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.
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