The First Seven Games of Season 76

The first round of the men's basketball competition of the UAAP Season 76 has just ended, and each of the teams have played seven interesting games. But out of all of them, who stands out? What enabled them to get to this point? This column takes a look at what happened so far in the season, pointing out as well significant players that stepped up for their team

FEU Tamaraws (7-0)

Average Points Scored (APS): 80.57
Average Points Allowed (APA): 72.86
Average Winning Margin (AWM): +7.71

The Tams So Far: Thanks to Coach Nash Racela, the Tamaraws have proven the doubters wrong. When others perceived the MRT guard combo (composed of Mike Tolomia, RR Garcia, and Terrence Romeo), Racela used it as a strength, convincing them to playing shared minutes and encouraging them to play more team ball than they used to. And the result? A high-octane offense that thrives in the perimeter, thanks to the team's reliable three-point and perimeter shooting, they were able to get a solid hold of the number one spot. What's more is that because of the confidence from the outside that the three guards have, it made the job of Mark Belo, Carl Bryan Cruz, and Anthony Hargrove easier.

Significant Performance? The game against the DLSU Green Archers. By the fourth quarter, they were staring at a 13-point lead, only to force the game to overtime and eventually render their record spotless.

Spotlight: It's obvious that Terrence Romeo (22.6ppg, 6.3rpg, 4.1apg, 1.4spg) that he is not only the best player of the Tamaraws, but also the MVP of the first round as well. He did come up with a marvelous 12-assist performance in their first game, but he is the Tams' gem when it comes to scoring. Sure, one can judge how he is trigger-happy, but his accuracy has saved FEU over and over again. Expect him to shoot more, but only to disappoint more.

UST Growling Tigers (4-3)

APS: 69.71ppg
APA: 67.86ppg
AWM: +1.85

The Tigers So Far: Coach Pido Jarencio is confident that this team will be contenders, but it seems that the loss of Jeric Teng due to his shoulder injury dealt a big blow to the Tigers' offense. Fortunately, the bunch of Aljon Mariano, Clark Bautista, Kevin Ferrer, and Eduardo Daquioag have taken the burden, despite coming up short in their matches against NU (the game wherein Teng got injured), FEU, and Ateneo. And going to the other end of the court, it seems that, with Karim Abdul at the helm, they do not have any problem on D, save for the fact that without any legitimate point guard, they really struggled with perimeter offense, especially when matched up against smaller but quicker guards. One thing that the Growling Tigers have to really count on, however, is that Teng returns sooner, especially that his perimeter D and his three-point shooting does wonders for them.

Significant Performance? The Tigers' first game of the season has showed what they can do at full force during pressure situations. Teng exploded for 23 points on 10-of-24 shooting, while Karim Abdul hauled 17 markers and 10 boards to put an exclamation point and show that, while the Green Archers are highly touted, the Tigers can reach that level.

Spotlight: One could expect Aljon Mariano to step up and bring his game, but a sprained ankle somehow brought his level of play down, settling with easy lay ups and baseline jumpers instead of his amazing inside plays that threatened the Blue Eagles' title run last year. However, Karim Abdul (13.6ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.1apg, 1.1 spg, 1.5bpg) continues with his consistent all-around performance last year. Thanks to Abdul, the Tigers have held their fort from the inside. Plus, his offense isn't too bad either, as he was able to work on his post-ups and spin moves on the inside (despite his inability to manage his way out of double teams), as well as shoot from the outside.

UE Red Warriors (4-3)

APS: 73.71ppg
APA: 75.57ppg
AWM: -1.86

The Warriors So Far: This rebuilt team has surprised the league during the Fil-Oil Flying V Preseason Tournament, and they have proven that they can be contenders this season, which is a far cry from their performance two seasons ago. However, this should not be that surprising since they have only shown that a formidable big man and an athletic point guard in Charles Mammie and Roi Sumang respectively can run the show. The first round has proven that as long as Mammie and Sumang played well, the whole Red Warriors as a team can superbly perform as well, not to mention the individual performances by Ralf Olivares and, at times, veteran Lord Casajeros.

Significant Performance? The Red Warriors' bout against the DLSU Green Archers have brought the best out of Sumang, Olivarez, and Mammie, especially during the last stretch. Trailing for most of the fourth quarter, trigger fingers were activated to start a barrage from the outside, confident that their misses will be saved by Mammie on the inside. The result? A hard-fought win that put them on a safe spot in the top four.

Spotlight: Roi Sumang (19ppg, 5.7rpg, 4apg, 1.1spg, 0.1bpg) remains to be the heart and soul of this team. In all seven games of the Red Warriors, he was steady in terms of his offense, scoring from dribble drives and stop-and-pop-triples that surprise anyone guarding him on isolation sets. And fortunately, when a Sumang explosion occurs, he is almost unstoppable, even with double or triple teams hounding him. Should doubts occur, check this video out:



NU Bulldogs (4-3)

APS: 69.57ppg
APA: 66.14ppg
AWM: +3.43

The Bulldogs So Far: The NU Bulldogs have been highly touted as this year's championship contenders, primarily because they have lost very little after Season 75. Coach Eric Altamirano mans the whole team for the third straight year, while we see improvements from holdovers Emmanuel Mbe, Gelo Alolino, and Denice Villamor. Furthermore, it seems that as the years go by, the team's top scorer Bobby Ray Parks keeps getting better and better not merely as a scorer, but also a playmaker and leader for his team. Unfortunately, they had some games that have gone out of hand, leading to losses that could have been avoided.

Significant Performance? The best game that the Bulldogs could have played so far is their last first round match, against the DLSU Green Archers. With the green and white daring to make a comeback after a three-quarter slump, Bobby Ray Parks hit two big threes in the beginning of the fourth quarter, and coupled with a defensive scheme that forced turnovers from the Green Archers' big men, they never looked back until the final buzzer.

Spotlight: Two-time MVP Bobby Ray Parks (18.9ppg, 9.4rpg, 4.4apg, 1.3spg, 0.7bpg) could have been displaced by Romeo in the MVP race (at least for the first round), but he has shown flashes of great basketball leadership in this stretch. Now we see him setting up and trusting his teammates on one hand, and delivering shutdown one-on-one defense on the other. His team is already built around him, and all it takes for Parks and the Bulldogs is to go all the way towards a Finals appearance and, possibly, a championship.

DLSU Green Archers (3-4)

APS: 74.86ppg
APA: 74.0ppg
AWM: +0.86

The Archers So Far: This team is already complete, but moves by the management to replace Coach Gee Abanilla with Coach Juno Sauler ended up with the Archers still seeking to find their ground in the UAAP as contenders. And it is surprising since it seems that there were a few changes made, and yet they end up with meltdowns and breakdowns that frustrate every member of the Gang Green. Do I need to still say that free throws are just part of that problem?

Significant Performance? Nothing beats the Green Archers' win against the Ateneo Blue Eagles this season, when they crawled out of a 14-point slump to win by 9 points, thanks to the efforts of their big men who took advantage of the absence of Ateneo's big men due to fouling out.

Spotlight: Everyone's eyes are on hotshot sophomore Jeron Teng, but because of his woes on the charity stripe, he was jeered more than cheered for most of the first round. However, Almond Vosotros (14.7ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.6apg, 1spg, 0.3bpg) already had big games of his own and consistently coming out as a threat from the outside, which reminds us of a younger JVee Casio. If Vosotros gets white hot, then expect a guaranteed DLSU win, for it will allow the lane to open up for Teng, Arnold Van Opstal, Norbert Torres, and Jason Perkins to operate.

Ateneo Blue Eagles (3-4)

APS: 67.71ppg
APA: 68.14ppg
AWM: -0.43

The Blue Eagles So Far: With a new coach and with most of Season 75's best players gone, consider this the post-fivepeat era for the Blue Eagles, who looks promising but has struggled so far, no thanks to Kiefer Ravena's grade 3 ankle injury that kept him sidelined for the half of the first season. However, after a miserable 0-3 start in which the Blue Eagles suffered various meltdowns as well as heartbreaking comebacks, the team ended on a high note after winning 3 of their 4 games, just in time when Ravena returned and Coach Bo Perasol was able to polish the offense.

Significant Performance? The Blue Eagles' win against the UST Growling Tigers, their last game of the first round, showed the team (mostly) in championship form. Notwithstanding the missed free throws during the end of the game, the Blue Eagles averted a huge comeback attempt from the Growling Tigers and sealed the game with big defensive stops.

Spotlight: First year Blue Eagle Chris Newsome (13.7ppg, 8.3rpg, 2.9apg, 0.6spg, 0.4bpg) seems to be the Blue Eagles' Mr. Do-It-All on the first round, leading the team in the Blue Eagles' offensive charge (two big jams aren't enough proof for you?). When he starts attacking from the inside, alongside Ravena and Ryan Buenafe, it frees up the perimeter, allowing off-ball shooters like Juami Tiongson and Von Pessumal to find their place and hit sweet triples. And with Ravena at 100% by the beginning of the second round (which boosts the team's performance in general), expect Newsome to completely take over the team's interior offense.

Adamson Soaring Falcons (3-4)

APS: 69.14ppg
APA: 69.43ppg
AWM: -0.29

The Falcons So Far: On paper, the Adamson Falcons are a solid team, with most of Coach Leo Austria's boys stepping up their game. Ingrid Sewa indeed is a big addition, but due to his shoulder injury, we have seen very little of what he can actually do in the court. Furthermore, they have surprising individual performances from their backups, like Ar-Raouf Julkipli, Gian Abrigo, Harry Petilos, and rookie Axel Inigo. But what brought them under .500? End-game executions. Save for their game against NU, it seems that the Falcons falter during the last two minutes. And with the FIBA break coming, they better polish their last minute plays and learn to thrive while Sewa is on recovery mode.

Significant Performance? The Falcons played a rare clutch game against the NU Bulldogs, as they escaped with a big win. Down by one in the final three minutes, the Falcons initiated a huge 8-2 run, en route to a very close, 68-66 win. This game has shown what the team can do even without Ingrid Sewa, and if everyone is in rhythm, then they could find themselves once again back in the Final Four after their one-year hiatus from the postseason.

Spotlight: Jericho Cruz (16.7ppg, 5.1rpg, 3.6apg, 1.0spg, 0.4bpg) is obviously the most important piece of the Soaring Falcons. Never mind the contested triples and sudden midrange shots that leave fans of the Falcons dumbfounded, for once he adjusts his game and shifts his focus on the inside, he's determined to break through even the tightest of zone defenses and barrage his way to a difficult lay up, floater, or hook. And so far, this has worked.

UP Fighting Maroons (0-7)

APS: 65.43ppg
APA: 76.71ppg
AWM: -11.28

The Fighting Maroons So Far: UP's last win came during Season 74, when Jett Manuel singlehandedly torched the Tams en route to a 76-63 victory. However, in the past two seasons, Coach Ricky Dandan's team still has not found the light, and even with major changes, including a transferring player, nothing seems to be working.

Significant Performance? The closest that the Maroons have ever gotten to a win was their match against the UE Red Warriors, when they nearly overcame an 11-point deficit, only to fail at executing a last-minute due to a turnover.

Spotlight: A bad shot by Joseph Marata (14.2ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.9apg, 0.9apg, 0.1bpg) would be better than anyone else's, especially on a crucial stretch. The DLSU transferee immediately became the Fighting Maroons' number one option, especially now that former sniper Jett Manuel takes a break from playing to study abroad. And in this seven-game stretch, we have seen flashes of brilliance, but more than that a lack of proper shot selection.

Gameday Sunday: 28 July 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

Far Eastern U 74, Adamson 71

The Tamaraws and the Falcons traded leads in the first three quarters, but it was the former who had the upper hand during the final buzzer, as the latter broke down the last five minutes in the quarters, thanks to the pesky defense and the scoring sprees of the "MRT."

Spotlight: Isn't it obvious that this is Terrence Romeo's team now? The top MVP candidate (as per HumbleBola's evaluation) had a big, though not necessarily his best, outing in this match, but he showed that he's just not a chuck-and-choke guard. Just when the Falcons were making a big comeback (surprisingly) thanks to Ar-Raouf Julkipl helping out Jericho Cruz, Romeo hit a cold-blooded three pointer, and the Tamaraws never looked back, en route to a sweep of the first round, sitting comfortably on top of the standings. Romeo chipped in 26 points on 10-of-23 shooting.

FEU 74 - Romeo 26, Pogoy 9, Garcia 9, Belo 9, Tolomia 8, Hargrove 4, Mendoza 3, Sentcheu 2, Jose 2, Cruz 2, Inigo 0

AdU 71 - Cruz 21, Sewa 13, Brondial 13, Trollano 5, Julkipli 5, Agustin 4, Abrigo 4, Petilos 3, Cabrera 3, Rios 0, Monteclaro 0, Inigo 0

Quarter scores: 20-13, 36-37, 54-56, 74-71

National U 63, De La Salle 56

Everyone thought that the Green Archers are coming back after nearly sinking into oblivion during the third quarter, when they trimmed a 15-point deficit to one. But then, top dog Bobby Ray Parks unleashed two straight triples to keep the Bulldogs afloat, leaving the Green Archers a notch below .500 as the Bulldogs ended the first round with a win that snapped their two-game losing streak.

Spotlight: Free throw shooting might have improved for Jeron Teng, but he played limited minutes due to foul trouble, and one could easily say that this was his worst game so far in the season. The Seaso 75 Rookie of the Year only had 9 measly points on the floor, hitting 2 of his (just!) 4 free throws in the game. However, praise has to be given by the much improved Arnold Van Opstal, whose excellent footwork had the Bulldogs' big men confused until he was double teamed and forced to turn the ball over multipled instances. Had the Green Archers won, it would be easy to say that this was AVO's biggest game so far, hauling in 14 points, 7 boards, and 3 swats on the floor.

NU 63 - Parks 20, Mbe 12, Villamor 10, Alolino 9, Neypes 6, Rosario 23, Alejandro 2, Rono 0, Perez 0, Khobuntin 0, Javillonar 0, Javelona 0

DLSU 56 - Van Opstal 14, Vosotros 11, Teng 9, T. Torres 7, Perkins 6, Salem 5, N. Torres 2, Revilla 2, Tampus 0, Dela Paz 0

Quarter scores: 20-9, 33-25, 43-42, 63-56

Credits to GMANews Online for the box scores, and Rappler and Yahoo! Sports for the photos.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST (Round 1)

Ateneo 61, Sto. Tomas 57

-The Blue Eagles' offense seemed to be a two-headed hydra in their final game in the first round of the eliminations. On one hand, they have brought out all their weapons on the first half, pouncing quickly on the Growling Tigers and taking advantage of their shaky start. However, things seem to have fallen apart during the final minutes of the game, when they allowed the Tigers to bounce back. Fortunately, key baskets by Ryan Buenafe, Chris Newsome, and Kiefer Ravena put the game at a considerable distance during the final minutes, enough to bring them to the Blue Eagles' third win for this season, ending the first round on a strong note.

-It really is not a good time for Ryan Buenafe to have an awful shooting night, but it did not stop him from having a good game by delivering late in the game and at the same time providing opportunities for his teammates to finish strong. He scored just 9 points, but provided the big plays late in the game to keep Ateneo afloat, including that huge triple and an easy layup from the backdoor with barely a few minutes left in the game. With Kiefer Ravena almost fully functional now, one can see how dangerous it will be for Buenafe to lead the team alongside Ravena and Newsome. All of them are active playmakers, shot-creators, and reliable clutch scorers, and when the going gets tough, this unholy trifecta can frustrate last-minute defensive plans and comeback attempts by opponents, as seen in this game.

-Another Newsome dunk with Karim Abdul trying to block it made this game a lot, lot better.


-It's quite surprising that the Blue Eagles have missed their free throws in the final minutes, making just about less than half of their charities in the final minutes. Had Ravena, Newsome, Frank Golla, and Nico Elorde were perfect from the line during the final stretch, then the heart attack situation could have been avoided. Fortunately, Kevin Ferrer and Ed Daquioag missed their game-tying threes, thus preventing an extra period for the game. The Blue Eagles should remember that as a team that scores with attacks and backdoor plays from the inside, making free throws is a must.

-This game not only marks the first time that the Blue Eagles actually have a winning streak, but also shows that it is possible for the Blue Eagles to manage the lead and take advantage of situations when the opponent is caught offhanded. The team jumped to a 15-point lead early, but the Growling Tigers were quick to respond and eventually trimmed the lead down in the final minutes; however, the Blue Eagles' offense has always been quick to respond, averting big runs and eventually the possibilities of UST to make a comeback. Another thing to notice here is that the Blue Eagles' team defense has been effective against Karim Abdul, who only scored six points in the game; however, what needs to be improved (especially in playing all other teams that have really tall African imports) is when to switch just in time to contest triples.

-Even with the absence of Jeric Teng (out with a shoulder injury), the Growling Tigers lived up to their name as comeback kids, and remain to be one of the most dangerous teams in the UAAP. Aljon Mariano clearly isn't in his 100% (having sprained the ankle that was previously fractured), but his 16 markers came from big baskets that prevented UST from being left behind. Clark Bautista established his reputation as an off-ball player from behind the arc, as he drained one after the other to keep the game close. But among them, it was Ed Daquioag and Kevin Ferrer who stepped up as the role players. While the former surprised the Blue Eagles with quick baskets of his own, the latter has been an all-around player for this game, taking responsibility for grabbing the boards, creating shot opportunities for himself and his teammates, and even shooting when demanded of him. However, it's too bad that these two failed to make the right plays at the right time. But rest assured, the game between the Blue Eagles and the Growling Tigers are going to be much more exciting once both reached their highest points and at 100 percent.

The Scores:

Ateneo 61 - Ravena 13, Newsome 10, Buenafe 9, Tiongson 9, Golla 8, Capacio 4, Pessumal 3, Tolentino 2, Erram 2, Elorde 1

UST 57 - Mariano 16, Daquioag 12, Bautista 11, Ferrer 9, Abdul 6, Lo 3, So 0, Pe 0, Hainga 0

Quarterscores: 19-6, 27-21, 47-39, 61-57

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP (Round 1)

Ateneo 72, State U 64

-The final score of this game does not tell anything at all, except that the Blue Eagles are on their way towards salvaging their first round. It does not tell how the team has mounted another third quarter storm against the Fighting Maroons, extending the lead to as far as 19 points, thanks to the efforts of Kiefer Ravena and Ryan Buenafe. It does not tell how, when the head coach Bo Perasol decided to call it quits in the early fourth quarter, it was then that the offense of the Maroons, which involves putting former Green Archer Joseph Marata as the first option with nothing else after, maybe involving rookie Kyles Lao, clicked and brought the lead down to eight. But also it did not tell how a Katipunan chess match became exciting at the beginning and at the end (never mind the in between), with both teams playing almost the same offensive styles, only that the defense tipped in favor of the Blue Eagles.

-However, as with all the wins against UP in the last few years or so, this first round game should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, the Blue Eagles played perfectly well, with Ravena leading the way alongside Buenafe and Newsome; however, this team does not feature any import at the frontcourt, leaving Chris Ball and Raul Soyud to take care of the paint, therefore making it easier to score from inside as compared to the past four games (NU with Emmanuel Mbe, FEU with Anthony Hargrove, DLSU with Arnold Van Opstal and Jason Perkins, and UE with Charles Mammie). It's a good thing that the Blue Eagles secured the win by taking advantage of its absence, by trying to score from the inside at first in order to leave the wings and the perimeter open. Moreover, they did pretty well on defense, as they were able to control the interior, forcing the Fighting Maroons to take the game outside, while forcing turnovers frequently during entry passes and kickouts. And given the still miserable record that the Blue Eagles have after six games, then count this one as a good effort.

-Looking at the development of the team after six games, it would be proper to say that the team's overall chemistry is at about 70%, considering that Kiefer Ravena has just returned and is at about 70%. Ravena's presence indeed is a boost for the Blue Eagles, but with controlled minutes, Coach Bo Perasol has to shuffle the rotation either with Von Pessumal or Gwynne Capacio (or, at times, going for a double-PG combo with Juami Tiongson as number 2 and Nico Elorde to play the point). But despite this, the result showed signs of almost-superb teamplay: the Ravena-Buenafe-Newsome trifecta scored 41 of their 72 total points, with Tiongson (as the plus-one) adding 9. The bench garnered 16 points, while 14 of the 16 Blue Eagles entered the game. Perhaps the biggest improvement that will happen here in a while is when Ravena will be at full force, and it would be soon before it happens, given that he has another six days to rest before their final first round match against the UST Growling Tigers.

-One significant performance off the bench, which perhaps a few would notice is how reserve Vince Tolentino plays defense. It seems that this 6'3" sophomore from Vancouver, Canada is more used to play the three position, and that taking the position of four or five in a zone set seems to be a tall order for him. However, against UP, his shifting movements in and out of the paint, insofar as defense is concerned, and was able to protect his areas quite well. Watch out, because if this guy is relegated to a three position during defense (come the time when the Blue Eagles will have legitimate big men (such as this) who can compete with the other UAAP teams'), he will be very reliable (well, maybe improving his speed and footwork a bit more would help).

-Chris Newsome. Alley oop. 'Nuff said.


Yes, the Sixth Man enjoyed big dunks here and there by Greg Slaughter during the past two seasons, but what made Newsome special is that in his first six games, he has displayed his superb athleticism (take note as well that he almost had a poster delivered at Bobby Ray Parks' doorstep during the Blue Eagles' game against the Bulldogs). With what he can do, expect him to do this in the games to come:


-It's not surprising that the Fighting Maroons' Joseph Marata did not actually adjust his game upon his transfer to UP from DLSU. He still identifies and establishes himself as a shooter, but what he gives, he also takes away. It is evident that he led a comeback attempt by a barrage of threes, but the way he has become trigger happy (together with his lack of defensive skills) also served as the cause as to why they never led for the entire game except for just once and only within a few seconds. For the whole game, Coach Ricky Dandan gambled on an Oklahoma City Thunder-style offense--a bad shot by Marata (or Ligad for some stretches) would be better than a good shot by anyone else (okay, maybe Chris Ball is an exemption); however, wouldn't it be better to place Lao as the first option because of his ability get past defenders for easy layups and designate Marata as a kick-out player? After all, Lao is a rising star in the making for the team, and it would be beneficial if Coach Dandan provides him the opportunity to at least lead the team on offense.

The Scores:

Ateneo 72 - Ravena 15, Buenafe 13, Newsome 13, Tiongson 9, Golla 6, Pessumal 4, Erram 4, Elorde 4, Tolentino 2, Capacio 2, Lim 0, Murphy 0, Asistio 0

State U 64 - Marata 22, Ligad 10, Ball 10, Soyud 8, Lao 7, Desiderio 3, Wong 2, Asilum 2, Suarez 0, Pascual 0, Gingerich 0, Gallarza 0, Amar 0

Quarter scores: 19-17, 38-30, 57-40, 72-64

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo, the respective owners of the YouTube videos, and GMA Online Sports for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. AdU (Round 1)

Ateneo 71, Adamson 59

-So far in this season, this is the only time wherein, save for the opening canto, everything went well for the new(ly shaven heads of the) Blue Eagles. Despite barely having Kiefer Ravena (who only went in for less than 15 minutes and scored only 4 points), the offense clicked and went smoothly as planned, with everyone finding their spots from the outside and yet managing to bring the ball inside for impressive baskets. The defense has significantly improved, as the Ateneo frontline held up their fort and was able to deny the baskets that mattered for Adamson. If at all, this seems to be a sign for the team being able to indeed play as a team, which resulted in their first and only win after four games.

-Four Blue Eagles scored in double figures, all with notable and significant performances. Juami Tiongson finally completed the Blue Eagles trifecta by scoring from beyond the arc and producing easy fastbreak points. JP Erram showed everybody that his ACL is a thing of the past, as his 10-point barrage in the third quarter kept the Blue Eagles afloat. Chris Newsome has been, well, awesome, in creating scoring opportunities for everyone. And of course, the King Eagle himself Ryan Buenafe has shown that he is an all-around player with a near triple double (11 markers, 12 boards, 9 dishes), which perhaps made things lighter (pun intended) for him when everyone just got it going. Such instance tells a very obvious fact that has been there since the Fil-Oil Preseason Tournament, namely that when the Blue Eagle go berserk on offense, coupled with impressive defensive stretches that even the tallest import could not get his hands on, expect scoring runs to happen more often, and with the way the team finishes this game with a 12-point lead testifies to that. And if this is going to happen for the last ten games of eliminations, expect the Blue Eagles to be back in contention for their sixth straight championship (although this would be too early to conclude).

-Gang rebound, gang rebound, gang rebound. This has been reiterated in the previous three games, and it should have worked against DLSU except that the bigs were in foul trouble and that the team's overall energy dissipated, and this is the only way for the Blue Eagles to go, because of the fact that they have no bigs to counter those of the other UAAP teams. It is interesting to see that the three biggest players on the court gang up on the paint, while the other two wait ten to fifteen feet outside the basket for shots that might go too strong, and it has worked wonders for this game. Buenafe, Newsom, Erram, and Golla got their respective turns to scoop up the ball, while the guards were simply on the watch if ever the ball finds its way outside the paint. And the result? A huge rebounding advantage over the league's best rebounding team, and an 11-0 advantage on fastbreak points.

-Coach Bo Perasol observed that the reason for leads to get dissipated is because the team lacked energy during the latter stages of the game, when it seems that everyone's gas have run out. And responding to that, he made a quick fix: he expanded the rotation. In this game, he fielded 12 players that came in and out every three to four minutes or so, to give them quick breaks and allow time to recover before going in and playing Ateneo's own brand of a running game. With Tiongson and Nico Elorde starting, reserve Ice Lim got a few minutes, and even managed to get a jumper in, while Kiefer Ravena, not yet in perfect form, forced the Adamson defense to collapse on him if ever he gets into a good position to score. Vince Tolentino and Ivan Enriquez also had their fair share of minutes in which they contributed. This let Newsome, Buenafe, and Tiongson to rest and save their energy for the most important moments of the game.

-The horrible dreams that the Blue Eagles had in their last three third quarter nightmares were quickly dissipated when, holding a 4-point lead, they entered the second half. Just when the Falcons are threatening to grab that lead triple after triple, the Blue Eagles had responses of their own. By the end of the third canto, keeping up was just too much for the Falcons, as Erram unloaded tons of inside stabs (a couple off a Von Pessumal assist) to further stretch the lead, not to mention the individual contributions of Newsome and Buenafe in this run. Watch out, for the third quarter might just be once again a turning point for the rest of the games.

-Roider Cabrera and Rodney Brondial's game made them easy favorites and go-to guys for the Falcons. The former indeed has all it takes to be the team, and perhaps the league's, top snipers, being able to hit big threes ever since his first game in the league. The latter, meanwhile, does not only provide the Falcons with points in the paint, but more than that, knows how to slide in and out of the point and score quick stabs. However, like the rest of the Falcons (including their "rising star" Axel Inigo) needs to play more as a team and cease relying on individual efforts and too much isolation plays. If the Falcons are going to be a championship contender, then they have to realize that the offense lies beyond Brondial, Cabrera, and Jericho Cruz.

The Scores:

Ateneo 71 - Tiongson 15, Erram 12, Buenafe 11, Newsome 10, Golla 6, Ravena 4, Capacio 4, Pessumal 3, Tolentino 2, Lim 2, Elorde 2, Enriquez 1

Adamson U, 59 - Cruz 21, Cabrera 14, Brondial 8, Sewa 4, Inigo 3, Agustin 3, Rios 2, Monteclaro 2, Abrigo 2, Trollano 0, Petilos 0, Julkipli 0


Quarter scores: 13-16, 32-28, 57-47, 71-59

Credits to the UAAP Season 76 Facebook page for the pic and GMA Online News for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU (Round 1)

Ateneo 73, De La Salle 82

-The prevailing plotline which lasted for three games and finally driven to the extreme is that what was once hailed as the "third quarter storm" of the Blue Eagles turned into a nightmare in Coach Bo Perasol and a roster that does not have its ace player. In the middle of the third quarter, the Blue Eagles held a 14-point lead against their archrivals, but an adjustment made by DLSU head coach Juno Sauler transformed that into a 3-point deficit heading into the fourth. After that, the Archers never looked back, pinning down any chances of an Ateneo comeback when Luigi de la Paz hit a corner three that gave the first round match to them. If this becomes a trend in the next four games of the Blue Eagles, then it would be hard to at least muster a win in this first round.

-We can see how first year Blue Eagle Chris Newsome can carry the whole Blue Eagles team on the offensive end, as we have seen him make the most ridiculous shots, cuts, slashes, and pops that no Blue Eagle of the past few seasons have ever done. Newsome's presence on the court already is a threat to any opponent, and had it been possible for him to create his shots without the danger of fouling out, it could have been Ateneo's game to take.

-Unfortunately, this game showed how much the Blue Eagles needed a consistent big man who can go wwith the towers of seven other UAAP teams. When everyone has thought that they have found it in JP Erram following the departure of Greg Slaughter, they have seen an offensive powerhouse on his way to recovery, until he fouled out near the end of the third quarter, leaving the Blue Eagles under the undersized bigs Vince Tolentino and Giboy Babilonia who both had difficulty taking care of both ends of the floor. The Green Archers abused this situation and allowed their bigs to score and maul them from the inside, which clearly explains why Arnold Van Opstal, who once was a negligible player when the Blue Eagles play DLSU, came up big. And we see that because the inside D broke down, the fort that was the perimeter has been left open for Almond Vosotros, Thomas Torres, and de la Paz to maximize.

-Hopefully, this will be the only bad game that the Blue Eagles will get from Ryan Buenafe. Sure, the whole La Salle D clamped up on him, which paved the way for Newsome to take over. However, we have known Ryan Buenafe as a nifty passer and a shot creator who can destroy planned defensive schemes and grant easy offense, and he seems to not have shown this in the second half. In the danger of fouling out, Buenafe instead settled for quick jumpers and ill-advised triples, which led to easy transition points for the Green Archers. If at all, what is necessary for Buenafe, especially now that Kiefer Ravena has still not recovered, is to accept his role once again as "that" dangerous first option.

-Coach Perasol, during the postgame interview, spoke of his disbelief over adjustment and instead blames the lack of the collective energy that the team has in explaining the loss. One could immediately conclude that he stands in stark contrast with the Blue Eagles' fivepeat coach, Norman Black, who believes in second half adjustments to turn fortunes around and put the game in his favor. Even if it were such, it would not make sense to immediately conclude that a sixth straight championship is out of reach due to the attitude of the coach towards the game. There could be other factors that come along with it, given that Coach Perasol inherited a roster that just underwent a major overhaul. It would be wise perhaps to suspend such judgment until the end of this "adjustment season."

-Could the Blue Eagles have won with Kiefer Ravena playing? As of the moment, it would be difficult to speculate how the team's efforts in the UAAP would get affected once Ravena, assuming that he is at 100%, checks in as an active player. However, the 16-point lead that the Blue Eagles have during the third quarter, and this time in reference to their Fil-Oil win against the Green Archers more than a month ago, would be very telling. It would be futile to consider what could have happened, but the difference that Ravena makes on the court would assure the Sixth Men that the second round matchup would be very different.

The Scores:

Ateneo 73 - Newsome 27, Tiongson 14, Buenafe 11, Pessumal 10, Erram 6, Elorde 3, Golla 2, Tolentino 0, Capacio 0, Babilonia 0

De La Salle 82: Vosotros 19, Van Opstal 18, Teng 13, Dela Paz 10, Perkins 9, T Torres 8, N Torres 5, Reyes 0, Montalbo 0, Bolick 0


Quarter Scores: 20-14, 40-28, 56-59, 73-82

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the image and GMA Network Sports for the box.

The Departure: Dwight Howard

By this time, at least the whole NBA universe has already known that Dwight Howard will be leaving the Lakers and signing with the Houston Rockets, ending a very long series of meetings and talks regarding the future not only of the superstar, but also of the team that he used to belong to, considered as one of the biggest and greatest NBA franchises. Reasons and speculations regarding the eventual decision and the circumstances that led to it have been brought forth and circulated across the web, citing the pressure that the big city brings to the big man, the "unappreciative" fans, Coach Mike D'Antoni, and the difficulty playing alongside Kobe Bryant, as crucial conditions that led to this decision.

At this point, one can only say that everything has already been done. Houston now prepares for D12's arrival and explores the possibility of getting someone beyond him, James Harden, and Chandler Parsons. The Lakers, on the other hand, claim that they have Plan B set in motion, as the current roster that they have, considering the loss not only of Howard, but also of Earl Clark (who went to the Cleveland Cavaliers), Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris, among others, will not be enough to even get them at the bottom four of the playoffs. Add to that the fact that Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are still on their way to full recovery. But before all these concerns come crashing through, perhaps one way of saying goodbye to Dwight Howard is to read and dissect his "letter" of gratitude to the Los Angeles Lakers players, management, and fans. And here it goes:

I’ve decided to become a member of the Houston Rockets.

So Howard finally decided on joining the Houston Rockets after flirting with his the Lakers, the Hawks, the Mavericks, and the Warriors, and the league should be happy about it. Actually, scrap that. It's more of a feeling of relief that finally, rumors and speculations that are NBA-related will now move away from D12. Suffice to say, everyone has been so irritated with this indecision, the second one which came after LeBron James' reveal last 2010, and it isn't worth anybody's time. Howard's performance and attitude towards the game last season has already been signs that this situation should not be overblown, and yet all have fallen to the "D12-does-not-grow-on-trees" argument. C'mon, if the Lakers have offered this guy an interesting pitch in Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, an additional 30 million dollars in your contract, and the possibility of becoming its next big thing, how can you refuse that? Right, pressure. No wonder, this guy ripped the team off and decline further possibility for playing with the Lakers.

This is not to say that this is a representation of the collective sourgraping that Lakers fans have. In fact, most of them do not realize that this is a good move for the Lakers (interesting read here), considering that the team is still two years in rebuilding (including several awful mistakes). The Purple and Gold does not deserve a star who cannot handle playing the pressure that it brings, and the money (and the cap space, unfortunately) that could have been spent on him deserves to be put on somebody who can handle the pressure and play alongside Kobe Bryant. Unfortunately, having D12 has its setbacks, including a season-long misery that the Lakers will go through, and thankfully the Lakers will have none of all these.

I feel its the best place for me and I am excited about joining the Rockets and I’m looking forward to a great season.

But to be fair, D12's decision is a good one, by way of elimination. Houston is a "small town," upper middle-market team that started rebuilding a year ago with the planned James harden trade and a role player on the rise in Chandler Parsons. The team landed the eighth spot in the playoffs, a notch below Howard's old team, and got a couple of wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and that means low expectations for a team that can go beyond what has been foreseen. The Rockets have a flexible coach in Celtic legend Kevin McHale, who knows how to make good use of big men (unlike the Lakers' Mike D'Antoni, who only had Amar'e Stoudemire, Channing Frye, and Boris Diaw to be proud of... and probably Pau Gasol who is going to slide into the center spot). In other words, the atmosphere of Houston isn't as close to that of Tinseltown, where every free throw missed and an opportunity for posting up one's opponents will be looked upon with scrutinizing eyes. If it is indeed true that Howard cannot play alongside Kobe Bryant as well as handle the pressure of being at it, then Houston is the perfect city, one that can give him "unconditional love."

And that is why he cannot go to the other teams that have been wooing him for the past few weeks. Dallas looks to have a huge overhaul this season in order to once again make it in the playoffs, after a disappointing 2012-13 season, and Mark Cuban as well as Dirk Nowitzki will have none of a big man that will play like a championship doesn't matter to him. The Hawks, despite losing Josh Smith, also promised that a rebuild will make it possible for them to be contenders once again in the Eastern Conference. And the Warriors? Oh boy, the Warriors need no explanation, for now they have seen what they can do as a team. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson led last year's playoff run, and no one's going to stop them now that they have realized what they can do.

Therefore, it makes sense for the clownish, seemingly happy-go-lucky Dwight Howard to find his place in Houston. But let this be a warning sign: the fact that they'll be seen as contenders would send a message to him, a big one actually: pressure is inevitable. If he thinks that a big franchise who has not won a championship in three years puts him in a situation that pressures him, wait until he sees a Texan crowd who has not won a championship in nearly twenty years and has finally gotten a legitimate star in the post-Yao era (which ended badly). He may find Rockets fans laughing with and about his ways, but he will not realize that in every game in regular season, he is going to be judged by his hard picks, dunks, and free throws (especially the last one). And before he can see it, the pressure that was once in Los Angeles will dawn upon him, one that even James Harden, intent on getting a ring before the Oklahoma City Thunder does, will willingly exert.

And if that does happen, where will Howard take his talents next?

I want to thank the fans in Los Angeles and wish them the best.

Yes, thank you as well Dwight Howard, for not embarking on a future that will be grim and gloomy, given your disposition towards winning championships (after all, you might have forgotten that this is the reason why you are valuable to all these five teams). Thank you for allowing the Lakers management to finally confirm for themselves the fact that they do not need a Dwight Howard that will be the anchor to the team's future, that it can go choose another one given that it will have a humongous cap space after this NBA season (uhm, calling the King this early might help. Probably.).

I'm sure that the Lakers will wish you the best. I mean, look at how Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol won two titles together.

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU (Round 1)

Ateneo 75, Far Eastern U 79 (OT)

-This is the second time that the Blue Eagles have shown how gutsy they can get when they badly needed the win, but this is also the second time that they did not get anything from Kiefer Ravena, who remained in the injury list since the second half of the Ateneo-NU game due to an ankle sprain (UPDATE: Apparently, Ravena sustained a Grade 3 sprained ankle, and will be out indefinitely, one month the most). Down by 11 points in the fourth quarter, Chris Newsome and Ryan Buenafe willed a huge comeback to force overtime, only to fall in the extra period, due to two crucial turnovers committed by Buenafe and Nico Elorde. It could have been possible, but the guard-oriented offense of FEU was too hot to handle, adding that to the fact that Anthony Hargrove was given so much space to convert second-chance opportunities.

-King Eagle Ryan Buenafe came out perhaps with the greatest elimination game of his college career so far, with a statline of 29 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, and one turnover. But then, all was naught as the Blue Eagles were still nipped in the extra period, unable to respond to long-range baskets that the Tamaraws threw at them one after another. Buenafe's productivity aside, what could have changed the game was Juami Tiongson's performance. With Ravena still out, he was expected to become the third member of the Blue Eagles' offensive trifecta (along with Buenafe and Newsome) and carry the scoring load especially from the outside. He scored a decent 7 points in the game, but if the Blue Eagles want a win, more is expected from him.

-As with the previous game, it was the third quarter that finally did it for the Blue Eagles. They entered the second half with a 2-point lead, but they finished with a quarter staring at a 9-point deficit, still puzzled as to how they can counter an FEU team that makes their triples inasmuch as the Blue Eagles miss their own. If there is anything that needs fixing in a Ravena-less Blue Eagles, it would be managing the rotation during the third canto.

-Humble Bola head honcho Nico Baguio has pointed out that the Blue Eagles have been running plays similar to the Hawk sets, made famous by former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, and with a team chuck full of jump shooters, this perhaps serves as the most appropriate offensive sets for the Blue Eagles. This is important specifically because, granted that Coach Bo Perasol intended the team to run these sets, then definitely the team is in good shape in terms of offensive execution, only that their shots aren't hitting, adding to the fact that second chance opportunites also resulted in misses. What is obvious, though, is that the Blue Eagles' defensive sets need to be adjusted. The perimeter has been defended well, as the team was able to force misses from Garcia, Romeo, and Tolomia; however, the Blue Eagles need to be more aware with what is going on in the paint, as the Tams greatly benefited from the lack of interior defense.

-Health concerns once again hounded the Blue Eagles in this game. Besides the fact that Kiefer Ravena has been perceived to be "out indefinitely" due to an ankle sprain, which kept him out of the Blue Eagles' lineup these past two games and is seen in this game wearing a leg boot, Giboy Babilonia suffered pain on his injured shoulder in the middle of the game, while JP Erram hobbled after a fall during the second half. On hindsight, it is a wise decision indeed for the team to pull out of the Fil-Oil Flying V Pre-Season Tournament, but it would not be of much value if what the Blue Eagles get in return is only Von Pessumal at 100%. The team already has a very thin frontcourt rotation, and without Babilonia, it would be very difficult to force other three-guys to elevate to four (Gwynne Capacio is an option, but not actually a legitimate one).

-Terrence Romeo still remained to be the main man of the Tamaraws in this game, and the Blue Eagles have prepared for what he could do. However, he was still able to hit the big shots that only put Ateneo further away from the chance of ending the game with a 1-1 record, especially the big triple at overtime. However, in their absence, Mike Tolomia has stepped up and filled the shoes of the shackled Romeo and Garcia. As a result, he found his way to 16 big points, scattered all over the floor. This not only asserted the guard-oriented offense that the Tamaraws run, but also shows the improvements that the Blue Eagles must do, especially now that even their defense thrives and focuses on the perimeter.

The Scores:

Ateneo 75 - Buenafe 29, Newsome 17, Elorde 9, Tiongson 7, Pessumal 6, Erram 4, Capacio 3, Murphy 0, Golla 0, Babilonia 0, Asistio 0

FEU 79 - Romeo 21, Tolomia 16, Garcia 13, Pogoy 8, Hargrove 8, Cruz 5, Mendoza 4, Jose 2, Belo 2, Sentcheu 0.

Quarter Scores: 18-14, 33-31, 44-53, 66-66, 75-79

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo and Spin.ph for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU (Round 1)

Ateneo 54, National U 64

-If the bunch of new faces, the coach included, are already matters to be concerned about as five-time champions, then having the Blue Eagles' star player and number one option out of opening day just made things way worse than before. It is true that during the Fil-Oil Preseason Tournament, the Blue Eagles seem to run like a well-oiled machine, coping with Coach Bo Perasol's system and keeping up despite the lack of a legitimate big man (especially now that six of the other seven teams made use of foreign players to take care of the paint). However, the UAAP is different, and with Kiefer Ravena out (but eventually played almost-useless minutes in the first half), the Blue Eagles were forced to make game-time adjustments. And faced against an experienced basketball team that hungrily wants desires revenge, Ateneo ended up relying on their gutsy effort to at least eke out a decent loss after having been left behind as early as the third quarter.

-One glaring fact is that Ateneo missed 52 of their 72 shots in the game, most of them from the outside, not just a clear effect of Ravena's absence, but the dismal shooting effort of the supposed snipers of the team (Tiongson, Pessumal, et al., not to mention that rookies Anton Asistio and Earl Murphy have not played). The team has missed a lot of open three-point shots that, had they made three or four more, could have made this a close game. Except a few mishaps in the paint as well as the failure to give up offensive boards, one could point that the Blue Eagles have played relatively good defense, as they were able to contain NU's perimeter shooters (but unfortunately at the expense of having Jean Mbe torch the team from the inside and Denice Villamor getting good looks from beyond the arc) and gave Rayray Parks a hard time driving down the lane. However, it could have been better had the offense been present.

-During the first quarter, the Blue Eagles just trailed the Bulldogs by 2 points, and by halftime, it blew to 12. Everyone was expecting the famous "third quarter storm" to happen, but unfortunately, it turned to a nightmare as the team experienced everything going really bad: they were missing shots, turned the ball over, and gave space for NU's offense to operate.The lead then went as big as 16 in the third, and even got to 24 in the fourth. It's quite unfortunate that Nico Elorde and Juami Tiongson found their touch beyond the arc at an inopportune time, just when the Bulldogs would almost seal the win. Hopefully, adjustments on offense would come up, whether Ravena would be there or not. The middle quarters was Ateneo's fort to hold during the past two seasons, and it should remain to be despite these changes.

-No doubt, Chris Newsome and Ryan Buenafe were the keys to Ateneo's offense in this game. The former has already shown what he can do: shoot from the outside, sink those perimeter baskets, and own opponents during isolation sets (that dunk Rayray Parks, had it gotten in, could have been poster material); however, it seems that he has not gotten inside the basket too frequently during the second and third quarters, saving those dribble-drives unfortunately in the almost-garbage fourth quarter. Ryan Buenafe, on the other hand, resorted instead to chucking bad threes, perhaps finding it difficult to do his usual drive-and-dish stuff. However, it is clear that alongside Ravena, they will be the Blue Eagles' penetration players, with JP Erram and Frank Golla doing the screens and managing the post. While for the rest, hopefully they can create shots and make themselves available for short stabs and perimeter jumpers to add additional spark. After all, they were able to do it during the Fil-Oil tournament.

-If there's something that can be said about the NU Bulldogs in their first game, it's the fact that they looked to be a dominant bunch. Parks has been in his usual self, while Mbe already had the confidence to man the paint given that no one except Golla or Erram could contain him. The confidence in offense that both of these  directly contributed to the extra effort that their teammates have exerted, among them Villamor and Gelo Alolino. That precisely is the reason why they left Ateneo behind as early as third quarter, and with the Blue Eagles finding a way to a probable upset, Parks hit a three to silence the Sixth Men, which is perhaps a statement that the league will soon be their own.

-With the FEU Tamaraws waiting for the next game, the Blue Eagles have a day or two to do serious adjustments and let Ravena recover. A lot of glaring mishaps and rooms for improvement have already been brought out in the first game, and it would be interesting to see how Coach Perasol would respond to these.

The Scores:

NU 64 - Parks 22, Mbe 14, Villamor 13, Javillonar  5, Alolino 4, Rosario 2, Khobuntin 2, Alejandro 2, Rono 0, De Guzman 0

Ateneo 54 - Tiongson 13, Elorde 10, Buenafe 10, Newsome 9, Erram 4, Ravena 2, Pessumal 2, Golla 2, Capacio 2, Tolentino 0, Babilonia 0


Quarter scores: 15-10, 33-21, 48-32, 64-54

Credits to the Fil-Oil Flying V Facebook Page for the pic, GMA Sports for the box.