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.

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.

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.

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

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

Ateneo 73, State U 66

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

Ateneo 77, Far Eastern U 64

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

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

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

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

Ateneo 77, De La Salle 67

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

-

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

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

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

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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. UP

Ateneo 76, State U 70

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

All In A Day's Games (1 September 2011)

UAAP


Adamson U 76, UE 57

The Red Warriors really have their own ways of surprising their opponents, but this time, the Falcons wasted no time to show them that it's all about finishing the game well. The duo of Eric Camson and Alex Nuyles combined for 37 big points, putting the Warriors away during the second half despite leading by a point in the second quarter

Adamson 76 – Camson 20, Nuyles 17, Alvarez 10, Cabrera 9, Brondial 8, Lozada 7, Rios 2, Colina 2, Cañada 1, Petilos 0, Agustin 0, Olalia 0, Monteclaro 0, Etrone 0

UE 57 – Zamar 17, Santos 6, Enguio 6, Casajeros 5, Noble 5, Tagarda 4, Duran 4, Zosa 3, Sabangan 2, Sumido 2, Flores 2, Javier 1, Sumang 0, de Leon 0 Quarter scoring: 17-14, 27-28, 51-40, 76-57

Ateneo 73, State U 58

This is another lazy Thursday game for the Blue Eagles, but when Mike Silungan hit that three to give the Fighting Maroons a six-point advantage in the second quarter, the boys in blue woke up and sparked a 10-0 run, giving them eventually a lead that they would not relinquish until the end. Greg Slaughter  had 18 markers that go with 18 rebounds, while Nico Salva continues where he left off against DLSU. Silungan and Juruena led the 2-10 Maroons with no hopes of a semifinal berth.

Ateneo 73 – Slaughter 18, Salva 16, Chua 11, Ravena 7, Tiongson 5, Long 5, Austria 4, Gonzaga 3, Erram 2, Monfort 2, Pessumal 0, Capacio 0, Sumalinog 0

UP 58 – Silungan 16, Juruena 12, Maniego 7, Romero 6, Montecastro 4, Gamboa 4, Mbah 3, Wierzba 2, Gomez 2, Manuel 1, Gingerich 1, Pascual 0

Credits to inboundpass for the box score and the AdU-UE pic, as well as Fabilioh for the AdMU-UP pic.

All In A Day's Games (21 August 2011)

UAAP


National U 65, State U 43

The Fighting Maroons have been going haywire since the First Round, but this was the worst game they have played. With their screens not working against the NU defense, Paolo Romero, Jett Manuel, and even non-jumpshooting Jelo Montecastro continued to chuck up shots while giving the Bulldogs the boards. On the other hand, why does Coach Eric Altamirano let Mbe remain in the fourth, when they already have an insurmountable lead.

NU 65 – Parks 22, Mbe 17, Terso 7, Javillonar 6, Khobuntin 4, Villamor 2, Celda 2, Alolino 2, Singh 2, Ignacio 1, Neypes 0, Labing-isa 0, Celiz 0

UP 43 – Romero 7, Montecastro 6, Maniego 6, Juruena 6, Gamboa 5, Mbah 4, Gingerich 3, Silungan 2, Manuel 2, Gomez 2, Wong 0, Wierzba 0, Fortu 0

Quarter scoring: 17-6, 27-13, 48-26, 65-43

Far Eastern U 62, Adamson U 61

Terrence Romeo might have exploded, but this does not excuse him from committing another boneheaded turnover that allowed the Soaring Falcons' Alex Nuyles to to trim the margin to a point after being behind by as much as 15. The tams should be thankful for Aldrech Ramos' superb performance. If not for him, they could have lost the game and be on the verge of elimination from the Final Four.

FEU 62 – Ramos 18, Romeo 14, Garcia 14, Tolomia 8, Escoto 4, Cruz 2, Exciminiano 2, Pogoy 0, Mendoza 0, Bringas 0, Knuttel 0

Adamson 61 – Nuyles 17, Camson 9, Alvarez 9, Lozada 8, Cañada 7, Brondial 6, Cabrera 4, Manyara 1, Petilos 0, Etrone 0, Colina 0

Quarter scoring: 14-12, 30-24, 47-39, 62-61

PBA


Petron Blaze Boosters 85, Talk N Text Tropang Texters 73

The Grandslam can wait another season for the Tropang Texters, as the Boosters stayed ahead for the rest of the game despite being branded as this series' underdogs. It's true that they were fortunate enough for TnT to miss point guard Jason Castro, but they had bigger misfortunes, namely injured ones Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Joseph Yeo, Jay Washington, and Lordy Tugade. Former FEU Tam Arwind Santos was crowned the Finals MVP, leading the ragtag pack with a magnificent 16-point, 16-rebound output.

Petron 85 – Grundy 26, Santos 16, Miranda 16, Ildefonso 13, Cabagnot 12, Pennisi 2, Duncil 0, Hubalde 0, Salvacion 0.

Talk N' Text 73 – Baker 22, De Ocampo 15, Williams 13, Alapag 13, Carey 6, Castro 2, Peek 2, Dillinger 0, Reyes 0, Aban 0. Fonacier 0, Alvarez 0.

Quarter scoring: 28-17, 40-34, 64-53, 85-73

Thanks to inboundpass for UAAP box and photos, and Interaktv for PBA box and photo

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.

All In A Day's Games (4 August 2011)

State U 76, FEU 63

Shocking. This could perhaps be the only way to describe this game. While FEU came in as a legit contender, the team that used to be tagged as cellar-dwellers hit the crucial shots and kept their poise, en route to their second win of the season (a thirteen-point win at that). Jett Manuel served as the main man for the Maroons who had 20 markers, leading the charge against the sleeping Tamaraws. And where was Terence Romeo during the whole thing?

UP 76 – Manuel 20, Silungan 16, Montecastro 14, Mbah 14, Gamboa 3, Romero 2, Maniego 2, Juruena 2, GIngerich 2, Wong 1, Wierzba 0, Pascual 0, Evangelista 0

FEU 63 – Garcia 17, Ramos 13, Tolomia 12, Bringas 8, Romeo 6, Escoto 2, Knuttel 2, Exciminiano 2, Cruz 1, Sentcheu 0, Pogoy 0, Fabian 0, Foronda 0

Ateneo 66, UST 53

Ateneo basketball is about two things: team play and overall performance. While it may be true that Greg Slaughter was locked down (thanks to UST's superb defensive effort early in the first half), the rest of the team, led by Kiefer Ravena, picked up the slack (and yes, Bacon Austria had five points, while Justin Chua had his usual two). While it may be true that the Blue Eagles shot poorly from outside, their defense and transition offense made up for it. The result? Not really a satisfying win for the blowout-hungry Sixth Men, but still a win.

Ateneo 66 – Ravena 18, Salva 14, Gonzaga 8, Austria 7, Slaughter 6, Long 6, Sumalinog 2, Monfort 2, Chua 2, Golla 1, Erram 0, Tiongson 0

UST 53 – Fortuna 18, Teng 12, Ferrer 6, Pe 6, Camus 5, Abdul 4, Afuang 2, Vigil 0, Tan 0, Sheriff 0, Lo 0, Ungria 0

Postscript:

• Too bad Ateneo didn't reach its 70-point quota, although this was the second least points allowed by the Blue Eagles, Adamson being the least with 51 points.
• Tonino Gonzaga will get better, and hopefully he peaks in the second round.
• BACON Breakout?
• Mr. Atayde, you amuse us.

Jett Manuel photo from Hoop Nut, Zags photo from Fabilioh.com, and box scores from inboundpass.com.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP

Ateneo 77, UP 55

-It's surprising that by the end of the first quarter, the struggling Fighting Maroons found themselves ahead by two points against the league's best team. It's a good thing that the Blue Eagles woke up in time to bury them, therefore securing their fifth win by playing their usual fast ball.

-To admit, the Blue Eagles were really shooting bad from beyond the arc since the start of Season 74, but for today, they had ten three-point attempts with six of them getting in. Kirk Long swished both of his treys, Emman Monfort found his groove with 2 out of 3, and Kiefer Ravena and Zags Gonzaga had 1 of 2 each.

-All starters scored double figures, and played their "usual best." However, it was a really bad day for the bench, who scored only 11 total points. Justin Chua has not yet found his groove from the outside, save for his one and only basket. Juami Tiongson was unable to set plays for easy shots. And worst of all, Bacon Austria continually made mistakes and bad choices, even not chasing the ball in one possession. Ateneo bench, when will you come and step up? If they keep on playing like this, they will just waste the efforts of the first five in keeping Ateneo afloat.

-All of UP's games bear a common pattern: they start strong and energetic, but once the second half kicks in and the opponents chip away at their lead, they lose their focus and return to their old shooting ways. Now, they should find a way to conserve their energy and at the same time not lose their poise late in the game and when the going gets tough.

-The boards were bad for the Eagles, who got outrebounded by the Maroons by one, 40-39. While Ateneo had the edge over defensive rebounding, 34-26, they only had 3 offensive boards compared to UP's 14. Again, what happened?

-This game showed that the Blue Eagles are a fourth quarter team. The boys can finish near the end. Similarly, the crowd goes wild near the end. When will the Sixth Men be alive for the whole game? Anyway, the Ateneo community had a really long UAAP break, and it's time for them to get ready for tougher matches, as the UST Growling Tigers and the FEU Tamaraws, both with serious agenda in mind, are up next to end the first round.

The Scores:

Ateneo 77 – Ravena 15, Slaughter 14, Long 14, Monfort 13, Salva 10, Gonzaga 6, Chua 2, Golla 2, Tiongson 1, Pessumal 0, Cipriano 0, Capacio 0, Erram 0, Sumalinog 0, Austria 0

UP 57 – Silungan 8, Manuel 8, Gamboa 8, Mbah 7, Maniego 7, Romero 6, Montecastro 6, Gomez 5, Pascual 2, Wierzba 0, Fortu 0, Juruena 0

Quarter scoring: 19-21, 42-31, 57-43, 77-57

Photo from Fabilioh.com and box from Inboundpass.com

Presenting The PBA-DL Teams

With the Philippine Basketball League under hibernation, it seems that the Philippine Basketball Association Development League (PBADL) will be serve as the home for those amateur players who would want to play in the pros.

With 13 teams in the league (which nearly doubles that of the PBL), this 3-month stint will force college ballers to bring out their A-game earlier than expected, playing a few games to train for the upcoming 74th Season of the UAAP. But then, this is not just another summer training camp, for they have to face up against college league alumni and mainstay amateur league players.

In featuring the following PBADL teams, it would be noteworthy to look at the incoming UAAP Season 74 players and coaches and see how their participation in the PBDL can help them gear up for July.

1.Blackwater Elite
Former Barako Bull and present Arellano University Chiefs coach Leo Isaac will be one of those who will take the reins for this Ever Bilena-sponsored team. It has UP Fighting Maroon Joshua Saret, who obviously needs a lot of exposure in order to make it big next season, considering that, despite having his own share of the limelight during high school, did not become a productive member of the UP basketball team.

2.Freego Jeans
To put it short, it's just an upgrade of the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, and rest assured, they will be taking this league seriously. Coach Leo Austria might find this as an opportunity to experiment with various plays that they can use in the UAAP.

Falcons Janus Lozada, Alex Nuyles, Jan Colina, Jerick Canada, Eric Camson, Roider Cabrera, and Lester Alvarez will be the Austria's main pieces for this league, joined by other Falcons Jeff Olalia and alumnus Mike Galinato. If Adamson wants to stay in the Final Four next year, then they definitely have to fill in the holes that they had last year in terms of defense.

3.Nlex Road Warriors
Former Fighting Maroons coach Boyet Fernandez could have another opportunity to prove himself as he will be the one to lead this team, and in fact he can redeem himself by having some noteworthy talents at his disposal.

Former Blue Eagle Eric Salamat is just one of them, and knowing the way he plays, he might just fit in Fernandez' offensive system that concentrates on swingmen. The Red Lions' Ogie Menor, the SSC-R Stags' Calvin Abueva and UP Fighting Maroons' Woody Co will go with him while they wait for the upcoming PBA draft.

4.PC Gilmore Wizard
It's quite unusual that the Gilmore group of PC manufacturers would form a team, but why not accept them if we want an expanded league? CSB Blazers coach Richard del Rosario will be the one who will be in charge of the team, and he will have a few significant players which include Mapua Cardinals Allan Mangahas and Mike Parala.

5.Pharex Naproxen Sodium Bidang Generix
This former PBL team will have its steering wheels held by coach Gian Carlo Tan, and he has a lot of former UAAP ballers, which include NU Bulldog Edwin Asoro, UST Growling Tigers Aljon Mariano and Chester Taylor, FEU Tamaraw Marlon Adolfo, and DLSU Green Archer James Mangahas.

6.RnW Pacific Pipes
Finally, former Aces player Topex Robinson got hold of the job that he wants from the very start, and he was duly rewarded with a big win last Saturday against PC Gilmore. But then, this team could have been stronger if Blue Eagle Ryan Buenafe will play. Unfortunately, He has to concentrate on his studies so that he can play for the Season 74. Besides, Coach Norman Black would rather have the Blue Eagles participate in other summer competitions where they can play as a team.

7.Cafe France
Former La Salle Green Archer and Pop Cola coach Mon Jose will have to lead this team that features former Bulldog Jewel Ponferada among others.

8.Cebuana Lhuiller Gems
Ex-Adamson coach Luigi Trillo will have a mix of UAAP and NCAA alumni at his disposal, which includes Kelvin Gregorio (UE), Allein Maliksi (UST), Ben Fernandez (FEU) and Hyram Bagatsing (DLSU). He also has current Letran Knight Kevin Alas to back them up.

9.Cobra Energy Drink
Former UE Coach Lawrence Chongson turns to a new page in his coaching career by leaving the UAAP altogether and take over this former PBL franchise. And as always, he has former Red Warrior Paul Lee, who will be the main man on his offensive sets. Other fresh grads playing with him will be Paul Sanga of the FEU Tamaraws, Melvin Baloran, and Kokoy Hermosisima, both from the NU Bulldogs. Significant in their roster would be Ken Acibar, who will serve as the main man of the Red Warriors for Season 74.

10.FCA Cultivators
Chiang Kai Shek aspirants and Air21 assistant coach Arsenio Dysangco takes a step forward as he will try to handle a PBA-DL team that is composed of those who play in minor leagues. Too bad he won't handle someone who will suit up for UAAP's Season 74.

11.Max Bond Superglue Sumos
Entering his last contract year as Growling Tigers head coach, Pido Jarencio has to prove that he can take his boys to greater heights after his UST Tigers dropped to the 6th spot last year. This D-League might be the opportunity for Tigers Jeric Teng, Chris Camus, Melo Afuang, Clark Bautista, Jeric Fortuna, and Aljon Mariano to up their game down the stretch. Fortunately, a few tips and pointers from UAAP alumni Jun Cabatu (DLSU), Roel Hugnatan (AdU), Rudy Lingganay (UE), Mark Benitez (DLSU), Japs Cuan (UST), and Reil Cervantes (FEU - opted out of his final year to enter the PBA draft) can help.

12.Maynilad Water Dragons
This D-League team might not stay for long as it could be given a slot in the pros in the coming years (thus, a whole roster change or probably a whole new team if basketball mogul MVP would prefer to also have a D-League team). But for the moment, it has to play alongside all the D-League amateur teams and would be headed by Red Lions coach Frankie Lim. Joining him in this stint are his boys the Semerad twins (Dave and Anthony), Jake Pascual, Garvo Lanete, and Sudan Daniel.

13.Junior Powerade Tigers
The new Fighting Maroons coach Ricky Dandan has to show that he can carry a team out of a 0-14 hole last year. But first, he has to deal with a D-League team that can promise good results come July. He has Maroons Alvin Padilla, Miggy Manego, Moriah Gingerich, Mark Juruena, and Kevin Wong, and joining them would be alumnus Mike Gamboa.

Credits to Bleacher's Brew and Chinoy Hoops Fan for this large chunk of info.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP (Round 2)

Ateneo 75, UP 59

-It's the second straight game to have everything but Twitter and text; however, details given by the Ateneo Twitter page would be enough to judge that this is a blowout game.
-Eman Monfort broke his own silence and exploded for 23 points. We've been waiting for this.
-On the other end, it shows that the Eagles need some consistency from the starters. Justin Chua was able to start doing his homework, who had hot hands as well during that game.
-Nico Salva has to shoot less and move more. His broken finger got him during that time.
-An Alvin Padilla and Woody Co run tried to catch up with the Eagles, and it is good that during that time, the Eagles were ready to man up and defend well.
-Expect more minutes (and creativity) from rookie Art De la Cruz. He might be the next big thing from the bench.

Ateneo 75 – Monfort 23, Chua 16, Buenafe 12, Salamat 9, dela Cruz 6, Golla 4, Long 3, Salva 2, Escueta 0, Erram 0, Tiongson 0, de Chavez 0, Austria 0.

UP 59 – Ma. Reyes 15, Co 13, Silungan 11, Sison 10, Padilla 6, Saret 2, Manuel 2, Mi. Reyes 0, Maniego 0, Hipolito 0, Juruena 0, Gomez 0.

Quarter scoring: 17-16, 37-29, 57-43, 75-59

Fabilioh.com for the picture. Inboundpass for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP

Ateneo 78, UP 53

-Again, a Twitterrific view in the middle of work, thanks to a few updates.
-This might not be a good game to watch for the nation's scholars. It is good that the Eagles today assured us of a win.
-Magi Sison still in his seemingly nonexistent presence in the court. Plus, there is this stupid decision by UP to put an injured Woody Co in when facing a 23-point deficit.
-This game proves that the third string can do something. I hope we see more of Tiongson, Balmaceda, and, wait for it, Jeric Estrada.
-Sloppy first quarter performances should not be a trend. UP might have fought well, but when Ateneo pumps it up, there's no one who can slow down their momentum on both ends.
-It's still too early to say that Ateneo returned shooting well from beyond the arc. Let's see if we can jack up well-placed threes in our later games.

Scores:

Ateneo 78 - Salva 18, Tiongson 13, Salamat 12, Golla 8, Chua 8, Escueta 6, Long 3, Estrada 2, Dela Cruz 2, Monfort 2, Buenafe 2, Austria 2, Erram 0, Balmaceda 0, Gonzaga 0, De Chavez 0

UP 53 - Sison 13, Padilla 12, Lopez 6, Silungan 5, Co 5, Gomez 4, Reyes Ma. 3, Reyes Mi. 2, Juruena 2, Manuel 1, Saret 0, Maniego 0, Hipolito 0, Gingerich 0

A.Dy for the updates, The Ateneo twitter for the very useful information, Fabilioh.com for the photo.

25 July: The Amazing Basketball Sunday Recap

Brushing up on this Sunday's games:

UAAP

FEU 94, UP 70

This is an outright display of might for the Tamaraws, flexing their muscles and showing no mercy towards the helpless Maroons. Surprisingly, Terrence Romeo led the Tamaraws with 21 points, while Woody Co sat out midway during the second half, having been diagnosed with plantar fascitis. FEU gets away with an unstained record, while UP is still winless.

Scores:

FEU 94—Romeo 21, Cervantes 18, Garcia 11, Exciminiano 10, Ramos 9, Noundou 8, Cawaling 8, Bringas 6, Cruz 3, Mendoza 0, Foronda 0, Sanga 0, Knuttel 0, Guerrero 0.
UP 70—Reyes Ma. 16, Sison 14, Silungan 11, Lopez 10, Padilla 9, Juruena 4, Saret 2, Reyes Mi. 2, Co 2, Pascual 0, Manuel 0, Evangelista 0, Hipolito 0, Gomez 0.
Quarters: 28-18, 50-33, 71-55, 94-70

Adamson 75, UST 71

The Tigers, with the help of Jeric Fortuna and Jeric Teng, tied the record for most three-pointers in a game with 16. However, these were not enough as lead Falcon Lester Alvarez led the way with 22-points which includes the crucial last-minute baskets. Adamson went up with a 3-1 slate, while UST is at the .500 mark with 2-2.

Scores:

ADAMSON 75—Alvarez 22, Lozada 10, Nuyles 9, Manyara 8, Camson 8, Colina 7, Cañada 6, Cabrera 3, Stinett 2, Etrone 0, Galinato 0, Basilio 0.

UST 71—Teng 23, Fortuna 15, Camus 11, Bautista 11, Mariano 5, Pe 2, Daquioag 2, Afuang 2, Wong 0, Tinte 0, Mamaril 0, Lo 0.

Quarters: 19-13, 34-32, 52-53, 75-71

NBA (well, FIBA to be exact)

USA White 114, USA Blue 96

The stage is nearly set for the FIBA World Basketball Tournament in Turkey, and it is fitting for coach Mike Krzyzewski to start building the pieces for Team USA. Because there will be no one from the 2008 Redeem Team who will return, the candidates of "Team Reconstruction" played a game to help coach M to choose. Thus, they divided in two and called a Blue vs White battle. And in the end, it was the Kevin Durant-led White Team who totally dumped the Blue of Rudy Gay.

Scores:

White 114 - Durant 28, Iguodala 17, Gordon 16, Rose 15, Curry 14, Chandler 13, Granger 5, Wallace 4, Odom 2

Blue 96 - Gay 23, Mayo 18, Westbrook 14, Green 11, Love 8, Rondo 7, McGee 7, Billups 6, Lopez 2

Quarter scores: 29-23, 56-44, 81-69, 114-96

PBA

Semifinals: San Miguel 74, B-Meg 70

FEU alumnus Arwind Santos hit the last triple of the game to finally complete the comeback for SMB, who trailed by as much as 17 points during the first half. Wingman Dondon Hontiveros scored 17 to lead the balanced Beermen, while it was import Tony Washam who carried the Derby Ace load with 22 points and 13 boards.

Scores:

SMB 74 - Hontiveros 17, Freeman 14, Washington 12, Santos 8, Pena 6, Villanueva 5, Yeo 5, Cabagnot 5, Seigle 2, Racela 0, Ildefonso 0

B-Meg 70 - Washam 22, J. Yap 17, Allado 10, Timberlake 5, Artadi 5, Pingris 4, Canaleta 3, Maierhofer 2, Reavis 2, Salvador 0, R. Yap 0

Quarter scores: 14-24, 33-45, 57-58, 74-70

Semifinals: Alaska 90, Talk n Text 86

With various deadlocks and lead changes big and small, it was Alaska who was favored by the circumstances. Finding themselves behind during the final canto, their first and second stringers woke up and rallied past the Talk N Text Tropang Texters. The biggest moment of the game came when former Blue Eagle L.A. Tenorio hit the game-deciding trey more than two minutes in the ballgame as a response to Tropang Texter Jimmy Alapag. Together with the Beermen, the Aces break the tie, now leading 2-1 into the series.

Scores:

Alaska 90 - Simpson 31, Hugnatan 12, Fonacier 11, Tenorio 9, DeVance 7, Baguio 7, Dela Cruz 6, Thoss 5, Borboran 2

Talk N Text 86 - De Ocampo 18, Alapag 17, Reyes 14, Carey 12, Dilinger 9, Williams 6, Cardona 6, Daniels 4, Castro 0

Quarter scores: 17-24, 40-37, 61-65, 90-86

Reliable sources include: Inquirer.net, USABasketball.com, PBA.ph, and A.Dy