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.
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