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
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