagles and +36 for the Growling Tigers. At least at this point, the Blue Eagles have the upper hand, and it will depend on their remaining games if the figures will rise or drop.

3.4 If UST wins and UP wins
NU 9-5*
FEU 9-5*
DLSU 9-5*
UST 9-5*

Rankings determined by current quotient (not including the matches between AdMU v UST and DLSU v UST), which are at +20, +7, -5, and -22 respectively. Also, pray that this doesn't happen.

So here are the situations so far for the Blue Eagles if they want to enter into the Final Four. Anything between those 10 (except 3.2 and 3.4, and maybe 3.3 to be safe) would be good enough for the Blue Eagles, and then things can begin again from there.

But you ask, what happens when we lose both games? Good thing you asked.

4. If the Blue Eagles lose against NU and UST.

4.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4*
NU 10-4*
FEU 10-4*
UST 8-6

Ranking is determined by quotient.

4.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
NU 10-4*
FEU 10-4*
DLSU 9-5**
UST 9-5**

Both sets' rankings are determined by quotient.

4.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
NU 10-4*
DLSU 10-4*
FEU 9-5**
UST 9-5**

Same as 4.2

4.4 If UST wins and UP wins
NU 10-4
FEU 9-5*
DLSU 9-5*
UST 9-5*

Quotient between the three determines rankings (+4, 0, and -4 respectively)

The possibilities are there, but which of these situations will be actualized? We get to see this as the games will be played in the next few days.

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU (Round 2)

Ateneo 64, De La Salle 66

Sweeps have the same situations. Remember the first round battle against the Green Archers? The Blue Eagles had a big lead in the middle of the third quarter, when the Green Archers had a big run before its end, only to have the Blue Eagles scampering for a decent basket in the fourth quarter. This time, while the Blue Eagles nursed a 1-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter, Almond Vosotros hit an elbow three and then went for a fastbreak layup after an Arnold Van Opstal swat. This happened in the last three minutes, and since then, the Blue Eagles struggled to tie the game and once more bring the lead back to the blue side. It was a lucky moment as the Blue Eagles went on a late 6-1 run to tie the game at 64 apiece, but then it was Jeron Teng and thus the Green Archers who had the last laugh as he hit the go-ahead jumper over Chris Newsome with just a few seconds remaining.

Jeron Teng and Kiefer Ravena. To raise my point, I'm going to go Bill Simmons on this one. Look at these endgame stats from two players:

Player A: 34 minutes, 12 pts (4/13 FG, 1/6 3FG, 3/8 FT), 2 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl, 5 TOs, 2PF
Player B: 21 minutes, 8 pts (2/5 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/9 FT), 1 reb, 1 blk, 2 TOs, 4PF

Obviously, Player A has been on the court for about 80% of the whole game (in fact that is more or less his average usage rate), while Player B has been hounded by foul trouble. However, both of these players have practically the same statistics, and I could go so far as to conclude that player B is some kind of energy backup just in case shots weren't falling for those whom he should substitute with. While Player A? That was a really really bad game.

Unfortunately, Player A's statline was Kiefer Ravena's. Fans in blue expected him to make the difference this time, being absent from the Blue Eagles' first round match against the Green Archers. However, nothing went really well from him, especially in the fourth quarter. Sure, he hit a shot clock beating triple (more out of luck than skill, I suppose), but he did commit a multitude of mistakes that he could have easily avoided. For one, there is his dismal free throw, that's even worse than his average (37.5% compared to his 52% average). He airballed some threes, most of them shot clock beaters (why were we even forced there in the first place?), and made 2 turnovers that were big for DLSU: the first one happened at the end of the first quarter, when he cost the Blue Eagles a turnover, leading to a Vosotros triple (lemme call that by its name, Vosotres) that trimmed the lead down to two, while the second one led to another Vosotres that gave the Green Archers the lead for good early in the fourth quarter. Simply put, the Phenom is not himself in this game, save for that game tying jumper that went before that Teng clutch basket.

And speaking of Jeron Teng, he came out glorious by the end of the buzzer as he sinks his usual jumper over Chris Newsome, keeping his team practically safe at the number three spot. Prior to that, he splits his FTs that made it a one-possession game, and in that short stretch the game was all his. This is not to say that Teng is now as good as Ravena (at least at this point in their college careers); however, it would seem more that Ravena went down to Teng's level (case in point: Ravena's true shooting for this game was at just 36.3%, while Teng has 44.6%). Fans in green have jeered at Teng all season long because of his bad decisions on the court especially during isolation plays as well as his awful free throw shooting, while Ravena was hailed by the fans in blue for his impact on the court. But guess what, things have come down to the same level, or even turned around at least just this once. While Ravena has been slumping in this game, Teng came out as the eventual hero who saved DLSU and granted them the sweep.

Nico Elorde's wasted effort. Nico Elorde brought out his best game today against his former school, and boy, did he really turn out to be efficient in this game. The former Green Archer tallied 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting, with 3 out of 5 triples to boot, together with 4 boards, 3 dimes, and 1 steal. Elorde came up big in the first half as he makes one triple after another, not to mention his gutsy layups, stills, and offensive rebounds spread all over. Sadly, it wasn't enough as the Blue Eagles lost, but it could easily have been Elorde who was there during the rest of the fourth quarter to replace the slumping Ravena.



The things that the Blue Eagles missed. So what did the Blue Eagles forget in this game? Here are a few points:

• They forgot the fact that what will decide this game are eventually the big men... and their performance on both ends of the floor. Frank Golla, JP Erram, Vince Tolentino, and Ivan Enriquez gave up 23 points to the DLSU big men Arnold van Opstal (4), Norbert Torres (6), and most especially Jason Perkins (13), while only scoring 4 points (a basket apiece from Golla and Erram). One could readily forgive those backcourt points scored considering that the offense have been coming from the small forwards forced to play big (Buenafe and Newsome had 8 and 9, respectively); however, too much offensive pressure from the DLSU bigs (together with the non-calls, which will come later) allowed LA Revilla and Teng to slash their way inside (Revilla was 4 of 7 inside and ended up with 11 points). 
• They forgot that they cannot just run fastbreak sets, and half court plays are of utmost necessity against DLSU. Notice that when the Blue Eagles go for a rebound, the Green Archers would rather give it up and run to set their defense. If that is the case, then they should have more half court sets that have Ravena, Buenafe, and Nesome scoring on the inside, while Tiongson or Elorde would be responsible in receiving kickouts. Instead, we got pretty bad perimeter shots from Ravena and Buenafe, more like failed desperation attempts to score. I'm not saying that this has always been the case, because we have seen flashes of brilliance on the offense, lots of it even; however, they could have run different sets with same finishes (obviously, because the Blue Eagles are running Hawks and Horns sets that have the same initial moves) in those last five minutes.
• They forgot that despite not having Ravena, they could have just used Chris Newsome as the primary shot creator. The second round Newsome was far from the 27-point bomb that struck fear in the hearts of Lasallians during the first round. Instead, what we got is still a decent 8-point, 8-rebound forward who settled well with setting up plays for the guards. Had Newsome been activated as the first option in the last few minutes, then I think this game could have been saved.

If the Blue Eagles would want to win the next 3 games, make it into the Final Four, and get four more without losing one in the semifinals, then they have to relish this moment and learn a lot from this loss. It is unfortunate that they do not have big men strong and skillful enough to counter DLSU's (the past two years, we had Slaughter, the year before that Justin Chua, and Rabeh Al-Hussaini as well as Nonoy Baclao for Seasons 71 and 72), but more is expected from their Big Three plus one of Ravena, Newsome, Buenafe, and Tiongson. And the team needs them more than ever if they still consider winning a sixth straight championship a real possibility.

That Bo Perasol Technical. Let's review the sequence that led to that foul called on Coach Bo Perasol:

• Ryan Buenafe drove to the basket and was pushed and elbow on his way. No foul called.
• Jason Perkins scrambles for the rebound and was supposedly fouled as he got the board.
• As the referee whistled, Perkins elbowed someone from behind him.

Whether it's the non-call or the second motion that has been the reason, one can see why Coach Perasol has the right to be furious; however, it just happened that the referees deemed it as crossing the line and therefore the T. Would it be rightfully so? You be the judge, but insofar as these events happened, it might be even more proper to call an additional unsportsmanlike foul on Perkins on that sequence, and then grant the possession to DLSU because of the foul in the rebound.

What It Means to the Final Four campaign. This definitely makes everything more difficult, now that the Blue Eagles slide to 6-5, tied with UST and half a game behind UE (who will play DLSU on the 4 September without Charles Mammie and Ralf Olivares). Given that, these are the things that the Blue Eagles should do:

• First off, they have to eliminate those with whom they are tied up against, namely UST and (possibly) UE (but with a margin greater than or equal to four points). Doing so would secure them the four-spot despite having the same standings at the end of eliminations.
• It would even be helpful if DLSU sweeps the second round, because it would give extra losses to UE, UST, and possibly NU.
• One more imperative: BEAT NU. The Blue Eagles cannot afford another loss (unless UST and UE will be handed other losses). Once this is done, the fourth spot is for the Blue Eagles, and they might face either NU or DLSU.

The Scores:

La Salle 66 - Vosotros 19, Perkins 13, Revilla 11, Teng 8, Torres 6, Van Opstal 4, Montalbo 3, Salem 2, Tapus 0, Reyes 0, Dela Paz 0, Bolick 0

Ateneo 64 - Tiongson 14, Elorde 13, Ravena 12, Buenafe 9, Newsome , Pessumal 4, Golla 2, Erram 2, Tolentino 0, Enriquez 0, Capacio 0


Quarter scoring: 13-16, 31-33, 46-49, 66-64

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo and GMA Online for the box

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU (Round 2)

Ateneo 92, Far Eastern U 73

Where Art Thou, Romeo's Team? What happened with FEU last Wednesday at the MoA Arena? All praises have been given to Terrence Romeo and Mike Tolomia after a gutsy overtime win against the UE Red Warriors three days prior to their bout with the Blue Eagles, in the absence of veteran guard R.R. Garcia. With their renewed confidence, everyone thought that they could topple down the streaking Blue Ealges... until this happened. Compared to the previous game, there are aspects of the game that changed and remained the same. Yes, Romeo again led the Tamaraws and he sticks to his chucking ways; however, it seems that the match against UE took them out of this game due to fatigue (or at least according to Coach Nash Racela). From a winning 94.3 offensive rating against UE (who merely had 90.5) in 58 minutes of action, the mighty Tamaraws fell to a mere 83.3 rating, as opposed to the Blue Eagles' 93.6, and it could've been worse if a college basketball game lasted only for 30 minutes, when the third quarter ended with Ateneo holding a 28-point lead, which stretched further to 32. Obviously, this has been the Tamaraws' worst game in Season 76, and unfortunate for them, it was Ateneo's best.

Keeping The Firepower. Lots of records have been posted today by the Blue Eagles insofar as the season is concerned. This is their highest scoring output so far, with a whopping 51 points already in the first half, yet another season high, bearing the largest scoring margin ever after the half-time buzzer (at 23). And looking back at the past three games of the Blue Eagles, it seems that the FIBA Asia break did a lot of miracles to them. By the end of the first round, the Blue Eagles only scored an average of 67.7ppg while allowing 68.1ppg, with an average winning margin of -0.43 points. However, in the past three games, all of these numbers have improved as they already have 79.3ppg scored and 66.0ppg allowed, resulting in a huge improvement at the winning margin with +13.3. How they did it, though, was fairly simple: bring back the defense that the Blue Eagles are known for while capitalizing on running the break.

Tiongson Fire. Talk about Juami Tiongson being extra-efficient today brings us back to his Blue Eaglet days, when he used to be a spot-up guard who magically finds space to take and make shots. "Magic" contributed 20 points on this game, hitting 7 of 10 shots, 3 out of those from the arc. Those who watch the Blue Eagles for the fast few seasons could perhaps have seen Tiongson develop his game, from being a mere three point specialist slated to replace former Blue Eagle point guard Jai Reyes, to a playmaker replacing Emman Monfort, and now to a reliable scorer once again who knows all too well about off-ball movement. Playing his best offensive game, what comes out as his most useful weapon so far (which we have not seen this season) is his ability to box out for second chance opportunities and his way of sneaking in and finding that teardrop or floater in the middle. Standing perhaps as a close third/fourth option after Kiefer Ravena, Chris Newsome, and Ryan Buenafe, the team is going to need his hot hands to stretch defenses.

Energy Spurts. Eighteen of the team's 92 points came off the energy players off the bench: Vince Tolentino, Von Pessumal, and Gwynne Capacio. Tolentino has been gaining reputation as a player of extra-efficiency, scoring a decent number of points given his limited minutes of play, and in this game, he has shown why he deserves to be such. His asset remains to be his ability to slide in and out of the paint, allowing him to sneak in to either receive passes (or steal them, if he's defending) and grab rebounds out of nowhere. Now, if he can only toughen more in order to box out, he might just replace Frank Golla come out of the bench to relieve Newsome or Buenafe from frontcourt duties and let them play their natural guard/forward game.

The MRT Needs Renovation. This is what Tolomia, Garcia, and Romeo's output this game:

• 39 points on 13 of 45 shooting (28.9% FG), 5 of 23 from beyond the arc (21.7% 3FG), 7 of 12 from charity stripe (58.3%)
• 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 5 fouls

These numbers are pretty dismal, especially that it was actually Terrence Romeo who brought the percentages down (7 of 24 total field goals, 2 of 11 from three, not to mention that most of these have been made during garbage time). This brings out even more the obvious fact that FEU, in every game, has been taking risks that seem to be uncalculated, but approved and warranted by Coach Nash Racela. But if that is the case, then it will always be a thing of letting Romeo either give or take away. But then, does Coach Nash have a choice? Can he actually run the offense through, say, RR Garcia (once again) or Mike Tolomia? Or is it a question of the incapability of other players like Roger Pogoy and Mac Belo to keep up with these three and assert themselves as legitimate options? Unless these questions are answered, then the Tamaraws will find themselves labeled as the team who peaked too soon this season, and is set to experience a huge downfall come the Final Four.

Whose Streak Will End? The Blue Eagles' next game will be their second round encounter with their rivals the DLSU Green Archers, and I think this is where they will be truly tested. The greenies' big men are more reliable than UP's, Adamson's*, or FEU's, in Norbert Torres, Jason Perkins, and Arnold Van Opstal. In fact, one could claim that this is DLSU's strong point, considering that other teams opt to have towering African imports while some (like Ateneo) have none. This makes the match really difficult; however, it seems that everything would depend on the way Kiefer Ravena, who was absent during the first round match, will play.

The Scores:

Ateneo 92 - Tiongson 20, Ravena 18, Newsome 11, Tolentino 9, Golla 9, Buenafe 9, Pessumal 5, Elorde 5, Capacio 4, Erram 2, Murphy 0, Asuncion 0, Asistio 0

FEU 73 - Romeo 19, Garcia 11, Tolomia 9, Pogoy 9, Hargrove 6, Belo 6, Jose 5, Inigo 3, Cruz 3, Lee Yu 2, Sentcheu 0, Mendoza 0, Luz 0, Dennison 0, Delfinado 0, Aguilon 0


Quarter scores: 26-11, 51-28, 73-45, 92-73

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the pic, HumbleBola for the stats, and GMA Network Online for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. AdU (Round 2)

Ateneo 79, Adamson 66

-For teams that badly need a string of wins, a blowout would indeed be a pleasing sight, especially if it occurs late in the third period and there seems to be no more hope of a comeback. This is what the Blue Eagles faced as they finished the third period with a 25-point lead against the slumping Adamson Falcons. However, due to a few errors, not to mention various and-ones, unnecessary cross-court turnovers, and an unsportsmanlike foul, the Falcons has caught up through a huge 19-0 run. However, the trifecta of Kiefer Ravena, Ryan Buenafe, and Chris Newsome saved the day once again as they restored the double digit lead and sustained it until the end of the game. It will be easy to criticize the team's lack of effort in sustaining the lead during the first five minutes of the fourth; however, one should not be too quick to judge it as a meltdown, especially when we consider the fact that Coach Bo Perasol did not call a timeout in order to train the team to handle situations by themselves as well as make adjustments while keeping in mind his instructions.

-The Blue Eagles are on a roll with four straight wins, and so is Kiefer Ravena who provided the firepower that was missing in their first three games (and first three losses) of the season. In those four games (UP, UST, UP again, and then this game), Ravena averaged 15.0ppg and accounted for 22.5% of the team's total points scored in these games, which is pretty big considering that in three out of these four games, Coach Bo Perasol stretched the team's rotation which means less minutes for him. This all the more confirms the fact that he is the heart and soul of the Blue Eagles of Season 76. If he continues to play like that, then it is still possible for the Blue Eagles to go for a sweep of the second round, at best, and make it to the Final Four.

-Steady defense and efficient offense are the weapons that the Blue Eagles had against the Falcons even in their first round match, and not only is this the theme of the past five games, but also the past five seasons. In this game, the Blue Eagles have played magnificent defense, shutting down Adamson's shooters and sealing hotspots while taking the time to gang up on rebounds. On the other side of the court, they were able to play solid offense, settling for close-range shots and points in the paint, besides sticking with their usual horns offense (but now with Ravena manning the post more since he returned from his injury) and with Buenafe and Newsome coming off as the usual second options. And at first glance, one could say that this is one of the most efficient games of the Blue Eagles on both ends.

-Nobody noticed the huge presence of sixteenth man Ivan Enriquez outside the Blue Eagles' matches against Adamson, but here he came up as a quality energy player who was able to keep Ingrid Sewa out of his comfort zone despite the huge size advantage. Fouling out of the game early was expected given the huge disadvantage (but the same could not be said of JP Erram, who should be more familiar with defending bigger frontcourt members after nine games), but he showed what it takes to manhandle the paint and make life difficult even for imports. And with what he has shown, it would be possible for him to team up with Frank Golla to guard a Charles Mammie, Karim Abdul, or an Arnold Van Opstal in the next few games.

-Sewa continued to be a monster in the paint, but not as well as he should despite the height advantage. It is surprising that the Blue Eagles' strategy of ganging up on him worked, and the fouls were forgivable considering that Sewa shot 7 of 12 from the charity stripe. Jericho Cruz has been rendered ineffective save for the final minutes of "not-so-garbage" time. Brondial did much of the damage late in the game but to no avail, and Roider Cabrera swished a triple only once. The Ateneo defense pretty much taken them out of their game, but one should also recognize that since their win against the NU Bulldogs, the Falcons experienced a two game slump which includes this game. Their winning margin for the past two games soared to -23.5, which is far from the team that garnered a close win and a close loss against NU and DLSU, respectively. During the beginning of the season, they were tagged as favorites, with Cruz, Roider Cabrera, and Sewa at the helm. But now, they are nothing but a shadow of what they were supposed to be, and it seems that the chances of making it again at the Final Four are slimming, not to mention that they still have to face top tier teams like FEU and UE.

-Insofar as winning the big games is concerned, the Blue Eagles have not yet proven anything. If at all, the matches against UP and Adamson are nothing but warm-up games to keep their toes on the court. The next five battles will be crucial, as it would determine how tough can the Blue Eagles get when they have games that can possibly go down the wire or extend to overtime. If they can overcome this, then a six-peat is more than possible.

The Scores:

The scores:

Ateneo79 – Ravena 18, Buenafe 18, Newsome 9, Elorde 9, Tiongson 7, Pessumal 6, Golla 6, Erram 2, Enriquez 2, Capacio 2, Tolentino 0, Lim 0

Adamson 66 – Sewa 17, Rios 14, Cruz 14, Brondial 14, Cabrera 2, Inigo 2, Agustin 2, Trollano 0, Petilos 0, Monteclaro 0, Julkipli 0, Abrigo 0


Quarter scoring: 19-13, 33-26, 57-32, 79-66

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the post and GMA News Online for the box.

Gameday Sunday: 18 August 2013

Is there any need for explanation why this is called Gameday? One thing to note, though, is that there will always be something significant to look at, and that's why we put the Spotlight on it.

UAAP

National U 80, Adamson 48

Wow. Just wow.This was a serious attack there brought by the Bulldogs, just a few days after they delivered the FEU Tamaraws' first loss. And by handing the Soaring Falcons' second straight loss which pummeled them further down the seventh spot, it seems that the promise to be contenders, despite having a reliable big man in Ingrid Sewa, will just remain to be a promise. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are proving that they deserve to have that number one spot that the Tams stole from them way back in Round 1

Spotlight: A year ago, it was rumored that Emmanuel Mbe opted out of the team in order to search for a French league where he can play and hone his skills. Fortunately for NU, it was either a rumor or a case of not having been discovered, as Mbe is back in his (questionably) fourth year as a Bulldog. And in the battle of the imports this afternoon, it was the older and more experienced one who prevailed, as Mbe tallied 21 points and 10 boards for this game.

NU 80 - Mbe 21, Parks 16, Roño 8, Porter 6, Javillonar 6, Alolino 6, Rosario 5, Khobuntin 4,  Neypes 3, Javelona 3, Villamor 2, Perez 0, Labing-isa 0, De Guzman 0, Alejandro 0

AdU 48 - Cabrera 12, Cruz 11, Sewa 8, Petilos 5, Brondial 5, Garcia 2, Agustin 2, Abrigo 2, Monteclaro 1, Trollano 0, Rios 0, Ochea 0, Julkipli 0, Inigo 0

Quarter scoring: 21-7, 37-25, 55-40, 80-48

De La Salle 75, FEU 66

First, the match against NU happened. Afterwards, this happened, and in between there was Terrence Romeo. After the first round, everyone was praising Nash Racela's fantastic dribble drive offense; however, this second round, it seems that everything is failing, not because the play isn't working, but more because the one who has been easily proclaimed as the first round MVP has been nothing but awful.

Spotlight: The biggest addition that DLSU has been so far this season is not a stronger and "improved" Jeron Teng, who has remained subpar with his free throw shooting. In fact, it's Jason Perkins, who provided a boost for the Green Archers especially in the huge 2nd quarter run that gave them a safe lead entering the second half.

DLSU 75 - Perkins 18, Teng 16, Vosotros 13, Van Opstal 9, Salem 6, Montalbo 5, Torres 4, Tampus 4, Revilla 0, Bolick 0

FEU 66 - Pogoy 16, Belo 16, Romeo 12, Tolomia 7, Garcia 6, Cruz 4, Inigo 0, Sentcheu 0, Mendoza 0, Lee Yu 0, Jose 0, Dennison 0, Delfinado 0, Aguilon 0

Quarter scoring: 23-14, 44-33, 60-50, 75-66

PBA

Barako Bull 90, Meralco 89

Admit it. You don't expect the Pocket Rocket, Emman Monfort, squeezing this win out, especially that Barako Bull has gone through a lot in the past few weeks (actually, I was talking about the blunder that is the Allein Maliksi trade). Well, for a team that Alaska coach Luigi Trillo hits at for the past few weeks, it is a pretty impressive performance out there.

Spotlight: 22 big points and 7 boards were delivered by Monfort for this team, including a go-ahead jumper that pretty much sealed the deal for the Energy Boosters. Now, who would think that this 5'7" guard would come out that big in a conference where giants dominate?

Barako Bull 90 - Singletary 28, Monfort 22, Seigle 12, Buenafe 7, Jensen 6, Pennisi 5, Intal 4, Marcelo 2, Macapagal 2, Cruz 2, Weinstein 0, Yap 0, Pena 0

Meralco 89 - West 33, Hugnatan 16, Salvacion 12, Wilson 9, Hodge 4, Guevarra 4, Ross 4, Allado 4, Vanlandingham 3, Mangahas 0

Quarter scoring: 22-21, 41-48, 66-67, 90-89

Petron 101, Ginebra 95

Finally, Coach Gee Abanilla has given some confidence back to the Petron Blaze Boosters after what happened last two conferences, including the "relegation" of Coach Olsen Racela to the San Mig Coffee Mixers alongside Coach Tim Cone. Wish the same could have been said for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, who still has to find some solid foundation in Ato Agustin.

Spotlight: It was former Blue Eagle and Powerade Tiger Doug Kramer who provided the win for Petron, as he finished the game with a double-double, 17 points and 10 rebounds. He once saved the Blue Eagles from falling behind Coach Pido Jarencio's UST Growling Tigers, supported Gary David, JVee Casio, and Marcio Lassiter in their finals bid under Coach Bo Perasol, and now he has provided key plays late in the game to seal the deal for the Blaze Boosters.

Petron 101 - Millsap 24, Lassiter 23, Cabagnot 18, Kramer 17, Santos 12, Tubid 5, Fajardo 2, Deutchman 0, Lutz 0, Lanete 0

Ginebra 95 - Lowhorn 29, Caguioa 15, Ellis 12, Tenorio 9, Aguilar 8, Wilson 7, Mamaril 6, Helterbrand 5, Baracael 4, Urbiztondo 0

Quarter scoring: 26-29, 45-52, 79-71, 101-95

#Puso : How Gilas Pilipinas Brought The Nation Back

Thirty-nine to thirty-six (39-36), Republic of Korea.

This was the situation that Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippines' national basketball team, faced after the halftime buzzer sounded. In fact, they have come to this point quite luckily. They were down by as much as nine points in the whole of the second period, until late baskets allowed them to crawl back into the game, easing the pressure that they are facing.

One could say that this can be just another game, but for the thousands of Filipinos in the Mall of Asia arena, together with the 12 members of Gilas Pilipinas and the coaching staff, this halftime deficit is both consoling and desolating. And compared to the previous matches of Gilas Pilipinas during the entire 27th FIBA Asia tournament... No, to the previous matches of all the teams that have represented the Philippines since the early 60's and 70's, this has to be the biggest.

For the first time in a decade and a half, the Philippines is a win away from qualifying to the FIBA World championships. And it was quite unfortunate to face a nation that has been its curse for the past few years. What they are up against is the South Korean basketball team, who has denied them of most of their chances to bring a country of "little, brown men" to the league where towers dominate. This is where a certain Shin Dong Pa belonged, who was pretty much automatic from the perimeter as he made shot after shot during the 1970 FIBA World Championships. And most recently, this is where a certain Lee Sang-Min belonged, one who snagged the opportunity to book a finals match against China last 2002 after two straight misses at the charity stripe by the Filipinos' own Olsen Racela. Out of all the national teams that the Philippines have faced in all the international tournaments, it has always been Korea that provided the worst heartbreaks.

That is why the halftime break was so full of tension, that it bears something heavy both to the players and the crowd. Others were already frowning because further bleeding is possible and a 3-point deficit might end up becoming a 13-point one, given the hot shooting that Korea has. Some expect a third quarter storm that has been the turning point in all of Gilas Pilipinas' matches. These questions even become bigger and more serious, perhaps, when one would enter the Gilas Pilipinas locker room and seeing Coach Chot Reyes mulling over his options and trying to deal with the problems at hand, especially of naturalized player Marcus Douthit's absence.

After the buzzer once again sounded to signal the second half, things took a drastic turn. Talk n Text Tropang Texters guard Jayson Castro fired up the arena when he initiated a personal 6-0 run against the Koreans. He sure is a dribble-drive player, and he saw that it would work against a Korean defense that has been too preoccupied with covering Gilas Pilipinas' shooters. Marc Pingris, one of the tallest Filipinos on the court, battled with hotshot Lee Seung Jun in the paint despite hobbling on both ends of the court. These two were the men of the third quarter who converted a 3-point deficit into a safe 9-point lead entering into the fourth. But behind Castro and Pingris lies the incredible support of their teammates, especially the Jones Cup MVP L.A. Tenorio, who drove into the basket like crazy only to dish open threes or midrange passes, or even Jeff Chan who made perimeter baskets one after the other.

But there's still ten minutes to play after that, and Korea took advantage of it in no time. Korean guard Kim Min-Goo found his range and shot a barrage of triples, and a run that ended with a Lee Seung Jun gave the Koreans a one-point lead. However, Gilas Pilipinas did not back down. Faced with adversity, they slugged it out even until the final minutes. And at this point, enter Jimmy Alapag and Ranidel de Ocampo. The latter slowed the pace down when everything is getting too fast for both teams, but sunk in a crucial layup and a triple to keep the game afloat. Meanwhile, the former's time has come, as he hit a step-back jumper and a quick three to finally seal the deal for Gilas Pilipinas.

Alapag's triple was the shot heard round Asia, and by the final buzzer, it was over. The ghost of South Korea that has since lingered around was sent away. The Philippine basketball team snags a ticket to Spain for the 2014 FIBA Worlds, with the opportunity to play against the taller guys whom the Filipinos only admire over cable or HD TV. All the hard work, the unwavering support that the team has gotten from their fans, have all paid off. Coach Chot Reyes can only cry in delight. The players have never been more thankful. It was that shining moment that the team has been waiting for, and it definitely outweighs all the championship moments in the UAAP, the NCAA, and the PBA. It outweighs the Jones Cup championship that Tenorio won for the team last year. It outweighs even the championship bid of the promising Sinag Pilipinas team a few years back, composed of promising talents like Kiefer Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks, and Jeron Teng. And it definitely outweighs all the heartbreak losses that the Philippines had in the previous FIBA Asia tournaments. This is the victory that the Philippines was waiting for, and it was sweeter this time around, especially when it took this long to snag another stint in the world championship, knowing that the Oceania teams will join Asia and it would take long for the Philippines again to take home court advantage.

Gilas Pilipinas could have wished that this was the last match for them, but they still have one more match in the finals to grab that championship, this time from the behemoths of Iran. However, the "one after the big one" turned out to be the usual plotlines: like the Shohoku basketball team losing to Aiwa after their biggest match against Sannoh, like the 2013 Lakers falling against the Spurs after securing the seventh playoff seed. Due to the absence of Douthit and the fatigue taking its toll on Gilas, the Iranians prevailed with a double-digit victory in the end, grabbing the championship once again. The Filipino crowd could have wished for a championship, but instead settled for a silver medal. Nevertheless, this team is going to Spain and will have a crack at getting what was once an impossible dream: basketball supremacy.  With the pool of international players, it would seem to remain impossible, but it would be better if this team, which the world might see as ragtag underdogs, will have a chance to prove itself.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP (Round 2)

Ateneo 67, State U 59

-It seems that both these teams have the FIBA Asia hangover. While the UP Fighting Maroons were shooting lights out like what Gilas Pilipinas did during their quarterfinal match against Kazakstan, the Blue Eagles were slumping like a beach of bored audience members on both ends in the first half. The Fighting Maroons led by one point as the haftime buzzer sounded, 34-33, but their lead was up by as large as 11 early in the second quarter. Fortunately, Kiefer Ravena just woke up in time to lead the Blue Eagles to a second half domination, earning them their 4th win (3rd consecutive) and a chance to go on a three-way tie at the fourth place.

-This was just the first time that Newsome was forced to ride the bench after having garnered quick fouls in the first half and was not able to contribute much in the court. However, he was able to make up for it by putting the finishing touches for this match. too bad he failed to deliver a big throwdown early in the game, during the time when the Blue Eagles were missing even the closest shots to the basket.

-It seems that Kiefer Ravena is back to almost a hundred percent, thanks to the long break provided by the FIBA Asia Tournament. He had a 14-14-5-3 afternoon after limited play for more than three weeks due to a Grade 3 ankle sprain. Now that Ravena looks like a well-oiled scoring machine as the pre-season analyses have predicted him to be, there will be no more excuses for the Blue Eagles as they proceed with the second round, trying to get at least that 3rd or 4th playoff spot.

-The Ateneo big men were out cold during the game, with a lot of mistakes and fumbles in this game. Frank Golla and JP Erram only had 12 points, but had really bad turnovers. These are the things that the Blue Eagles cannot afford to have when they're battling it out against an Arnold Van Opstal, or a Charles Mammie, or an Ingrid Sewa, and it's just fortunate that these guys were able to see their mistakes as early as this UP match.

-Joseph Marata started out with a 3 of 5 clip from the three-point line early in the game, but had 2 of 8 after that, with a lot of them being airballs. He did have 15 points, but if the UP Maroons are still insisting on putting Marata as the first option, then it would appear that the Fighting Maroons are again bound for another winless season. Can they just use Martin Pascual, Paul Desiderio, or even Kyles Lao as first options and have Marata camp and shoot instead? That would be more effective.

-One thing that the Blue Eagles to-do list has to have would be more consistent defensive stops coupled with perfect offensive finishes. During the first quarter, the team lacked a sense of urgency to tighten their D when the Fighting Maroons hit shot after shot after shot, adding to the awful offensive output that is as bad as an unfinished Ravena layup. It was a good thing that the Blue Eagles picked up late, but it would be impossible for them to surmount double-digit leads against higher-seeded UAAP teams with a defense that only wishes for missed treys and perimeter jumpers.

The Scores:

Ateneo 67 - Ravena 14, Tiongson 11, Newsome 11, Buenafe 7, Golla 6, Erram 6, Elorde 4, Capacio 4, Tolentino 2, Pessumal 2, Murphy 0, Enriquez 0, Asistio 0

UP 59 - Marata 15, Lao 9, Asilum 8, Wong 5, Soyud 5, Gingerich 4, Desiderio 4, Pascual 3, Gallarza 3, Ligad 2, Ball 1

Quarter scoring: 14-21, 33-34, 53-47, 67-59

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the pic and GMA Online Sports for the box scores.