6 Points: AdMU vs. UP (Round 2)

Ateneo 67, State U 59

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

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.

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.