6 Points: AdMU vs. UP

Ateneo 76, State U 70

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU

Ateneo 71, De La Salle 61

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU

Ateneo 89, National U 65


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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST

Ateneo 70, UST 71


-Keeping the opponent within the 30-point range in the first half had never been easier for the Blue Eagles than today, as they had a huge 15-point lead as the halftime buzzer sounded. However, it seems that the game is played for 40 minutes, with 2 more quarters left in the game. Sadly, they gave time (and space) for the UST Growling Tigers to crawl back and eventually control the game, which led to a close Tiger victory, one that has not happened in more than 6 years, after that 2006 Finals victory that was UST's for taking.

-The famous "third quarter storm" of the Blue Eagles did not come, with Greg Slaughter sitting for most of the third in foul trouble. Instead, the Growling Tigers took advantage of the lack of inside presence strategically, as they had Jeric Fortuna and Aljon Mariano drive into the paint, while Jeric Teng and Clark Bautista took care of matters beyond the arc. As a result, the 15-point halftime lead turned into a 4-point deficit for the dominant Blue Eagles, and with that, the Tigers never looked back, as they made key baskets thanks to the Jerics, Teng and Fortuna, with the former hitting a big three to keep things difficult for the Blue Eagles to make a huge comeback.

-Ateneo offense thrived in the open court early, and with Kiefer Ravena running the breaks and finishing magnificently after a slump in the summer league and in the first game, it seems that it will be an easy win for the Blue Eagles. However, whatever he has given, he has also taken away. Ravena went to the line twice during the final five minutes of the game, and he both split those charities, missing the first in both instances. Had those charity shots been made, then the Blue Eagles could have easily won the game. Nevertheless, it's good news for those in blue that the former Rookie of the Year has recovered from his slump and ready to take over once again.

-Starting PG Juami Tiongson performed exceptionally well in this match, as he notched 9 assists and made two big triples to bring the Blue Eagles closer to the Growling Tigers' fourth quarter lead (albeit the last one was too late for Ateneo to stage a comeback). For a team that needs an excellent point guard to lead the team on both sides, Tiongson is gradually fitting in the role, and perhaps he just needs to improve on his defense in order to match faster guards.

-The Growling Tigers have to get all the credit at the time they threw everything at the offensive end. Teng, Fortuna, and Mariano handled the situation very well and took advantage of the Blue Eagles' faltering defense. The biggest improvement for the Tigers, however, is Karim Abdul, who bravely faced the Ateneo big men and forced his way into the paint, With Abdul being the Tigers' legitimate center that can dominate the paint, their shooters will have enough space from beyond the arc, which makes the Tigers a legitimate offensive powerhouse, and in the last two minutes of the game, we have seen how this one went on.

-With this loss, the Blue Eagles can only look forward, and it is an imperative that they review this game and learn from their mistakes. Up next is the NU Bulldogs, who dominated without a single loss in the Preseason Cup. All the Blue Eagle fans could hope is that they use this loss as a motivation to avoid another one, which would place them below the .500 bracket for the first time in years.

The Scores

Ateneo 70 - Ravena 19, Salva 17, Slaughter 9, Tiongson 8, Buenafe 5, Sumalinog 4, Elorde 3, Chua 3, Golla 2, Gonzaga 0, Erram 0


UST 71 -  Mariano 21, Teng 16, Abdul 14, Fortuna 11, Ferrer 4, Bautista 3, Lo 2, Pe 0, Daquioag 0, Afuang 0

Quarter scores: 27-12, 43-28, 54-58, 70-71


Credits to Guidon Sports for the pic and GMA News TV for the box.

6 Points: AdMU vs. AdU

Ateneo 72, Adamson 57

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

Credits to Fabilioh.com for the pic.

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU (Fil-Oil Flying V Preseason Tournament)

Ateneo 74, Far Eastern U 63


-After a very slow start for the defending Fil-Oil and UAAP champions all through out the elimination round, the Blue Eagles finally had a big win that fans were waiting for, as they dismantled the FEU Tamaraws to enter the semis. However, this came after three tight quarters, where the Tams somehow managed to find their offense early thanks to RR Garcia and new import Anthony Hargrove. In the end, it was still Greg Slaughter who came out on top, with Ateneo not looking back at the Tams who mustered all efforts just to keep the score close.

-This game showed the importance of Slaughter in the Blue Eagles' offense this season. While the Ateneo backcourt has struggled to find their shots from the outside, the Blue Eagles were very comfortable in the paint, as Slaughter's presence helped them haul second chance opportunities to score. His presence could have also contributed in . On the other end of the court, his presence gave the other Eagles the confidence to go for the boards, something that they failed to do during their game against DLSU.

-Kiefer Ravena remains to be a question mark up until this game. The former rookie of the year's shooting has gone down to the low thirties in this Fil-Oil tournament, not even making those simple midrange jumpers and fastbreak lay ups. However, in this game, he garnered 9 rebounds and 7 assists, which is an amazing feat considering his scoring slump lately. Is this just a case of poor shooting on his part? Or is it a matter of adjusting to the pace that the Blue Eagles are playing right now? Either way, we hope to see a better Ravena as the UAAP season opens.

-Thanks to scoring spurts late in the fourth quarter, the Blue Eagles have firmly padded the lead that they had in the third, finally sealing the victory earlier than expected, and surprisingly, it came from long bombs that the Blue Eagles have been wanting to put in since the first day of the preseason tournament. Tonino Gonzaga, the energetic scorer who did not get a single shot in during the first three quarters, started the fourth with a 5-0 run of his own. Juami Tiongson, heavily criticized because of his playing style as a starting guard alongside Ravena, hit two more threes to finally give the win to Ateneo. It's a consoling thought that with Ravena out cold in the backcourt, there are guys who can carry his load and actually score when it's needed; however, consistency should be the key for them, and perhaps the team needs to really work out their offensive sets before the UAAP season kicks in.

-As far as the first three quarters are concerned, the Tamaraws have shown that they are still championship contenders after experiencing two straight Finals losses against the four-time champions. The trio of RR Garcia, Terrence Romeo, and Mike Tolomia have not changed in terms of scoring. The backcourt got a huge upgrade with the addition of American Anthony Hargrove (who once trained for the Blue Eagles) and former DLSU forward Arvie Bringas (who was slapped with two technicals in this game and was consequently ejected from the game due to trash-talking). Right now, all the Tamaraws need to do is to work out their combinations in the court, and if they ever find the right ones, then they still have a good chance of entering the Finals for the third straight year.

-Another championship contender is next in line to test the Blue Eagles, as Ateneo now gains a semifinal match with the National University Bulldogs. Keeping in mind the huge improvement that the Bulldogs had this season, it will be exciting to see how the defending champions will adjust and keep up with Bobby Ray Park's team that is sure to make it big come Season 75.

The Scores:


Ateneo 75 - Slaughter 29, Tiongson 12, Salva 9, Gonzaga 9, Sumalinog 7, Ravena 6, Erram 2, Babilonia 0, Pessumal 0, Lim 0, Cipriano 0, Chua 0, Buenafe 0, Elorde 0, Porter 0, Golla 0

FEU 63 – Romeo 13, Hargrove 12, Garcia 8, Tolomia 8, Cruz 6, Belo 5, Mendoza 4, A. Bringas 4, Escoto 2, Sentcheu 1, Huevos 0, M. Bringas 0, Pogoy 0, Inigo 0

Quarter scoring: 15-16, 30-33, 51-50, 75-63

Credits to Inquirer for the pic.

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

Ateneo 59, La Salle 62


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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:


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

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

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

Pic from the Fil-Oil Flying V Facebook Page.