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.

Gameday Sunday: 28 July 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

Far Eastern U 74, Adamson 71

The Tamaraws and the Falcons traded leads in the first three quarters, but it was the former who had the upper hand during the final buzzer, as the latter broke down the last five minutes in the quarters, thanks to the pesky defense and the scoring sprees of the "MRT."

Spotlight: Isn't it obvious that this is Terrence Romeo's team now? The top MVP candidate (as per HumbleBola's evaluation) had a big, though not necessarily his best, outing in this match, but he showed that he's just not a chuck-and-choke guard. Just when the Falcons were making a big comeback (surprisingly) thanks to Ar-Raouf Julkipl helping out Jericho Cruz, Romeo hit a cold-blooded three pointer, and the Tamaraws never looked back, en route to a sweep of the first round, sitting comfortably on top of the standings. Romeo chipped in 26 points on 10-of-23 shooting.

FEU 74 - Romeo 26, Pogoy 9, Garcia 9, Belo 9, Tolomia 8, Hargrove 4, Mendoza 3, Sentcheu 2, Jose 2, Cruz 2, Inigo 0

AdU 71 - Cruz 21, Sewa 13, Brondial 13, Trollano 5, Julkipli 5, Agustin 4, Abrigo 4, Petilos 3, Cabrera 3, Rios 0, Monteclaro 0, Inigo 0

Quarter scores: 20-13, 36-37, 54-56, 74-71

National U 63, De La Salle 56

Everyone thought that the Green Archers are coming back after nearly sinking into oblivion during the third quarter, when they trimmed a 15-point deficit to one. But then, top dog Bobby Ray Parks unleashed two straight triples to keep the Bulldogs afloat, leaving the Green Archers a notch below .500 as the Bulldogs ended the first round with a win that snapped their two-game losing streak.

Spotlight: Free throw shooting might have improved for Jeron Teng, but he played limited minutes due to foul trouble, and one could easily say that this was his worst game so far in the season. The Seaso 75 Rookie of the Year only had 9 measly points on the floor, hitting 2 of his (just!) 4 free throws in the game. However, praise has to be given by the much improved Arnold Van Opstal, whose excellent footwork had the Bulldogs' big men confused until he was double teamed and forced to turn the ball over multipled instances. Had the Green Archers won, it would be easy to say that this was AVO's biggest game so far, hauling in 14 points, 7 boards, and 3 swats on the floor.

NU 63 - Parks 20, Mbe 12, Villamor 10, Alolino 9, Neypes 6, Rosario 23, Alejandro 2, Rono 0, Perez 0, Khobuntin 0, Javillonar 0, Javelona 0

DLSU 56 - Van Opstal 14, Vosotros 11, Teng 9, T. Torres 7, Perkins 6, Salem 5, N. Torres 2, Revilla 2, Tampus 0, Dela Paz 0

Quarter scores: 20-9, 33-25, 43-42, 63-56

Credits to GMANews Online for the box scores, and Rappler and Yahoo! Sports for the photos.

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU (Round 1)

Ateneo 54, National U 64

-If the bunch of new faces, the coach included, are already matters to be concerned about as five-time champions, then having the Blue Eagles' star player and number one option out of opening day just made things way worse than before. It is true that during the Fil-Oil Preseason Tournament, the Blue Eagles seem to run like a well-oiled machine, coping with Coach Bo Perasol's system and keeping up despite the lack of a legitimate big man (especially now that six of the other seven teams made use of foreign players to take care of the paint). However, the UAAP is different, and with Kiefer Ravena out (but eventually played almost-useless minutes in the first half), the Blue Eagles were forced to make game-time adjustments. And faced against an experienced basketball team that hungrily wants desires revenge, Ateneo ended up relying on their gutsy effort to at least eke out a decent loss after having been left behind as early as the third quarter.

-One glaring fact is that Ateneo missed 52 of their 72 shots in the game, most of them from the outside, not just a clear effect of Ravena's absence, but the dismal shooting effort of the supposed snipers of the team (Tiongson, Pessumal, et al., not to mention that rookies Anton Asistio and Earl Murphy have not played). The team has missed a lot of open three-point shots that, had they made three or four more, could have made this a close game. Except a few mishaps in the paint as well as the failure to give up offensive boards, one could point that the Blue Eagles have played relatively good defense, as they were able to contain NU's perimeter shooters (but unfortunately at the expense of having Jean Mbe torch the team from the inside and Denice Villamor getting good looks from beyond the arc) and gave Rayray Parks a hard time driving down the lane. However, it could have been better had the offense been present.

-During the first quarter, the Blue Eagles just trailed the Bulldogs by 2 points, and by halftime, it blew to 12. Everyone was expecting the famous "third quarter storm" to happen, but unfortunately, it turned to a nightmare as the team experienced everything going really bad: they were missing shots, turned the ball over, and gave space for NU's offense to operate.The lead then went as big as 16 in the third, and even got to 24 in the fourth. It's quite unfortunate that Nico Elorde and Juami Tiongson found their touch beyond the arc at an inopportune time, just when the Bulldogs would almost seal the win. Hopefully, adjustments on offense would come up, whether Ravena would be there or not. The middle quarters was Ateneo's fort to hold during the past two seasons, and it should remain to be despite these changes.

-No doubt, Chris Newsome and Ryan Buenafe were the keys to Ateneo's offense in this game. The former has already shown what he can do: shoot from the outside, sink those perimeter baskets, and own opponents during isolation sets (that dunk Rayray Parks, had it gotten in, could have been poster material); however, it seems that he has not gotten inside the basket too frequently during the second and third quarters, saving those dribble-drives unfortunately in the almost-garbage fourth quarter. Ryan Buenafe, on the other hand, resorted instead to chucking bad threes, perhaps finding it difficult to do his usual drive-and-dish stuff. However, it is clear that alongside Ravena, they will be the Blue Eagles' penetration players, with JP Erram and Frank Golla doing the screens and managing the post. While for the rest, hopefully they can create shots and make themselves available for short stabs and perimeter jumpers to add additional spark. After all, they were able to do it during the Fil-Oil tournament.

-If there's something that can be said about the NU Bulldogs in their first game, it's the fact that they looked to be a dominant bunch. Parks has been in his usual self, while Mbe already had the confidence to man the paint given that no one except Golla or Erram could contain him. The confidence in offense that both of these  directly contributed to the extra effort that their teammates have exerted, among them Villamor and Gelo Alolino. That precisely is the reason why they left Ateneo behind as early as third quarter, and with the Blue Eagles finding a way to a probable upset, Parks hit a three to silence the Sixth Men, which is perhaps a statement that the league will soon be their own.

-With the FEU Tamaraws waiting for the next game, the Blue Eagles have a day or two to do serious adjustments and let Ravena recover. A lot of glaring mishaps and rooms for improvement have already been brought out in the first game, and it would be interesting to see how Coach Perasol would respond to these.

The Scores:

NU 64 - Parks 22, Mbe 14, Villamor 13, Javillonar  5, Alolino 4, Rosario 2, Khobuntin 2, Alejandro 2, Rono 0, De Guzman 0

Ateneo 54 - Tiongson 13, Elorde 10, Buenafe 10, Newsome 9, Erram 4, Ravena 2, Pessumal 2, Golla 2, Capacio 2, Tolentino 0, Babilonia 0


Quarter scores: 15-10, 33-21, 48-32, 64-54

Credits to the Fil-Oil Flying V Facebook Page for the pic, GMA Sports for the box.

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.

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.

The Fifteenth Gold: SEA Games Men's Basketball Finals

Sinag Pilipinas 85, Thailand 57
Sinag Pilipinas grabs gold medal for Men's Basketball


-Both the Sinag Pilipinas team and its supporters would have wanted to fight with the home team just to make things a tad bit more challenging. However, the Thai team halted the Indonesians with a slim 65-62 victory over them, giving them another chance to face Sinag and hopefully snag a victory out of them. However, nothing much changed, as Sinag buried the Thais with a big 30-point win against them.

-Surprisingly, this last battle is not a high-scoring one, as the Sinag Pilipinas finished just with a double-digit score with a relatively lower 28 point victory. But then, the score is not a priority for a defense-oriented team that tightened its defense when needed. The best defensive combo in this game? It must be Greg Slaughter and Dave Marcelo manning the paint, denying any of the Thai players good shots from inside.

-Slaughter became the centerpiece of this magnificent gold-medal win, as he used his height advantage to score from the inside and, in turn, become a threat in the paint. Kiefer Ravena and Bobby Ray Parks served as his wingmen, ready to cut and find their spots once Slaughter is hounded by double and triple teams.

-Despite a few cold moments in the game, the offense still went well for Sinag Pilipinas. Parks, Ravena, Emman Monfort, RR Garcia and Chris Tiu dictated the pace of the game, as they continued to run and make big breaks for easy baskets. Likewise, the secondary breaks were well-executed, surprising the Thai defense with quick dribble drives and kick-outs to open jumpers.

-Much like the first Smart Gilas team, we see here the future of Philippine basketball in the next three or so years. Parks and Ravena, alongside other UAAP and NCAA players, might just earn a slot in what they dub as the Smart Gilas 2.0, and Coach Norman Black might move a notch up in terms of his coaching career (but the question is, How will he manage to still coach the Blue Eagles and at the same time be a part of the national team? This might be too much foresight, but this situation is possible).

The Scores:

Sinag Pilipinas 85 – Slaughter 16, Parks 15, Garcia 12, Ravena 10, Monfort 8, Tiu 6, Marcelo 6, Pascual 5, Hodge 5, Salva 2, Ellis 0.

Thailand 57 – Kaedum 17, Sangthong 11, Lertmalaiporn 11, kongkum 8, Apiromvilachai 6, Klahan 2, Ghogar 2, Jantuma 0, Kruatiwa 0.

Quarterscores: 21-17; 44-25; 61-42; 85-57

Credits to Interaktv for the box score, and the Sinag Pilipinas Facebook page for the image.

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

Sinag Pilipinas 107, Vietnam 53


-After having scored just 5 points in the national team's bout against Cambodia, Greg Slaughter came out to score 20 and lead the team to another lopsided game. Coach Norman Black now utilized his size and strengthe to wreak havoc on both sides of the floor, as he muscled his way into the basket for easy scores, hit his free throws, and, on the other hand, disrupt any opponent who would dare score from the paint.

-Bobby Ray Parks came out as well as he gave his own big contribution to this win. This time, he played most of the game as a shooting guard, partnered with Kiefer Ravena who takes up the one position. Isn't it a splendid sight when we see two of them running together and leading breaks after a steal or a turnover from Vietnam?

-Still lacking team chemistry, it was a good thing that the national team's defense clicked and went for the kill, becoming the main ingredient for this win that goes together with Sinag Pilipinas' explosive and potent offense. The national team exploited the 1-on-1 offense of the opponent and made sure that the Vietnamese would work double to get their baskets. Case in point: the 32-4 first quarter dominance that gave Sinag Pilipinas an opportunity to breathe but at the same time maintain their pace during the whole game.

-Dave Marcelo's game was no less than fantastic. Besides providing his part in completing offensive plays in the post, he was able to hold off the Vietnamese big men especially in the boards, where he got 10 of his own.

-Another thing that came up in this bout against Vietnam is the execution of what Chris Soler of inboundpass.com calls as "secondary breaks," wherein when a fastbreak attempt would not be feasible, players would make quick passes to free up someone who can easily score the basket. This will perhaps be one of the most dangerous weapons Sinag Pilipinas has, and other teams have to be on the look when these secondary breaks are executed.

-Thank heavens, the TV coverage was better compared to the game against Cambodia.

The Scores:

Sinag Pilipinas 107 – Slaughter 20, Parks 19, Ellis 11, Lanete 11, Marcelo 9, Pascual 8, Ravena 8, Hodge 8, Salva 4, Tiu 4, Monfort 3.

Vietnam 53 – Nguyen Huy 11, Le 10, Trieu 8, Duong 7, Doan 7, Hoang 6, Ngo 2, Vu 2, Nguyen San 0, Le Tien 0, Du 0.

Quarterscores: 32-4; 59-23; 84-41; 107-53.

Credits to Interaksyon for the box scores.

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.

S74 Senior Salute: Kirk Long

For those who followed Kirk Long's playing career in the UAAP, it's not very surprising that he came out as a vital cog in the Blue Eagles' bids for championship these past four seasons. This blue chip from Faith Academy has already exceeded a lot of expectations during his rookie year in the Ateneo. As a new Blue Eagle during Season 70, he served as the energy off the bench, and his primary role is to shoot from the perimeter and lead the team during breaks, usually finishing with unbelievable lay ups that brings the Ateneo crowd to its feet with amazement.

Long was able to adapt easily to the system of the Blue Eagles, as he plays fundamentally sound basketball. One can see that, save for those amazing lay ups and stabs, he plays with basic moves, creative yet not fancy. Pump fake, dribble drive, and pass or shoot, that's just the Kirk Long way, and he really does it very well, especially with him being gifted both with the quickness of body and mind to finish plays set for him or his teammates.

But what made Kirk Long rise to fame in the UAAP, more than his changing hairstyle and his family that always gets together in the Upper A/B sections of the Smart Araneta Coliseum, were his two big shots against the UST Tigers. These two instances earned him the title "Tiger Killer," someone that even Coach Pido Jarencio of the UST Tigers feared.

The first one was during Season 70, in his rookie year, when he hit that game winning jumper over Jervy Cruz, allowing Ateneo to get over its losses against UST which date back to the Finals of Season 69. Since then, the Growling Tigers have never won a game against Ateneo, with the latter holding an eleven-win streak against the former.



He pulled off another trick again two years later, just in time when the Tigers tightened its defense and planned to snatch the game. Unfortunately for UST, Long hit a long trey to give the Blue Eagles the big win.



But in Long's later years, he became less of a scorer, and yet he became more dangerous. His figures have dropped, primarily because he set his sights on playing perfect defense, leaving much of the offense to his elite teammates. It is true that he scores a lot when it comes to running breaks along fellow guards (his most recent partner being Kiefer Ravena and fellow senior Emman Monfort), but what makes him more remarkable than ever was his one-on-one defense that heavily clamps and shuts down any formidable scorer. Just ask UST's Jeric Teng and NU's Bobby Ray Parks, and they would most likely say that they're glad that Kirk Long's career in the UAAP is now over.

Long could have a bright future in this country's basketball scene, but naturalization won't do the job for him if he wants to enter the PBA. However, if he did get a chance to enter the amateur leagues (possibly in the PBDL), he can get a good shot of becoming one of the best guards of this season. The talent, the skill, and the determination's there, and all he needs is a chance to once again prove himself.

Thank you, Kirk Long. Hopefully, the Blue Eagles find another cold-blooded killer like you, and it might be difficult to do so because your somewhere near irreplaceable.

Credits to Fabilioh.com for the picture, and colpitts and ManiacSports in YouTube for the videos.

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU (Round 2)

Ateneo 61, National U 39

-The thirteenth game of the Blue Eagles did have some elements of bad luck in it, part of which includes poor outside shooting. However, luck did not even play a big factor in this game. Instead it was their trademark defense that got them going in the second half against the Bulldogs, who were now done for the season and could pack their bags after their fourteenth game. By the way, this season's Blue Eagles made another entry into the record books by allowing the fewest recorded points since 2004.

-Nico Salva truly became a dominant force this season, and this game was not an exception. He tallied 14 big points, as one of the four Blue Eagles who scored in double digits, which includes one of the three dunks in the game (one was from Slaughter, while the other, albeit missed, was by Bobby Ray Parks who was seen limping after the failed feat). Evidently, Salva already got his game going, and if this continues, then the Blue Eagles will be more dangerous entering the last game of the season.

-The Blue Eagles made explicit the key to beat the Bulldogs: clamp down Parks and Mbe, and the game is yours. Kirk Long showed how he can play defense, as he used his speed and athleticism to neutralize Parks, a twenty-something scorer who only had 10 markers that day. Also, Greg Slaughter and Frank Golla (who recovered from a mild sprain that hindered him from playing against UP) took turns defending Emmanuel Mbe, who settled for throw-ups rather than clean jumpers and lay ups and ending up with 10 points as well.

-Surprisingly, coupled with bad luck, the Blue Eagles found themselves in a tight game during the first half, even having consecutive turnovers from each team as if they were passing the balls to their opponents. But come second half, the boys did what Coach Norman Black usually tells them: play their D, and let the offense take care of itself. And it turned out to be effective for the Blue Eagles, who unofficially ended the game by the end of the third quarter, after Kiefer Ravena's buzzer beating trey.

-Bad luck struck the Ateneo bench in terms of offense, with only Golla and Tonino Gonzaga scoring for them, tallying 10 points together. The rest, however, which includes Justin Chua (who has been scoring big prior to this game) were firing blanks. But then, the role of the bench right now is to keep the game going while the starters rest, so it may not be totally bad for the Blue Eagles.

-Perhaps this game is an indicator that the Blue Eagles are really in a good place right now to grab that sweep and hence an easy Finals ticket. With such defensive dominance and an offense that clicks at the right time, it would be certain that they will pounce on Adamson quickly and extend the streak to 29. Thus, the more important question: will it be the usual knockout Final 4 game, or a stepladder match?

The scores:

Ateneo 61 – Salva 14, Slaughter 13, Ravena 12, Long 10, Gonzaga 6, Golla 4, Monfort 2, Tiongson 0, Sumalinog 0, Chua 0, Austria 0

NU 39 – Parks 10, Mbe 10, Javillonar 9, Alolino 4, Ignacio 4, Neypes 2, Villamor 0, Roño 0, Celiz 0, Khobuntin 0, Terso 0

Quarter scoring: 12-11, 26-19, 48-27, 61-39

Credits to Fabilioh.com for the pic, and Inboundpass for the box scores.

Where To, Smart Gilas?

It seems that after the Olympic qualifier, we won't be seeing the same Smart-Gilas team that brought a revived enthusiasm for Philippine basketball. There are those who would try their skill in the professional leagues, namely JV Casio, Andy Barroca, Mac Baracael, Marcio Lassiter, and Chris Lutz, who applied for the PBA draft. On the other hand, the Cebuano Hotshot, Dondon Hontiveros, called it quits after a tiring stint. The same goes for Asi Taulava, who already felt that a handful of PBA seasons and stints with the various national teams were more than enough.

The good news is, Smart-Gilas Pilipinas team captain Chris Tiu decided not to play in the professional league, and hoped that his contract will be renewed with the Philippine team. And hopefully, Tiu's decision to stay would also invite Coach Raijko Toroman to do so as well, seeing that there's still someone left who knows his system.

But the more important concern is the replacements for those who have departed. Who could be the ones who can wear the red, blue, and white, and represent our country in international tournaments?

-News came in a few months ago about the addition of professional cagers Sol Mercado, Jimmy Alapag, and Kelly Williams in the Smart Gilas roster. Of course, their professional experience have already said a lot about them, and they could provide the necessary force that the national team needs. But the question is, can they work full time with the national team like Hontiveros or Taulava? Could they also be willing to leave their respective teams and participate on a full time basis?

-Also, remember that there are current Smart Gilas players playing in the collegiate ranks. Greg Slaughter still has to work for his college degree, including two years of serving as the pillar of the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles. Aldrech Ramos, on the other hand, is in his final year in Far Eastern University. These two will be helpful especially that Japeth Aguilar and Marcus Douthit need reliable back ups to cover the paint.

-Speaking of collegiate players, how about considering recalling JR Cawaling, also in the final year of playing for the Tamaraws? Or former applicant Ryan Buenafe, who is on a hiatus at the moment to catch up on academic requirements and trim his weight down?

-It might be also good to review the previous Powerade Pilipinas national team, led by Yeng Guiao, and pick out some gems. Governor's Cup Finals MVP Arwind Santos is a likely candidate, and so is Alaska Aces guard Cyrus Baguio. James Yap would be a good addition, as well as Gabe Norwood. But then, we run again into the question of commitment.

-Is anyone familiar with the Sinag Pilipinas team that Coach Norman Black came up with for international amateur tournaments? There are a handful of names from the collegiate ranks that could be standouts for the Smart Gilas team. But the most qualified candidate among them would be FEU Tamaraws' RR Garcia. The Season 73 Most Valuable Player can do even more than what Mark Barroca can do in his FEU days, and maybe he will be as valuable as Barroca was in the team. Fil-Ams Bobby Ray Parks and soon-to-be Blue Eagle Chris Newsome could also be good additions. On the NCAA side, we have "The Beast" Calvin Abueva and Garvo Lanete, from the Stags and the Red Lions respectively. And this may not be an immediate concern, but Smart Gilas should do all it takes to sway the Phenom Kiefer Ravena and have him play for the country. After all he has already done so in the U-16 and U-18 categories.

So, having all these options, what would it be for Smart Gilas? Or would everyone still hang on to the hopes that the guys in the PBA draft drop their names off when Friday comes?

Credits to Inquirer.net, Interaktv, GMANews, CDOLifestyle.com, Kvitters, Nugglepurl, and Metagini for the pictures.

The First Seven Games

Here's a quick look at the different UAAP teams after the first round of the eliminations of Season 74:

AdMU Blue Eagles (7-0)

-vs. AdU 55-51
-vs. DLSU 81-72
-vs. NU 86-62
-vs. UE 73-61
-vs. UP 77-57
-vs. UST 66-53
-vs. FEU 69-49

The Blue Eagles have been on a roll since that hard-fought win over the Soaring Falcons, winning by an average margin of 15 points not through explosive offense but in patient and solid team defense. With the bench guys not having their breakout game as a whole, this team can only get better as the league heads to the second round.

Spotlight: Kiefer Ravena (14.6 ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.7spg) lives up to his name as the Phenom, surprising opponents with outstanding basketball both on the offensive and defensive end. Most of his contribution came in the form of fastbreak lay ups, timely passes, and excellent pickpocketing. More than that, everyone knows that he has four more years to develop his already all-around game.

AdU Soaring Falcons (5-2)

-vs. AdMU 51-55
-vs. FEU 72-59
-vs.UST 81-71
-vs. UE 85-54
-vs. NU 56-63
-vs. DLSU 66-58
-vs. UP 72-46

The veterans of San Marcelino declare themselves second best as a response to their first game against the Blue Eagles, sealing wins in a fashionable manner save for their loss to the Bulldogs, a big ink blot in their record. And what made them rise to the top? It's their way of hoisting timely shots, which include bombing three-pointers, and their clamp-down defense on the inside. And yes, Leo Austria is a coaching genius, for real.

Spotlight: Alex Nuyles (15.4ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.3apg, 0.7spg) has always been on the way to development. Now in his arguably best, he can put teams away in various ways. However, lately, he has been comfortable with shooting from the outside and failing to make extra passes. If this continues, the Falcons better not be surprised when they drop a notch or two in the standings.

FEU Tamaraws (4-3)

-vs. DLSU 74-65
-vs. AdU 59-74
-vs. UE 66-47
-vs. NU 62-59
-vs.UST 62-59
-vs. UP 63-76
-vs. AdMU 49-69

It seems that early on, the Tamaraws have not lost their spunk even if they did not have center Pipo Nondou, for they have shown their will to win and put opponents away early during the first three games. But things went out of hand in the next four, nearly losing to NU and UST, and blowing it away against UP and Ateneo. Looks like the Tamaraws need dousing in order to wake up, especially former S73's best kid Terrence Romeo.

Spotlight: Season 73 MVP RR Garcia (15.1ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.6apg, 0.9spg) does not live up to the hype he had last season. But then, without his offense (which mysteriously disappeared in FEU's games against UP and Ateneo) that does NOT involve him taking up too much shots instead of forcing it inside or finding his right spots, the Tams could have been in a worse position.

DLSU Green Archers (4-3)

-vs. FEU 65-74
-vs. AdMU 72-81
-vs. UP 79-67
-vs. NU 74-63
-vs. UE 87-63
-vs. AdU 66-58
-vs. UST 74-71

After two straight losses under powerhouses FEU and Ateneo, the Green Archers made up for it with big wins against UP, NU, and UE, which should not be surprising. A late game breakdown, however, against AdU exposed small weaknesses, and their game against UST was only an escape even after leading for more than 20 points. How would Coach Dindo Pumaren make the adjustment, considering that DLSU puts so much trust in him so as not to start putting him in the grill? And Simon Atkins, better explain what you are doing right now.

Spotlight: LA Revilla (11.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.9apg, 2.0spg) is obviously the leader for this team, as he was the one who led La Salle to where they are right now. What could have happened to DLSU had he still not recovered from his health predicament? Definitely not really good. Oh wait, did we just say that Oda Tampus can carry the gang green to wins? Not even close.

UST Growling Tigers (3-4)

-vs. NU 73-72
-vs. UE 70-63
-vs. AdU 71-81
-vs. FEU 59-62
-vs. AdMU 53-66
-vs. UP 68-49
-vs. DLSU 71-74

They might not have sniper Clark Bautista, but the addition of Karrim Abdul became an advantage for the Growling Tigers. They have been doing a good job in both ends of the floor, it's just that they fail to decently close their games. Also, the Tigers seem to lack personnel beyond their first five (Is Robin Tan a real point guard?). Coach Pido Jarencio needs to keep his cool and rotate players efficiently if they want to go beyond fourteen games.

Spotlight: Jeric Fortuna (16.1ppg, 4.9rpg, 3.4apg, 1.3spg)is Coach Pido's favorite, and his solid performance on the court tells us why. Among the Tigers, he is the only one who knows what it means to have proper timing, necessary in taking up the duties of a real court general. It would not be surprising if people name him as this league's best point guard, for he has already proven this claim, and might continue to show further evidence in the second round.

NU Bulldogs (2-5)

-vs. UST 72-73
-vs. UP 75-66
-vs. AdMU 62-86
-vs. FEU 59-62
-vs. DLSU 63-74
-vs. AdU 63-56
-vs. UE 71-72

Coming out in the Season 74 hailed as title contenders, this team composed of an elite batch of rookies seem to not live up to the expectations. They had a lot of games that they could have won, and yet Coach Eric Altamirano's last-minute strategies didn't work at all. But still, we can't count out the fact that there are still promising performances to be seen, including former UST Tiger Cub Kyle Neypes who has not seen a lot of action lately.

Spotlight: Bobby Ray Parks (17.1 ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.9apg, 1.4spg, 1.1bpg) is unquestionably dominant. He can drive, he can dish, and he certainly can shoot outside. But where are his teammates when he needs them? The veterans like Joseph Terso and Glenn Khobuntin were nowhere, as well as his former RP Youth members. While he looks dominant, he still has to learn about teamplay and develop his ability to close games, which the Red Warriors can really attest to.

UP Fighting Maroons (2-5)

-vs.UE 69-61
-vs. NU 75-66
-vs. DLSU 67-79
-vs. AdMU 57-77
-vs. FEU 76-63
-vs. UST 68-49
-vs. AdU

Bracketing the fact that the Red Warriors were being the Red Warriors, the Fighting Maroons' first win gave a glimpse of hope to the Diliman-based UAAP fans, hoping that they could at least have a fighting chance of making it in the Final Four. However, despite having former CSB Blazer Jelo Montecastro and Alinko Mbah in their arsenal, they played liked what they were in Season 73, chucking up shots wishing that they would get in. Unfortunately, it only worked once, against FEU. Now they have to go back to the drawing board and redesign their plays, or better, have Jett Manuel and Mike Silungan take the ball inside.

Spotlight: Alinko Mbah (7.4ppg, 8.0rpg, 0.4apg, 0.9spg, 2.4bpg) provided what was missing fundamentally from the Maroon last season, namely responsibilities in the paint. While the rest of the Maroons take jumper after jumper, he was the one who takes care of the inside, grabbing rebounds and scoring in the paint. However, he has to improve his ways of maneuvering and posting up, which could be his possible strengths when given time to improve.

UE Red Warriors (1-6)

-vs. UP 61-69
-vs. UST 63-70
-vs. FEU 47-66
-vs. AdMU 61-73
-vs. AdU 54-85
-vs. DLSU 63-87
-vs. NU 72-71

It's as if everyone would be surprised with the outcome of Paul Lee and Ken Acibar's departures. Unorganized rotations and lack of team chemistry, mingled with a lack of experience made the Red Warriors this season's cellar dwellers. Can Coach Jerry Codinera perform a miracle in the second round? Even with crossed fingers of the UE crowd in every game, looks like it won't happen.

Spolight: Paul Zamar (13.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.7apg, 0.3spg) did not show any signs of growth since his rookie year. He entered the Red Warriors as a shooter and remained at that, without moving a notch up in terms of his gameplay. Minus their game against FEU, he scored double digits throughout the first round, with 95 points in total. But then, he needs to be more than a shooting point guard to pull this team up (hint: see those assist figures?).

Credits to PBFantasy for the stats and the UAAP Sports Website for the pictures.

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU

Ateneo 86, National U 62

-The Ravena-Parks match up and the multitude of upgrades the Bulldogs made in their basketball program just makes the final score unimaginable, for everyone thinks that the Bulldogs will be the Eagles' formidable foe this season. But then, this game was reminiscent of the past three seasons' matchups against the Bulldogs, with the Blue Eagles earning their third and most spectacular win for the season. The final score wasn't even telling the whole thing, as the game was practically over after Juami Tiongson's trey gave Ateneo a 32-point lead over NU after the third quarter, 69-37.

-In this game, unselfish ball prevailed. While the games against Adamson and De La Salle were that of Slaughter's and Ravena's respectively in terms of scoring, this was the Blue Eagles' game. Almost everyone got a piece of the score including nine from the third stringers, namely JP Erram (6), Gwynne Capacio (2), and Von Pessumal (1). The Blue Eagles also recorded a league-high 30 dimes, most of them from plays off NU turnovers.

-Height might be a big factor, as Slaughter was able to once again own the paint, while Mbe, at times, outhustled the Ateneo big men on the O, but it's not entirely about it. Eman Monfort played big down the stretch, as he was able to crash the boards, make crucial steals, and draw fouls from the NU guards. Despite finishing with just 10points (without getting his momentum in shooting threes), he was a key player especially during transition plays. Hopefully, the next bunch of guards (Mark Tallo, it could have been you!) can take on his role.

-The bench relatively played better today, compared to the last few games. Juami Tiongson was able to sink in two treys, Oping Sumalinog did very well on both ends, and Golla and Chua kept the NU bigs outside the paint while Salva and Slaughter rested. However, Justin Chua needs to find his touches quick in order to be a dangerous player once again.

-Taking away the garbage points he had during the fourth, Ray Parks only had eight points at the end of three quarters, many thanks to Kirk Long, who did the job of slowing Ray Parks down and denying him open spots and easy jumpers. This proves that if opponents want to score against the Blue Eagles, they have to take it the hard way. With Parks slowed down and Mbe in foul trouble, the Bulldogs have to practically consider third options. But then, it seemed that Gelo Alolino was the only to take on the scoring responsibilities, as veterans Joseph Terso and Glenn Khobuntin were nowhere to be found on both ends.

-Three games have already revealed that the way Ateneo wisely uses plays over turnovers makes them the most dangerous team in the UAAP, set to win their fourth straight championship. The Blue Eagles' scoring spurts started and kept rolling through fastbreak opportunities. Once again, fast ball became the key.

The Scores:

Ateneo 86 – Slaughter 15, Ravena 13, Salva 12, Long 11, Sumalinog 7, Monfort 7, Erram 6, Tiongson 6, Capacio 2, Gonzaga 2, Chua 2, Austria 2, Pessumal 1, Cipriano 0, Estrada 0, Golla 0

NU 62 – Parks 20, Alolino 11, Mbe 10, Celda 7, Javillonar 6, Celiz 2, Khobuntin 2, Magat 2, Labing-isa 1, Terso 1, Villamor 0, Roño 0, Eman 0, Ignacio 0
Quarter scoring: 16-11, 38-20, 69-37, 86-62

Photo and box from inboundpass.com

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU (Fil-Oil Flying V Pre-season Tournament)

Ateneo 71, National U 66

-The NU Bulldogs power on the court was centered around Ray Ray Parks, who played like a young PBA import alongside a sea of locals. But then, the Blue Eagles' trademark defense made sure that Parks will not spoil the weekend for Ateneo. Despite hitting crucial baskets (and even a few foul shots) late in the second half, he was not able to score during the first quarter, and only barely in the second. Credits to those who were able to hold him off, including Bacon Austria, Kirk Long, and Kiefer Ravena. Yes, it is a problem for NU, but the more pressing question might be: will he be allowed to suit up for Season 74?

-After being relatively quiet in the first four Fil-Oil games, Justin Chua came to play, as he was able to chip in 17 big points, making 7 out of 8 of his attempts from the field. Just like what he did against UST last year (first round), he was able to find his spot outside the paint and nail in those crucial jumpers. In fact, he was the one who gave the Eagles an early 13-point lead which became an advantage early in the first half.

-As a whole, this was one of those days when the offense was very remarkable. All save one were able to score points, and the ball movement was dynamic. Even though there were a few botched fastbreak attempts and bad shots, the Blue Eagles exerted their efforts to make good baskets, resulting in a 55% shooting percentage from inside the rainbow. The most number of shots attempted were eight (Salva and Chua), followed by 7 from Ravena, and the rest had less than or equal to 4.

-During the third quarter, it was surprising that Coach Sandy left the first five of Monfort, Long, Salva, Sumalinog, and Golla for five straight minutes. Fortunately, they still dictated the flow of the game despite big attempts by Ray Ray Parks and the rest of the Bulldogs to grab that lead. But isn't five minutes too long to let them stay all through out? Ateneo has a lot of great players who can step up when given the chance. Just sayin'.

-The Blue Eagles made 7 out of their 23 attempts from beyond the arc, but at least three of them came in during the crucial moments. Miraculously, Bacon Austria was able to make one, with two more from Eman Monfort (who, in the previous matches against UAAP teams, was not able to shoot treys) during the dying minutes of the game. Ateneo is a potent three point shooting team, but what made the Eagles dangerous is the fact that they do not shoot threes that much. It just happens that when long-range sniping is needed, the guys can create plays that enable them to knock down those threes.

-Where is Emmanuel Mbe? Sources say that he headed off to France for a vacation, and was set to return last Friday, 6th of May. Unfortunately, he did not play this game, and Coach Eric Altamirano turned to Henri Betayene for some height from the inside. But then, this Cameroonian who previously attended the University of the East did not become a factor, with only 2 points and the inability to hold off Ateneo's bigs. Can he be a threat in the future once he fits in Coach E's system?

Scores:

Ateneo 71 – Chua 17, Ravena 13, Monfort 11, Salva 8, Erram 6, Austria 6, Long 2, Golla 2, Gonzaga 2, Sumalinog 2, Tiongson 0

NU 66 – Parks 21, Khobuntin 10, Alolino 10, Singh 7, Villamor 5, Celda 4, Labing-isa 3, Betayene 2, Neypes 2, Magat 2, Eman 0, Terso 0, Ignacio 0, Celiz 0, Javillonar 0, Roño 0

Quarter scoring: 17-13, 39-35, 50-50, 71-66

Inboundpass.com for the scores, Ballerspinas.com for the photo.

Ray Parks, Jr. for National U

According to the Philippine Star, Ray Parks, Jr. declined to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and instead decided to continue playing basketball in the Philippines. An incoming sophomore student, he will suit up next schoolyear to play for the National University Bulldogs in the coming 74th season of the UAAP.

It was reported that according to him, he wants to try it out for 2 years before finally making a decision to either stay in the Philippines and play locally, or take his talents abroad.

Now, we still have one more major decision to make.

But before that, here's something as a Rayray Parks preview:

Thanks to Philstar.com for the image and chinoyhoopsfan for the firsthand info.