12-0 and still a long way to go (photo source)
three points on the blue eagles' 12th consecutive win this season at the expense of the fighting maroons
iba na ang matangkad! (photo source)
1. go big time. the big men of the blue eagles, greg slaughter (18 points, 18 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block), justin chua (11 points, 10 rebounds), and nico salva (16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 3 assists, 1 steal... fantasy worthy numbers!), took charge in this victory against the maroons. the versatility of ateneo's big men doused cold water on up's repeated blitzes, which somehow fizzled out come crunchtime. despite missing frank golla (sprained ankle) this game, the blue eagles won the battle of the boards (58-33). as assured by coach norman black after the ateneo-la salle game, the team is surely taking things one game at a time, and they are expected to focus on winning their final two assignments this season: nu and adamson. with both of them having their own big men to boot, expect the blue eagles' front court to assert their might in the middle. otherwise, the blue eagles' back court is always ready to fire and slash away.
happy birthday, captain kirk! (photo source)
2. some surprises. during the game, it was observed that coach norman was tinkering with his rotation and trying to run some plays that have not been used this season. for instance, the second stringers saw more playing time despite up holding the lead. the starters were mixed in a variety of combinations on the court with the role players (though this has been a trend for the blue eagles in the past three seasons). this game against up could have served as some sort of an experiment for the four-peat seeking blue eagles who are definitely working hard to make a push for the last stretch of the season. but despite their 22 turnovers this game, what stood out was the discipline the team tried to live by - not rushing shots, rotating the ball, and finding the opening with the clock winding down. coach norman sure has a lot of "black magic" left inside his sleeves.
seek guidance from above (photo source)
3. the journey. during the post-game conference, coach norman gave yet another reminder to the ateneo faithful: "we are in a journey. and when you are in a journey, you do not get bored." a lot of people, regardless of what side of the uaap seal they belong to, have been talking about the blue eagles sweeping the elimination round and clinching that automatic finals spot with a thrice-to-beat advantage, making the championships a virtual best-of-five with ateneo already on a 1-0 edge. but the elimination round has yet to end, and with two crucial games left, the blue eagles should not be bored in this long and grueling trip to their fourth consecutive title. everything has a price to pay, and for sure the championship trophy won't be given on a silver platter. i think this should go for the blue eagles' sixth man too: enjoy the ride. it's a journey, not a destination. we're halfway there. and we'll make it, i swear.
The scores:
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
Quarter scoring: 15-14, 32-28, 52-45, 73-58
credits to inboundpass and adrian dy (chinoy hoops fan) for the stats
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