6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU (Round 2)

Ateneo 92, Far Eastern U 73

Where Art Thou, Romeo's Team? What happened with FEU last Wednesday at the MoA Arena? All praises have been given to Terrence Romeo and Mike Tolomia after a gutsy overtime win against the UE Red Warriors three days prior to their bout with the Blue Eagles, in the absence of veteran guard R.R. Garcia. With their renewed confidence, everyone thought that they could topple down the streaking Blue Ealges... until this happened. Compared to the previous game, there are aspects of the game that changed and remained the same. Yes, Romeo again led the Tamaraws and he sticks to his chucking ways; however, it seems that the match against UE took them out of this game due to fatigue (or at least according to Coach Nash Racela). From a winning 94.3 offensive rating against UE (who merely had 90.5) in 58 minutes of action, the mighty Tamaraws fell to a mere 83.3 rating, as opposed to the Blue Eagles' 93.6, and it could've been worse if a college basketball game lasted only for 30 minutes, when the third quarter ended with Ateneo holding a 28-point lead, which stretched further to 32. Obviously, this has been the Tamaraws' worst game in Season 76, and unfortunate for them, it was Ateneo's best.

Keeping The Firepower. Lots of records have been posted today by the Blue Eagles insofar as the season is concerned. This is their highest scoring output so far, with a whopping 51 points already in the first half, yet another season high, bearing the largest scoring margin ever after the half-time buzzer (at 23). And looking back at the past three games of the Blue Eagles, it seems that the FIBA Asia break did a lot of miracles to them. By the end of the first round, the Blue Eagles only scored an average of 67.7ppg while allowing 68.1ppg, with an average winning margin of -0.43 points. However, in the past three games, all of these numbers have improved as they already have 79.3ppg scored and 66.0ppg allowed, resulting in a huge improvement at the winning margin with +13.3. How they did it, though, was fairly simple: bring back the defense that the Blue Eagles are known for while capitalizing on running the break.

Tiongson Fire. Talk about Juami Tiongson being extra-efficient today brings us back to his Blue Eaglet days, when he used to be a spot-up guard who magically finds space to take and make shots. "Magic" contributed 20 points on this game, hitting 7 of 10 shots, 3 out of those from the arc. Those who watch the Blue Eagles for the fast few seasons could perhaps have seen Tiongson develop his game, from being a mere three point specialist slated to replace former Blue Eagle point guard Jai Reyes, to a playmaker replacing Emman Monfort, and now to a reliable scorer once again who knows all too well about off-ball movement. Playing his best offensive game, what comes out as his most useful weapon so far (which we have not seen this season) is his ability to box out for second chance opportunities and his way of sneaking in and finding that teardrop or floater in the middle. Standing perhaps as a close third/fourth option after Kiefer Ravena, Chris Newsome, and Ryan Buenafe, the team is going to need his hot hands to stretch defenses.

Energy Spurts. Eighteen of the team's 92 points came off the energy players off the bench: Vince Tolentino, Von Pessumal, and Gwynne Capacio. Tolentino has been gaining reputation as a player of extra-efficiency, scoring a decent number of points given his limited minutes of play, and in this game, he has shown why he deserves to be such. His asset remains to be his ability to slide in and out of the paint, allowing him to sneak in to either receive passes (or steal them, if he's defending) and grab rebounds out of nowhere. Now, if he can only toughen more in order to box out, he might just replace Frank Golla come out of the bench to relieve Newsome or Buenafe from frontcourt duties and let them play their natural guard/forward game.

The MRT Needs Renovation. This is what Tolomia, Garcia, and Romeo's output this game:

• 39 points on 13 of 45 shooting (28.9% FG), 5 of 23 from beyond the arc (21.7% 3FG), 7 of 12 from charity stripe (58.3%)
• 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 5 fouls

These numbers are pretty dismal, especially that it was actually Terrence Romeo who brought the percentages down (7 of 24 total field goals, 2 of 11 from three, not to mention that most of these have been made during garbage time). This brings out even more the obvious fact that FEU, in every game, has been taking risks that seem to be uncalculated, but approved and warranted by Coach Nash Racela. But if that is the case, then it will always be a thing of letting Romeo either give or take away. But then, does Coach Nash have a choice? Can he actually run the offense through, say, RR Garcia (once again) or Mike Tolomia? Or is it a question of the incapability of other players like Roger Pogoy and Mac Belo to keep up with these three and assert themselves as legitimate options? Unless these questions are answered, then the Tamaraws will find themselves labeled as the team who peaked too soon this season, and is set to experience a huge downfall come the Final Four.

Whose Streak Will End? The Blue Eagles' next game will be their second round encounter with their rivals the DLSU Green Archers, and I think this is where they will be truly tested. The greenies' big men are more reliable than UP's, Adamson's*, or FEU's, in Norbert Torres, Jason Perkins, and Arnold Van Opstal. In fact, one could claim that this is DLSU's strong point, considering that other teams opt to have towering African imports while some (like Ateneo) have none. This makes the match really difficult; however, it seems that everything would depend on the way Kiefer Ravena, who was absent during the first round match, will play.

The Scores:

Ateneo 92 - Tiongson 20, Ravena 18, Newsome 11, Tolentino 9, Golla 9, Buenafe 9, Pessumal 5, Elorde 5, Capacio 4, Erram 2, Murphy 0, Asuncion 0, Asistio 0

FEU 73 - Romeo 19, Garcia 11, Tolomia 9, Pogoy 9, Hargrove 6, Belo 6, Jose 5, Inigo 3, Cruz 3, Lee Yu 2, Sentcheu 0, Mendoza 0, Luz 0, Dennison 0, Delfinado 0, Aguilon 0


Quarter scores: 26-11, 51-28, 73-45, 92-73

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the pic, HumbleBola for the stats, and GMA Network Online for the box.

Gameday Sunday: 18 August 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

National U 80, Adamson 48

Wow. Just wow.This was a serious attack there brought by the Bulldogs, just a few days after they delivered the FEU Tamaraws' first loss. And by handing the Soaring Falcons' second straight loss which pummeled them further down the seventh spot, it seems that the promise to be contenders, despite having a reliable big man in Ingrid Sewa, will just remain to be a promise. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are proving that they deserve to have that number one spot that the Tams stole from them way back in Round 1

Spotlight: A year ago, it was rumored that Emmanuel Mbe opted out of the team in order to search for a French league where he can play and hone his skills. Fortunately for NU, it was either a rumor or a case of not having been discovered, as Mbe is back in his (questionably) fourth year as a Bulldog. And in the battle of the imports this afternoon, it was the older and more experienced one who prevailed, as Mbe tallied 21 points and 10 boards for this game.

NU 80 - Mbe 21, Parks 16, Roño 8, Porter 6, Javillonar 6, Alolino 6, Rosario 5, Khobuntin 4,  Neypes 3, Javelona 3, Villamor 2, Perez 0, Labing-isa 0, De Guzman 0, Alejandro 0

AdU 48 - Cabrera 12, Cruz 11, Sewa 8, Petilos 5, Brondial 5, Garcia 2, Agustin 2, Abrigo 2, Monteclaro 1, Trollano 0, Rios 0, Ochea 0, Julkipli 0, Inigo 0

Quarter scoring: 21-7, 37-25, 55-40, 80-48

De La Salle 75, FEU 66

First, the match against NU happened. Afterwards, this happened, and in between there was Terrence Romeo. After the first round, everyone was praising Nash Racela's fantastic dribble drive offense; however, this second round, it seems that everything is failing, not because the play isn't working, but more because the one who has been easily proclaimed as the first round MVP has been nothing but awful.

Spotlight: The biggest addition that DLSU has been so far this season is not a stronger and "improved" Jeron Teng, who has remained subpar with his free throw shooting. In fact, it's Jason Perkins, who provided a boost for the Green Archers especially in the huge 2nd quarter run that gave them a safe lead entering the second half.

DLSU 75 - Perkins 18, Teng 16, Vosotros 13, Van Opstal 9, Salem 6, Montalbo 5, Torres 4, Tampus 4, Revilla 0, Bolick 0

FEU 66 - Pogoy 16, Belo 16, Romeo 12, Tolomia 7, Garcia 6, Cruz 4, Inigo 0, Sentcheu 0, Mendoza 0, Lee Yu 0, Jose 0, Dennison 0, Delfinado 0, Aguilon 0

Quarter scoring: 23-14, 44-33, 60-50, 75-66

PBA

Barako Bull 90, Meralco 89

Admit it. You don't expect the Pocket Rocket, Emman Monfort, squeezing this win out, especially that Barako Bull has gone through a lot in the past few weeks (actually, I was talking about the blunder that is the Allein Maliksi trade). Well, for a team that Alaska coach Luigi Trillo hits at for the past few weeks, it is a pretty impressive performance out there.

Spotlight: 22 big points and 7 boards were delivered by Monfort for this team, including a go-ahead jumper that pretty much sealed the deal for the Energy Boosters. Now, who would think that this 5'7" guard would come out that big in a conference where giants dominate?

Barako Bull 90 - Singletary 28, Monfort 22, Seigle 12, Buenafe 7, Jensen 6, Pennisi 5, Intal 4, Marcelo 2, Macapagal 2, Cruz 2, Weinstein 0, Yap 0, Pena 0

Meralco 89 - West 33, Hugnatan 16, Salvacion 12, Wilson 9, Hodge 4, Guevarra 4, Ross 4, Allado 4, Vanlandingham 3, Mangahas 0

Quarter scoring: 22-21, 41-48, 66-67, 90-89

Petron 101, Ginebra 95

Finally, Coach Gee Abanilla has given some confidence back to the Petron Blaze Boosters after what happened last two conferences, including the "relegation" of Coach Olsen Racela to the San Mig Coffee Mixers alongside Coach Tim Cone. Wish the same could have been said for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, who still has to find some solid foundation in Ato Agustin.

Spotlight: It was former Blue Eagle and Powerade Tiger Doug Kramer who provided the win for Petron, as he finished the game with a double-double, 17 points and 10 rebounds. He once saved the Blue Eagles from falling behind Coach Pido Jarencio's UST Growling Tigers, supported Gary David, JVee Casio, and Marcio Lassiter in their finals bid under Coach Bo Perasol, and now he has provided key plays late in the game to seal the deal for the Blaze Boosters.

Petron 101 - Millsap 24, Lassiter 23, Cabagnot 18, Kramer 17, Santos 12, Tubid 5, Fajardo 2, Deutchman 0, Lutz 0, Lanete 0

Ginebra 95 - Lowhorn 29, Caguioa 15, Ellis 12, Tenorio 9, Aguilar 8, Wilson 7, Mamaril 6, Helterbrand 5, Baracael 4, Urbiztondo 0

Quarter scoring: 26-29, 45-52, 79-71, 101-95

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.

Yearend Report

Here are some bits of information that some UAAP and NCAA fans might have missed in the past few weeks.

To Green Pastures. Siblings Axel and Thomas Torres, together with Gabby Reyes have already committed to join the Green Archers as soon as they step into the UAAP seniors' playing field. Axel Torres and Gabby Reyes belonged to the Season 74 DLSZ Junior Archers that were eliminated by the champions the National University Bullpups, while Thomas Torres was part of the LSGH Greenies team that faced the San Beda Red Cubs in the Finals. It's great to have stellar guards, but judging from what the DLSU Green Archers have gone through these past seasons, it's problematic to have that many. How will new head coach Gee Abanilla take care of a Green Archers team that has been likened to a security agency with lots of 1's and 2's at their disposal?

On the other side of the Metro, where the UAAP Seniors' Basketball championship sits for four straight years, NBTC All-Star Game MVP Ace Basas continues to impress the Ateneo Blue Eagles staff. The 5'10" forward from MIT / Malayan Science High School has already expressed his hopes of becoming part of the Blue Eagles, regardless of what team he may initially belong to. Plus, one thing that he has to face is the fact that he has to change his position, considering his frame and height.

Early Absences. Due to the brawl that occurred between the SSC-R men's volleyball team and the SBC Red Lions, the NCAA board has imposed respective sanctions on the following people:

Frankie Lim (SBC Men's Basketball coach) - 2 seasons
Roger Gorayeb (SSC-R Women's Volleyball coach) - 2 seasons
Ola Adeogun (SBC Red Lions) - 1 season
Julius Armon (SBC Red Lions) - 1 season
Dave Marcelo (SBC Red Lions) - 3 games
Ed Cordero (SBC Men's Basketball assistant coach) - 1 game
Kyle Pascual (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Jake Pascual (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
JP Mendoza (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Ryusei Koga (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Garvo Lanete (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Rome dela Rosa (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Melo Lim (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Mar Villahermosa (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Sudan Daniel (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Baser Amer (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game
Anjo Caram (SBC Red Lions) - 1 game

One pertinent question here is: where will Daniel, Marcelo, Villahermosa, and Lanete serve their suspensions, considering that both of them have used up all of their years of eligibility in the NCAA?

After the announced suspension, Coach Frankie Lim finally announced his resignation and head coach of the Red Lions, ultimately parting ways with the powerhouse team that he built since winning the men's basketball championship since 2008. Coach Ronnie Magsanoc was then chosen to take over for Season 88 onwards. With no foreign player at their disposal for next year, it seems that San Beda will again have a tough time defending their title as NCAA Season 88 comes, and it will all depend on what Coach Magsanoc can bring to this team.

Coach Gorayeb, on the other hand, still has the Ateneo Women's Volleyball team to lead come Season 75, and this will be a good thing for the ladies of Katipunan who have long been wanting to take revenge against their rivals, the DLSU Lady Archers, for defeating them during the Season 74 Women's Volleyball Championship series.

Chiefs Get Slight Revamp. Coach Koy Banal, who led the FEU Tamaraws and the SBC Red Lions to championships in the UAAP and NCAA respectively, has been named the head coach for the Arellano University Chiefs. Can he transform this sophomore team to become a Final Four contender in the coming years?

New Term, New Students. The Fil-Oil Pre-Season Tournament will kick off on April 14, 2012, at The Arena in San Juan City. The Ateneo Blue Eagles will face the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights in the first game, while the De La Salle Green Archers clash with the San Beda Red Lions after.

Credits to respective websites for the images.

Game Notes: PBA Blue vs. Green Dream Game

Blue Team 104, Green Team 117

-It was a reunion for both sides, but an advantage for one of them. Coach Norman Black, whose Blue Eagles became the UAAP champions from 2008 to 2011, had most of his Blue Team players coming from the 2002 UAAP Blue Eagles, most notably Larry Fonacier, L.A. Tenorio, and Enrico Villanueva. In the Blue Team roster, he only had JC Intal, Eric Salamat, Doug Kramer, and Nonoy Baclao (plus Rabeh Al-Hussaini who could have played as well if not for his injury) to lead the team in executing the system that he uses in the UAAP. Franz Pumaren, on the other hand, had all of his best players in his own fourpeat, from 1998 to 2001, including those who were members of the 2007 championship, like Ryan Arana and Jvee Casio. Judging from that, it seems obvious that Pumaren has the upper hand, as it would only be the same old thing all over again for the Green Team, while the Blue Team would still have to make in-game adjustments in order to work as a team.

-This in turn begs a big question for the fans of DLSU past: Is it a case of Pumaren getting his DLSU players to Air 21, or being reestablished as DLSU's head coach in the coming years if Abanilla would not bring them to the promised land?

-One big advantage that the Green Team had during the game was their sweet shooting from beyond the arc. Mike Cortez, Jvee Casio, Joseph Yeo, and Ryan Arana, had their own share of three-point baskets, while the Blue Team's threes of their own, which could have made a big difference early on, only fell into the hands of Green Team's rebounders. Larry Fonacier, presumably the biggest three point shooter in the team, only made a few, leaving Tenorio and Salamat to carry the burden. Apparently, this, together with a few missed baskets and opportunities, led to a Green Team lead that went as big as 25 in the second half of the game. The Blue Team, on the other hand, only thrived and caught up through big runs of their own, and were not able to fully capitalize and gain the lead as the Green Team made some crucial stops and baskets, especially in the final minutes of the game.

-Despite being a charity game that has no bearing at all except for a statement as well as a chance to break the 80-all tie that ended the first Blue vs. Green dream game a few years ago, there were significant moments that perhaps the recent Ateneo and La Salle crowds wanted to see. Don Allado did a Tim Tebow after a counted basket, at the delight of the green side of the court. Tenorio had alley-oop passes to Japeth Aguilar, Paolo Bugia, and Enrico Villanueva. Arana, despite not doing the "dance" in his college days, also had flashes of brilliance. Aguilar, who left after two years in the UAAP to play in the US NCAA, showed that he has not only a high flyer but also a midrange shooter, which begs another question of what could have happened if he developed under the Norman Black system. And who would forget one of the best players of the UAAP, Captain Hook, Macmac Cardona, who did his signature hook shot over the same guys he fought against back in college? Too bad we did not see the trademark defense of the Blue Eagles which brought them four straight championships, mastered and known by heart by the present Blue Eagles team, or the De La Salle full court press that terrorized not only the Blue Eagles but also other teams in the UAAP.

-Besides the Season 73 first round elimination win of the Green Archers against the Blue Eagles, this has been the only moment where the DLSU crowd has been wild against the AdMU crowd, as this is the only other AdMU-DLSU game where the score favored the green side of the crowd during the final buzzer since 2010. Will this happen again the UAAP? With a new coaching staff and the acquisition of high school stand out Jeron Teng, we could expect a tight competition once again between the Blue and the Green, which perhaps is more significant and more important for both blue and green fans.

The Scores:


Green Team 117 – Allado 23, Cardona 20, Casio 13, Sharma 12, Arana 9, Maierhofer 9, Yeo 9, Ritualo 8, Cortez 8, Aquino 3, Gaco 3.

Blue Team 104 – Tenorio 20, Villanueva 19, Aguilar 16, Fonacier 14, Intal 13, Kramer 7, Salamat 4, Baclao 4, Membrere 3, Alvarez 2, Bugia 2.

Quarter scores: 34-20, 61-48, 94-75, 117-104

Credits to InterakTV for the image and box.

Update: Tim Cone Lands Consultancy Job for DLSU

It seems that the Green Archers are not yet done with their major revamping, showing that they are doing all that they can in order to put the Green Archers back into the radar.

Just days after acquiring prized high school standout Jeron Teng, the Green Archers hired Coach Tim Cone of the B-Meg Llamados to serve as the team's consultant for Season 75. The post has been held by Coach Jong Uichico, who left the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and landed a position as one of the coaches of the next Smart Gilas Pilipinas team and a consultant for the Meralco Bolts.

Before handling the reins of the B-Meg Llamados, the former head coach of the Alaska Aces, which won 13 titles under his leadership, expressed his interest in becoming the Green Archers' head coach. But due to his commitments with B-Meg, the DLSU management gave the post to Gee Abanilla, following Coach Dindo Pumaren's departure.

Known as the master of the famous triangle offense, which became the key to NBA Coach Phil Jackson's success with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, Coach Tim Cone would contribute largely to attaining the goals set for the Green Archers come Season 75, which primarily include returning to the Final Four after a dismal Season 74 where they were booted out of the final four with a 5-9 record.

Credits to Manila Bulletin for the news and Inquirer Sports for the image.

Update: Jeron Teng Will Play for DLSU

After that phenomenal 104-point feat in the Metrto Manila Tiong Lian Basketball tournament, all followers of the UAAP and the NCAA were anxious to know where Xavier School star Jeron Teng will play.

The long wait is over, and he has chosen to go to Taft.

UST Growling Tiger Jeric Teng, Jeron's older brother, tweeted earlier that his brother indeed has chosen to play for the Green Archers, consequently turning down the invitation of the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the NU Bulldogs, his two other choices. This announcement served only as a clarification to all

So what does the Xavier School Stallion bring into DLSU?

Teng could provide the athleticisim and inside scoring that apparently the DLSU Green Archers lack when it comes to the two or three position. Remember that during the past seasons, Jarelan Tampus, Luigi dela Paz, and Joseph Marata would prefer to take quick spot-up jumpers and long threes to get it done, with Joshua Webb (although he plays the four spot more frequently last season), the only one who drives the ball in most of the time. The MMTLB and the Youth Olympics last 2010 showed us what the 6'4" forward can do, having a tough upper body that comes with the ability to take a step ahead of the defender.

On the other hand, he has challenges ahead of him, and perhaps the most obvious one would be the UAAP playing field, which is much different compared to the small MMTLB, where he in fact towers and dominates above most, if not all. In this aspect, perhaps what could help him cope up with the quicker and more aggressive style of play in the UAAP will be his experience as a member of the U-18 Philippine Team, together with present UAAP stars Kiefer Ravena and Bobby Ray Parks. Another thing, which is common to all rookies, would be adjustment. He played in the Tiong Lian in the four or five position, and standing at 6'1"; however, in the UAAP, no one plays his position unless there is a very good reason to do so (e.g. a very wide and muscular body that could outman and outhustle everyone who enters the painted area). At such height and stature, he will have to resort to playing the small forward or shooting guard position, and this entails practicing his shooting and eventually improving his outside scoring abilities as well as the ability to defend quicker and taller players.

The way he played in the Tiong Lian and the Youth Olympics is reason enough for him to be DLSU's green hope for the season, especially that the DLSU system experiences a big shift as they made changes in the coaching staff. And it will be exciting to see him play against his former U-18 teammates Ravena and Parks, as he plays for the green and white.

Credits to jumpshot.sg for the image.

Recap Notes: UST vs. DLSU

UST 79, DLSU 70

-There are a handful of important personnel who were out for this match, and the game could have changed had they suited up. The Archers did not have their playmaker Almond Vosotros and spot-up shooter Sam Marata. On the other hand, the Tigers were more than shorthanded as they were unable to avail the services of Ed Daquioag, Chris Camus, and Jeric Teng.

-DLSU was lucky enough to have Nico Elorde, rookie Roldan Sara, and Luigi dela Paz to fill in the holes left by the absentees, but UST seemed to have greater problems. Coach Pido Jarencio was forced to leave their rookie African Karrim Abdul on the court, who was slapped with four fouls before the end of the first half (later on in the fourth, he will be called for his last foul a minute after re-entering the game). Later on, he decided to bring in Paolo Pe and have him play heavy minutes than his usual UAAP MPG's. In fact, Coach Pido looked confused when guys were fouled out, as he was probing his bench looking for people to sub in and replace the ejected players.

-Luckily, UST had the services of their unlikely trio: Jeric Fortuna, Clark Bautista, and Melo Afuang, to seal the win. Add to that the rookie explosion that is Kevin Ferrer. Put together, the four of them scored 69 of the team's 79 points, thanks to hot streaks from the arc. Bautista and Fortuna had a combined 8 for 22 three-pointers, while Ferrer made 2 of his own, including a dagger that drove straight to the heart of DLSU fans which put the Archers away for good in the dying minutes.

-Despite having a painful wrist and forearm, Afuang managed to score 19 points. There was one funny moment when, he was holding on to his painful arm, looking at the bench only to see Coach Pido shouting at him "wala yan!"

-Coming in second to the Phenom's performance during that day was Kevin Ferrer, who played a little less like Kevin Durant's one and only year at Kansas U. With the way he moves the ball, it is obvious that K-Fer has sound basketball IQ, knowing when to shoot, make the pass, or dribble his way out of double teams. Thanks also to his physique, having really long limbs that reminds us as well of the Durantula in his Kansas days. He was able to fill in the absence of the three and scored 14 points that went with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal. And as we all know, he could only get better as the games progress. It will definitely be an exciting moment to see Kiefer and K-Fer playing against each other in the Fil-Oil or even in the UAAP.

-Abdul needs more training on ball-handling and defense. He is a promising guy, and he would be the ONLY legit center to play for the Tigers this year. If he still does not have the discipline on defense, then UST has to pack their bags early in the Season 74 (and I mean as early as Abdul's four fouls in the first half.)

-Recently, a lot of Xavier hopefuls have been making it in UST. First, they had Jeric Teng, and then Paolo Pe comes after (he played for Xavier during grade school before transferring to Ateneo High School). For this season, they elevated Robin Tan, a 5'7" guard who once played for the Stallions alongside Teng. Surprisingly, there is this another explosive Stallion who is about to enter in his fourth and final year of high school. Can he be the next one to suit up for the black and yellow? Just a thought.

-Another interesting question: Magpapakalbo pa ba ang UST?

-DLSU, on the other hand, has been out-of-sync the rest of the game, save the part where Jovet Mendoza takes over and bring the game closer than it should have been. Sure , they have a lot of talent, but the problem is that they cannot blend and combine them altogether. Obviously, coach Dindo Pumaren tried out various combinations when he put in 15 of his men on the court, and none of the combinations were really good ones.

-Another question pops in when watching this Archers game. If you look at their frontcourt, there are people who can really bully their way in or play the high post and score. They have Maui Villanueva, Jovet Mendoza, Norbert Torres, Arnold Van Opstal, and Ponso Gotladera to man the insides, and to be serious about it, they can dominate. But then, why did Simon Atkins and the big choker Luigi dela Paz (oh god, don't mind the horrible adolescent moustache) take those useless jumpers that didn't seem to come in. Together, they shot 5 of 12 within the 2-point area and 2 out of 14 three-pointers (10 coming from Atkins). Just horrible… and Gotladera and Van Opstal didn't get their own touches.

-DLSU's rookies can offer more than they were expected to, and all can agree on that. Norbert Torres is a potential threat to opponents, because he can score inside the paint but at the same time develop a shooting streak from the outside. And despite his size, he has relatively has some speed to slide in and out. On the other hand thumbs down to Arnold Van Opstal, who seemed to have his mind out of the game together with Sara, but with proper training and discipline, they can be threats as well. Unfortunately, as mentioned, Ponso Gotladera needs to be given the ball more often, as he was a scoring threat as well during his days as a Red Cub. Be on the look for these rookies as the pre-season games progress… that is if Coach Dindo will give them more minutes.

Scores:

UST 79 – Fortuna 20, Afuang 19, Bautista 16, Ferrer 14, Abdul 6, Pe 2, Tan 2, Lo 0, de Guzman 0, Marata 0, Whitfield 0.

DLSU 70 – Mendoza 15, Torres 11, Atkins 11, de la Paz 10, Tampus 5, Andrada 4, Sara 4, Van Opstal 3, Elorde 2, Villanueva 2, Gotladera 2, Webb 1, Paredes 0, Pate 0, Vigil 0.

Quarter scoring: 22-17, 47-33, 57-54, 79-70

Thanks to inboundpass.com for the box and the Fil-Oil FB website for the photo.