Collegiate Alumni in the 2012 PBA Draft

Now that the different PBA teams have drafted the top guns of the amateur leagues, it's time to look back at those mainly from the UAAP (and some of the NCAA), who made it and how they precisely carved their roads to the professional leagues.

Calvin Abueva (SSC-R Golden Stags, drafted by Alaska - 1st round 2nd pick)

The Beast lived up to his name not just by accidentally destroying the rim in The Arena a few weeks ago, but more importantly by his dominance in the NCAA. His athleticism and capacity to score from all sides of the court makes him the number one option for Alaska. Now that the Aces are not willing to give up L.A. Tenorio, the ace point guard would be happy to throw lobs and dish crazy passes at him.

Aldrech Ramos (FEU Tamaraws, drafted by Barako Bull - 1st round 5th pick, traded to B-Meg)

The Llamados (who will soon change their name to San Mig Coffee) hardly missed power forward Kerby Raymundo, who made his mark in the team through his ability to score both in and out of the paint. With Ramos, who distinguished himself in the UAAP by the same ability that Raymundo has, the team added extra offensive power, and with an All-Filipino conference coming in first thing in the season, Ramos can prove that he is PBA-material.

Chris Tiu (Ateneo Blue Eagles, drafted by Rain or Shine - 1st round 7th pick)

It was quite surprising that Barangay Ginebra opted to draft Chris Ellis over this court general, but it opened up a perfect opportunity for Coach Yeng Guiao, who immediately chose Tiu once the clock was in for the Elastopainters. This will be a win-win situation both for Rain Or Shine and Tiu, as the former will not have star sophomore Paul Lee for the All-Filipino Cup, an opportunity that the latter might take to show how he is ready for the PBA after much experience in the amateur and international leagues.

Yousef Taha (MIT Cardinals, drafted by Air 21 - 2nd round 1st pick)

Air 21 needs big men badly, considering that at this point, the young guns that they have to rely on are Magi Sison and Mark Isip, who have not been dominant in their respective careers. Perhaps with a 6-foot-8 figure, all he needs to practice is his body-banging and low post skills that Coach Franz Pumaren's team needs to relieve their backcourt from the pressure of carrying the team's burden.

Dave Marcelo (San Beda Red Lions, drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round 2nd pick)

Consider this a big break for the former San Beda big man, as he gets the chance to fill in for the suspended Don Allado and play alongside former UAAP cagers Doug Kramer and Carlo Sharma. Marcelo can pound it in, shoot from the baseline, and haul down big rebounds, and his experience as a member of the Gilas Pilipinas team only polished his skills. With Marcelo in, expect Mick Pennisi court comedy to come out only (and hopefully) in garbage time.

Jewel Ponferrada (NU Bulldogs, drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round 3rd pick)

In the pre-Parks days of the NU Bulldogs, Ponferada was the sole firepower, which enabled him to develop perimeter shooting and inside scoring to complement a rookie import by the name of Emmanuel Mbe. With Willie Miller still around, perhaps it would be time for Ponferrada to learn from him and slowly take over his role.

Lester Alvarez (Adamson Soaring Falcons) & Emman Monfort (Ateneo Blue Eagles) (drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round, 5th and 6th picks respectively)

Arguably the best graduating guards of UAAP Season 64, Alvarez and Monfort both bring steady perimeter defense, coupled with consistent 3-point shooting that force opponents to stretch their defenses. The big question is, will their height be of concern in the PBA (Imagine guarding Gabe Norwood)? In his Sinag Pilipinas stint, Monfort showed that his small figure can actually be an advantage, especially when he wants to zip by those taller defenders for quick layups and pull-ups. Alvarez, on the other hand, has shown what he can do as well in the UAAP while guarding taller two guards when he is inserted in the Falcons' lineup alongside Jerick Canada. Expect things to be interest for the Barako Bull frontcourt once Coach Junel Baculi decides on using both of them more frequently.

Woody Co (UP Maroons, drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round, 8th pick)

This UP alumnus knows what it means to be both a role player and a star player, as he once led the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP, despite dismal records season after season, and won three championships with the NLEx Road Warriors, coming off the bench and scoring when it is needed. At most, Barako Bull will use him as a second or third-stringer, depending on how their two's or threes will produce.

Raphy Reyes (UE Red Warriors, drafted by Alaska - 2nd round, 9th pick)

The Aces have Tenorio, Cyrus Baguio, and R.J. Jazul, so there could be no way that Reyes, whose performance dwindled in his last year with the UE Red Warriors, would have some playing time. However, this may be a good opportunity for him to learn from this impressive guards.

Simon Atkins (De La Salle Green Archers, drafted by Air21 - 3rd round, 1st pick)

It's no wonder that Coach Franz Pumaren would opt to get those whom he coached during his long stint with the Green Archers, but one would wonder why he would pick a spot-up shooter when there are other available backcourt guys in the pool. Put this draft pick under the category "I picked him because I'm familiar with him," because anything more than that need proof.

Janus Lozada (Adamson Soaring Falcons, drafted by Meralco - 3rd round, 4th pick)

In the UAAP Season 74, Lozada could have been the Falcons' biggest player, until one Alex Nuyles came out of nowhere and delivered them to their Final Four appearance. Unfortunately, his post-college career did nothing to show his real potential. And with a Bolts team that features Mac Cardona as the sole legitimate two guy who can score, there is room for growth for the Adamson alumnus.

Bacon Austria (Ateneo Blue Eagles, drafted by Rain or Shine, 3rd round, 7th pick)

Perimeter defense has been Austria's best asset as a Blue Eagle, and then his stint with the Cebuana Lhuiller Gems was a means for him to emerge as a legitimate offensive threat, able to shoot threes and make perimeter jumpers. Thus, being chosen to play for the Elastopainters would give the huge break that Austria needed, and he might need to get in shape to get used to the PBA (Beau Belga and JR Quinahan, here's the third member of Extra Rice, Inc.).

Jerick Canada (Adamson Soaring Falcons, drafted by Ginebra, 3rd round 8th pick)

Canada is small, but he's quick, can defend, pass well, and shoot threes. Jayjay Helterbrand is on the verge of retiring, and the Gin Kings would need Canada's services in the second string. Plus, considering that no one has seen his improvement in the ABL and realized that he's a notch above other guards picked earlier, Ginebra is a draft winner in this regard.

Jumbo Escueta (Ateneo Blue Eagles, drafted by Talk 'N Text, 3rd round 10th pick)

The Tropang Texters have an athletic frontcourt, and what Jumbo Escueta can offer is physicality, the ability to bang bodies with burly frountcourt members of other squads despite his 6 foot 3 frame. Worried about minutes? Coach Norman Black has got something up his sleeve for his former center, so expect surprises to come its way in the All-Filipino Cup.

Kokoy Hermosisima (NU Bulldogs, drafted by Barako Bull 4th round, 4th pick)

At this point, not sure if the Energy Boosters are just trolling or they want to build an all-star UAAP cast.

Jan Colina (Adamson Soaring Falcons, drafted by GlobalPort, 4th round 6th pick)

Colina was one of those who had a great fourth season, but faltered in their last year of playing. Had he played a better fifth year, then the Soaring Falcons could have entered the Finals. With these left behind as he went for a short stint with the ABL, redemption would be a question as he enters a team chuck full of shooters.

Paul Zamar (UE Red Warriors, drafted by Ginebra, 4th round 8th pick)

Three-point shooters. Three point shooters everywhere, and we wonder where Zamar will play heavy minutes with Ginebra or not.

Credits to the internets for the images.

6 Points: AdMU vs. FEU

Ateneo 74, Far Eastern U 71

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. UP

Ateneo 76, State U 70

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU

Ateneo 71, De La Salle 61

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. NU

Ateneo 89, National U 65


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

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

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

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

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

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

The Scores:

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

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

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

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

6 Points: AdMU vs. 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.