The Road To Fivefold Glory Part 1: Rivalry Renewed

UAAP Season 75 Final Four
Semifinals
Ateneo 66, De La Salle 63
Blue Eagles Advanced To Season 75 Finals

They say that it is in facing adversity that fuels us, but who would want to face do-or-die situations that can make or break you?

The Blue Eagles have faced a radical sort of adversity before they entered the Final Four. A two week lay-off has given them the opportunity to polish their plays and improve their skills for the big games to come; however, this lay-off has also been marred by one big controversy that the school has faced. Manuel V. Pangilinan, the top sponsor not just of the Blue Eagles but also of the University as a whole, decided to cut ties with the school and the Jesuits. Coach Norman Black, as MVP's employee, offered to step down as a sign of professionalism, but fortunately was allowed to coach the team until the end of the UAAP season. This quick turn of events have somehow left the team confused and disoriented for their next game, not knowing what to do if ever their coach of eight years and now gunning for his fifth title would leave.

Fortunately, MVP decided to stick with the team until the end of the UAAP season, but the problems are far from over, because these Blue Eagles will have to face a streaking Green Archers team, set to return to the Final Four after defeating the Far Eastern University Tamaraws twice, sending the Green and Gold home before they can even vie for a shot at a third Finals appearance. Now that the Green Archers are back in the Final Four following a dismal Season 74 which in turn ushered changes in the coaching staff, each one of the Gang Green would want to get back at the Blue and White for winning 10 of their past 11 matches, a kind of revenge that pushes their rivals to the limit.

And such hunger drove them to play a close game against the Blue Eagles, one that did not start with big Blue Eagle runs that practically defined and determined the first and second rounds during the eliminations. The first quarter ended with 14-12, in favor of the Blue Eagles, with players trading baskets and quickly responding to each other. This went on even until the second round, and before the halftime buzzer, Kiefer Ravena, who has always played big against La Salle, scored six straight points to turn a 3-point deficit into a 5-point lead.

The third quarter has been a golden moment for the Blue Eagles during the past five years, for this is the time when they usually leave their opponents behind en route to a big win; however, this has not been the case against this invigorated La Salle team. By the end of the quarter, the Green Archers threatened the Blue Eagles with a 21-7 run, sending a message saying that they might see each other for one last time this season as they enter the final canto with a 47-38 lead over the defending champions.

Things got worse for the Blue Eagles as the lead stretched to double figures, as the La Salle lead ballooned to 13; however, this moment of adversity served as an opportunity for the Blue Eagles to show what they are really made of and how far they have come since winning their first championship way back in 2008. Coach Norman Black made adjustments to the lineup, reinserting Ryan Buenafe after a long rest and giving Kiefer Ravena the go-signal to dominate and make the game his.

Normally, it's a risky move to put one player in charge of everything during the final minutes, knowing that the opponent can make various adjustments to stop this one player from leading the charge; however, with the Phenom as "that one," the Blue Eagles were able to incredibly claw back into the game. With a 22-6 run that chipped away that Green Archers lead, the noise at the green side of the Coliseum died down, only to be taken over by "Fight!" and "Get that ball!" And just like that, the Blue Eagles are ready to send the De La Salle community home to their Razon Sports Complex to practice for Season 76, all thanks to Kiefer Ravena who, in that run, scored 16 of his own and assisted on the remaining baskets.

Facing a four-point La Salle deficit, Almond Vosotros sparked hope for the green and white after scoring five unanswered points and grabbing the lead during the last two minutes of play. However, the man of the moment, the guy who would always frustrate La Salle as long as he plays for the Blue Eagles would hit another one of his big baskets in his legendary basketball career. Ryan Buenafe, returning to the Final Four after hitting perhaps his biggest three in his career two years ago, hit another corner three to put the Blue Eagles up by two with only a few seconds to go in the game.

The game all the more got interesting when Kiefer Ravena was slapped with an unsportsmanlike foul after an attempt to stop Jeron Teng from getting a quick basket. The Rookie of the Year, with the game on the line and a 60 percent free throw percentage, unfortunately split his charities, followed by a turnover when the ball slipped out of his hands as he was driving towards an open lane. Ryan Buenafe calmly sunk in his freebies and punched the Blue Eagles' ticket to the Season 75 UAAP Finals, where the Growling Tigers await them.

The Blue Eagles swept their season and playoff series against La Salle this season, but with the way the Green Archers overhauled the whole team with promising pieces, it seems that the local basketball scene should be ready for another storm between the Green and Blue.

The scores: 

Ateneo 66 – Ravena 28, Salva 12, Buenafe 10, Tiongson 5, Slaughter 4, Chua 4, Sumalinog 3, Pessumal 0, Gonzaga 0, Elorde 0, Golla 0

De La Salle 63 – Andrada 17, Vosotros 14, Teng 12, N. Torres 6, T. Torres 5, Tampus 4, Van Opstal 3, Mendoza 2

Quarter scoring: 14-12, 31-26, 38-47, 66-63

Credits to Fabilioh for the image.

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

3-in-1: vs. UP, FEU, DLSU (Round 2)

Once the UAAP Season 75 Schedule was released, followers of the Blue and White were quite puzzled (some even enraged) as to why the Blue Eagles will have to play 3 games in 8 days, with the last 2 of that stretch against teams that will most likely enter the Final Four and will pose legitimate threats to their championship run. However, instead of being seen as a hindrance, the team took it as a challenge, and within these 8 days, big adjustments have been made, coupled with results that even until now surprises everyone.

Ateneo 73, State U 66

The Blue Eagles started the second round with a match against a team that has all the potential to stage the biggest upsets this season. Coming off from a win against the UE Red Warriors, the Fighting Maroons brought out their best against the Blue Eagles, with big man Raul Soyud and gunner Mike Silungan leading the way to keep the score close and even take the lead at the half. However, once the third quarter kicks in, star sophomore Kiefer Ravena took charge and made up for the woes that Greg Slaughter and Nico Salva experienced early on. The Fighting Maroons threatened to snatch a win by coming in as close as four points in the final minutes of the game, but misses by rookie Henry Asilum and Silungan from beyond the arc allowed the Blue Eagles breathing room at the end.

Ateneo 77, Far Eastern U 64

Four days after that close win against UP, the Blue Eagles prepared for one of the biggest second round matches where winning is not an option but a necessity, knowing that any complacency on the Blue Eagles' part would cost them the number one spot and even the twice-to-beat advantage that they have held onto since Season 71.

As usual, the battle against the Tamaraws on the court was not an easy one. Punches and elbos came in the way of the Blue Eagles, as they shot charities after two unsportsmanlike fouls called on FEU. Afterwards, Ryan Buenafe was likewise called for an unsportsmanlike foul against Anthony Hargrove, and was then sent out of the playing court after being confronted by Mac Belo, from which Buenafe defended himself.

The Blue Eagles started with a huge 11-point lead, only to be relinquished and made into a 2-point deficit by the Tamaraws during the half. However, the third and fourth quarters proved to be crucial, as Juami Tiongson and Kiefer Ravena made up for Buenafe's absence by a barrage of wing triples that gave the Blue Eagles the lead for good. Another altercation happened in the final canto, when Arvie Bringas spit on the face of Justin Chua as the latter tried to stop the former from getting back at Greg Slaughter, who silently delivered an elbow at the back of Bringas before heading to the bench during timeout. As a result, Bringas was sent out of the court and later on was given a two-game suspension (one from the UAAP board and another from the FEU athletic committee).

What could perhaps go down as one of the dirtiest games between Ateneo and FEU ended up with a 13-point win for the Blue and White, who never gave up the lead once they were able to grab hold of it. However, the big win came at a cost as backup center JP Erram was suspended for the next game as he was retroactively slapped with his 2nd unsportsmanlike foul.

Ateneo 77, De La Salle 67

Everyone thought that JP Erram's absence would make things harder for the Blue and White to face their rivals, who in turn did not have top point guard L.A. Revilla at their disposal due to his nagging ankle injury. But then, Ryan Buenafe assured the Katipunan squad that everything would turn out just as fine for Ateneo.

Buenafe led a 26-10 first quarter run that silenced the sea of green in Araneta, as the returning forward hit a barrage of threes (Buenafe ended the game with 5, three short of all the 3-point field goals made he made last Season 73) that puzzled everyone at the Araneta. He also was able to defend top rookie Jeron Teng, who worked double to earn his 22 points as he struggled from the perimeter with Buenafe guarding him. The Green Archers tried to stage a comeback led by Almond Vosotros, who hit threes of his own. The Gang Green even came close to within 2 points early in the third, but Buenafe and Ravena led another charge that cushioned the lead and gave the Blue Eagles an 11-point lead by the end of the third, which, once again, they maintained despite being in the penalty early in the fourth.

At the expense of Greg Slaughter's measly 4-point production (the big man, however, grabbed 11 points, 4 assists, and 5 blocks), four Blue Eagles scored in double figures (Buenafe, Ravena, a lethargic Nico Salva, and Juami Tiongson) as they swept the Green Archers in the elimination round, a team which they would most likely face in the Final Four Semis.

These three wins gave them a strong grip of the number one spot, at a distance from FEU, UST, and DLSU who still have to establish their spots in the Final Four. And at this point, it will only take them two more wins (the next games against UE and Adamson, respectively) to seal their 11th straight Final Four spot and fifth straight twice-to-beat card.

The Scores:

Ateneo 73 – Ravena 21, Salva 10, Gonzaga 10, Slaughter 9, Erram 9, Tiongson 6, Chua 3, Buenafe 2, Elorde 2, SUmalinog 0, Pessumal 0, Golla 0

UP 66 – Soyud 14, Silungan 13, Asilum 10, Lopez 8, Padilla 6, Gamboa 6, Gallarza 5, Montecastro 2, Hipolito 2, Mbah 0, Wierzba 0, Romero 0, Manuel 0

Quarter scoring: 17-17, 32-34, 53-46, 73-66

-

Ateneo 77 - Tiongson 16, Salva 15, Ravena 12, Slaughter 10, Erram 8, Chua 8, Pessumal 4, Elorde 4, Gonzaga 0, Capacio 0, Golla 0, Capacio 0, Buenafe 0

FEU 64 - Garcia 14, Romeo 13, Hargrove 10, A Bringas 7, Mendoza 6, Escoto 5, Cruz 3, M Bringas 2, Inigo 2, Pogoy 2, Sentchu 0, Jose 0, Belo 0, Guerrero 0

Quarter scoring: 15-13, 32-34, 49-43, 77-64

-

Ateneo 77 - Buenafe 24, Ravena 18, Salva 12, Tiongson 10, Slaughter 4, Chua 4, Sumalinog 3, Gonzaga 2, Golla 0, Elorde 0

La Salle 67 - Teng 22, Vosotros 20, Van Opstal 8, Tampus 8, N Torres 4, Manguera 3, Mendoza 2, Andrada 0, Paredes 0, T Torres 0, Tallo 0, Webb 0

Quarter scoring: 26-10, 35-29, 57-46, 77-67

Credits to GMA Sports for the box, Fabilioh.com for the pics.

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU

Ateneo 74, Far Eastern U 71

-During last season's second round eliminations against FEU, Ateneo found itself trailing by more than 16 points by the halftime buzzer, only to come back in the second half by forcing overtime and taking over from there. In this year's first round match against the Blue Eagles' Finals opponents for two straight years, they found themselves in that same double-digit hole; however, they need not force another period as they took care of things within regulation time, overcoming a 10-point first half deficit to seal the victory.

-The last time we saw Ryan Buenafe against FEU was in the Finals of Season 73, when he hit a big 3-pointer to seal the victory for the Blue Eagles. Returning from a season-length hiatus, Buenafe remained to be a threat to the Tamaraws, as he made various crucial plays that let Ateneo crawl back and take the game in the last five minutes of play, which includes his classic drive-and-pass play for Greg Slaughter and and-ones over two or three FEU defenders as he gets inside the paint. So far, this has been Buenafe's best game, and as one who will take over after Season 75, the new coach might want to maximize his talents, especially in playmaking and scoring during crucial stretches.

-Playing the four position, Nico Salva had difficulty on both sides, and he was not able to get over that slump until the fourth quarter, where he made that basket which gave the Blue Eagles the lead. However, in one's seeming absence, another one stood out and made a big contribution. Being a quick and athletic big man, JP Erram gave the burly bigs of FEU problems when it comes to hauling rebounds after misses. When Slaughter fails to make it inside, Erram will be jumping out of nowhere to grab that second chance opportunity. When Slaughter is double or triple teamed, Erram will come out of nowhere and into the paint, receive the pass, and make the easy basket. It really is baffling that since Season 73, the Tamaraws have not yet found a way to stop Erram when he plays alongside dominant bigs.

-The Blue Eagles are not known for shooting threes, and would only take them when there are no options available. Fortunately, key triples were made in that third quarter run, thanks mostly to Juami Tiongson (who had two straight from the same spot) and Nico Elorde (who in one play made himself available to shoot a three after a play executed by Buenafe). This game showed that Ateneo's point guards can also be relied on to score big baskets and not just make big plays. If Tiongson and Elorde develop to become reliant offensive options before the Final Four (at the same time, improve on their quickness and perimeter defense), then it would seem like Emman Monfort had not left the team at all.

-One can easily notice the Blue Eagles' fourth quarter strategy in a close game. In the crucial minutes, slashers would pound it inside and force fouls in order to bring the opposing team to the penalty, with Ravena and Buenafe leading the charge. The defense, on the other hand, will tighten in the paint, but the guards will keep coming at the perimeter players. This strategy has worked so far, and there seemed to be no way of winning against Ateneo if each Blue Eagle is at his best in clutch situations.

-With the way FEU was playing before they faced Ateneo, one might wonder how it happened that they were not able to capitalize on their early lead against the Blue Eagles and snag the win. RR Garcia proved to be a threat to the Blue Eagles' run for their fifth straight championship, as he went by all his defenders to score a three or a layup under the basket. Anthony Hargrove and the Bringas brothers tried to shut Slaughter down, only to be overpowered by a lanky Erram. However, Terrence Romeo somehow failed to live up to the expectations, as he went out hot only to falter in the dying minutes of the game, mostly due to simple, unforced mistakes. Nevertheless, it would be interesting how the Tamaraws would adjust, given that they have at least one more game to play against the Blue Eagles. Will they be again the legitimate rivals to the Blue Eagles for the third straight season, given that UST and DLSU have largely improved and have the right weapons against both the Blue Eagles and the Tamaraws?

The Scores:

Ateneo 74 – Slaughter 17, Tiongson 12, Ravena 12, Buenafe 10, Salva 6, Erram 6, Sumalinog 3, Chua 2, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0

FEU 71 – Garcia 21, Hargrove 12, Romeo 10, A. Bringas 10, M. Bringas 7, Belo 6, Pogoy 3, Sentcheu 0, Cruz 0, Mendoza 0

Quarter Scoring: 18-21, 27-37, 49-53, 74-71

Credits to GMA News Online for the box, Fabilioh for the image.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP

Ateneo 76, State U 70

-In the Blue Eagles' past games, they have started strong early on and built huge leads that secured them the victories, but can they still get the W even if they play catch-up against their opponents? The Fighting Maroons started out hot and took advantage of a disoriented Ateneo team, but the Blue Eagles woke up just in time to remind UP that they are still a team to beat, and that the day will not end with a repeat of 2009.

-The third quarter storm returned in Araneta after its disappearance in the fight against the Growling Tigers, and it completely turned the tables in favor of Ateneo. Down 8 points entering the third quarter with the Fighting Maroons threatening to seemingly blow this game wide open, a magnificent run has been set up again by the Blue Eagles, pounding in 29 big points while allowing a measly 17 markers (which was even 2 points more than the "Norman Black standard" of 15 points a quarter) against a Fighting Maroons squad who scored a game-high 40 in the first half. Nico Salva and Kiefer Ravena led the Blue Eagle's climb out of the shallow pit, slashing their way into the basket, fishing fouls, and finishing strong just to get ahead of the Fighting Maroons. As a result, the quarter ended with 61-57 in the Blue Eagles' favor after trailing as much as 10 points at the start of the second half, and they never looked back. Should we blame the shot clocks' return after their disappearance due to malfunction?

-The Fighting Maroons should be credited with coming up with a good strategy to defend Slaughter, primarily using Raul Soyud and a bunch of double teams to stand in his way toward the paint, and one can even say that they did a better job than the Green Archers, insofar as this particular game is concerned. However, the Blue Eagles were able to adjust in the second half, not only penetrating through the Fighting Maroons' weak spots, but also giving Slaughter more space to operate inside.

-The absence of Juami Tiongson due to a minor injury made it difficult for the Blue Eagles to gain momentum, but fortunately, transferee Nico Elorde was up to the challenge of playing as starting point. The former Green Archer tallied only 2 points, 4 dimes, and a rebound, but he played great second half defense against former U-18 playmaker Henri Asilum. Perhaps a little more polishing and someday, Elorde will be at the ranks of Ateneo's top perimeter defenders, something which, unfortunately, La Salle was not able to bank on and hope for.

-The whole Fighting Maroons team have been exceptional, and this is the first time that they have shown the UAAP how strong they can be. Alvin Padilla and Marc Lopez were fearless in getting past their defenders. Soyud was just solid against Slaughter, and Chris Ball showed that he is potentially a threat to the opponents' defense. However, the largest question mark has been Mike Silungan, who was expected to be the Fighting Maroons' top gunner for this season. He came out of the bench to give him a breather and ease the pressure off him, and still he was swallowed by the tendency to save his team by chucking jumpers here and there in the final minutes. In the end, he only scored 2 points, his lone basket as that which he received from a lob. If there is something urgent that the Fighting Maroons' coaching staff has to address, then it has to be Silungan's way of playing the game and how he can be molded to adjust Coach Ricky Dandan's system.

-This is the first ugly win that the Blue Eagles have received, which brings them to a lot of important things that they have to learn, especially that with the UE Red Warriors being the next opponent, they might have this tendency to be complacent. On the other hand, the Fighting Maroons have shown that they can be resilient potential contenders, having lost only by single digits in all save one of its games. And for both teams, adjustments are crucial. The Blue Eagles need to adjust and keep their game up, now that it has been explicitly made known to them that they have bigger targets on their backs. For the Fighting Maroons, however, they have to establish themselves as valuable targets.

The Scores:

Ateneo 76 – Salva 21, Slaughter 13, Ravena 11, Sumalinog 10, Chua 7, Gonzaga 5, Buenafe 5, Erram 2, Elorde 2, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0

UP 70– Lopez 13, Ball 11, Padilla 11, Gamboa 10, Soyud 9, Montecastro 6, Asilum 6, Silungan 2, Romero 2, Mbah 0, Manuel 0, Hipolito 0, Gallarza 0

Quarter scoring: 17-19, 32-40, 61-57, 76-70

Credits to Rappler for the box and the Guidon for the pic.

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU

Ateneo 71, De La Salle 61

-The fourth game of the Blue Eagles' run for a fifth straight championship, this time against their rivals, seemed to be a piece of cake as they gained a large lead early, threatening to put this game away as early as the first half. But then, the furious 19-9 La Salle run during the third quarter gave the Blue side of the Mall of Asia Arena the chills, as the Gang Green from Taft threatened to pull an upset over the four-time UAAP champions. The Blue Eagles, however, calmed down and regained their composure, which led to unleashing a run of their own, which led to them ending the game in style and showing that what happened a few weeks ago against the Growling Tigers will never happen again.

-As always, defense played an essential part in the Blue Eagles' victory. Down 10-26 in the second quarter, DLSU pulled off small scoring runs to bring the game closer to them, showing how they can be an offensive powerhouse given their various scorers, especially L.A. Revilla, Rookie of the Year candidate Jeron Teng and big man Norbert Torres. However, during the last stretch, it was the Ateneo defense that prevailed, from which their offense follows. With the Green Archers up late in the third quarter, the Blue Eagles initiated the crucial 13-3 run that kept the Green Archers relatively at bay. In the final stretch, Jed Manguera's three-point basket helped the Green Archers to close the lead to three, but clutch plays by Salva and Slaughter eventually prevented La Salle to complete their comeback.

-Kiefer Ravena really has a penchant for playing big against La Salle. In the first half, he took the responsibility of finishing with quick layups, one of which includes swiping the ball away from a playmaking Almond Vosotros that led to another fastbreak basket. He was the first person to score in double digits late in the first half, and despite not scoring much in the second half, he provided the crucial baskets that made it difficult for La Salle to catch up and get ahead of Ateneo. On the other hand, Greg Slaughter reminded the Ateneo crowd that the team's loss to the Green Archers in th preseason was due to his absence. His excellent post game forced DLSU to throw double-teams at him, providing opportunities for Ravena and Nico Salva to finish strong. He also proved too strong for the La Salle big men, as Coach Gee Abanilla threw all of his big men at him without any real success at all . This shows how Slaughter's importance in the team, and with him playing in his last year, it would be difficult for the Blue Eagles to thrive in the post without him.

-The Ateneo bench played magnificently during long stretches, not in terms of the points that they have contributed, but more importantly in the intangibles. Justin Chua led the offense with quick inside stabs and jump shots of his own, while Tonino Gonzaga, despite not scoring in the game, did a good job in rebounding and defending Teng and, later on, Revilla in the final minutes of the game. Ryan Buenafe, on the other hand, distracted the La Salle defense once again with his drive-and-pass strategies, despite always being left behind by the faster Teng (who shot a three in front of him during the third canto). Perhaps this serves as a call for Buenafe to shape up in order to improve on his defense.

-The most crucial moments of this match came in the last five minutes of play. All through out the game, Revilla has carried the burden of the Green Archers on both ends, and his effort got them really close to winning this game; however, because of the pressure exerted to him by the Ateneo backcourt, was not able to set up shots either for his teammates or himself. On the other hand, Jeron Teng committed a horrible rookie mistake that must never happen again: a 5-second violation after having been hounded by Ravena on the inbounds. This unforced turnover paved the way for the Blue Eagles to pad their lead even further and eliminate the possibility for the Green Archers to stage a last-minute comeback.

-Judging from the way that the two teams played against each other in the second half, one can say that an Ateneo-La Salle game is something to look forward to every UAAP season, and this could happen in Season 74 not just one, but two or three more times. La Salle's huge upgrade enables them to possibly book a Final Four slot, giving them the chance to battle the Blue Eagles on the biggest games of the UAAP and possibly break their championship streak (which ironically, Ateneo was able to do so way back in 2002). Furthermore, this round one matchup can serve as a crucial turning point in both team's rallies this season, with important lessons and points for improvement that they need to consider to win their remaining games before the first round ends. And for Ateneo, who will face UP, UE, and FEU, this is a sign that generally, they have been doing quite well.

The Scores:

Ateneo 71 - Slaughter 20, Salva 16, Ravena 16, Chua 6, Tiongson 4, Elorde 3, Buenafe 3, Pessumal 2, Erram 1, Sumalinog 0, Gonzaga 0

La Salle 61 - Revilla 16, Teng 13, N Torres 11, Dela Paz 7, Manguera 6, Van Opstal 2, Andrada 2, Webb 2, Mendoza 1, Tampus 1, Paredes 0, Vosotros 0, T Torres 0, Gotladera 0, Tallo 0

Quarter scores: 20-8, 35-26, 53-50, 71-61

Credits to GMA Online for the box, The Guidon Facebook page for the pic.

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU

Ateneo 89, National U 65


-The Blue Eagles entered the third game with the specter of a loss looming over their heads, but they sent those negative vibes away as they trampled upon the one who is favored to steal their trophy. Once the Blue Eagles got hold of an early double digit lead in the first quarter, they never looked back and cruised to victory by a totally unexpected 24-point margin.

-It was just another day at the court for the trifecta of Nico Salva, Greg Slaughter, and Kiefer Ravena, who scored 52 points overall. Salva and Ravena took care of Ateneo's transition game, making most out of the fastbreak opportunities by scoring strong inside and fishing fouls. Slaughter, meanwhile, proved that he ought to be counted as one of the best bigs in the history of the Blue Eagles, by manhandling the paint, dropping dimes everywhere and finding opportunities to score easily against whatever the Bulldogs threw at him. With these three on fire and playing a team game where their teammates are given opportunities to score, Ateneo is again headed for another dream season, closer to winning their fifth straight title.

-Juami Tiongson has again showed his brilliance in the one spot, more than the six quick points that he has delivered in the opening canto. It as the third game where he has showed that he can take over the position and develop his own brand of pinpoint passing and playmaking which hopes to surpass that of Emman Monfort. After three games, Tiongson led the league with 19 total assists, notching a little less than 8 a game, and he has so far orchestrated a few good plays that lead to easy scores for the Blue Eagles. With this adjustment, the Blue Eagle crowd can only hope that he gets to play better as the season goes along.

-It would perhaps be fitting to bid farewell to big bench slumps that the Blue Eagles had during Season 74, as Ryan Buenafe once again led the bench, not statistically but strategically. As playmaker who doubles as a scorer for the second squad, he has not only given opportunities for Justin Chua and Tonino Gonzaga to show what they can do once they get their big backs of the warm benches, but also hit a shot that reminded us of Season 73: that left elbow triple that bailed the Blue Eagles out in the third quarter, ruling out the possibility of an NU comeback in the final minutes of the game.

-Parks's 22-7-4 is usual for a player this dominant; however, what kept NU from putting up a good fight was the loss of two weapons that supported Parks' own armory: Emmanuel Mbe's inside scoring presence and their scoring from beyond the arc. Mbe only had 14 markers against a dominant Slaughter, the former having to slug it out to actually free himself of the latter's clamps. The Bulldogs' snipers, on the other hand, seemed to be at their worst, as they hit only 2 out of their 21 attempts from beyond the arc. From these, it looks like the Bulldogs is still haunted by the specter of Season 74, where they received their worst losses from the Blue Eagles, and that their Fil-Oil experience of beating Ateneo by 17 points did not not really prepare them for what is to come.

-Finishing a big game with an even bigger lead should give the Blue Eagles enough confidence and determination to shut down another team to watch, namely their archrivals the De La Salle Green Archers. With the Taft squad having gotten a huge revamp, expect the next game to be a puzzle for Coach Norman Black, and unlike the games of old against DLSU, this will not be an easy walk to the park.

The Scores:

Ateneo 89 - Salva 21, Ravena 17, Slaughter 14, Chua 12, Gonzaga 9, Tiongson 8, Elorde 3, Buenafe 3, Erram 2, Porter 0, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0

NU 65 -  Parks 22, Mbe 14, Villamor 10, Ignacio 6, Rono 5, De Guzman 2, Betayene 2, Alolino 2, Khobuntin 1, Javillonar 1, Rosario 0, Neypes 0, Labing-isa 0

Quarter scoring: 28-17, 55-34, 72-54, 89-65

Credits to GMA Sports Online for the box, and The Guidon Sports for the pic.

6 Points: AdMU vs. AdU

Ateneo 72, Adamson 57

-Is there anything more consoling for a championship team than to beat down one of their strongest opponents last season? Of course there are, but the Blue Eagles must have been happy to see that they have retained their status as the team to beat in Season 75. In last year's opening game, the Adamson Soaring Falcons have almost defeated them with a 55-51 score, but with the departure of their top two playmakers/scorers in Lester Alvarez and Jerick Canada, the Falcons have almost lost their firepower. The Blue Eagles took advantage of the Soaring Falcons' lack of depth, as they cruised their way into the second half after struggling both offensively and defensively in the first. One could perhaps count this as one of the Blue Eagles' best starts in the previous years, considering that Coach Norman Black usually sets the first game as his own opportunity to experiment with lineups and combinations.

-As usual, the Blue Eagles Big Three have led the charge in this game. Greg Slaughter came up with his usual double double output, with Nico Salva helping him on offense. Kiefer Ravena's second opening game in his UAAP career had not been in vain, as he finished with nine markers. However, one can see Ravena struggling to score, something that got carried over from this summer's Fil-Oil preseason tournament. Is it a matter of losing his touch, a kind of sophomore slump? Or just bad shots, and therefore the need to slash more to score more? Or adjusting to his role as an assistant playmaker to Juami Tiongson of some sorts? Whatever the reason is, one thing is clear: Ravena should get his scoring spunk in the game in order for the Blue Eagles to become dominant over stronger teams this season, especially when it comes to situations when the team could only rely on him. (here's a hint: who's closing the close games?)

-Compared to last season's opening games, this year's bench is more productive and is packed with firepower. The second and third squad led by the returning crowd favorite Ryan Buenafe helped a lot in widening the gap in the second half. More than his 5-point output, Buenafe has always been credited with playing point-forward and creating avenues for teammates to score, and as such, he has helped JP Erram and Justin Chua find their own spots early and provide their finishing touches. Nico Elorde has once again shown glimpses of smart basketball, proving to the blue crowd (and some of those in green) that he had indeed made the right decision to transfer from De La Salle.

-If one of the Blue Eagles has to be named as this game's X-factor, it has to be Tiongson, who unexpectedly showed playmaking brilliance in the game. Known as someone who sets plays in order to create shots for himself, he seems to have embraced his role as a point guard and perimeter defender, taking the responsibility of feeding to his teammates for easy scores and religiously blocking off passing lanes for the Adamson guards. It has paid off statistically though, as he got 5 points with 5 boards and 7 assists. Blue Eagle fans could only hope that he keeps up with that ind of performance, eventually serving as replacement for the now-graduated Emman Monfort.

-Despite losing key people, the Soaring Falcons still ha something to throw at the Blue Eagles. Their own trifecta of Alex Nuyles, Eric Camson, and Rodney Brondial provided a spark that lasted only until the beginning of the second half. It was a splendid performance for Alex Nuyles, who, knowing that he would be hounded consistently by defenders, decided to make the extra pass as he drives to the bucket, which led to 10 of 13 points that Brondial had. Eric Camson still had his inside-outside with him, as he breezes through Ateneo's slower defenders and positioned himself to make his 10-15 footers. Had Adamson gotten hold of playmakers that could replace Canada and Alvarez, they could become a powerhouse once again, as some of them, like Jericho Cruz and Allan Etrone, still have room for improvement.

-Based on the second half performance, one can conclude that the Blue Eagles are too much for the dilapidated Soaring Falcons, who still have to find their own rhythm especially when going against dominant teams. On the other hand, the Blue Eagles now have to take the game more sriously, as they set out to face the UST Growling Tigers who almost notched a win against Season 74 second-placers the FEU Tamaraws. Perhaps it will only be in the second game where we can see the stuff that the Blue Eagles are made off, the very conditions of possibility of getting that coveted fifth championship that has not been achieved by previous fourpeat teams (and were you reminded that the Blue Eagles were the ones who broke La Salle's streak way back in '02?).

The Scores:

Ateneo 73 – Slaughter 17, Salva 14, Ravena 9, Sumalinog 6, Buenafe 6, TIongson 5, Erram 5, Chua 4, Gonzaga 3, Golla 2, Elorde 2, Porter 0, Pessumal 0, Lim 0, Capacio 0.

Adamson 57 – Brondial 13, Nuyles 12, Camson 10, Cabrera 10, Cruz 4, Monteclaro 3, Trollano 2, Etrone 2, Cabigas 1, Julkipli 0, Agustin 0, Abrigo 0.

Quarter Scoring: 15-16, 32-28, 55-45, 73-57

Credits to Fabilioh.com for the pic.

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU (Fil-Oil Flying V Preseason Cup)

Ateneo 59, La Salle 62


-The Blue Eagles entered this special exhibition match holding a losing streak against the Green Archers during pre-season and off-season games, but in four of those years, they managed to win four straight UAAP championships. It seems that the final minutes of the fourth quarter seems to break that trend, but in the end, the Green guys from Taft had the last laugh after forcing five more minutes, sending a message that it's going to be a long and hard road for the Blue Eagles if they still want that fifth crown, because the Green Archers, now a whole new team even with old faces lingering, want it as badly as the defending champions do.

-De La Salle's prized rookie Jeron Teng swung the game to the green side late in the fourth quarter, after the Blue Eagles have taken the lead in a game where DLSU has been in control all through out. With 18 seconds left in the game and down 3, 53-50, the Green Archers set up a risky play and gave the usually line-driving and inside-scoring forward to shoot a three, eventually making it and giving the Green Archers another chance to win the game, which they eventually did after five minutes of overtime play. And after this, the Green Archers never looked back, even with the Blue Eagles threatening to snag the game away from them in the last few seconds.

-In the closing minutes of regulation time as well as in overtime, it was the free throws that mattered, and both teams failed to make the most out of them. The Green Archers' 13 of 30 and the Blue Eagles' 14 of 21 from the charity stripes of their own ends, despite being simply awful, does not even tell the whole story. La Salle could have closed the game early had they shot half of their missed free throws. Instead, they let Ateneo's defense wear them down in the final minutes, eventually giving Ryan Buenafe and Kiefer Ravena the chance to crawl back with a 16-9 run in the final five minutes of the game. Ravena made 3 out of 4 clutch free throws to secure the lead before Teng hit his game-extending three. And in overtime, it got really worse for both teams. Down 61-59, the Blue Eagles have a chance to tie the game with Justin Chua on the line; however, Chua missed those 2 important shots which could have given them the chance to win. Afterwards, the Green Archers have a chance to finally gain a safe lead in the final seconds, but with Teng, Norbert Torres, and Jed Manguera garnering splits from the line, they only have a three point advantage in the final possession. All of these point towards a problem that the Green Archers have even in the past two seasons, and they should find a way to remedy this quick before Ateneo and La Salle face off each other again, this time in the UAAP.

-Despite the Blue Eagles playing impressive defense late in the game, they have lost in the battle of the boards. With Greg Slaughter nursing an ankle injury which renders him unavailable in this game, Ateneo just got 45 rebounds as opposed to La Salle's 62, with Nico Salva's 9 leading the way. They gave up a lot of second chance opportunities to Yutien Andrada and Norbert Torres, allowing them to easily score inside and widen the gap at certain moments of the game. Another horrible stat that could be pointed out is the Blue Eagles' shooting, making only 21 out of 68 total attempts (3 of 13 from beyond the arc). If there is any consolation to this game, then it is the glaring fact, the hard realization that the Blue Eagles need to improve their shooting as well as their rebounding.

-The Blue Eagles did not have their main man Slaughter in this game, but Buenafe and Ravena showed on-court brilliance in this game, something that Ateneo fans have been wanting for since the announcement that Buenafe will play for the team. Both of them combined for 35 points and played outstanding defense all through out the game. Particularly notable in this game is the way Buenafe defended Teng during the crucial stretches, not allowing him to score from inside the paint and forcing him to throw the ball once he enters the restricted area (Teng is 6 of 19 overall, with 2 of 4 treys made, in field goals). If Ateneo could be branded as dangerous and threatening come Season 75, then these two are the very reasons why.

-History told us that the Fil-Oil preseason game has not really given us anything, and it is only a preview of what the fans will expect from both teams. This has been one perhaps the best and most thrilling Ateneo-La Salle game in years, but, as shown in the past years, this Fil-Oil game does not even give a clear prediction of both teams' chances in the UAAP. Until the smoke clears and we have determined the winners of the two Ateneo-La Salle matches in Season 75, no real winner or loser is yet to be declared.

The Scores:


Ateneo 59 - Buenafe 21, Ravena 14, Erram 6, Chua 6, Tiongson 4, Elorde 4, Salva 3, Gonzaga 1, Golla 0, Sumalinog 0, Porter 0, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0

La Salle 62 - Teng 17, Revilla 16, Torres N. 13, Andrada 5, Vosotros 4, Mendoza 2, Gotladera 2, Tampus 2, Manguera 1, Webb 0, Reyes 0, Torres T. 0

Quarter Scores: 10-14, 20-28, 31-38, 53-53, 59-62

Pic from the Fil-Oil Flying V Facebook Page.

Ryan Buenafe Back In Practice?

It seems that the Blue Eagle gone stray has come back and is set to reclaim what he was and has earned in his three-year stay in the UAAP. According to members of the Gameface Media Forum, Ryan Buenafe has gone back to practice alongside other Blue Eagles (together with a lot of hopefuls) at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center of the Ateneo. Quoting a conversation between a certain "stow" and the "5footcarrot":

"i probably missed something but is there any new development to ryan's comeback? nagpractice na ba siya w the team?"

"Yes, I understand he scrimmaged with the team yesterday. I hope that those who were actually present could give us some first impressions of how he might jell [sic] with the rest of the team (especially the new guys last season)."

This still has to be validated by empirical evidence; nevertheless, having the former Rookie of the Year and Finals MVP at practice, which is an indication that he will have a chance at landing a roster spot in the Season 75 Blue Eagles, will boost Ateneo's chances of grabbing its fifth straight plum in the UAAP. Buenafe has been one of the most important players of the Blue Eagles from Seasons 71 to 73, and he might just play a bigger role now that the team is in need of a more dynamic small forward (having only Von Pessumal and Gwynne Capacio, which definitely need more improvement), now that Nico Salva has taken over the four spot. Plus, Buenafe, alongside Greg Slaughter, Nico Salva and Kiefer Ravena, could constitute the "big four" of the Ateneo offense, which could perhaps serve as the best offensive combo in Season 75.

With Ateneo winning their fourth straight title without Buenafe, his absence seems to be a blessing in disguise. Had he played in Season 74, he is set to graduate this year alongside Slaughter, Salva, Justin Chua, Tonino Gonzaga, and Oping Sumalinog, which consequently will leave a big hole in the Blue Eagles roster to fill up come Season 76. Fortunately, Buenafe will be there to stay and will have to lead a team that might just undergo a process of rebuilding.

But then, all of these are just mere speculations, and nothing is yet to be finalized. The team is currently having regular practices, and players, both included in last year's roster and those who have yet to vie for a spot, will have to be evaluated, giving them the opportunity to belong to the Blue Eagles' 16-man roster.

Photo from Fabilioh.com

Neutralized: AdMU vs. SSC-R (2011 PCCL Finals)

Ateneo 56, San Sebastian 51
Blue Eagles force do-or-die Championship Match


Ateneo 67, San Sebastian 73
Golden Stags win PCCL Championsip


-All throughout, it has been a battle of wills. On one hand, the Ateneo Blue Eagles and their followers sought for validation to something that has been already proven valid from the start. They have been crowned as champions in the Fil-Oil Pre-season tournament, the UAAP, and the Unigames, and one more big trophy in the shelves would not only be a proof as the most dominant team in the major leagues right now, but also, and to put an emphasis to it, inarguably such. On the other hand, the Golden Stags sought redemption. Despite boasting the best big three in the Metro in the likes of Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang, and Ronald Pascual, they fell short of a championship when the Red Lions, short of a Sudan Danel, held their ground in the last quarter of Season 87. Now being presented with the chance to show how they can fare with a champion of another league, and proving that they can be dominant. And it appears that between the two, the Stags wanted it more as they did not let a defeat against the Blue Eagles blur their vision of getting a trophy this year.

-Ateneo entered the PCCL Finals losing twice against the Golden Stags, and another loss would mean that Coach Topex Robinson's team would win the plum. The Blue Eagles responded in the first game when they tried to break the zone defense that cost them a week earlier. Nico Salva took care of the Blue Eagles' offense when he found the hole in that zone. Finishing with 18 points, he led Ateneo to a decider, a chance for them to get their fourth straight PCCL championship. However, during the second game, Calvin "The Beast" Abueva was scorching hot, as he made his way into two, three, or four Blue Eagles to make baskets or free up his teammates, and he finished with an impressive 20-point, 20-rebound effort for the Golden Stags' victory.

-For these two teams, two things have been significant. One of them was the battle of the top dogs. Ateneo has its Slaughter-Ravena-Salva trio, while San Sebastian only has Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang, missing Ronald Pascual due to ACL, and their defense was mostly about trying to neutralize these players and at the same time put the pressure on the rest. In Ateneo's game one win, the trio scored a total of 35 points, while SSC-R's duo had 27 of their own. But in Game 2, the tables have turned. While Salva has become dominant in the first game, Ravena and Slaughter had great difficulty scoring, resulting in a dismal performance. The trio only scored only 22 points, a far cry from their 30-plus averages in the UAAP. Subtract two more from this total and one gets Abueva's score alone, and add that to Sangalang and you get a whopping 39 points. These figures simply showed who has been the most dominant in that final match.

-The other significant thing was defense. Ateneo entered the Finals being branded as the best defensive squad in the UAAP. However, the fortress that they have held was destroyed repeatedly by Calvin Abueva's tough and intelligent plays, muscling it in to force Ateneo's men in the paint to swarm on him and hence provide open shots for Sangalang, Semira, and the rest of t Stags. On the other end, the Stags 2-3 zone implemented against the Blue Eagles was near perfect, as they had the Blue Eagles struggling to score from the paint and forcing them to shoot threes that were rarely perfect. Plus, they had a lot of those timely steals which forced crucial turnovers down stretches, something that the Blue Eagles really never encountered while playing in the UAAP.

-As Coach Norman Black says, the Blue Eagles just can't win it all. However, Ateneo, in another way, could be considered a winner in this match, as they have seen this early the adjustments and improvements they have to deal with in order to make it big once again in Season 75. From the guys on the bench, it seems that JP Erram and Oping Sumalinog will play during longer stretches, proving themselves to be effective on defense (the latter, especially, got the job of guarding Abueva in the first match).  On the other hand, Juami Tiongson might give way for Nico Elorde for playmaking duties to focus on scoring where he is really good at. And finally, Von Pessumal and Gwynne Capacio might need more training on footwork. Hopefully, the Blue Eagles get their mighty revenge on the Stags after three or four months of slugging it out and becoming a better team.

The Scores:

Ateneo 56 – Salva 18, Ravena 10, Slaughter 7, Long 7, Gonzaga 5, Sumalinog 3, Golla 2, Chua 2, Tiongson 2, Austria 0, Erram 0, Monfort 0

San Sebastian 51 – Abueva 16, dela Cruz 11, Sangalang 9, Vitug 9, del Rio 2, Ferrer 2, Miranda 2, Maiquez 0, Balacunag 0

Quarter scoring: 11-9, 26-23, 46-39, 56-51

---

San Sebastian 73 – Abueva 20, Sangalang 19, del Rio 10, Vitug 9, Miranda 6, Maiquez 4, Semira 3, Jo. dela Cruz 2

Ateneo 67 – Long 11, Tiongson 11, Slaughter 10, Erram 9, Monfort 8, Ravena 7, Salva 5, Sumalinog 3, Gonzaga 3, Golla 0, Chua 0, Austria 0

Quarter scoring: 17-16, 36-29, 57-49, 73-67

Credits to the UAAP Official site for the pic and Inboundpass.com for the scores

6 Points: AdMU vs. SBC (2011 PCCL Final Four)

Ateneo 76, San Beda 63

-As far as the PCCL is concerned, the San Beda Red Lions did not come out full force, as they missed a lot of players, key players Jake Pascual, Garvo Lanete, and Sudan Daniel included, for various reasons. The Ateneo Blue Eagles, on the other hand, sans Emman Monfort due to PBADL duties, seems to be in an early rebuilding phase, giving some time for second string players to step up and show what they have got, to prepare for another probable rematch with the SSC-R Golden Stags, and perhaps for Season 75. But despite these losses, these two teams, especially the seemingly short-handed Red Lions, fought hard and brought out what was available at their arsenal to earn that one spot for the Finals. And knowing that they still have another championship to defend besides the UAAP, that slot was Ateneo's for the taking.

-In this match, we have seen the improvements of the team members who participated in the SEA Games. Kiefer Ravena flexibly shuffled between the one and two positions, shifting his style of play occasionally from being a pass-first point guard to a finishing shooting guard and back again. We have also seen Greg Slaughter's improved domination in the paint, as well as Salva's quicker decision-making especially when running breaks. Truly, the SEAGames experienced helped them in fulfilling their role as the foundations of this team come Season 75.

-This game also pointed out the things that the Ateneo crowd will miss. Kirk Long came to play, and as usual, contributed the small things that matter most in the end. And Bacon Austria? Did we not mention that he largely improved since the day he suited up for Freego Jeans in the PBADL?

-The second stringers have also shown what they have learned from the Unigames. Tonino Gonzaga seriously assumed the starting role and provided the hustle that the team needs during those crucial stretches. Most significant among his contributions were his offensive boards that gave Ateneo second chance opportunities. The way he played this game serves as a hint that it is possible for him to be inserted into the starting lineup come Season 75. JP Erram also showed that he learned some neat things in the Unigames, especially in terms of off-ball movement. On the other hand, former third stringers Von Pessumal and Gwynne Capacio seems to need more improvement in defense, something that they might want to focus on in the next few months or so. Also, Juami Tiongson needs to get a lesson in serious ballhandling, if he really wants to become the starting point guard for Season 75.

-The absence of most players in their roster did not hinder the Red Lions from playing well despite losing to the Blue Eagles in this match. Dave Marcelo somehow had his way in the paint despite being stopped by Justin Chua and Greg Slaughter, sometimes settling for perfect midrange jumpers. Rome dela Rosa, Melo Lim, and Mar Villahermosa stepped up as well, immediately sensing the urge to play the game of catching up with the rest of the Blue Eagles. For what was expected to be a walk in the park for the almost-complete Blue Eagles, these Red Lions exceeded expectations.

-The question now that remains will be, Can the Blue Eagles handle the Golden Stags twice? The Blue Eagles have suffered close losses against the Golden Stags twice, one in the Fil-Oil Preseason tournament and another just a few days ago in the PCCL Final Four. The way the Pinatubo Big Three of Calvin Abueva, Ronald Pascual, and Ian Sangalang have somehow neutralized the power of the Slaughter-Ravena-Salva trio. And being a team that specializes in defense, perhaps the best thing for the Blue Eagles to do here is to neutralize SSC-R's own trio, while keeping their offense steady in order to prevent meltdowns similar to last week's game. The Blue Eagles might have gotten away during the UAAP when Adamson was eliminated by FEU, but this is a point of no escape for them, inevitably facing a team that defeated them twice. But then, being down 1-0 (due to twice-to-beat advantage) is familiar ground to them, as they were in the same situation as they were in their last 2 PCCL championships. Expect this PCCL Finals, therefore, to be exciting and adrenaline-filled for both teams.

The Scores:

Ateneo 76 – Slaughter 20, Ravena 18, Salva 17, Chua 6, Gonzaga 5, Austria 4, Long 4, Tiongson 2, Golla 0, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0, Erram 0

San Beda 63 – Villahermosa 21, de la Rosa 14, Marcelo 7, Pascual 6, Amer 6, Lim 5, Caram 4, Sorela 0, Koga 0, Pontejos 0

Quarter scoring: 23-19, 37-28, 55-44, 76-63

Credits to Abante Tonite for the pic and Inboundpass for the box.

Game Notes: RP vs. Cambodia (2011 SEA Games)

Philippines 127, Cambodia 68


-This 59-point wallop of Cambodia, a team that has almost always landed the bottom spot in the Southeast Asian Games, really does not say much of Sinag Pilipinas.However, this first game may well be a preview of how Coach Norman Black will run the team for the rest of the tournament. And for this first match, they relied on what was tried, tested, and used for their practices: effectively setting up plays for the team's most reliable scorers and scoring off turnovers and from transition baskets.

-However, defense and chemistry, if not problems, are concerns that need to be addressed in the next few games. Despite having found people who can reliably score, the team still has not melded as a unit. There are still things need to be polished in terms of setting plays from both ends of the court, and that includes off-ball movement, something essential in their plays. Hopefully, each member of the Sinag Pilipinas finds their niche and play effectively in the coming games.

-On the other hand, despite not blending the way they should be, Sinag Pilipinas shot 71% from the field and held the Cambodian national team to a 35% clip, en route to this big 59-point win, bigger than the last one against this same team (a 52 point margin 4 years ago).

-The national team relied on a lot of transition baskets, having the guards run for easy points after rebounds or steals. Did we not see that a few months ago when the Ateneo Blue Eagles defended their crown in the UAAP? It's obvious that Coach Norman Black still has the same strategies in mind, and it proved to be effective so far.

-Ravena showed why he is worthy of being selected as a Mythical Five member of last year's FIBA U-18. He led Sinag Pilipinas in scoring, dropping 17 huge points all through out the game, squeaking his way past larger and older opponents, plus a dunk off a transition basket. Furthermore, it's also important to note that the two MVPs of Metro Manila's major collegiate leagues have stepped up. Nico Salva and Dave Marcelo had a combined 26 point effort in this win.

-When was the last time Greg Slaughter had a single digit output? Perhaps the lockdown defense put on the Cambodian team against him, most probably because of his towering figure, had Coach Norman pull him out and had him replaced by Cliff Hodge, who is obviously faster than Slaughter and can more easily shake off their undersized big men. Perhaps one thing that Slaughter has to work on will be his quickness and footwork when it comes to those situations. We never know, but we might need him in tighter stretches.

-Selection of Emman Monfort questionable? Perhaps it's time for doubters to think again. Earlier in the game he forced two turnovers, snagged the ball once, and had a good defensive effort despite scoring 2 points. And he was able to lead the team, effectively implementing Coach Norman Black's system despite having a different set of guys in the lineup. And speaking of which, did anyone notice that the first five of the game is the Ateneo first five, with Parks replacing American guard Kirk Long?

-One note on the coverage, though. Can Indonesia have the production staff for the basketball games replaced? We viewers seem to have a hard time watching the game with their camera angles and all that.

The Scores:

Sinag Pilipinas 127 – Ravena 17, Garcia 16, Lanete 15, Salva 14, Marcelo 12, Ellis 12, Parks 10, Tiu 9, Hodge 9, Pascual 6, Slaughter 5, Monfort 2.

Cambodia 68 – Sophoeun 24, Pek 24, Boroth 15, Kim, V. 3, Kim 0, Sovann 0, Meas 0, Monh 0, Lov 0, Chom 0.

Quarterscores: 35-20; 61-39; 93-56; 127-68

Credits to Baseballdeworld.com for the pic, Interaksyon for the box.

Drive and Desire: AdMU vs. FEU Finals Game 2 (UAAP S74 Final Four Special Recap)

Ateneo 82, FEU 69
Blue Eagles clinch fourth straight Championship
(Finals MVP: Nico Salva)

As the moment for Ateneo to claim its fourth straight championship draws near, people have been talking about the second game of the Finals through historical references. Some would like to go back to Season 73, expecting that FEU can deliver a better game and bring out another Ryan Buenafe who would seal the deal for the Blue Eagles. Others would go back to the 2009 championship against the UE Red Warriors, which practically broke the "October curse" (wherein Ateneo, in the past decade, loses to its Finals matches set in October). Even others, doubters specifically, would go back to 2003, telling the Blue Eagles that they should watch out, because the Tamaraws are hungrier with their backs against the wall.

But for this year's Blue Eagles, as part of Coach Norman Black's philosophy, the past has always been the past. The Game 1 domination over the FEU Tamaraws has given them both so much and so little. On one hand, they have the advantage and is one game closer to the fourpeat that they and the Ateneo community wanted so bad. On the other hand, the scores are back to 0-0 and they will have to start again, especially now that things might change because both teams have been given so much time to prepare and see what needs to be improved. However, one thing has remained the same for them, something that they have carried over since summer break: that the Blue Eagles are hungry for the win and they will go for the kill if presented with the opportunity, and they entered the possibly last game of the season with this mindset.

The first quarter became a tit-for-tat battle of some sorts. Both teams were able to find opportunities to score, with one team getting a small lead which the other would then take away in a matter of few seconds. However, the Blue Eagles were able to gain a safe five-point lead after ten minutes, thanks to a last minute basket by Justin Chua.

The Blue Eagles threatened to blow the game early when the second unit continued their superb play, when Juami Tiongson extended the lead of the Blue Eagles to ten, 28-18. However, the Tamaraws weren't ready to give up yet, as RR Garcia and Aldrech Ramos led a furious rally that had them up 37-36 after the first half.

At this point, many would think that this would be similar to Season 73's Game 2, saying that it would be a gut-wrenching fight to the finish, where at the last minute it could be anybody's ball game. However, later on, Coach Norman Black would say that he held back the team's offense in the second quarter after getting that large lead, letting the players find their own groove in the offense while at the same time playing excellent defense. It was a wager, but nevertheless, it worked, because after the halftime break, the Blue Eagles surprised the Tamaraws by executing perfect screen-and-roll plays that allowed Kiefer Ravena and the rest of the Ateneo backcourt to find their spots or attack the basket. After Gonzaga's relentless attack to the basket that resulted into an and-one, the Tamaraws were in the same hole that they were in during the first game, staring at an eleven-point lead, a margin that the Blue Eagles would not want to relinquish as they enter the final minutes of the g ame.

The Tamaraws had a few attempts to crawl back into the game, with RR Garcia desperately finding ways to score against a tight Ateneo defense. But then, all was too much for them. Kiefer Ravena responded to Garcia's basket that trimmed the lead to ten, extending it back to fourteen, and the Tamaraws have been silent since then.

The last two minutes have been garbage time, with the Blue Eagles and the four-finger-flashing Ateneo supporters, composed of more than 70% of the Smart Araneta Coliseum crowd, just waiting for the final buzzer to sound . And when it came, there was a thunderous roar of celebration, as the Blue Eagles, led by Coach Norman Black, became the first team to win at least four straight championships, joining the ranks of the UST Growling Tigers under Coach Aric del Rosario, the DLSU Green Archers under Coach Franz Pumaren, and the UE Red Warriors under the legendary Coach Baby Dalupan.

The Blue Eagles finished off the Tamaraws without anything essentially new, and they utilized their one and only weapon against them: dynamic team play. They could have centered both their offense and defense on Slaughter and Ravena, but perhaps what surprised the Tamaraws, Coach Bert Flores specifically, was the way it was decentered during this final game.

Yes, it is true that the two newcomers, Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena, became vital cogs in this run, but it was not theirs alone. Of course, there was the "third banana," Nico Salva, who, after a perfect offensive performance in the first game, came back with a splendid Kobe-esque performance in Game 2 to bag the Finals MVP Award. Emman Monfort and Kirk Long also gave headaches for the Tamaraws, especially when the pick and roll surprise was executed in the second half.

Lastly, the bench delivered the punch that the Sixth Men demanded from them. Tiongson astounded everyone with running jumpers and a quick corner three, finishing with 11 big points. Tonino Gonzaga, the team's epitome of burning passion to win, had an and-one play and a huge triple that put the Tams away for good during the third canto. Justin Chua effectively kept the FEU big men at bay, conquering the paint in his own way.

The Blue Eagles, in the end, were once again too much for the FEU Tamaraws. In the two Finals games, Coach Bert Flores threw everything against the Blue and White, even plugging in those whom he would not normally put in, such as Roger Pogoy, Clarence Foronda, and the injured Christian Sentcheu. The three-guard combination alongside Aldrech Ramos did not make things work in terms of the offense, as they threw in miss after miss, lucky enough to grab offensive boards and take their chances once again. Garcia and Ramos, however, put up a fight in the first half, showing the determination to survive, hoping that the two of them could force a rubber match. Apparently, their teammates did not join them well in their endeavors.

The FEU defense was just horrible, as the Tams were unable to hold on to their slim one-point lead in the third quarter. Still, they could not contain Slaughter, Ravena, and Salva altogether, and they even allowed the Ateneo bench to find their spots on the court. Their lack of ability to adjust their offensive and defensive plays became their downfall. And as we have seen, it was the same thing that happened during the second half., even with Coach Bert Flores admitting to Ateneo's near-perfect game.

The Tamaraws, together with the six other UAAP teams, will start the work of rebuilding, hoping that they can grab the crown that comfortably rests in Loyola Heights, now on its fourth year. Of course, the Blue Eagles will do just that after two weeks, when they enter the Unigames and wait for their PCCL matches. But now, they only have to celebrate and relish the blessing.

The Scores:

Ateneo 82 – Ravena 18, Salva 15, Slaughter 11, Tiongson 11, Monfort 9, Gonzaga 6, Long 5, Chua 5, Erram 2, Pessumal 0, Sumalinog 0, Golla 0, Austria 0

FEU 69 – Ramos 20, Garcia 16, Tolomia 7, Romeo 7, Escoto 4, Bringas 4, Exciminiano 4, Foronda 3, Cruz 2, Noundou 2, Pogoy 0, Mendoza 0, Knuttel 0

Quarter scoring: 23-18, 35-36, 57-45, 82-69

Credits to Fabilioh for the picture and Inboundpass for the box scores.

Elevation: AdMU vs. FEU Finals Game 1 (UAAP S74 Final Four Special Recap)

Ateneo 82, Far Eastern U 64
Blue Eagles lead series 1-0

Maybe it's part of the Philippine society, as a third world country that has gone through a variety of ups and downs throughout history, to be hardwired to love underdog stories. Filipinos always have a growing fascination and following to those who started out as someone in the middle, struggling to get pieces together and solving tensions within, and then come out victorious after slaying a behemoth of an opponent.

Recently, a lot have already sided to those who, at face value, were not meant to be on the winning side, but beat all odds to come out on top, and this applies as well in basketball. The Dallas Mavericks, armed with aging stars who has to make this one last push, became easy favorites when against a Miami Heat composed of Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, all superstars in their own right. In the PBA, fans were on the Petron side of the Smart Araneta Coliseum, because many believed that it is nigh time for a star-laden Talk 'N Text team to end the streak and pass the trophy on to someone who wants it more than they do.

Last season, the Blue Eagles were in the same position, although because of their back-to-back championships, some UAAP fans wanted the FEU Tamaraws to win, just for a change. Having no definite superstar to save them from close games, bearing a 10-4 record, and having lost to the FEU Tamaraws twice in the eliminations, the Blue Eagles had their backs on the wall, with only the drive for a three-peat to give get past through possibly three Finals games. The Tamaraws, then, had all that they needed to dispatch the Blue Eagles and end their title run.

But the unexpected happened, the first game was a surprise, as Ateneo played superb defense and made use of all their fastbreak opportunities to put away the Tamaraws and gain the upper hand in the Finals series, with a 72-49 game 1 score card.

Of course, the Blue Eagles went on to win their third straight title through a game-saving three by Ryan Buenafe in a gut-wrenching 65-61 win during the second game. While this is fresh for the Blue Eagles and the fans, this is a finished chapter for the Tamaraws. Now that they are in an underdog position in the Finals, having beaten the Soaring Falcons, the only team that perhaps could give a scare to the Blue Eagles, they are out to exact revenge on the team that deprived them of what they think they deserve, considering that they were at their best last year. Many believed that with their superb play during the semis, they could topple the powerful Blue Eagles who dominated all through out the entire season, only to come out short in their last game and was saved by the buzzer during their semis match against the UST Tigers.

However, things seemed to be out of sync for the Tamaraws early in the first half of the Game 1. After an initial 6-0 Blue Eagle run, Coach Bert Flores called timeout to cool things down, and fortunately , it worked for them for they were in control for the rest of the first quarter, leading by five by the end of it.

The Tamaraws even ballooned the lead to ten during the second quarter. The Blue Eagles, on the other hand, did not want this crucial game to be like their second round encounter against the Tamaraws, so they stepped on the gas pedal right away. They staged a huge 15-5 run led by Kiefer Ravena, as they tied the game during halftime at 33 apiece. Perhaps what could have turned the tide in favor of the Blue Eagles was the insertion of JP Erram, who provided a boost on defense when Greg Slaughter and Justin Chua were sitting on the bench. The second year Forward-Center was able to contribute well on defense, and he even scored a few charity buckets to get things going for the Blue Eagles.

Fans from both sides were excited by the fact that this could be another gut-wrenching game where both teams have to play cat-and-mouse until the final minute. However, they forgot that it was at the second half were the Blue Eagles bring out their best and maul down their opponents, and as the buzzer signaled to start the third quarter, the Blue Eagles were more than determined to end this game as early as possible.

And what happened afterwards was a repeat of last season's Game 1. The Blue Eagles again found opportunities to score off turnovers and grab crucial defensive rebounds. After three-fourths of the game was finished, the Tamaraws found themselves trailing by 11 at the start of the third. The Blue Eagles did not let their guard down in the final canto, as they continued to slaughter (no pun intended) the Tamaraws, who have lost their composure and decided to chuck in low-percentage shots and just hand the ball (and the game) over to the Blue Eagles. With a few more buckets here and there, including dunks made by Greg Slaughter and "Mr. Perfect" Nico Salva, who had a perfect field goal and free throw shooting performance during that day, the Blue Eagles destroyed the Tamaraws' hope for an early advantage with an 18-point victory, 82-64.

After the game, there was nothing much to say at the side of the Green and Gold. Even Coach Bert Flores was highly amazed at the near-perfect (because the Blue eagles can do better than that) game that Ateneo had in the second half. But this would not faze the hopes of the Tamaraws. For the third time this season, they promised a better game, and hopefully that will happen for them.

The Scores:

Ateneo 82 – Salva 24, Ravena 17, Slaughter 12, Monfort 11, Long 8, Erram 4, Tiongson 4, Chua 2, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0, Austria 0

FEU 64 – Romeo 23, Escoto 12, Ramos 9, Garcia 6, Exciminiano 6, Tolomia 5, Pogoy 2, Cruz 1, Sentcheu 0, Bringas 0

Quarter scoring: 14-19, 33-33, 60-49, 82-64

Credits to Inboundpass for the box and Fabilioh for the pic.

By Mere Inches: Ateneo vs. UST (UAAP S74 Final Four Special Recap)

Ateneo 69, UST 66
Blue Eagles clinch Finals spot

Unlike last season, the Blue Eagles' down-the-wire games were really few. The first game against the Adamson Soaring Falcons was one (ending the game with a 55-51 card). After that, all the Blue Eagles' wins were blowouts, with most of them having the fourth quarter as mere formalities that will settle the final score and allow the opponent to at least catch up.

But then, there was the near-shocker against FEU during the start of the second round. Thanks to Kiefer Ravena, the Blue Eagles still held a perfect record after turning a 16-point deficit in the first half to a 6-point overtime win. The Red Warriors, one of the lowly teams of this season, put the Blue Eagles' standings at the line, but Emman Monfort silenced the reds with his free throws. Everyone wished that the battle against the Adamson Soaring Falcons would go the same, but time (and shooting and defense and everything else) ran out for the Blue Eagles, instead losing in double digits.

Nowhere in the previous paragraph did the UST Growling Tigers got mentioned, who were defeated by the Blue Eagles twice during the eliminations. Their first meeting was close up until the middle of the third quarter, when the Ateneo first five pushed the gas pedal and went all the way to a 13-point win. It was even better in the second round, when the Blue Eagles were excellent on both ends of the floor, and the bench even stopped the UST first five from even getting close in the final canto.

Having those wins against the Growling Tigers, this semi-final match should be a walk in the park, a mere formality to enter the Finals, right?

Wrong. After the defeat against the Blue Eagles in the second round, Coach Pido Jarencio made the necessary adjustments to win the next four games, only to lose to the National University Bulldogs in their final game (due to Karim Abdul's suspension and Carmelo Afuang's operation) which brought them to the fourth seed. In this semifinal game, the Growling Tigers have shown that the Blue Eagles would have to work hard, harder than their elimination round efforts, to punch their ticket to the Finals.

In the first half, crowds of the blue and the yellow show a shuffling between two teams. Leads were switching early on, and the Blue Eagles first five could not cool down the Tigers, especially Karim Abdul. Fortunately, the efforts of the Ateneo bench on both sides of the court, especially Tonino Gonzaga and Juami Tiongson, gave the Blue Eagles some breathing room, before the starters went back out and extended the lead to 8 by the half.

Cruise control was the theme of the third quarter, as an offensive surge led by Nico Salva extended the lead to fourteen. But then, a bad bench effort during the dying minutes and an offensive surge led by Chris Camus and Jeric Teng led to a critical situation for the Blue Eagles. Fortunately, time was on their side, as Nico Salva sunk his two free throws to keep the lead at thee after a Jeric Teng trey brought UST as close as one point from forcing a second do-or-die game. When the final buzzer sounded, there was no trace of premature celebration either from the team or from the crowd, for everyone knows that there is still a lot to work on, and the blue crowd could only thank the Growling Tigers for giving the Blue Eagles one hell of a game that shows that they are mortals, far from basketball gods who can make their way to a fourth straight crown and carve their destiny without looking at mistakes and keeping their focus in the game.

Perimeter offense and defense. Making the right passes and plays. Keeping the enemy at bay. These are some of the things that the Blue eagles will have to redraw and reprogram. Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena have done so much, but the rest will have to exert the same effort and produce the same results as they do. To put it short, it's time for them to bring back the hundred and ten percent that brought them to a 13-1 record. Consider themselves having their backs on the wall even though they don't, because as we all know the Falcons and the Tamaraws are hungry for the crown, as hungry as the Blue Eagles were during these past four years.

And for the Blue Eagles' Sixth Men and Women? It's time for them to get serious. Of course, they would want a semifinal blowout like the past championship years, but they would rather have this win than have another semifinal game. After all, there is a time to feel that, and it's certainly not in the semifinals, but during the final two (or three) matches that really matter.

The scores:

Ateneo 69 – Slaughter 17, Ravena 13, Salva 12, Chua 9, Tiongson 5, Gonzaga 5, Monfort 4, Long 4, Golla 0, Austria 0

UST 66 – Abdul 16, Camus 13, Teng 11, Ferrer 10, Fortuna 8, Afuang 5, Tan 3, Sheriff 0, Pe 0, Lo 0, Ungria 0

Quarter scoring: 18-18, 38-30, 52-40, 60-66

Credits to inboundpass.com for the box and Fabilioh.com for the pic.