THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 66, La Salle 63 (Final Four)

blue skies above green fields (photo source)

three points on the blue eagles' win against green archers in their final four encounter in season 75. in yet another classic encounter between the arch-rivals, the blue eagles weathered a double digit deficit in the fourth quarter to book a finals match-up with the growling tigers - the team that denied coach norman black of what could have been his first championship in the uaap in season 69.

there can only be one phenom (photo source)

1. mythical. kiefer ravena might have missed the mythical five this season due to a tight statistical race, but his 28 points-12 rebounds-7 assists performance can surely be defined in one word: mythical. last season's top rookie and member of the mythical five connected 8-14 from the field, including four three pointers that changed the game for the blue eagles. despite getting plagued by foul trouble in the first three quarters, the "phenom" stepped up in the fourth quarter to ignite a run that snatched this game from upset-seeking la salle. though he would finish the season without an individual award, ravena's eyes remain fixed on the prize: the fifth consecutive championship for the blue eagles and even a personal five-peat for himself, having won three straight titles in high school and nailing one more in his maiden season in college. his task is far from done and i hope he remains reliable and mythical in the championship round.

big shot buenafe (photo source)

2. finisher. just when everyone thought that there would be a knock-out match in a few days, the blue eagles once again did what they do best: coming from behind and getting the win. ravena's heroics in this game showed his ability to take over when his performance matters. despite greg slaughter having a bad game (4 points on 2-9 from the field and 0-3 in the free throw line), other vital cogs in the team like nico salva (12 points on 6-11 shooting) and ryan buenafe (10 points, including that go-ahead three pointer that gave the lead back to ateneo with less than a minute left and two free throws that sealed the game) gave the much needed lift for the blue eagles.

umayos ka, ref (photo source)

the team did not only face a tough la salle team but even horrendous officiating and some underhanded tactics from the other side of the court. the la salle coaching staff contested one of ravena's three pointers that somehow took the momentum away from the blue eagles, who might have taken the game away had greg slaughter competed his three-point play. as assistant jun limpot stormed to the referee to complain, la salle was able to create a time out out of nothing that enabled them to draw a play on that juncture of the game. fortunately, luck was not on their side as the blue eagles managed to hold on to the lead in the dying seconds. officiating will definitely be crucial in the finals, and if the referees let these little things go, it will surely make the up-hill climb tougher for the blue and white.

two more wins (photo source)

3. revenge. the cast is complete for the biggest stage this season, and ateneo is facing a very dangerous opponent in ust for the championship. however, if the blue eagles will perform the way they did in the third quarter and the early goings of the fourth, they will not have a chance against the growling tigers especially if the latter's confidence level shoots up and lady luck begins to smile at them in the game. expect the tigers and their coach pido jarencio to study the blue eagles well and make things difficult for the them in the finals. but then again, this title showdown between ateneo and ust is surely a perfect way to end coach norman black's coaching stint with the blue eagles and in college basketball in general. everything now comes in full circle as he gets into a coaching chess battle with jarencio, who took away the title in season 69 against his heavily-favored team that comprised jc intal, doug kramer, and macky escalona. and what way to avenge that lost championship by salvaging this season's crown at the expense of ust. it won't be a walk in the park as much work has yet to be done heading into the last few games of the season for the blue eagles.

see you in the finals! (photo source)

The scores:

Ateneo 66 – Ravena 28, Salva 12, Buenafe 10, Tiongson 5, Slaughter 4, Chua 4, Sumalinog 3, Pessumal 0, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0, Elorde 0.

DLSU 63 – Andrada 17, Vosotros 14, Teng 12, N. Torres 6, T. Torres 5, Tampus 4, Van Opstal 3, Mendoza 2, Webb 0, Revilla 0.

Quarter Scores: 14-12; 31-26; 38-47; 66-63.

photos from sirs philip sison and erwin cabbab of fabilioh.com 

FIRST 5: Keys to the Final Four - Ateneo (1) vs. La Salle (4)

hello, my friend, we meet again (photo source)

the most storied rivalry in collegiate basketball returns to the basketball court for perhaps one last time this season as the ateneo blue eagles, armed with a twice-to-beat advantage, squares off against resurgent la salle green archers in the final four of uaap season 75.

the blue eagles, who last played almost two weeks ago in that highly emotional game against ust growling tigers, look to move forward in their drive for five consecutive championships under outgoing coach norman black at the expense of the green archers, who won their last three outings including a come-from-behind victory against the feu tamaraws in the knock-out game for the last seat in the final four.

in what is expected to be another classic battle between two of the elite teams in the uaap, here are five keys that may come in handy for the blue eagles:

eyes on the prize (photo source)

1. shrug away the distractions. the "total disengagement" between mvp and ateneo is surely a big blow not only to the blue eagles but to the entire ateneo community. fine, we will not be able to see the "smart" logo in their jerseys next year or even see the prominent ateneo alum in his ringside seat for the rest of the season, but there's more to this than mvp telling fr. jet villarin that it is "time to call it a day." we almost saw coach norman black leaving the team out of courtesy, being an "employee" of the ateneo's most influential benefactor. but everyone had that collective sigh of relief after hearing the news that the team will get to finish what they have begun and hopefully bring it to fulfillment in three games. i have no idea of the atmosphere in the blue eagles locker room and even in their practices for the past two weeks, but it is my hope that the team is able to shrug away these distractions and keep their eyes on the prize. no one knows what the future holds, so we might as well focus on the present and defend the title this season.

nowhere to go, a-v-o (photo source)

2. shake off the cobwebs. lately, the four-time defending champions have been away from competitive uaap action - 14 days to be exact by the time they face the fourth seed green archers on saturday. their last game against ust wasn't exactly a convincing win for many, but a win is still a win and such is good enough to nail the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage in the final four. but more than that last game, this lay-off could bring some ring rust to those fiery hands or even withered feathers to wings ready to take flight. though the blue eagles have been used to this kind of scheme where they play consecutive games and take a really long break from league games, i hope they made the most of it: resting their bodies, healing some injuries, drawing up some new plays, perfecting old ones, studying game tapes, and getting back that winning edge that makes their team a cut above the rest.

buena-tres (photo source)

3. surprise the opponent. ateneo-la salle games have been the venue for players to play big in front of a jam-packed coliseum crowd, showing why they belong to their school color of choice. last game, ryan buenafe reminded the blue and green crowd that he belongs to the school whose name is imprinted in his jersey. during their first round game last season, kiefer ravena sent his message across the league that the phenom has landed in ateneo. year after year, we have seen players from both sides showing who they are and displaying their talents to the delight of the supporters of their respective teams. in this final four match-up, i ask: who could be one who would "surprise" us with his stellar performance on the court? ateneo-la salle games are truly memorable for every player on the roster, and i hope that whoever is given that opportunity to shine in this game will make the most of it.

salva-tion is here (photo source)

4. show some support. it is a fact that the blue eagles cannot simply depend on our "big 3" of ravena, greg slaughter, and nico salva to claim the victory. but lately, most of the offensive load have been on the shoulders of slaughter and ravena. salva had a rather forgetful performance against ust after pouring it all against nu. oping sumalinog has been a big factor in defense and those uncontested corner threes would surely help the cause. for sure, buenafe won't have those open lanes as before, so he better know when to distribute the ball or take it strong to the hole. juami tiongson and nico elorde must be more consistent in handling the ball and continue firing sure shots from long range. graduating seniors justin chua and tonino gonzaga have yet to make an impact in their final season wearing blue and white. frank golla must get rid of those butterfingers especially in handling the rock. finally, gwyne capacio and von pessumal can make the most of his playing time they might be given in this game.

one more title for mr. 100% (photo source)

5. seal the deal. having a twice-to-beat advantage may be a two-edged sword for any team. it can truly be an advantage as the opponent has to beat you twice to advance to the next round. it can also be an insurance in the very unfortunate case of the lower team snatching a victory from them. but it could and should never be an excuse for relaxing a single moment in this game. this championship run has not been easy for them, and letting go of this very precious opportunity to return to the finals and defend the championship for the fifth straight season should never be an option. with a lot of things happening in the background, this might just be the last decent run that the blue eagles will be having, as next season will be a big question for most of their players and even the coaching staff and recruits. if there's one important key for the blue eagles in this game, it has to be their ability to seal the deal in games that matter and move forward in that quest to make history for their alma mater.

PREDICTION: ateneo in 1 game by 7 points

FLY HIGH! 
ONE BIG FIGHT!
BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!

photos from sirs philip sison, arvin lim, yohan janeo, and erwin cabbab of fabilioh.com  

THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 68, UST 66

 oping's four point play (photo source)

three points on blue eagles' heart-stopping victory over the growling tigers, avenging their first round defeat and giving them the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage in the final four.

 

perfect caption (photo source)

1. black magic vs. pido power. going up against ust is like going up against the ginebra team of the mid til late 90's. that "never say die" attitude and coach pido jarencio's "fireman" moniker perfectly describe this ust squad. they have the ability to catch up big leads, as we have seen in the first round encounter between the tigers and the blue eagles where they erased a 19 point lead to even enjoy the lead in the fourth quarter and snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. a bunch of cold blooded three-point shooters in coach pido's image and likeness, add them up with the improved game of karim abdul in the paint, and you've got a perfect recipe for pido power. having the likes of jeric fortuna, jeric teng, aljon mariano, tata bautista is like having four "firemen" on your line-up, ready to pluck and fire from all sides of the court without conscience. and on an extremely lucky day like most, of not all their come from behind victories this season, the chances of ust winning the game are quite high. for sure, the sixth man has not forgotten the terrible feeling of losing the championship in season 69 where pido power was on full swing.

rejected (photo source)

in this game, it seems that pido power is once more working wonders. ateneo erected a 13 point lead early in the fourth quarter, only to be countered with a blistering 20-5 run for ust to grab the lead with less than two minutes remaining! with atrocious officiating dictating the tempo of the game, it was a scary sight for the blue and white side of the moa arena as an ateneo victory is once more put in jeopardy. but here is where the wisdom of coach norman black comes into picture. the composure, discipline, and patience that basically defined his system through his tenure as ateneo head coach came into fore in the dying seconds of the game - with a bit of luck courtesy of abdul, the same guy who made the mid-range jumper a few seconds earlier yet also goal-tended ryan buenafe's desperation heap as it came down from its apex. buenafe calmly sank the bonus free throw, and coach norman also drew a tight defensive ploy that made mariano miss what could have been a game-clinching three-pointer to seal the victory for ateneo.

gimme five (photo source)

someone from season 69 coined the term "black magic" to pertain to that last second play that found doug kramer open underneath the basket in game 1 of the finals. but through the four-year title reign of the blue eagles, winning comes not much in the form of sheer luck but in a system that works in a variety of situations. once more, this is a challenge of consistency and sustainability on the part of the blue eagles: uaap basketball is played for four quarters of ten minutes each quarter, and there should be no letting up especially against a team that makes shots when it matters, especially at the nick of time. if the blue eagles truly want to make history this season with their fifth consecutive championship, they must execute coach norman black's system from the opening until the final buzzer.

rejected... part 2 (photo source) 

2. be careful with the ball. the stat that actually kept ust in this game was ateneo's turnovers. they committed a total of 19 turnovers, half of them coming from the blue eagles' big men greg slaughter and nico salva with five turnovers each. more so, that final run of ust in the fourth quarter became possible because of a slew of turnovers from ateneo, which the tigers gladly took to their advantage. this has become a common sight in ateneo's close games and even in those two defeats during the elimination round. turning the ball over frequently, whether forced by the opposing team's well-prepared defensive set or just plain carelessness on the part of the players, truly hurt the chances of putting the win on the bag. taking care of the ball is very essential in ateneo's execution. the more they turn the ball over, the greater the chance of the opponent to come from behind or even pull away. in fact, ust employed a 1-3-1 trap for most part of the fourth quarter - something that perhaps caught ateneo's ball handlers by surprise. but the turnover that hurt the blue eagles the most if the one that led to a kevin ferrer steal and abdul's jumper to give the lead back to ust when the game was nearly coming to a close.

molested and all, still no call (photo source)

the inbound play in the last seventeen seconds of the game could have really gone either way. if those referees had their eyes checked and cured before the match, they would have seen buenafe literally getting molested (yes, i used that term) by ferrer and fortuna and would have called a foul that would send him to the line. ateneo escaped not only from a loss to ust but also from really bad officiating by the three blind mice in gray and black. but this play, just like abdul's goal-tend on buenafe's shot, is subject to their judgment call. actually, the game is filled with judgment calls from left to right, and it is highly probable that these calls would be the points of contention to be used in filing protests that decides the game from the board room instead of the playing court. but still, that is no excuse for ateneo not to secure the leather when the pendulum could actually swing to the other side. this might be one of the things that ateneo's coaching staff might want to pay attention to as they start their build up for the final four.

blue mamba waiting to strike (photo source)

3. keep calm and fly high. the blue eagles are headed to the final four as the top seed and with the valuable twice-to-beat advantage over the team who will squeak into the last seat depending on the outcome of the final few games of the season. at this point, anything can happen. neither ust nor feu is assured yet of the second seed in the final four, considering that dlsu and nu still have the chance to make a four-team logjam at 9-5 provided that dlsu and nu win all their remaining games and feu and ust drop theirs. in any case, another very challenging scenario awaits the blue eagles: a long lay-off from this day until the beginning of the final four is very likely to happen. as mentioned in my recap of the game against nu, whoever made the second round schedule is truly out to screw the blue eagles from their drive for five. but we've seen these scenes from the past: tight scheduling, ring rust from a long lull of competitive action, injuries to key players in the rotation, and more. but the blue eagles' resilience has kept them fighting and flying in the past six seasons under coach norman black. the real battle begins when the final four seats are all occupied. until then, the blue eagles have to keep calm yet not overconfident, stay focused but not too aggressive, and fly high.

it's ateneo's day (photo source)

a final reminder: no yabang. the drive for five has so far been long and dangerous. this has to be the toughest campaign i have witnessed as a fan of the blue eagles. yes, this is tougher than their season 73 championship (where they had no marquee players to boot) because opposing teams have gone and given all out every time they face ateneo on the playing court. moreover, the competitive level of the league has truly gone higher this season especially with teams beefing up their rosters with imports, transferees, and sponsors. and with matches being brought to the board room due to protests, this season has truly become unpredictable for the blue eagles. their finesse has been put into test by the physicality of play that opponents throw at them. being on top of the standings is truly a delight and a sight to behold for followers of the blue eagles, but the work is not yet done. yes, this is an important part in the drive for five, but then again, this is just a part of it. the blue eagles have three more wins to claim, and the road gets treacherous from this moment until the gold is finally at sight. as in the previous years, we are reminded of the already familiar dictum "no yabang." the bragging rights belong to the one standing jubilant on center court when the smoke has cleared and the dust has settled. until then, the blue eagle sixth man has to remember three things: keep cheering, keep supporting, and keep flying with the team on this very special quest. 

another fabilioh.com sighting (photo source)

The scores:

ADMU 68 – Ravena 18, Tiongson 13, Buenafe 11, Slaughter 10, Sumalinog 7, Salva 6, Elorde 3, Gonzaga 0, Chua 0, Golla 0

UST 66 – Abdul 22, Teng 12, Mariano 9, Fortuna 8, Ferrer 8, Bautista 7, Vigil 0, Pe 0, Afuang 0, Lo 0

Quarter scores: 15-18, 30-33, 52-43, 68-66

photos from sir philip sison of fabilioh.com  

AND 1: THE Kiefer Ravena dunk over Karim Abdul

for those who haven't seen it and for those who can't get enough of it.
this is how the bright blue eagle flies!

BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!

THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 70, NU 56

mvp vs. the phenom (photo source)

three points on blue eagles' win against the bulldogs in their second round encounter in uaap season 75. the victory solidified ateneo at the top of the standings but a win in their elimination round finale against ust will give them the number 1 seed and twice-to-beat advantage. nu, who last beat ateneo in season 70, is the only team that has not beaten the blue eagles in the "championship era."


1. to "better" the "best." the blue eagles had a hard time getting their act done this game as the bulldogs kept the game close and even led during the halftime break. the loss of jp erram to injury disabled ateneo's twin tower combination of him and greg slaughter, which in effect gave emmanuel mbe better looks and wider space to operate. yet our big men responded to the challenge, as slaugther and nico salva combined for 36 points and helped spread the floor for the ateneo offense to find its range. three-point baskets from nico elorde, kiefer ravena, and ryan buenafe were the telling blows in that blistering fourth quarter run that made the blue eagles pull away from the bulldogs. like in our first round meeting, second half adjustments once again worked for ateneo. but if they really want to get that number one seed and the twice-to-beat advantage, they should not wait for the fourth quarter to pull away. opposing teams will always do their best against them, and they have to "better" the "best" especially with the final four race looking to be a tight battle.

not in my house (photo source)

2. oping to the rescue. as slaughter's back-up and front court partner, erram is considered as one of the crucial anchors of the vaunted ateneo defense. but with him out due to a season-ending acl injury, someone has to step up to fill jp's big shoes. this game, oping sumalinog grabbed the opportunity and proved why he belongs to the blue and white. he may not have posted big numbers this game (only two points off a fast break lay-up) but he made mbe's offensive production miserable in the second half. he blocked the nu center thrice (the refs called a foul on one of them...they better have their eyes checked), tapped the ball on defense leading to steals, and provided the intangibles that may not appear on the stat sheet but definitely gives a big lift for the team. his three point shooting particularly in the corner has been tried and tested. if this was nba live 07, he would have been this game's x-factor player. sumalinog is expected to take a bigger role, perhaps to guard jeric teng in their next game against ust. and i just hope he will deliver big on that game as he did against nu.

the big man on a roll (photo source)

3. brace yourselves for a tough grind ahead. it seems to me that the person behind the second round schedule is really out to screw ateneo's season. in this juncture of the season, ateneo is bound to play three straight games on three straight playing dates - sunday against adamson, thursday against nu, and saturday against ust. from there, they will have a long lay-off waiting for their final four match-up in what could be an intriguing scenario involving feu, ust, dlsu, and nu. their wait could be longer if uaap would decide on putting playoff games to determine seeding. after that controversial decision to re-play the nu-feu game this round, anything seems possible inside the board room. nonetheless, ateneo should better brace themselves for a tough grind ahead. ust has often been sensed as ateneo's contrapelo, having inflicted that first loss of the season and almost coming from behind a large margin to snatch a game in the final four last season. and of course, who wouldn't forget the painful memories of season 69 in 2006? the blue eagles' next game will be for the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage. with those marbles on the line and the unfavorable schedule at hand, there's no more room for complacency and overconfidence. it has to be one big fight if they do not want to suffer one big bite.

The Scores:

ADMU 70 – Slaughter 22, Ravena 14, Salva 14, Tiongson 6, Elorde 5, Buenafe 3, Chua 2, Golla 2, Sumalinog 2, Pessumal 0, Gonzaga 0.

NU 56 – Mbe 19, Javillonar 15, Parks 11, De Guzman 5, Alolino 2, Khobuntin 2, Rosario 2, Betayene 0, Roño 0, Villamor 0.

Quarter Scores: 16-17; 31-33; 56-45; 70-56

photos from sir philip sison of fabilioh.com  

THREE-POINT PLAY: UE 79, Ateneo 77 and Ateneo 79, Adamson 72

win or lose (photo source)

three points on blue eagles' two games in the last three days: a defeat against the red warriors last september 6, 2012 that snapped their eight game winning run, and a win against the falcons last september 9, 2012 that clinched their 14th consecutive final four appearance in uaap men's basketball tournament.

flying on troubled skies (photo source)

1. on experimentation. facing teams already eliminated from final four contention on a particular stretch of the season can actually be translated into opportunities to run plays that were created to add variety to the usual mix of offensive and defensive sets of a team. it seems that such is the case in the past two games of the blue eagles. there were new offensive sets as well as different combinations on the rotation seen in these games. some of them actually worked, others still on their way to completion. trusting in the wisdom of coach norman black, this is a very welcome sight especially with the final four at hand, perhaps to keep opposing teams guessing what could be in the blue eagles' playbook and to give the team additional patterns to employ depending on the situation at hand. but with experimentation comes two other essential aspects of the game: execution and effort.


 
2. on execution. a key ingredient in the ten ateneo wins so far this season has been their ability to execute plays as designed on the drawing board and perfected during practices. the past two games of the blue eagles have been scary of sorts because they seem to have been executing less on their usual and even the new sets of plays. the games against ue and adamson can actually be perceived as lessons on execution especially down the stretch - when the game is on the line.

never back down (photo source)

the game against the red warriors could have been a blowout, but much credit goes to them as they were the ones who actually kept the blue eagles struggling on the floor with their shots. there were too much outside shooting for ateneo in the game, perhaps to remedy the double and even triple-team defense on greg slaughter. kiefer ravena, juami tiongson, and nico salva were not in their usual "sure-shot" mode that we witnessed in their performance against la salle. they also had too many turnovers to count which ue successfully capitalized down the stretch. the stellar play of roi sumang, gene belleza, and chris javier showed how much promise this "all-filipino" team can actually fair against traditional league powerhouses. had the blue eagles' big men switched properly and contested that javier jump shot with 0.4 seconds left, the result of the game could have changed in overtime. but then again, that ateneo defeat is a necessary loss for the team going into the post season. it should keep them humble as well as hungry as their next few games would be against "surprise" teams jockeying for position in the final four like ust and nu.

salva and camson on a shootout (photo source)

against the adamson falcons, the ateneo blue eagles were caught flat footed by eric camson's hot shooting from long range. but salva willingly rose to the occasion, scoring 24 points that mostly came from outside the shaded lane. adamson would have been much scarier as an opponent if a healthy alex nuyles was on the floor, as he has the ability to drive and dish to an open man under the basket or even finish the drive while absorbing contact. the win became rather difficult as the adjustments only worked during the fourth quarter as ravena, salva, and slaughter got their acts going on both offense and defense. a pleasant surprise in the game was nico elorde, who provided some scoring punch for the blue eagles especially as the falcons were keeping the game close. as a bounce-back game, the blue eagles could have performed better by truly showing why they are on top of the standings. though salva was on target and some of our outside bombs found their way to the bottom of the net, they still need to be more consistent in taking care of the ball, rebounding, and even scoring from the mid-range. there is still much work to be done with two games left in the elimination round.

fight for the loose ball  (photo source)

3. on effort. looking at the two remaining games for the blue eagles, there's no more reason for them to relax and to be tentative on court. both ue and adamson played with much energy and gusto in terms of offense and defense. there were certain parts of both games when it looked like ateneo did not have the same fire and intensity that they had during their winning streak this season. could it be overconfidence or just plain lack of effort from the players? not reaaly. what the blue eagles need in these final games of the second round is to play the type of game they are actually known for in the league: disciplined, composed, determined, and competitive. that missing edge in their past two games might be something worth finding and bringing into fore as the twice-to-beat advantage and the number one seed are at stake in their games against nu and ust.

The Scores:

September 6, 2012

UE 79 – Belleza 28, Sumang 15, Javier 15, Santos 11, Sumido 7, Duran 3, Villarias 0, Olayon 0, Hernandez 0, Galanza 0.

ATENEO 77 – Slaughter 24, Ravena 15, Chua 11, Gonzaga 9, Tiongson 8, Salva 6, Golla 2, Buenafe 2, Sumalinog 0, Pessumal 0, Elorde 0.

Quarter Scores: 10-19; 34-36; 53-56; 79-77.

September 9, 2012

ADMU 79 – Salva 24, Slaughter 16, Ravena 15, Elorde 10, Chua 6, Tiongson 3, Buenafe 3, Sumalinog 1, Erram 1, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0.

ADu 72 – Camson 26, Cruz 14, Cabrera 10, Monteclaro 8, Brondial 8, Rios 4, Etrone 2, Trollano 0, Petilos 0, Agustin 0.

Quarter Scores: 21-25; 38-38; 55-59; 79-72.

photos from sir philip sison of fabilioh.com  

AND 1: Drive for Five

here's another video on the ateneo blue eagles' drive for five, this time with a dramatic voice over along a series of clips during the past championship runs. true enough, this video, in the words of adrian dy, is "like a trailer for the series finale of a tv show."

BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!

AND 1: Ateneo Blue Eagles' Drive for Five (The First Round)

credit goes to ian valderama, uploader of the video. shared from Get Blued facebook page.

a recap of the blue eagles' first round victories (missing in this video was their defeat against ust) in uaap season 75. the journey continues in the second round as they move closer along the road for their "drive for five."

GO ATENEO!
ONE BIG FIGHT!

THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 77, La Salle 67

the future of philippine basketball in different school colors (photo source)

three points on the blue eagles' trimuph against the green archers in their second round encounter in uaap season 75.

 
in front of more than 17,000 spectators inside the jam-packed araneta coliseum, the cagers from katipunan won against their taft avenue counterparts in a game considered as the biggest and most prominent rivalry in philippine sports to give them their eight straight win, a 9-1 record to maintain their lead in the standings, and a step closer to clinching a final four berth for this season.
 

 the big man with a ridiculous hang time (photo source)

1. the "other" high school phenom. in the past few seasons, ateneo-la salle games have become a showcase of highly-touted recruits who hope to leave a mark to the team and showcase some of their talents in front of a mammoth crowd. the green archers' prized rookie jeron teng continued to amaze basketball fans with a solid performance (22 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) against the blue eagles. kiefer ravena, last year's top recruit for ateneo, pitched in 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists for the winning team. these two players are considered the future of philippine basketball and their match-up this year has shown that there's more to expect from them in the coming uaap seasons and even in professional and international competitions. yet, not to be overshadowed by these two young guns of today is ryan buenafe, who was the most sought-after high school player way back in 2008.

(photo source)

after a year away from the varsity team, buenafe proved that he belongs to the roster and deserves a spot in the rotation. in his second start of the season (his first was against feu where he got thrown out because of a foul early in the first quarter), he contributed 24 points, 8 rebounds, and a clean turnover slate to keep ateneo's dominance over la salle. he had the confidence to shoot threes (he made 3-9 from downtown), hustled relentlessly for the loose ball, and displayed that ridiculous hang time to draw fouls and eventually make the basket. since the la salle defense focused more on greg slaughter, nico salva, and ravena, buenafe had the open lane to slice in the paint and a clear view to make long range shots. his resurgence in previous games gives the blue eagles another option to score and opposing teams another poison to pick. we have not forgotten about his heroics in the finals of season 73, and this memorable game of his gives us more reasons to remember the "other" high school phenom on the blue side of the court.

bombs away! (photo source)

2. different animal. as mentioned in my recap of their last game against feu, the blue eagles' resident outside shooters have yet to find their range this season. in that game, the basket was a bit more friendly for the team as they drained a total of seven three pointers that somehow gave another dimension to the ateneo offense. in this game against la salle, their guns were once more on target as they made seven shots from beyond the arc (7-17 for 41.2%): three for buenafe and one each for ravena, salva, juami tiongson, and oping sumalinog. if a team has a seven foot behemoth like greg slaughter in the middle and a couple of driving dynamos in salva and ravena along the lanes, it becomes a rule of thumb for opposing teams to congest the middle and in effect neglect the outside shots. but the past two games show that the blue eagles are now a different animal in terms of offense: it can hover close to the basket for the easy bucket or fly the ball from the rainbow country for the three point shot. this added dimension to the blue eagles' offensive arsenal should make opposing teams think twice of what to focus on defense and who to guard in the next possession. ateneo's three point shooting can still improve but game like these would hopefully keep their outside shooters ready for the kick out and the long distance shot.

the man in the middle knows his role (photo source)

3. same beast. nonetheless, it was still ateneo's defense that gave them the win against a tough la salle team. they limited la salle to 34% shooting, a percentage that could have gone lower if jarelan tampus did not make all his shots on the court. much credit goes to slaughter in this game for safeguarding the ateneo basket. he struggled on offense (just 4 points on 1-5 shooting) but heavily contributed in rebounding (11), blocks (4), and limiting the production of la salle's big men (norbert torres and arnold van opstal collectively shot 6-15 in the field with torres just making 4 points in the game). despite teng's 22 point output, he was 6-21 in the field throughout the game as buenafe, teng, sumalinog, and gonzaga took turns in guarding him. almond vosotros, whose 4 three pointers for la salle brought some scare to ateneo fans, eventually had to take contested shots from his range as the defense picked up for the blue eagles. true enough, the blue eagles are still the same animal on defense, and if they want to win their fifth consecutive championship, they have to keep up and even intensify their defense as the road to the final four progresses.

nasa fabilioh ka na naman ha! (photo source)

The Scores:

ADMU 77  – Buenafe 24, Ravena 18, Salva 12, Tiongson 10, Chua 4, Slaughter 4, Sumalinog 3, Gonzaga 2, Elorde 0, Golla 0.

DLSU 67 – Teng 22, Vosotros 20, Van Opstal 8, Tampus 8, Torres N. 4, Manguera 3, Mendoza 2, Andrada 0, Paredes 0, Torres T. 0, Tallo 0, Webb 0.

Quarterscores: 26-10; 35-29; 57-46; 77-67 

photos from sirs philip sison, yohan janeo, and erwin cabbab of fabilioh.com