Showing posts with label Jericho Cruz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jericho Cruz. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
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.
Labels:
Adamson,
Ateneo,
Chris Newsome,
Ingrid Sewa,
Jericho Cruz,
Kiefer Ravena,
Rodney Brondial,
Ryan Buenafe,
Season 76,
UAAP
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
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.
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.
Labels:
Adamson,
Almond Vosotros,
Ateneo,
Chris Newsome,
DLSU,
FEU,
Jericho Cruz,
Joseph Marata,
Karim Abdul,
NU,
Ray Parks,
Roi Sumang,
Season 76,
Terrence Romeo,
UAAP,
UE,
UP,
UST
Monday, July 15, 2013
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.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
6 Points: AdMU vs. AdU (Round 2)
Ateneo 79, Adamson U 72
-Since 2008, the Blue Eagles have always won after a game in which they would lose, usually coming out big and showing that they are still the most dominant team in the UAAP. In Ateneo's twelfth game of the elimination, the Adamson Soaring Falcons seem to break the four-peat champions' record, using all means to separate themselves and consequently deal another second-round loss to the Blue Eagles. However, late baskets coming from the Blue Eagles in the closing minutes of the game enabled them to separate themselves from the feisty Falcons and secured their 10th win of the season and 11th straight Final Four appearance since 2002.
-The Soaring Falcons' early lead, which they sustained most of the game came mainly from Eric Camson who shot the ball like frenzy both from the inside and the outside. However, in the dying minutes of the game, it was Nico Salva's turn to hit those big shots that gave the Blue Eagles the lead until the final buzzer. After struggling for much of the second round, Salva shot his way to 24 big points, with most coming from the long-two area where he is at home. If the former SBC Red Cub, now in his last year as a Blue Eagle, continues this splendid performance on both ends until the Final Four, he might just grab his second Finals MVP plum.
-Nico Elorde finally emerged out of the shadows of beneficial intangibles and made himself visible in the stat sheet. Elorde, who snapped his arrows for a pair of wings, became the fourth Blue Eagle to score in double digits off a few short stabs and long jumpers, proving to be an effective replacement to Juami Tiongson, who at that time was struggling on the defensive end which greatly affected his offense. With Elorde around, it seems that the future of the Blue and White at the one spot would be safe, as his toughness and ability to get past defenders (which brings him close to being an Emman Monfort) would be the greatest asset of the Blue Eagles in the near future, insofar as the backcourt department is concerned.
-What everyone witnessed in this game is not so much about the skills and talents of the players involved, but more importantly, the coaching war that occurred. Adamson's Coach Leo Austria knows Coach Norman Black and his Ateneo team very well, and he has every weapon for everything that the Blue and White throws at him. He came up with a quick lineup to provide double, triple teams to Slaughter in the low post, devised a way of clogging up the lanes which lessened the chances of Kiefer Ravena and Ryan Buenafe to drive in the lane, and when it's the Blue Eagles' turn to clog Adamson's lanes, he brought out the snipers and hit big threes to keep themselves afloat. However, the closing minutes of the game belonged to Coach Norman Black, as he tightened the clamps on defense, put more pressure on the red-hot Camson while letting guards run past picks and keep their men intact, and let his own players create their own offense.
-Eric Camson definitely had the license to shoot, finishing with 26 points thanks to six big triples that kept the Soaring Falcons afloat most of the game. However, his struggles to get past the defense of the Blue Eagles just to score cost him in the final minutes, as fatigue crept up on him and hindered him from scoring big in the final stretch. Worse, other Falcons who were supposed to play second fiddle to him and back him up were seemingly missing. Roider Cabrera hit his threes early, but he cannot find his own position in the final minutes of the game. Rookie Jericho Cruz seemingly lost his ability to finish inside the basket, and Jansen Rios and Ryan Monteclaro failed to put the clamps down on Ravena as soon as he was barraging his way inside for quick layups.
-This win earned the Blue Eagles their Final Four spot for this season, their 11th straight since winning the championship in 2002, the most recent Ateneo championship before the historic 4-peat. They will be facing the streaking National U Bulldogs next. However, they will have to face their remaining UAAP games without the services of their backup center JP Erram, who tore his ACL after going for a rebound late in the third quarter. Erram will be out for the rest of the season for therapy, leaving Justin Chua and Frank Golla to man the four and five spots for the reserve unit.
The Scores:
Ateneo 79 – Salva 24, Slaughter 16, Ravena 15, Elorde 10, Chua 6, Tiongson 3, Buenafe 3, Sumalinog 1, Erram 1, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0
Adamson 72 – Camson 26, Cruz 14, Cabrera 10, Brondial 8, Monteclaro 8, Rios 4, Etrone 2, Trollano 0, Petilos 0, Agustin 0
Quarter scoring: 21-25, 38-38, 55-59, 79-72
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