Season 76 Senior Salute

The Blue Eagles' tough season ended with an 82-74 loss against the UST Growling Tigers last 18 September, which booted them out of the Final Four after 14 years, ending as well that magnificent five-year championship run in the men's basketball division. However, this big loss (the biggest even) that the Blue Eagles had would not be the final word for the team's graduating seniors, who have contributed a lot to Blue Eagles basketball in their own way. If not for them, the five straight championships in these past seasons might not have been possible.

So without further ado, the graduating class of Season 76.

Frank Golla

Season 76 statline: 4.5ppg, 2.9rpg, 0.3apg, 0.3spg, 0.1bpg, 23.2mpg

Let's admit it, Golla isn't one of those who were admired by the team, and most of the time he was on the receiving end of criticism, especially now that he serves as the anchor of the Blue Eagles in the paint after the departure of Justin Chua, Greg Slaughter, and Nico Salva. But after Season 76, what matters is that Golla stayed for one more year, and took up the difficult task that was expected of him. He showed that he can contribute to this team not only inside the paint, but even six or seven feet outside of it, knocking down jumpers every now and then. He also surprised some Blue Eagles fans by finishing some good plays set up by Kiefer Ravena or Ryan Buenafe to him, being on the receiving end of crazy passes on the inside. In the end, the Blue Eagles can only be thankful that in a year wherein the team is searching for a big man, at least they found one in Golla.

JP Erram

Season 76 statline: 4.8ppg, 5.2rpg, 0.4apg, 0.1spg, 1.0bpg, 13.9mpg

During the Finals of Season 76, then-Coach Norman Black took the risk of fielding a rookie to man the fort. Blue Eagle fans have seen him as the second coming of Nonoy Baclao during the preseason, but no one expected him to log minutes on a playoff game. Fortunately, the risk paid off, as the Blue Eagles have found a secret weapon in Erram, as a go-to guy when the team needs to have a big man stretch defenses on the offensive end while preventing point in the paint on the defensive end.

Erram's career was already on track to replace Greg Slaughter in the five spot, but was sidetracked when his ACL was injured last Season 75. Since then, the former volleyball player from Ateneo de Cagayan was relegated to s bench role, replacing Golla. But despite being in such position, he did not fail to deliver when logging minutes, as he was remembered to be on the receiving end of junior Blue Eagle Von Pessumal's passes from the inside, as well as shooting midrange jumpers. The Blue Eagles could have gotten more from him had he not gotten injured, but his effort has been more than enough and commendable in his four years of stay in the team.

Juami Tiongson

Season 76 statline: 10.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.2apg, 0.7spg, 0.1bpg, 26.7mpg

Before entering the college ranks, Tiongson was one of the Blue Eagles' prolific scorers, being a three point specialist who can also penetrate and score off ceiling-high floaters. However, in the seniors'division, he had to wait for a few more years before he can show the Blue Eagles just exactly what he can do.

Tiongson started out in Season 74, relieving for point guard Emman Monfort as court general (or sometimes on the two spot as replacement for Kiefer Ravena), and he did not disappoint, showing his skills more on the offensive end. Season 75, however, was his baptism of fire, as he started alongside Ravena on the backcourt. And during that season, he showed that his stint as a Blue Eaglet star is not just about him scoring, but also taking the helm as a court general.

Ryan Buenafe

Season 76 statline: 11.1ppg, 8.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4spg, 0.7bpg, 29.9mpg

Once in a while, the Blue Eagles had players that make a big difference in the game and have become signposts of success. During the early 2000's there was Larry Fonacier, who shot triple after triple after triple en route to big victories. A little further on, we have L.A. Tenorio, the ferocious court general who not only leads offensive assaults with crazy dribbles and passes, but also with surprise triples and drives. This generation of the Blue Eagles has another one of those icons, which came in the person of Ryan Buenafe.

If "clutch" couldn't appropriately describe Buenafe in his past five years of playing for the Blue Eagles (Seasons 71-73, 75 and 76), maybe this video will:


Buenafe was one of the rookies that the Blue Eagle fans of Season 70 have been waiting for, as early as the time when the team lost to the Green Archers during their Final Four semifinal match. And when Season 71 began, he did not disappoint. Every chance for him to score or assist is always a thing of beauty, for he finishes either with a crazy pass to a cutting teammate, a wild kick-out to a sure triple, or an acrobatic layup that frequently leads to an and-one. His biggest moment came in Season 73, when in the dying minutes of the second Finals match against FEU, he sank an elbow triple, one of his few successful attempts, that sealed not only the victory against the Tamaraws, but also the pivotal third straight championship.

But besides that, he was everything but an efficient scorer. He does not post wild statistical figures (the best for this season being his near triple-double against the Adamson Falcons in Round 1), but everything he does on the court matter a lot, from those crucial passes and attempts at fadeaway jumpers to the gestures or short verbal jabs that he makes against his opponents. That is why those who root for other teams in the UAAP hate his antics so much inasmuch as those in blue loves the way he slings them (which had some followers of the league saying, Ok naman ang Ateneo, si Buenafe lang talaga eh).

In a league that has gone to be friendlier, with rivalries gone softer (with how stars Kiefer Ravena, Jeron Teng, and Kevin Ferrer talk to each other on Twitter), the whole Blue Eagles team remained to play a "gentlemanly" kind of basketball... well, except maybe for Buenafe. This guy knows how to mess with the opponents' psyche (ask the Tengs, or Kevin Ferrer, or Almond Vosotros), but more than that, he has gestures that pump up the Sixth Man. It could have started with Season 73, when he raised his jersey up high to show the whole Araneta Coliseum who rightfully owns the UAAP championship. After his Season 74 break, he went back with his antics, even sporting some hair day while putting a gesture after sinking a three. And in Season 76, he remains the hope for the Blue and White, as he also makes a weird sign of the cross gesture, but this time with three fingers out and ending with what resembles to be a throat-slash.

All of these is what made Ryan Buenafe what he is, and Ateneo basketball will have to wait for a few more years, decades even, to have someone like him to don the blue and white.

Pics from Fabilioh.com Facebook page, Stats from pba-online.net.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST (Round 2)

Ateneo 74, Sto. Tomas 82
Growling Tigers eliminate the Blue Eagles out of Final Four Contention

The fourteen year streak has ended. In a nearly dominating fashion, the Growling Tigers have finally put away all hopes for the Blue Eagles to get six straight championships for the men's basketball tournament in the UAAP. It was at least their own version of getting revenge against the Blue Eagles, who have deprived them of a championship last Season 75, even sealing another victory during this season's first round. They have mounted a lead as large as 18, and despite the Blue Eagles threatening to snag the win, Jeric Teng and Tata Bautista have held the fort and built another huge lead in the fourth which, unfortunately for the fans in blue, was never overcome. And with the Blue Eagles out of the Final Four, this is the first time in fourteen years that they have not entered the postseason, which is the longest run during the past two decades.

Players to mark: Chris Newsome and Juami Tiongson. Newsome's three fouls early in the first quarted limited him to only 21 minutes of play, making life difficult for the Blue Eagles to defend the paint and thus fall down into a double-digit hole during the first half. But with the way he played in the second half (not only in the big Blue Eagle run that had the Blue Eagles hold on to the lead for at least five minutes, but also in the final minutes of catch-up basketball), it would be safe to assume that the game could have gone otherwise had he not been limited by his fouls. In this game, he had 13 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, a block, and a turnover, all in just 21 minutes. What is amazing is that Newsome averages 30 minutes a game, and he pretty much reached his game averages (13.1ppg, 8.6rpg, 2.6apg, 0.6spg, 0.5bpg, 2.6TOpg). Moreover, his presence on the court makes life difficult for the UST's frontcourt guys.

But one major disappointment at this game would be Juami Tiongson, who fell flat compared to his season averages. During the last 13 games, Tiongson was the Blue Eagles' fourth best scorer with 10.9ppg, making at least 3 triples a game. However, during the most important moment of his career, he was not able to duplicate his previous performances as he ended up with just 2 points, 3 rebounds, a dime and a swipe, coupled with two turnovers. Tiongson became the missing link in this game in the absence of Newsome, as he was not able to make the shots that he normally takes, especially those corner and elbow threes that could have made a big difference.

Some final remarks on Kiefer Ravena and the Last Buenagame. The Phenom ended his third year of college basketball, perhaps his worst so far since he started to play for the Blue and White, with 20 big points, leading the Blue Eagles in this game. However, despite being Ateneo's top scorer in this game, he was not able to (virtually) single-handedly lead the Blue Eagles to win in their most important game. Not only did he miss crucial free throws in the final minutes (both attempts at the charity stripe that could have trimmed further the six-point lead that the Growling Tigers have during the last few minutes of the game), but he also served as the tail-end of bad miscues. This last game he had might have been a salvation of sorts, as he ended up with only 3 points and out of the game (ejected with five fouls) in the Blue Eagles' bout against NU; but then, however good this game could be for him, it did not translate into win.

And regarding Ravena's over-all performance this season, two things can be brought up. First, his ankle injury cost him a lot, not only in terms of missing three crucial games during the beginning of the eliminations, but also in terms of his overall performance. Ravena was not his own, dominating self during this season, as he posed different highs (in scoring and rebounding) and lows (free throw shooting) this season. And related to this is the second, the fact that he did not live up that much to the expectations that he can carry this team (at least for this season), having Newsome and Ryan Buenafe on his side. One could justify that the lack of big men also hindered Ravena's output this season, but even with that fact, it should not have decline not that much. But then, expect Ravena to come back hungrier and stronger next season as he enters his final two playing years.

And Ryan Buenafe? The whole UAAP will miss him so much; however, his game did not turn out that big during his last game, with little results yielded by maximum effort. Those 9 points and 7 rebounds (3 of 13 from the field) were undoubtedly big, but he could have done definitely more, despite the fact that it's not far from his 11-point, 8-rebound average. However, this does not discount the fact that he's the best clutch player that the Blue Eagles have seen during the past few years, and he has it all to make it big in the PBA, moreso if he continues to improve his versatile game.

Karim-ed Down. Two statlines to show how Karim Abdul became a big factor in the Growling Tigers' win:

A: 25 pts, 11/18 FG, 9 rebs
B: 17 pts, 7/25 FG, 11 rebs

Statline A is Karim Abdul's, which shows that Pido Jarencio's plan in the first half to dump the ball on him on the low post pretty much worked against the Blue Eagles. This is perhaps Abdul's biggest game in the eliminations, affirming the fact that he is the fulcrum of the Growling Tigers' offense, because without him, Jeric Teng or Clark Bautista or even Kevin Ferrer can't even get to their sweet spots.

And Statline B? That was Frank Golla, JP Erram, and Buenafe's statline. Without Newsome, the Blue Eagles' frontcourt could not do anything against Abdul, either giving up duty fouls or just letting him score from the inside. What happened in this game is nothing but a summary of the Blue Eagles' defense without a big man to anchor and hold the fort down. Yes, it is true that they were able to somehow contain a lot of big men in the league this season (Charles Mammie, Anthony Hargrove, and all the towering combinations that DLSU gave them); however, this did not happen tonight. If the Blue Eagles would want to get that crown back in the next season, they have to get themselves a big man. News is the team already chose to ride the waves, getting and training an African center to do the dirty job alongside transferee Ponso Gotladera. If that is the case, then things are going to be interesting insofar as Season 77 is concerned.

The game of triples. What I'm talking about is not the total triples that both teams make (Ateneo made 7 of their 22 attempts, while UST had 4 of 19), but it is the three triples early in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for the Growling Tigers. Clark Bautista made two corner threes without a man to defend him, and Jeric Teng, in his best game since returning from his shoulder injury (17 markers and 9 boards), got one via a stop-and-pop move. Had the Blue Eagles stopped at least one of those triples, then it might still be possible to salvage the game and snag that last Final Four slot. Again, it's brought about by the difficulty of not having a big man, as they put too much pressure on Abdul but giving up opportunities from the outside. Credit, though, goes to the Growing Tigers for having taken advantage of this the whole game long.

Endgame remarks. In all struggles and defeats, new things are learned. I cannot but stress the fact that the Blue Eagles have to get a big man quick, especially now that, alongside Tiongson and Buenafe, Golla and Erram would be leaving the Blue and White as well. But besides the point, a lot of players have improved by necessity, especially Nico Elorde who has stepped up in the last three games of the Blue Eagles with his shooting (of all things) and gutsy rebounding. We also have seen what Vince Tolentino as a stretch four can do, and perhaps we'll see better things once legitimate big men will run alongside him. We have not yet seen how Anton Asistio and Earl Murphy can fully do, but there is hope for these men. With this, the Blue Eagles do not have anything to do but look forward to the next season.

The Scores:

Ateneo 74 - Ravena 20, Newsome 13, Elorde 12, Buenafe 9, Pessumal 8, Golla 4, Erram 4, Tolentino 2, Tiongson 2, Capacio 0

UST 82 - Abdul 25, Teng 17, Daquioag 13, Ferrer 10, Mariano 7, Bautista 6, Sheriff 4, Pe 0, Lo 0, Lao 0

Quarter scores: 14-25, 26-39, 51-52, 74-82

Credits to PBA-online.com for the statistics, Fabilioh for the picture, and GMA Online for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU (Round 2)

Ateneo 64, De La Salle 66

Sweeps have the same situations. Remember the first round battle against the Green Archers? The Blue Eagles had a big lead in the middle of the third quarter, when the Green Archers had a big run before its end, only to have the Blue Eagles scampering for a decent basket in the fourth quarter. This time, while the Blue Eagles nursed a 1-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter, Almond Vosotros hit an elbow three and then went for a fastbreak layup after an Arnold Van Opstal swat. This happened in the last three minutes, and since then, the Blue Eagles struggled to tie the game and once more bring the lead back to the blue side. It was a lucky moment as the Blue Eagles went on a late 6-1 run to tie the game at 64 apiece, but then it was Jeron Teng and thus the Green Archers who had the last laugh as he hit the go-ahead jumper over Chris Newsome with just a few seconds remaining.

Jeron Teng and Kiefer Ravena. To raise my point, I'm going to go Bill Simmons on this one. Look at these endgame stats from two players:

Player A: 34 minutes, 12 pts (4/13 FG, 1/6 3FG, 3/8 FT), 2 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl, 5 TOs, 2PF
Player B: 21 minutes, 8 pts (2/5 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/9 FT), 1 reb, 1 blk, 2 TOs, 4PF

Obviously, Player A has been on the court for about 80% of the whole game (in fact that is more or less his average usage rate), while Player B has been hounded by foul trouble. However, both of these players have practically the same statistics, and I could go so far as to conclude that player B is some kind of energy backup just in case shots weren't falling for those whom he should substitute with. While Player A? That was a really really bad game.

Unfortunately, Player A's statline was Kiefer Ravena's. Fans in blue expected him to make the difference this time, being absent from the Blue Eagles' first round match against the Green Archers. However, nothing went really well from him, especially in the fourth quarter. Sure, he hit a shot clock beating triple (more out of luck than skill, I suppose), but he did commit a multitude of mistakes that he could have easily avoided. For one, there is his dismal free throw, that's even worse than his average (37.5% compared to his 52% average). He airballed some threes, most of them shot clock beaters (why were we even forced there in the first place?), and made 2 turnovers that were big for DLSU: the first one happened at the end of the first quarter, when he cost the Blue Eagles a turnover, leading to a Vosotros triple (lemme call that by its name, Vosotres) that trimmed the lead down to two, while the second one led to another Vosotres that gave the Green Archers the lead for good early in the fourth quarter. Simply put, the Phenom is not himself in this game, save for that game tying jumper that went before that Teng clutch basket.

And speaking of Jeron Teng, he came out glorious by the end of the buzzer as he sinks his usual jumper over Chris Newsome, keeping his team practically safe at the number three spot. Prior to that, he splits his FTs that made it a one-possession game, and in that short stretch the game was all his. This is not to say that Teng is now as good as Ravena (at least at this point in their college careers); however, it would seem more that Ravena went down to Teng's level (case in point: Ravena's true shooting for this game was at just 36.3%, while Teng has 44.6%). Fans in green have jeered at Teng all season long because of his bad decisions on the court especially during isolation plays as well as his awful free throw shooting, while Ravena was hailed by the fans in blue for his impact on the court. But guess what, things have come down to the same level, or even turned around at least just this once. While Ravena has been slumping in this game, Teng came out as the eventual hero who saved DLSU and granted them the sweep.

Nico Elorde's wasted effort. Nico Elorde brought out his best game today against his former school, and boy, did he really turn out to be efficient in this game. The former Green Archer tallied 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting, with 3 out of 5 triples to boot, together with 4 boards, 3 dimes, and 1 steal. Elorde came up big in the first half as he makes one triple after another, not to mention his gutsy layups, stills, and offensive rebounds spread all over. Sadly, it wasn't enough as the Blue Eagles lost, but it could easily have been Elorde who was there during the rest of the fourth quarter to replace the slumping Ravena.



The things that the Blue Eagles missed. So what did the Blue Eagles forget in this game? Here are a few points:

• They forgot the fact that what will decide this game are eventually the big men... and their performance on both ends of the floor. Frank Golla, JP Erram, Vince Tolentino, and Ivan Enriquez gave up 23 points to the DLSU big men Arnold van Opstal (4), Norbert Torres (6), and most especially Jason Perkins (13), while only scoring 4 points (a basket apiece from Golla and Erram). One could readily forgive those backcourt points scored considering that the offense have been coming from the small forwards forced to play big (Buenafe and Newsome had 8 and 9, respectively); however, too much offensive pressure from the DLSU bigs (together with the non-calls, which will come later) allowed LA Revilla and Teng to slash their way inside (Revilla was 4 of 7 inside and ended up with 11 points). 
• They forgot that they cannot just run fastbreak sets, and half court plays are of utmost necessity against DLSU. Notice that when the Blue Eagles go for a rebound, the Green Archers would rather give it up and run to set their defense. If that is the case, then they should have more half court sets that have Ravena, Buenafe, and Nesome scoring on the inside, while Tiongson or Elorde would be responsible in receiving kickouts. Instead, we got pretty bad perimeter shots from Ravena and Buenafe, more like failed desperation attempts to score. I'm not saying that this has always been the case, because we have seen flashes of brilliance on the offense, lots of it even; however, they could have run different sets with same finishes (obviously, because the Blue Eagles are running Hawks and Horns sets that have the same initial moves) in those last five minutes.
• They forgot that despite not having Ravena, they could have just used Chris Newsome as the primary shot creator. The second round Newsome was far from the 27-point bomb that struck fear in the hearts of Lasallians during the first round. Instead, what we got is still a decent 8-point, 8-rebound forward who settled well with setting up plays for the guards. Had Newsome been activated as the first option in the last few minutes, then I think this game could have been saved.

If the Blue Eagles would want to win the next 3 games, make it into the Final Four, and get four more without losing one in the semifinals, then they have to relish this moment and learn a lot from this loss. It is unfortunate that they do not have big men strong and skillful enough to counter DLSU's (the past two years, we had Slaughter, the year before that Justin Chua, and Rabeh Al-Hussaini as well as Nonoy Baclao for Seasons 71 and 72), but more is expected from their Big Three plus one of Ravena, Newsome, Buenafe, and Tiongson. And the team needs them more than ever if they still consider winning a sixth straight championship a real possibility.

That Bo Perasol Technical. Let's review the sequence that led to that foul called on Coach Bo Perasol:

• Ryan Buenafe drove to the basket and was pushed and elbow on his way. No foul called.
• Jason Perkins scrambles for the rebound and was supposedly fouled as he got the board.
• As the referee whistled, Perkins elbowed someone from behind him.

Whether it's the non-call or the second motion that has been the reason, one can see why Coach Perasol has the right to be furious; however, it just happened that the referees deemed it as crossing the line and therefore the T. Would it be rightfully so? You be the judge, but insofar as these events happened, it might be even more proper to call an additional unsportsmanlike foul on Perkins on that sequence, and then grant the possession to DLSU because of the foul in the rebound.

What It Means to the Final Four campaign. This definitely makes everything more difficult, now that the Blue Eagles slide to 6-5, tied with UST and half a game behind UE (who will play DLSU on the 4 September without Charles Mammie and Ralf Olivares). Given that, these are the things that the Blue Eagles should do:

• First off, they have to eliminate those with whom they are tied up against, namely UST and (possibly) UE (but with a margin greater than or equal to four points). Doing so would secure them the four-spot despite having the same standings at the end of eliminations.
• It would even be helpful if DLSU sweeps the second round, because it would give extra losses to UE, UST, and possibly NU.
• One more imperative: BEAT NU. The Blue Eagles cannot afford another loss (unless UST and UE will be handed other losses). Once this is done, the fourth spot is for the Blue Eagles, and they might face either NU or DLSU.

The Scores:

La Salle 66 - Vosotros 19, Perkins 13, Revilla 11, Teng 8, Torres 6, Van Opstal 4, Montalbo 3, Salem 2, Tapus 0, Reyes 0, Dela Paz 0, Bolick 0

Ateneo 64 - Tiongson 14, Elorde 13, Ravena 12, Buenafe 9, Newsome , Pessumal 4, Golla 2, Erram 2, Tolentino 0, Enriquez 0, Capacio 0


Quarter scoring: 13-16, 31-33, 46-49, 66-64

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo and GMA Online for the box

6 Points: AdMU vs. AdU (Round 2)

Ateneo 79, Adamson 66

-For teams that badly need a string of wins, a blowout would indeed be a pleasing sight, especially if it occurs late in the third period and there seems to be no more hope of a comeback. This is what the Blue Eagles faced as they finished the third period with a 25-point lead against the slumping Adamson Falcons. However, due to a few errors, not to mention various and-ones, unnecessary cross-court turnovers, and an unsportsmanlike foul, the Falcons has caught up through a huge 19-0 run. However, the trifecta of Kiefer Ravena, Ryan Buenafe, and Chris Newsome saved the day once again as they restored the double digit lead and sustained it until the end of the game. It will be easy to criticize the team's lack of effort in sustaining the lead during the first five minutes of the fourth; however, one should not be too quick to judge it as a meltdown, especially when we consider the fact that Coach Bo Perasol did not call a timeout in order to train the team to handle situations by themselves as well as make adjustments while keeping in mind his instructions.

-The Blue Eagles are on a roll with four straight wins, and so is Kiefer Ravena who provided the firepower that was missing in their first three games (and first three losses) of the season. In those four games (UP, UST, UP again, and then this game), Ravena averaged 15.0ppg and accounted for 22.5% of the team's total points scored in these games, which is pretty big considering that in three out of these four games, Coach Bo Perasol stretched the team's rotation which means less minutes for him. This all the more confirms the fact that he is the heart and soul of the Blue Eagles of Season 76. If he continues to play like that, then it is still possible for the Blue Eagles to go for a sweep of the second round, at best, and make it to the Final Four.

-Steady defense and efficient offense are the weapons that the Blue Eagles had against the Falcons even in their first round match, and not only is this the theme of the past five games, but also the past five seasons. In this game, the Blue Eagles have played magnificent defense, shutting down Adamson's shooters and sealing hotspots while taking the time to gang up on rebounds. On the other side of the court, they were able to play solid offense, settling for close-range shots and points in the paint, besides sticking with their usual horns offense (but now with Ravena manning the post more since he returned from his injury) and with Buenafe and Newsome coming off as the usual second options. And at first glance, one could say that this is one of the most efficient games of the Blue Eagles on both ends.

-Nobody noticed the huge presence of sixteenth man Ivan Enriquez outside the Blue Eagles' matches against Adamson, but here he came up as a quality energy player who was able to keep Ingrid Sewa out of his comfort zone despite the huge size advantage. Fouling out of the game early was expected given the huge disadvantage (but the same could not be said of JP Erram, who should be more familiar with defending bigger frontcourt members after nine games), but he showed what it takes to manhandle the paint and make life difficult even for imports. And with what he has shown, it would be possible for him to team up with Frank Golla to guard a Charles Mammie, Karim Abdul, or an Arnold Van Opstal in the next few games.

-Sewa continued to be a monster in the paint, but not as well as he should despite the height advantage. It is surprising that the Blue Eagles' strategy of ganging up on him worked, and the fouls were forgivable considering that Sewa shot 7 of 12 from the charity stripe. Jericho Cruz has been rendered ineffective save for the final minutes of "not-so-garbage" time. Brondial did much of the damage late in the game but to no avail, and Roider Cabrera swished a triple only once. The Ateneo defense pretty much taken them out of their game, but one should also recognize that since their win against the NU Bulldogs, the Falcons experienced a two game slump which includes this game. Their winning margin for the past two games soared to -23.5, which is far from the team that garnered a close win and a close loss against NU and DLSU, respectively. During the beginning of the season, they were tagged as favorites, with Cruz, Roider Cabrera, and Sewa at the helm. But now, they are nothing but a shadow of what they were supposed to be, and it seems that the chances of making it again at the Final Four are slimming, not to mention that they still have to face top tier teams like FEU and UE.

-Insofar as winning the big games is concerned, the Blue Eagles have not yet proven anything. If at all, the matches against UP and Adamson are nothing but warm-up games to keep their toes on the court. The next five battles will be crucial, as it would determine how tough can the Blue Eagles get when they have games that can possibly go down the wire or extend to overtime. If they can overcome this, then a six-peat is more than possible.

The Scores:

The scores:

Ateneo79 – Ravena 18, Buenafe 18, Newsome 9, Elorde 9, Tiongson 7, Pessumal 6, Golla 6, Erram 2, Enriquez 2, Capacio 2, Tolentino 0, Lim 0

Adamson 66 – Sewa 17, Rios 14, Cruz 14, Brondial 14, Cabrera 2, Inigo 2, Agustin 2, Trollano 0, Petilos 0, Monteclaro 0, Julkipli 0, Abrigo 0


Quarter scoring: 19-13, 33-26, 57-32, 79-66

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the post and GMA News Online for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP (Round 2)

Ateneo 67, State U 59

-It seems that both these teams have the FIBA Asia hangover. While the UP Fighting Maroons were shooting lights out like what Gilas Pilipinas did during their quarterfinal match against Kazakstan, the Blue Eagles were slumping like a beach of bored audience members on both ends in the first half. The Fighting Maroons led by one point as the haftime buzzer sounded, 34-33, but their lead was up by as large as 11 early in the second quarter. Fortunately, Kiefer Ravena just woke up in time to lead the Blue Eagles to a second half domination, earning them their 4th win (3rd consecutive) and a chance to go on a three-way tie at the fourth place.

-This was just the first time that Newsome was forced to ride the bench after having garnered quick fouls in the first half and was not able to contribute much in the court. However, he was able to make up for it by putting the finishing touches for this match. too bad he failed to deliver a big throwdown early in the game, during the time when the Blue Eagles were missing even the closest shots to the basket.

-It seems that Kiefer Ravena is back to almost a hundred percent, thanks to the long break provided by the FIBA Asia Tournament. He had a 14-14-5-3 afternoon after limited play for more than three weeks due to a Grade 3 ankle sprain. Now that Ravena looks like a well-oiled scoring machine as the pre-season analyses have predicted him to be, there will be no more excuses for the Blue Eagles as they proceed with the second round, trying to get at least that 3rd or 4th playoff spot.

-The Ateneo big men were out cold during the game, with a lot of mistakes and fumbles in this game. Frank Golla and JP Erram only had 12 points, but had really bad turnovers. These are the things that the Blue Eagles cannot afford to have when they're battling it out against an Arnold Van Opstal, or a Charles Mammie, or an Ingrid Sewa, and it's just fortunate that these guys were able to see their mistakes as early as this UP match.

-Joseph Marata started out with a 3 of 5 clip from the three-point line early in the game, but had 2 of 8 after that, with a lot of them being airballs. He did have 15 points, but if the UP Maroons are still insisting on putting Marata as the first option, then it would appear that the Fighting Maroons are again bound for another winless season. Can they just use Martin Pascual, Paul Desiderio, or even Kyles Lao as first options and have Marata camp and shoot instead? That would be more effective.

-One thing that the Blue Eagles to-do list has to have would be more consistent defensive stops coupled with perfect offensive finishes. During the first quarter, the team lacked a sense of urgency to tighten their D when the Fighting Maroons hit shot after shot after shot, adding to the awful offensive output that is as bad as an unfinished Ravena layup. It was a good thing that the Blue Eagles picked up late, but it would be impossible for them to surmount double-digit leads against higher-seeded UAAP teams with a defense that only wishes for missed treys and perimeter jumpers.

The Scores:

Ateneo 67 - Ravena 14, Tiongson 11, Newsome 11, Buenafe 7, Golla 6, Erram 6, Elorde 4, Capacio 4, Tolentino 2, Pessumal 2, Murphy 0, Enriquez 0, Asistio 0

UP 59 - Marata 15, Lao 9, Asilum 8, Wong 5, Soyud 5, Gingerich 4, Desiderio 4, Pascual 3, Gallarza 3, Ligad 2, Ball 1

Quarter scoring: 14-21, 33-34, 53-47, 67-59

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the pic and GMA Online Sports for the box scores.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST (Round 1)

Ateneo 61, Sto. Tomas 57

-The Blue Eagles' offense seemed to be a two-headed hydra in their final game in the first round of the eliminations. On one hand, they have brought out all their weapons on the first half, pouncing quickly on the Growling Tigers and taking advantage of their shaky start. However, things seem to have fallen apart during the final minutes of the game, when they allowed the Tigers to bounce back. Fortunately, key baskets by Ryan Buenafe, Chris Newsome, and Kiefer Ravena put the game at a considerable distance during the final minutes, enough to bring them to the Blue Eagles' third win for this season, ending the first round on a strong note.

-It really is not a good time for Ryan Buenafe to have an awful shooting night, but it did not stop him from having a good game by delivering late in the game and at the same time providing opportunities for his teammates to finish strong. He scored just 9 points, but provided the big plays late in the game to keep Ateneo afloat, including that huge triple and an easy layup from the backdoor with barely a few minutes left in the game. With Kiefer Ravena almost fully functional now, one can see how dangerous it will be for Buenafe to lead the team alongside Ravena and Newsome. All of them are active playmakers, shot-creators, and reliable clutch scorers, and when the going gets tough, this unholy trifecta can frustrate last-minute defensive plans and comeback attempts by opponents, as seen in this game.

-Another Newsome dunk with Karim Abdul trying to block it made this game a lot, lot better.


-It's quite surprising that the Blue Eagles have missed their free throws in the final minutes, making just about less than half of their charities in the final minutes. Had Ravena, Newsome, Frank Golla, and Nico Elorde were perfect from the line during the final stretch, then the heart attack situation could have been avoided. Fortunately, Kevin Ferrer and Ed Daquioag missed their game-tying threes, thus preventing an extra period for the game. The Blue Eagles should remember that as a team that scores with attacks and backdoor plays from the inside, making free throws is a must.

-This game not only marks the first time that the Blue Eagles actually have a winning streak, but also shows that it is possible for the Blue Eagles to manage the lead and take advantage of situations when the opponent is caught offhanded. The team jumped to a 15-point lead early, but the Growling Tigers were quick to respond and eventually trimmed the lead down in the final minutes; however, the Blue Eagles' offense has always been quick to respond, averting big runs and eventually the possibilities of UST to make a comeback. Another thing to notice here is that the Blue Eagles' team defense has been effective against Karim Abdul, who only scored six points in the game; however, what needs to be improved (especially in playing all other teams that have really tall African imports) is when to switch just in time to contest triples.

-Even with the absence of Jeric Teng (out with a shoulder injury), the Growling Tigers lived up to their name as comeback kids, and remain to be one of the most dangerous teams in the UAAP. Aljon Mariano clearly isn't in his 100% (having sprained the ankle that was previously fractured), but his 16 markers came from big baskets that prevented UST from being left behind. Clark Bautista established his reputation as an off-ball player from behind the arc, as he drained one after the other to keep the game close. But among them, it was Ed Daquioag and Kevin Ferrer who stepped up as the role players. While the former surprised the Blue Eagles with quick baskets of his own, the latter has been an all-around player for this game, taking responsibility for grabbing the boards, creating shot opportunities for himself and his teammates, and even shooting when demanded of him. However, it's too bad that these two failed to make the right plays at the right time. But rest assured, the game between the Blue Eagles and the Growling Tigers are going to be much more exciting once both reached their highest points and at 100 percent.

The Scores:

Ateneo 61 - Ravena 13, Newsome 10, Buenafe 9, Tiongson 9, Golla 8, Capacio 4, Pessumal 3, Tolentino 2, Erram 2, Elorde 1

UST 57 - Mariano 16, Daquioag 12, Bautista 11, Ferrer 9, Abdul 6, Lo 3, So 0, Pe 0, Hainga 0

Quarterscores: 19-6, 27-21, 47-39, 61-57

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo and GMA News Online for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP (Round 1)

Ateneo 72, State U 64

-The final score of this game does not tell anything at all, except that the Blue Eagles are on their way towards salvaging their first round. It does not tell how the team has mounted another third quarter storm against the Fighting Maroons, extending the lead to as far as 19 points, thanks to the efforts of Kiefer Ravena and Ryan Buenafe. It does not tell how, when the head coach Bo Perasol decided to call it quits in the early fourth quarter, it was then that the offense of the Maroons, which involves putting former Green Archer Joseph Marata as the first option with nothing else after, maybe involving rookie Kyles Lao, clicked and brought the lead down to eight. But also it did not tell how a Katipunan chess match became exciting at the beginning and at the end (never mind the in between), with both teams playing almost the same offensive styles, only that the defense tipped in favor of the Blue Eagles.

-However, as with all the wins against UP in the last few years or so, this first round game should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, the Blue Eagles played perfectly well, with Ravena leading the way alongside Buenafe and Newsome; however, this team does not feature any import at the frontcourt, leaving Chris Ball and Raul Soyud to take care of the paint, therefore making it easier to score from inside as compared to the past four games (NU with Emmanuel Mbe, FEU with Anthony Hargrove, DLSU with Arnold Van Opstal and Jason Perkins, and UE with Charles Mammie). It's a good thing that the Blue Eagles secured the win by taking advantage of its absence, by trying to score from the inside at first in order to leave the wings and the perimeter open. Moreover, they did pretty well on defense, as they were able to control the interior, forcing the Fighting Maroons to take the game outside, while forcing turnovers frequently during entry passes and kickouts. And given the still miserable record that the Blue Eagles have after six games, then count this one as a good effort.

-Looking at the development of the team after six games, it would be proper to say that the team's overall chemistry is at about 70%, considering that Kiefer Ravena has just returned and is at about 70%. Ravena's presence indeed is a boost for the Blue Eagles, but with controlled minutes, Coach Bo Perasol has to shuffle the rotation either with Von Pessumal or Gwynne Capacio (or, at times, going for a double-PG combo with Juami Tiongson as number 2 and Nico Elorde to play the point). But despite this, the result showed signs of almost-superb teamplay: the Ravena-Buenafe-Newsome trifecta scored 41 of their 72 total points, with Tiongson (as the plus-one) adding 9. The bench garnered 16 points, while 14 of the 16 Blue Eagles entered the game. Perhaps the biggest improvement that will happen here in a while is when Ravena will be at full force, and it would be soon before it happens, given that he has another six days to rest before their final first round match against the UST Growling Tigers.

-One significant performance off the bench, which perhaps a few would notice is how reserve Vince Tolentino plays defense. It seems that this 6'3" sophomore from Vancouver, Canada is more used to play the three position, and that taking the position of four or five in a zone set seems to be a tall order for him. However, against UP, his shifting movements in and out of the paint, insofar as defense is concerned, and was able to protect his areas quite well. Watch out, because if this guy is relegated to a three position during defense (come the time when the Blue Eagles will have legitimate big men (such as this) who can compete with the other UAAP teams'), he will be very reliable (well, maybe improving his speed and footwork a bit more would help).

-Chris Newsome. Alley oop. 'Nuff said.


Yes, the Sixth Man enjoyed big dunks here and there by Greg Slaughter during the past two seasons, but what made Newsome special is that in his first six games, he has displayed his superb athleticism (take note as well that he almost had a poster delivered at Bobby Ray Parks' doorstep during the Blue Eagles' game against the Bulldogs). With what he can do, expect him to do this in the games to come:


-It's not surprising that the Fighting Maroons' Joseph Marata did not actually adjust his game upon his transfer to UP from DLSU. He still identifies and establishes himself as a shooter, but what he gives, he also takes away. It is evident that he led a comeback attempt by a barrage of threes, but the way he has become trigger happy (together with his lack of defensive skills) also served as the cause as to why they never led for the entire game except for just once and only within a few seconds. For the whole game, Coach Ricky Dandan gambled on an Oklahoma City Thunder-style offense--a bad shot by Marata (or Ligad for some stretches) would be better than a good shot by anyone else (okay, maybe Chris Ball is an exemption); however, wouldn't it be better to place Lao as the first option because of his ability get past defenders for easy layups and designate Marata as a kick-out player? After all, Lao is a rising star in the making for the team, and it would be beneficial if Coach Dandan provides him the opportunity to at least lead the team on offense.

The Scores:

Ateneo 72 - Ravena 15, Buenafe 13, Newsome 13, Tiongson 9, Golla 6, Pessumal 4, Erram 4, Elorde 4, Tolentino 2, Capacio 2, Lim 0, Murphy 0, Asistio 0

State U 64 - Marata 22, Ligad 10, Ball 10, Soyud 8, Lao 7, Desiderio 3, Wong 2, Asilum 2, Suarez 0, Pascual 0, Gingerich 0, Gallarza 0, Amar 0

Quarter scores: 19-17, 38-30, 57-40, 72-64

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo, the respective owners of the YouTube videos, and GMA Online Sports for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. AdU (Round 1)

Ateneo 71, Adamson 59

-So far in this season, this is the only time wherein, save for the opening canto, everything went well for the new(ly shaven heads of the) Blue Eagles. Despite barely having Kiefer Ravena (who only went in for less than 15 minutes and scored only 4 points), the offense clicked and went smoothly as planned, with everyone finding their spots from the outside and yet managing to bring the ball inside for impressive baskets. The defense has significantly improved, as the Ateneo frontline held up their fort and was able to deny the baskets that mattered for Adamson. If at all, this seems to be a sign for the team being able to indeed play as a team, which resulted in their first and only win after four games.

-Four Blue Eagles scored in double figures, all with notable and significant performances. Juami Tiongson finally completed the Blue Eagles trifecta by scoring from beyond the arc and producing easy fastbreak points. JP Erram showed everybody that his ACL is a thing of the past, as his 10-point barrage in the third quarter kept the Blue Eagles afloat. Chris Newsome has been, well, awesome, in creating scoring opportunities for everyone. And of course, the King Eagle himself Ryan Buenafe has shown that he is an all-around player with a near triple double (11 markers, 12 boards, 9 dishes), which perhaps made things lighter (pun intended) for him when everyone just got it going. Such instance tells a very obvious fact that has been there since the Fil-Oil Preseason Tournament, namely that when the Blue Eagle go berserk on offense, coupled with impressive defensive stretches that even the tallest import could not get his hands on, expect scoring runs to happen more often, and with the way the team finishes this game with a 12-point lead testifies to that. And if this is going to happen for the last ten games of eliminations, expect the Blue Eagles to be back in contention for their sixth straight championship (although this would be too early to conclude).

-Gang rebound, gang rebound, gang rebound. This has been reiterated in the previous three games, and it should have worked against DLSU except that the bigs were in foul trouble and that the team's overall energy dissipated, and this is the only way for the Blue Eagles to go, because of the fact that they have no bigs to counter those of the other UAAP teams. It is interesting to see that the three biggest players on the court gang up on the paint, while the other two wait ten to fifteen feet outside the basket for shots that might go too strong, and it has worked wonders for this game. Buenafe, Newsom, Erram, and Golla got their respective turns to scoop up the ball, while the guards were simply on the watch if ever the ball finds its way outside the paint. And the result? A huge rebounding advantage over the league's best rebounding team, and an 11-0 advantage on fastbreak points.

-Coach Bo Perasol observed that the reason for leads to get dissipated is because the team lacked energy during the latter stages of the game, when it seems that everyone's gas have run out. And responding to that, he made a quick fix: he expanded the rotation. In this game, he fielded 12 players that came in and out every three to four minutes or so, to give them quick breaks and allow time to recover before going in and playing Ateneo's own brand of a running game. With Tiongson and Nico Elorde starting, reserve Ice Lim got a few minutes, and even managed to get a jumper in, while Kiefer Ravena, not yet in perfect form, forced the Adamson defense to collapse on him if ever he gets into a good position to score. Vince Tolentino and Ivan Enriquez also had their fair share of minutes in which they contributed. This let Newsome, Buenafe, and Tiongson to rest and save their energy for the most important moments of the game.

-The horrible dreams that the Blue Eagles had in their last three third quarter nightmares were quickly dissipated when, holding a 4-point lead, they entered the second half. Just when the Falcons are threatening to grab that lead triple after triple, the Blue Eagles had responses of their own. By the end of the third canto, keeping up was just too much for the Falcons, as Erram unloaded tons of inside stabs (a couple off a Von Pessumal assist) to further stretch the lead, not to mention the individual contributions of Newsome and Buenafe in this run. Watch out, for the third quarter might just be once again a turning point for the rest of the games.

-Roider Cabrera and Rodney Brondial's game made them easy favorites and go-to guys for the Falcons. The former indeed has all it takes to be the team, and perhaps the league's, top snipers, being able to hit big threes ever since his first game in the league. The latter, meanwhile, does not only provide the Falcons with points in the paint, but more than that, knows how to slide in and out of the point and score quick stabs. However, like the rest of the Falcons (including their "rising star" Axel Inigo) needs to play more as a team and cease relying on individual efforts and too much isolation plays. If the Falcons are going to be a championship contender, then they have to realize that the offense lies beyond Brondial, Cabrera, and Jericho Cruz.

The Scores:

Ateneo 71 - Tiongson 15, Erram 12, Buenafe 11, Newsome 10, Golla 6, Ravena 4, Capacio 4, Pessumal 3, Tolentino 2, Lim 2, Elorde 2, Enriquez 1

Adamson U, 59 - Cruz 21, Cabrera 14, Brondial 8, Sewa 4, Inigo 3, Agustin 3, Rios 2, Monteclaro 2, Abrigo 2, Trollano 0, Petilos 0, Julkipli 0


Quarter scores: 13-16, 32-28, 57-47, 71-59

Credits to the UAAP Season 76 Facebook page for the pic and GMA Online News for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU (Round 1)

Ateneo 73, De La Salle 82

-The prevailing plotline which lasted for three games and finally driven to the extreme is that what was once hailed as the "third quarter storm" of the Blue Eagles turned into a nightmare in Coach Bo Perasol and a roster that does not have its ace player. In the middle of the third quarter, the Blue Eagles held a 14-point lead against their archrivals, but an adjustment made by DLSU head coach Juno Sauler transformed that into a 3-point deficit heading into the fourth. After that, the Archers never looked back, pinning down any chances of an Ateneo comeback when Luigi de la Paz hit a corner three that gave the first round match to them. If this becomes a trend in the next four games of the Blue Eagles, then it would be hard to at least muster a win in this first round.

-We can see how first year Blue Eagle Chris Newsome can carry the whole Blue Eagles team on the offensive end, as we have seen him make the most ridiculous shots, cuts, slashes, and pops that no Blue Eagle of the past few seasons have ever done. Newsome's presence on the court already is a threat to any opponent, and had it been possible for him to create his shots without the danger of fouling out, it could have been Ateneo's game to take.

-Unfortunately, this game showed how much the Blue Eagles needed a consistent big man who can go wwith the towers of seven other UAAP teams. When everyone has thought that they have found it in JP Erram following the departure of Greg Slaughter, they have seen an offensive powerhouse on his way to recovery, until he fouled out near the end of the third quarter, leaving the Blue Eagles under the undersized bigs Vince Tolentino and Giboy Babilonia who both had difficulty taking care of both ends of the floor. The Green Archers abused this situation and allowed their bigs to score and maul them from the inside, which clearly explains why Arnold Van Opstal, who once was a negligible player when the Blue Eagles play DLSU, came up big. And we see that because the inside D broke down, the fort that was the perimeter has been left open for Almond Vosotros, Thomas Torres, and de la Paz to maximize.

-Hopefully, this will be the only bad game that the Blue Eagles will get from Ryan Buenafe. Sure, the whole La Salle D clamped up on him, which paved the way for Newsome to take over. However, we have known Ryan Buenafe as a nifty passer and a shot creator who can destroy planned defensive schemes and grant easy offense, and he seems to not have shown this in the second half. In the danger of fouling out, Buenafe instead settled for quick jumpers and ill-advised triples, which led to easy transition points for the Green Archers. If at all, what is necessary for Buenafe, especially now that Kiefer Ravena has still not recovered, is to accept his role once again as "that" dangerous first option.

-Coach Perasol, during the postgame interview, spoke of his disbelief over adjustment and instead blames the lack of the collective energy that the team has in explaining the loss. One could immediately conclude that he stands in stark contrast with the Blue Eagles' fivepeat coach, Norman Black, who believes in second half adjustments to turn fortunes around and put the game in his favor. Even if it were such, it would not make sense to immediately conclude that a sixth straight championship is out of reach due to the attitude of the coach towards the game. There could be other factors that come along with it, given that Coach Perasol inherited a roster that just underwent a major overhaul. It would be wise perhaps to suspend such judgment until the end of this "adjustment season."

-Could the Blue Eagles have won with Kiefer Ravena playing? As of the moment, it would be difficult to speculate how the team's efforts in the UAAP would get affected once Ravena, assuming that he is at 100%, checks in as an active player. However, the 16-point lead that the Blue Eagles have during the third quarter, and this time in reference to their Fil-Oil win against the Green Archers more than a month ago, would be very telling. It would be futile to consider what could have happened, but the difference that Ravena makes on the court would assure the Sixth Men that the second round matchup would be very different.

The Scores:

Ateneo 73 - Newsome 27, Tiongson 14, Buenafe 11, Pessumal 10, Erram 6, Elorde 3, Golla 2, Tolentino 0, Capacio 0, Babilonia 0

De La Salle 82: Vosotros 19, Van Opstal 18, Teng 13, Dela Paz 10, Perkins 9, T Torres 8, N Torres 5, Reyes 0, Montalbo 0, Bolick 0


Quarter Scores: 20-14, 40-28, 56-59, 73-82

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the image and GMA Network Sports for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU (Round 1)

Ateneo 75, Far Eastern U 79 (OT)

-This is the second time that the Blue Eagles have shown how gutsy they can get when they badly needed the win, but this is also the second time that they did not get anything from Kiefer Ravena, who remained in the injury list since the second half of the Ateneo-NU game due to an ankle sprain (UPDATE: Apparently, Ravena sustained a Grade 3 sprained ankle, and will be out indefinitely, one month the most). Down by 11 points in the fourth quarter, Chris Newsome and Ryan Buenafe willed a huge comeback to force overtime, only to fall in the extra period, due to two crucial turnovers committed by Buenafe and Nico Elorde. It could have been possible, but the guard-oriented offense of FEU was too hot to handle, adding that to the fact that Anthony Hargrove was given so much space to convert second-chance opportunities.

-King Eagle Ryan Buenafe came out perhaps with the greatest elimination game of his college career so far, with a statline of 29 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, and one turnover. But then, all was naught as the Blue Eagles were still nipped in the extra period, unable to respond to long-range baskets that the Tamaraws threw at them one after another. Buenafe's productivity aside, what could have changed the game was Juami Tiongson's performance. With Ravena still out, he was expected to become the third member of the Blue Eagles' offensive trifecta (along with Buenafe and Newsome) and carry the scoring load especially from the outside. He scored a decent 7 points in the game, but if the Blue Eagles want a win, more is expected from him.

-As with the previous game, it was the third quarter that finally did it for the Blue Eagles. They entered the second half with a 2-point lead, but they finished with a quarter staring at a 9-point deficit, still puzzled as to how they can counter an FEU team that makes their triples inasmuch as the Blue Eagles miss their own. If there is anything that needs fixing in a Ravena-less Blue Eagles, it would be managing the rotation during the third canto.

-Humble Bola head honcho Nico Baguio has pointed out that the Blue Eagles have been running plays similar to the Hawk sets, made famous by former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, and with a team chuck full of jump shooters, this perhaps serves as the most appropriate offensive sets for the Blue Eagles. This is important specifically because, granted that Coach Bo Perasol intended the team to run these sets, then definitely the team is in good shape in terms of offensive execution, only that their shots aren't hitting, adding to the fact that second chance opportunites also resulted in misses. What is obvious, though, is that the Blue Eagles' defensive sets need to be adjusted. The perimeter has been defended well, as the team was able to force misses from Garcia, Romeo, and Tolomia; however, the Blue Eagles need to be more aware with what is going on in the paint, as the Tams greatly benefited from the lack of interior defense.

-Health concerns once again hounded the Blue Eagles in this game. Besides the fact that Kiefer Ravena has been perceived to be "out indefinitely" due to an ankle sprain, which kept him out of the Blue Eagles' lineup these past two games and is seen in this game wearing a leg boot, Giboy Babilonia suffered pain on his injured shoulder in the middle of the game, while JP Erram hobbled after a fall during the second half. On hindsight, it is a wise decision indeed for the team to pull out of the Fil-Oil Flying V Pre-Season Tournament, but it would not be of much value if what the Blue Eagles get in return is only Von Pessumal at 100%. The team already has a very thin frontcourt rotation, and without Babilonia, it would be very difficult to force other three-guys to elevate to four (Gwynne Capacio is an option, but not actually a legitimate one).

-Terrence Romeo still remained to be the main man of the Tamaraws in this game, and the Blue Eagles have prepared for what he could do. However, he was still able to hit the big shots that only put Ateneo further away from the chance of ending the game with a 1-1 record, especially the big triple at overtime. However, in their absence, Mike Tolomia has stepped up and filled the shoes of the shackled Romeo and Garcia. As a result, he found his way to 16 big points, scattered all over the floor. This not only asserted the guard-oriented offense that the Tamaraws run, but also shows the improvements that the Blue Eagles must do, especially now that even their defense thrives and focuses on the perimeter.

The Scores:

Ateneo 75 - Buenafe 29, Newsome 17, Elorde 9, Tiongson 7, Pessumal 6, Erram 4, Capacio 3, Murphy 0, Golla 0, Babilonia 0, Asistio 0

FEU 79 - Romeo 21, Tolomia 16, Garcia 13, Pogoy 8, Hargrove 8, Cruz 5, Mendoza 4, Jose 2, Belo 2, Sentcheu 0.

Quarter Scores: 18-14, 33-31, 44-53, 66-66, 75-79

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo and Spin.ph for the box.

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.

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.

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

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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

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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.