Sports Talk with MC

As a youngster, I watched former PBA player Dante Gonzalgo tear it up on the hardcourt.

Earlier today, his son, Paul, had his own moment in the sun.

The younger Gonzalgo, who now plays for the Adamson Soaring Falcons in the UAAP, sank a cold-blooded rainbow 3 to give his team a 67-66 victory of last year’s UAAP finalists, the UE Red Warriors.

While teammate Jan Colina had a career game, it was Gonzalgo’s exploits in the last few moments of the contest that stole the show.

On July 19th, I had the privilege of watching the tiff between the UP Fighting Maroons, and the Ateneo Blue Eagles. From my ringside seat, I saw a lot of screen and roll plays for Woody Co and Martin Reyes, a lot of fastbreaking from the Eagles courtesy of Jai Reyes and Eric Salamat, and yes, scintillating defense from the boys in blue which quelled the Centennial hosts’ fervor towards nabbing a possible upset.

In game two of the recent UAAP Saturday showcase, the De La Salle Green Archers tamed an upstart NU Bulldogs teams towards getting solo second place in the league standings. PJ Barua and center Rico Maierhoffer spearheaded the Taft boys’ attack, while Edwin “Ron Artest” Asoro served as the anchor of the Bulldogs’ surge. NU lead early, but a lackluster effort on defense and cold shooting lead to their eventual demise.

I don’t know about you, but while the battle for the top 3 Final Four slots is what normally fills seats, the race to 4th place should make for a few nailbiters too. Ateneo is currently on top of the standings with a 4-0 record, followed by La Salle at 3-1.  Feu is holding court in at the bronze medal position with an mirror-image 3-1 mark, while the Adamson Falcons are clinging on to the 4th and final semis slot with a 2-3 clip. Yes, it’s early in the day, but then, any headway you can make while the sun hangs low could prove to be integral in whether a team gets a twice to beat advantage in the UAAP Final Four or not, or whether a team makes the Final Four or gets kicked to the curb, for that matter.

The games have been full of drama, hustle, and pride. New stars have been brought to the fore. College hoops at its finest? You bet.

And oh, here’s to hoping the this year’s Cheerdance Competition makes waves too.

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I got a chance to watch the Ateneo/La Salle tiff at the Araneta Coliseum last Sunday afternoon. The Ateneo Blue Eagles made a number of impressions on me that day.

1) Ocean Deep: Pristine waters are of a blue hue, and the Ateneo ocean runs deep. With newcomers like Nico Salva, Vince Burke, Justin Chua, and spitfire Ryan Buenafe, the Eagles suddenly have a bench that rivals the league’s best. Chris Tiu, Rabeh Al Hussaini, Kirk Long, and Eric Salamat are regular holdovers from years past, and with a good mix of veterans and young guns in both holsters this year, the Eagles look poised to make a statement on their way to, potentially, their first title since cagers like Enrico Villanueva, Rich Alvarez, and Larry Fonacier donned the blue and white.

2) Rookie? No way!: Ryan Buenafe scored 8 points in his first game as a UAAP senior. Yes, he shot an airball and made a few mistakes in execution here and there, but one thing that can be said about the former NCAA juniors MVP is that he possesses the look, and the savvy of a player that’s been around the block once or twice. Buenafe is a player that can create for himself and his teammates on offense. He can score inside and out. He has a good eye for spotting the open man. What’s more, he has the height, speed, and physical strength to weave through defenses for easy hoops, or at the very least, to draw fouls. This kid is just what the doctor ordered, considering that the Eagles haven’t really had an above-the-rim one on one star since the departure of JC Intal in 2006. Chris Tiu may be this team’s MVP and leader for today, but Buenafe, in my view, is the point man for the Atenean’s future. The number of one-on-one isolation sets Coach Black ran for him is indicative of trust, both in Buenafe’s on-court talent and basketball IQ. Look for this young man to keep getting better and better as he logs in more on-court time within Norman Black’s motion offense and 3-2 zone defense sets.

3) Pillar to post: Apart from having the luxury of decent perimeter threats in Tiu, Reyes, Buenafe, Salamat, and Long, the Eagles seem to be comfortable going to centers Jobe Nkemakolam and Rabeh Al Hussaini in the low post, either as main offensive options, or as decoys to free up shooters/slashers. More touches for the two Ateneo big men not only guarantees better looks for the team’s smaller men, but also provides the Blue and White with viable options during grind-it-out games wherein outside makes are few and far between and lanes get clogged by deep zone defenses. Having a bevy of reliable perimeter threats allows Jobe and Rabeh to play within their skill sets too. The less “improv” work they do on offense, the better. Keep the big guys in the post/baseline/under the basket, and they’ll be fine. Players knowing their roles out on the floor keeps a team humming smoothly out on the hardwood, as does a finely tuned up car.

4) Tiu the man!: As I alluded to earlier, Chris Tiu has taken the reins as the Eagles’ top dog (or, er, bird). I can still distinctly recall a gawky Tiu, around 4-5 years back, blowing an open, breakaway, layup at the Philsports Arena. Those days seem to be long gone, as the honor student, cum varsity stud, cum business man has improved by leaps and bounds not only as an individual talent, but also as a vocal, team leader.

CT has impeccable perimeter touch. He’s gotten physically stronger too, ergo, his ability to get shots/draw fouls in traffic has improved as well. The UAAP’s version of Reggie Miller could very well win the MVP award this season, judging from how the Ateneans ‘ offense is structured. The bigs get the ball inside. If the bigs are doubled, the kick and screen to Tiu or to someone like Jai Reyes or Buenafe. Tiu is a master at creating space for shots. Couple his skill with a few screens/decoy plays courtesy of Rabeh or Jobe and you’ve got one thing down pat- money. Look for #17 to average anywhere from 15 to 17ppg this year, all while shooting high percentages on only a handful of shots. As he goes, the Eagles go, too.

And finally…

5) Defensive Poise: Yuri Escueta’s late-game steal against the Archers was something that had come naturally to him over the last couple of years. 

It turned out that, the rest of the team, at least for the first game of the season, had the same fever that Yuri had.

The burned with enough desire to play tough D, and at the right times, no less.

I was impressed by the Ateneans’ emphasis on defense against La Salle. The Eagles used a 3-2 zone for most of last Sunday’s tiff, and for the times that counted, it worked to perfection. The Archers are all about shooters out on the perimeter this year, and by using guys like Jobe and Rabeh to clog the paint, the Blue Eagles also worked towards trying to neutralize slashers like Josh Webb and JVee Casio. With the exception of rotation errors by Al Hussani, the Ateneans’ discipline on screen and rolls, and La Salle motion sets, was decent. While I think that the Boys in Blue could have taken care of the ball better after forcing turnovers, reducing the opposition’s possessions per se, is enough to reflect positively on your team, because such, basically, gives you more opportunities to keep putting the pressure on, and keep the dictation of the game’s pace in your hands.

It’s funny how the “vaunted La Salle press”, at times, looked like something the Ateneans had put a patent on as opposed to it being signed, sealed, and delivered by bow and arrow.

I suppose some things can change after all.

Here’s to another great outing against one of last year’s UAAP championship round participants, the UE Red Warriors, later today at the Philsports Arena. One Big Fight!

The Collegiate Champions League is just around the corner.

Who’s excited? I’d bet you are.

Last year, the UE Red Warriors edged the San Beda Red Lions, 66-59 to claim the CCL crown. I think that this year, more attention ought to be given to this competition, as the popularity of college hoops in the country seems to be at an all time high. Nabbing bragging rights to being dubbed as the “best of the best” should be enough incentive for the media, and the players, to act like it were “3pm in the Big Dome”, so to speak. 

The leagues participating in the CCL are as follows (thanks to http://wikipedia.org for this):

• Metro Manila Leagues:
  • UAAP: University Athletic Association of the Philippines
  • NCAA: National Collegiate Athletic Association
  • NCRAA: National Capital Region Athletic Association
  • UCAA: Universities and Colleges Athletic Association
  • NAASCU: National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities
  • CUSA: Colleges and Universities Sports Association
• Leagues outside Metro Manila:
  • BEAL: Baguio Educational Athletic League
  • UCAP: Universities and Colleges Association of Pangasinan
  • NOPSCEA: Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports, Cultural and Educational Association
  • CESAFI: Cebu Sports Association Foundation, Inc.
  • Negros Oriental Basketball Schools
  • ISAA: Iloilo Schools Athletic Association
  • Davao PRISAA: Private School Athletic Association
  • DCAA: Davao Collegiate Athletic Association

Now I realize that most people who have gotten so accustomed to the NCAA and UAAP flooding the airwaves might scoff at the hardwood credibility of the provincial leagues cited above. Do know, though, that many of the Philippines’ best ballers didn’t walk down the same path as the Rico Villanuevas, Joseph Yeos, Yousif Al Jamals, or Jason Castros of this world. A lot of them started in small markets, then made it big later on. 

Leyte native and former 4-time PBA MVP and champion Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez was a graduate not of Letran, or Ateneo, or La Salle, but of a regional school in the University of San Carlos, based in Cebu. During his tenure in the PBA, Fernandez won a total of 19 champions, and is currently the all time leader in blocks and rebounds (consequently, he’s 2nd in steals and assists, too).  

2 time PBA MVP Abet Guidaben studied in the University of San Jose Recoletos. He finished his career with 15, 775 points, 2nd all time, and 8,570 total caroms, also second all time.

So you see, it’s not what school you come from, really. It’s what you make of the opportunities you’re given.

The 2007 edition of the CCL should feature a lot of intriguing matchups, and should serve as a sort of “primer” for hoop fans across the nation with regards to getting a glimpse of basketball of tomorrow’s “who’s who”.  Arao versus Ekwe? Maierhoffer versus Al Jamal? Chris Tiu versus Ogie Menor, or maybe the next big thing no one’s heard of? It’s all possible, and it’s all happening soon.

More information will be coming your way about the 2007 CCL as the days wear on.

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In a recent article in the sports section of the October 9 edition of the Manila Bulletin, writer Waylon Galvez reported on a supposed alumni-led initiative to replace Ateneo Blue Eagles coach Norman Black following yet another UAAP season which ended with the Ateneans staying on the outside looking in. For die-hard Blue Eagle supporters, the fact that arch rival La Salle is currently atop the UAAP mountain only serves to douse vinegar onto an open wound.

The CBA, NBA (he played 3 games for the Detroit Pistons in the 1980-1981 season) and PBA veteran, on paper, seems to be on the hot seat. In my view, though, Black’s job is safe, at least for now. The Green and White being the champion aside, I think Norman’s done a more than commendable job of steering the Eagles towards the side of the fence where the grass does indeed grow…err…greener, or, in this case, “bluer”.

I feel that all this talk about Norman Black being a monumental disappointment as a UAAP coach, and all this talk about Black being on the way out in favor of RP team coach Chot Reyes (who is consequently related to current Blue Eagle Jai Reyes, and former Blue Eagles Eric and Jun Reyes), is quite unfounded, in that, it has come in zest. The bitter taste of having come so close to the finals is still very much fresh in the mouths of those from Loyola Heights, and I don’t think anyone in Blue and White can ever quite forget what happened against UST in 2006. In time, though, these wounds should heal, and in time, Norman should get at least one more crack at winning a UAAP title (he has 1 year left on his contract).  Although Zion Laterre and Ford Arao are leaving the Eagles after this season, Coach Black will still have Chris Tiu in tow, along with prospects like Nonoy Baclao, Raymond “Bacon” Austria, and, if indeed the rumors are true, high school stalwarts Ronjay Buenafe (from San Beda) and Carlo Lastimosa (from a provincial branch of Ateneo; yes, he’s related to former pro-baller Jojo “Jolas” Lastimosa). Next year’s lineup should give Coach Norman enough to, at the very least, contend.

In basketball’s “real world”, contending is half bad. Actually, “contending”, in itself, is quite an achievement. The world should not get restless if the Eagles don’t win a title every year, or even every other year. These things take time to pan out. If Norman can’t bring a title to Loyola Heights after next year, then it might be acceptable to begin discussing changes up top. For now though, support is what he and the rest of the squad needs, not idle gossip.

To say that Coach Black’s been an utter disappointment would be an exaggeration. If you were Coach Bogs Adornado of Adamson, for instance, or Coach Joe Lipa, formerly of the UP Fighting Maroons, then, you’d have something to complain about.

Black guided the San Miguel Beermen of the PBA to a grand slam in the late 1980’s. That alone should take some sort of precedence on his part, beyond the mere fact that Ateneo hired him to be its players’ mentor on the hardwood.

With all due respect to Chot Reyes, or to anyone who thinks that he (she) can duplicate, or eclipse the job Norman Black has done with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, I think that that person, or any other people within Ateneo who are adamant about changes being made, ought to be careful about what they wish for. It’s been a while, after all, since the woebegone days of Ryan Pamintuan, Rainier and Brandon Sison, and John Verayo in the late 90’s which saw the Eagles become perennial doormats in the UAAP.

If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Just tweak.

Abrupt change can, at times, turn a bright sky, bleak.

~0~

(Photo courtesy of RPSports.com)

After 63 games, including a series of stepladder matches that saw all contests being decided by less than 10 points, a season wherein a Growling Tiger emerged as the league’s Most Valuable Player, after a season which saw the emergence of a formerly oft-maligned Ateneo Blue Eagles center, after a season which saw a team go totally unblemished through the first two rounds towards gaining an outright UAAP finals berth, and after 20 days of inactivity for the mighty UE Red Warriors, the UAAP has a new champion.

That champion is one clad in green, with bow and arrow in tow.

Yesterday afternoon, the De La Salle Green Archers validated their return to prominence with a resounding 73-64 victory over the stunned UE Red Warriors. After romping through rounds one and two of the 70th Season of the UAAP, the Warriors went on a 2 game slide. Unfortunately for them, the two bouts they came up on the short end of were those which mattered the most in the greater scheme of things.

Archers JVee Casio and Cholo Villanueva were named co-UAAP finals MVPs, and in front of a jam-packed Araneta Coliseum in Cubao city which house 18,067 paying patrons, De La Salle ascended to the ranks of college basketball’s elite once again, while the UE, which, conceivably, had all the momentum in the world coming into this exciting, albeit brief, finals series, ended up singing an all too familiar tune- one which spoke of relinquishing an edge, and handing over the Holy Grail of success on a silver platter for the opposition to enjoy.

Back in 2002, the UE Red Warriors, led then by James Yap, Paul Artadi, Ronald Tubid, and Nino “KG” Canaleta came into the UAAP final four at second place. They faced the then Larry Fonacier, Rich Alvarez, and Enrico Villanueva spearheaded Ateneo Blue Eagles, who, with the help of the unwavering faith, the Man upstairs, and a deadeye jumper from reserve Gec Chia, kicked the UE Red Warriors to the curb. The Blue Eagles defeated the De La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP finals that year towards winning their first title, then, in 14 seasons.

Last year, the UE Red Warriors entered the final four, again, in 2nd place. The controversial Bonifacio “Bonbon” Custodio was then the team’s star, and due, in part, to Custodio’s off-court shenanigans, the Warriors were left without a primary scorer in their second game loss against the eventual champions, UST.

Yesterday did not only mark De Lasalle University’s 7th championship, on the 7th day, of the 7th year of the new millennium, but it also heralded the entry of the UE Red Warriors into the a dark room in the hallowed halls of UAAP history reserved for those who, despite showing a ton of promise, end up wilting under the pressure brought about by expectations tied into being the forerunner for grabbing glory by the horns. How the institution will rise up from this disappointing defeat is anybody’s best guess. The Ateneo Blue Eagles suffered a very painful loss in the 2006 UAAP finals. They followed up the mentioned setback with a trip with a 3rd place finish in the 2007 season. Not bad, if you asked me.

Furthermore, De La Salle followed up being UAAP pariahs with being the kings of the hardwood. So you see, nothing is impossible.

Ending UE’s 22 year title drought is, actually, beside the point here. At least one win in the finals would have dispelled talk of UE being a team full of chokers.

Because De La Salle manufactured a sweep, Borboran, Lee, Arellano, and co. will have to deal with donning even a little bit of the “choker” label for some time to come.

I don’t think that Coach Dindo Pumaren can be blamed for the Warriors’ collapse. Yes, this is not the ‘85 squad with Caidic and Codinera and Jimmy Mariano for a mentor on the sidelines, but hey, I think that the younger Pumaren ought to be given credit for getting as far as he did, despite talk that the team being one absent of a “superstar”/go-to-guy was a sign that it wouldn’t make too much of a dent on Season 70. The 2007 UE Red Warriors won ballgames on teamwork and emphasis on basketball fundamentals like spacing the fastbreak defense and offense.

Being in the finals posits an atmosphere that differs very much from being involved in an elimination game. I think that the boys in red weren’t quite prepared for the pressure of being a 14 and 0 finalist. Additionally, I think that that pressure, coupled with the knowledge that the Green Archers were hot, and were experienced in terms of dealing with championship situations, thrown in with the fact that they had come off a 20 day basketball hiatus made the Warriors doubt themselves well before tipoff in game 1. The effects of being under duress showed glaringly. 32 turnovers in the opener, followed up by 21 in the second game? Missed freethrows at critical moments? A normally stifling halfcourt press quelled by thousands of eyes expecting you to totally trample upon the competition? A normally efficient motion offense gone sour due to the death of usually torrid shooting and the proliferation of missed layups?

With all due respect- the Warriors looked more like the 2007 Maroons in the finals, especially in the second salvo. As much as UE supporters and basketball pundits can say that UE shot itself in this brief series, do credit Franz Pumaren and Gang-Green, in the same breath, for having been able to capitalize on the opposition playing scattered. Needless to say, the blokes from Taft grabbed the crimson fighters by the neck, and, ala “300″, sent them careening down the slopes of basketball infamy (infamy in terms of having blown their best shot in years at winning it all).

For now, La Salleans everywhere have reason to rejoice. The UE faithful, meanwhile, has a year to sit down, reflect, and wonder what went wrong. After the smoke clears, a couple of other gladiators, in the form of Eagles, Falcons, Growling Tigers, et al, will be gnashing a the teeth to get a their respective opportunities at making tasting ultimate victory.

So goes another year in your UAAP.

~0~

Yesterday bore a damning message to the once undefeated UE Red Warriors,

“La Salle’s got your number, and what’s more, one more loss, and you’re on your way home.”

63 points, 60 rebounds, and 32 turnovers later, the De La Salle Green Archers, led by Tyrone Tang’s 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, and JVee Casio’s 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 assist, escaped with a win over the UE Red Warriors. The boys in red were paced by Hans Thiele’s 7 points, 16 rebounds, and 1 block, Marcy Arellano’s 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, and Mark Borboran’s 13 points and 8 rebounds.

In my view, La Salle didn’t “win” the game. They “stole” it. UE shot itself in the foot by committing 32 turnovers, a season high for any team in the UAAP (Ateneo had previously held the dubious record with 29 turnovers in a pivotal loss to National University), and it didn’t help that they seemed flustered, at times, when JVee Casio and Tyrone Tang sacheted down the throat of their zone defense. Perhaps the “sweepers” were rusty? Perhaps the big game atmosphere daunted the UE stars, who, after all, are all at the big dance for the very first time?

Butterflies and inexperience aside, Coach Dindo Pumaren, in my view, has to find a way to quell the following Green Archer “hotspots” if his team hopes to live to see Game 3:

-Improve perimeter defense and overall defensive rotation: Cholo Villanueva, Tang and Casio live and die on transition, and on screen and rolls. La Salle got too many open pull-ups in Game 1, and because UE couldn’t always respond in kind, or handle the contests’ pressure in stride in terms of execution, they paid for their lackadaisical stance on D. This has to change if they intend on winning the second round. Man for man, the Warriors and the Archers are pretty well matched. It all comes down to who executes the sets in a more disciplined way.

-Give Mark Borboran more touches on offense: The UE Red Warriors don’t necessarily have a superstar player they can turn to on offense, but it cannot be denied that forward Mark Borboran is their best option going upcourt. Borboran is an inside outside lefty threat who, for certain stretches in Game 1, had a height mismatch working in his favor when up against La Salleans like Cua and Villanueva.

Why go to Mark Fampulme in the low block on a crucial possession when you have Mark B. on your side? Sure, UE dialed him up to take the final shot of the game, but still, I would’ve tried to given him many more cracks at the hoop than he did. Maybe if he had gotten a solid twenty points, UE would have claimed victory.

There is such a thing as being “too unselfish” after all.

-Speed up the tempo of the game even more: The UE Red Warriors are kind of like the Phoenix Suns of the NBA- long, athletic, and quick. What do the Suns do when things go rough? Why, speed the game up even more, of course, and rely on the savvy of their floor general (in this case, it’s the very capable Marcy Arellano), to see them through. UE can afford to push the tempo every time down the floor. La Salle will probably continue to look to employ a similar strategy come Sunday, and since UE is the bigger team size-wise, one might think that Dindo’s boys out to resort to slowing things down and subjecting themselves to playing a knockdown-dragout sort of ballgame. Why stray from your strengths, though? I think UE should keep the pace quick, and while La Salle might be able to keep in step through several stretches throughout the ballgame, I think that UE’s usually accurate playmaking and athleticism should see them through to victory. A La Salle kind of game is one that has a deliberate pace (so as to create opportunities for their bigs), with flashes of speed (for Tang and Casio who like to score on the go). While the Red Warriors should seek to hasten the game’s pace, they should not forget about maintaining their poise in relation to the basics (swinging the ball around, giving their main guns touches, etc). La Salle likes to screen and roll and let Tang, Villanueva, Casio, and Malabes ”snipe around” for buckets. The red side can counteract this on offense by spacing out their men well, and cashing in on openings created off good ball movement. Quick passes, coupled with an athletic 5-prong attack from all angles, in the open court, is where UE shines the most.

Although I have told friends in the last couple of days that I personally feel that La Salle’s hunger will find a way to snag the title from the pressure-layden Red Warriors’ fingertips, I think UE still has a legitimate chance to turn their Game 1 “disaster” (it was chaotic by UE 2007 standards) into a Game 2 triumph. Step one towards doing that will be to just relax, and then from there, execute.

So breathe we shall, and return to this arena of thought once Sunday comes.

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 Watching an Ateneo-La Salle tiff in the UAAP is a feast for the senses. Consider this- 23,000 screaming fans, a tight ballgame hyped up over days and days of speculation, and a ticket to the UAAP finals awaiting the victor at the end of the road.

What you get after all that, if you’re a paying patron, is 3 hours or so of excitement and drama that’s worth every cent you paid Araneta, or your scalper friends, for that matter (a special thank you to the latter, by the way).

I was at the Araneta Coliseum today for a knockout contest between Ateneo De Manila University and De La Salle University, two of, barnone, the most popular teams in local basketball today. The Archers won the said battle, 64-60.

At the end of it all, it was nice to have seen Ateneans applauding La Sallites, and La Sallites applauding Ateneans. It was nice to have had the chance to witness a ballgame sans dirty fouls, and punching, and throwing of seats, and fans fighting in the major arteries of the Big Dome after the final buzzer. What the world saw this afternoon was a healthy rivalry in action. A lot of thrills were put in motion. A lot of shouting, and cheering, and teasing. No spills though, and no below the belt shenanigans worthy of making a call to the UAAP board, or the cops.

I wish I had gone to the mass that followed the game, though. I should have gone instead of having gone home and just settling in for the night. I really do feel for the Ateneo team every year, not only because I am an Ateneo alumnus, but also due to the fact that, well, I love sports, I love basketball, and because I would’ve killed a hundred goats to have been part of that team when I was in college. Sadly, those goats have run off ahead of me. I’m sure there will be opportunities left for me to take advantage of in relation to making my sports dreams come true (fewer, but significant nonetheless).

Today made me feel proud to have Atenean blood coursing through my veins. No institution is flawless, but Ateneo does quite a good job in making those that walk its hallowed halls strive for the very best, and learn to walk on their own two feet when things get rough.

Animo Ateneo. And yes, it is the truth- I do love “this” game. What’s to really abhor about it, any way?

I did say that the tiff today would end up becoming one for the books. Lucky for us, the two participants in the ultimate test of will did not disappoint.

It was a back and forth tussle. Ty Tang played exceptionally well, and Cholo Villanueva played equally fiery basketball. Ford Arao started strong for the Eagles. After the first half, La Salle led by a solitary point.

Towards the late 3rd quarter to the midway point of the 4th, the Eagles began to falter. Nonoy Baclao and Kirk Long missed key freethrows which could have made the climb to the top less arduous, and the Atenean faithful saw open jumpers clang off the rim one after the other.

The Ateneans had one final surge left in them, however, coming to within one point with less than 2o seconds left.

That was when Chris Tiu, the Eagles’ star who had had a subpar outing up until this point, showed why it sometimes matters more when you deliver as opposed to how much you actually give.

He may have not scored 30 points, but he did net the 2 most important points for his team, thus, stretching their season one more game. The next game will be for all the marbles, and will take place in the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City on Sunday, September 30, 2007, at 3pm.

More reviews on the game that just happened as we go along.

Congratulations, Ateneo De Manila. You indeed earned that lifeline you managed to grab a hold of earlier today.

~0~

The tension’s mounting. It’s the talk of the town. Even our friends in New York have chosen to write about the rivalry because it’s quite remarkable how it’s enthralled an entire nation of basketball-loving men, women, and children.

The Ateneo/La Salle tiff this afternoon, 3pm, Philippine time, is one which should go down in the annals of Philippine College Baskeball history as a classic, regardless of what happens.

If what actually happens at the Araneta Coliseum doesn’t live up to the hype, then maybe the drama leading up to this encounter might work towards adequately satiating the longing of basketball pundits and common folk alike for one heck of a good show.

I was fortunate enough to have gotten tickets to today’s game, but unfortunately, fate has dictated that I sit this one out. Work. Talk about a downer.

In any event, I will be watching from wherever I end up- my office cubicle or otherwise. My previous post posited a La Salle victory in this best of 2 series, and that prediction is one I will stick with. The basketball analyst in me has coaxed me to do so. Not since the days of Yeo, Cardona, Alvarez, Villanueva (Enrico), Tenorio, and Cortez (Mike) have I felt this involved in a UAAP game. That speaks volumes considering that last year, I was at the UAAP Finals, a series which saw Ateneo fall dramatically at the hands of Cinderella-story team UST.

I’m going to be getting my JC Intal jersey soon too. I’ve been profusely bleeding blue, and,  incidentally, microfibre material, these days. Very much so.

Let’s all enjoy today’s ballgame. Let’s all pray that no one resorts to fisticuffs, for any reason.

One Big Fight! Animo La Salle!

Post Script:

-If I’m the UE Red Warriors, I ought to feel just a little bit wary. Whoever emerges from this set of games as the 2nd UAAP finalist may come out battered and bruised, but will also rise from out of the ashes more primed for the kill than ever. The importance of the 14-0 record, technically, is rendered moot once the final round begins.

-Today could be the final games for Ateneans Chris Tiu, Ford Arao, and Zion Laterre. Cheers to you guys for all blood, sweat, and tears you’ve put into doing Ateneo proud.

-Incidentally, La Salle spitfire JV Casio could also be staring his final 2 games as a UAAP cager square in the face. Cheers to you, JV, for all of your spectacular exploits over your 5 years as a Green Archer.

-Will Norman Black use any gambits today? Bacon Austria? Chris Sumalinog? Perhaps Eman Monfort for extended minutes? Of the three players mentioned, Monfort is the man who might actually get time. The “Pocket Rocket” In 10 minutes versus National University last September 15, 2007, Eman scored 14 points on 5-6 shooting from the field, inclusive of 4 out of 5 makes from behind the arc. He had a similar performance against the University of the Philippines on September 6, 2007, playing 15 minutes, scoring 10 points, and netting 2 out of 3 shots from rainbow country. He could very well signify be the galvanizer the Eagles might need, should Eric Salamat and Jai Reyes be out of sorts, or, should Kirk Long’s jump shot continue to be off. Expect Yuri Escueta to get a lot of court time in this one. After all, he seems to be the only “pass first” little man on the Ateneo roster this year.

-What about La Salle’s gambit? Perhaps the Archers could turn to Peejay Barua, who can rebound and shoot the J. Kish Co could help out in terms of rebounding and shotblocking, but might end up getting muscled around by Ateneo bigs like Nkemakolam and Arao. Shooting guard Bader Malabes is a realistic option. He possesses enough dribbling savvy, strength, and jump shooting accuracy to command defense in Franz Pumaren’s motion oriented offensive sets. The less standstill you are in a Pumaren offensive sequence, the better. James Mangahas is another focal point that the Eagles might not see coming. This kid’s easily a 14 and 7 guy if given the time and if focused, so, Ateneo’s more “one-dimensional” big men have to keep their wits about them.

-Zion Laterre has to harrass Rico Maierhoffer if ADMU plans on playing beyond today. Laterre is quick enough, and strong enough, to match wits with the La Salle star. If Maierhoffer is taken out of the equation on box outs, then that makes things easier for guys like Baclao, Arao, and Al Hussaini to crash the boards against smaller guys like Co, Ferdinand, and even Ilad (assuming he plays). Additionally, Kirk Long and Eric Salamat have to keep in step with JVee Casio and have a hand in his face every time down the floor. JVee is masterful at exploiting seams in defenses, and should the Ateneo little men not be able to keep up with the MVP candidate, the Ateneo bigs, who are important in the running of their offensive sets rooted in pick and rolls and post ups, will go into foul trouble.

-Okay, I’ll quit the dissection…now. Let’s just watch some basketball, shall we?

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(Something from basketball-loving Philippines)

With the way games have gone down in the last few weeks, is it any wonder that the UAAP is the hottest ticket in town?

Everyone loves Fall Out Boy, and everyone has felt all nice and fuzzy because of Elliot Yamin’s recent visit to Manila, but nothing can quite match the intensity and the drama brought about by Philippine Collegiate Basketball tiffs, particularly those between arch rivals De La Salle and Ateneo De Manila University.

On Thursday, for the 4th time this season, Ateneo and La Salle will tussle, and this time, for the Eagles, a loss would mean the end of an all-in-all decent season.

Keys to a La Salle Win:

For the Green Archers, I think that big games from their wingmen could very well spell triumph (no pun intended). Ateneo’s defense will most likely clamp down on JVee Casio, so, others like Walsham, Villanueva, Tang, Mangahas, and Malabes will have to chip in. Both Ateneo and La Salle have decent big men in Baclao and Arao for the Eagles, and Maierhofer, Co, and Ferdinand for the Archers. La Salle will have an edge in this case terms of overall athletic ability. Guys like Kish Co and Rico Maierhofer can most likely outrun and outjump Arao, Al-Hussaini, and Baldos (Baclao, maybe not), which would give the boys in green a distinct advantage should the game become an up and down affair. In order to ultimately win this gritty battle of will, La Salle will have to speed up the ballgame, and take well-timed perimeter plays and exploit Ateneo having a tendency to be slow in transition with quick passes and cuts to the cup. Also, the Archers need to show composure towards the end game. No more Bryan Ilad flings to the head, please. La Salle doesn’t need such recklessness at this critical point in the 2007 campaign.

On defense, the Archers probably should do a 2-3 zone, so as to put more emphasis on clogging up the interior where guys like Baclao, Arao, and Baldos, do their damage.

Keys to an Ateneo Win:

First off, the Eagles should not ride the wave of their resounding triumph over UST too much. Any overconfidence at this juncture would hurt them, considering that there’s enough of an emotional downpour involved with playing arch rival La Salle. Being too pumped up on Thursday could drain the Eagles so much that they’d lose poise down the stretch.

In terms of basketball fundamentals, I believe that Coach Norman should eschew using guards Jai Reyes and Eric Salamat for prolonged periods. Jai and Eric are more of one-on-one players as opposed to distributors, and because the Eagles lineup is littered with cagers who aren’t uber athletes (even Tiu isn’t quite like JC Intal, nor is Ford Arao like someone like Japeth “The Future” Aguilar), crisp ball movement and flawless spacing on the court becomes all the more important. Against a team as proficient in full court defense as La Salle, there exists minimal room for coast to coast Steve Nash-like-in-his-days-unde-Don Nelson theatrics. For Ateneo to succeed, they need to slow the pace down and take advantage of their post players, and turn the contest into a halfcourt game so as to leave room for easy rebounds, drive-and-drops, and screen and rolls.

On defense, I feel like the Blue Eagles need to play 3-2 zone. That way, they can cover La Salle’s wing players adequately, while managing to clog up the paint should guys like Maierhofer and Walsham post up or try to sneak in for takeaway caroms.

As with any big Ateneo game, the Eagles will need an exceptional performance from an unlikely source to help push them over the top (penchant for drama? absolutely). In my view, I think that on offense, the dark horses ought to be Yuri Escueta and Kirk Long. If Yuri and Kirk manage to find cracks in the La Salle interior defense, then such would open up avenues for drive and dish plays to Arao and Al Hussaini for easy hoops, or open jumpers for Tiu or Barracoso. On defense, the keys will be 5th year man Zion Laterre, and rookie sensation Nonoy Baclao. Laterre, whose uncanny boxing out ability should result in easy rebounds, and La Salle’s cutting game to, even slightly, go awry (forcing the Archers to take jumpers is the way to go, because size wise, they’re the smaller team), needs to play enforcer to set the tone for Ateneo playing hard-nosed basketball in a high stakes game (this would do wonders for their confidence). Nonoy Baclao wearing JC Intal’s old number is no coincidence, as the 1st year cager’s athleticism around the basket suggests. He may not (and never) be (become) the offensive force Intal was in the amateur ranks, but what Ateneo bid for after their loss to UST in the 2006 season was his long-armed interior D. Once this kid manages to get more of a back to the basket game, the Eagles may very well find themselves in the hunt for gold well beyond the UAAP’s 70th season. This native of the Visayas could very well spell the difference between someone like JV Casio or Rico Maierhoffer getting 5 points, or 25 points. Should the Birds manage to “decelerate” the ballgame, and control the paint, then Loyola Heights natives will be in Cubao, once again, come Sunday.

The Verdict:

All the Ateneo-La Salle matchups have been tight this season, with no game being decided by double digits. Now, all the chips are down, and although a lot of strategy is involved, who wins and who goes home will also depend a lot on who is able to withstand the pressure. The La Sallites have a lot of young players who have never been too far into the postseason, while the Eagles have a lot of wily veterans who should find the final four/step ladder landscape quite familiar. At this point, I feel that Ateneo wants the wins more, but maybe, the team from Taft is more equipped, top to bottom, to steal at least one game to book a date with the mighty UE Red Warriors. The struggle should be close, but I feel that more “reckless” talent could just overcome slow and steady basketball savvy. Ateneo has a tendency to fumble the ball a lot when going against a team that is quick on the perimeter, and one that likes to press. Quick perimeter defenses can tend to stymie the Eagles shooters and their “stand still” bigs. The Archers, on the other hand, may seem to rely on one dimensional plays, at times, to win (i.e. JV Casio ISO, Maierhofer/Walsham, etc lurking around to rebound), but for Thursday (or Sunday), their talent should see them through the distraction that is Ateneo De Manila. The twice to beat caveat will be the killer here. 2 people can’t beat Michael Jordan, one on one, twice. Being the great player that Jordan is, he will, in a figurative sense, find ways to win. Talent can do that. Staying within the system (i.e. Ateneo) has it’s limits. Once the signals within that system are scrambled, then recovery should prove to be a tall task. Talent, on the other hand, can still lift you up out of the grave, no matter how flustered the majority of your comrades are. Think the Bulls of 1998 against the Jazz. Stockton and Malone were great because of the pick and roll. Because they were “effective”, Utah was effective. Jordan and the Bulls looked lost at times in that series, but what got them through in the end? Jordan’s unparalled on-court smarts and basketball talent, of course.

I rest my case.

My prediction = The Archers lose on Thursday, then win on Sunday, to claim the second UAAP finals slot.

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