UAAP: Eagles in escape act, clinch twice-to-beat

Almost but not quite

Eagles barely escape but come out with twice-to-beat advantage

By Josiah Israel Albelda

5 September 2010

With more than four minutes remaining and University of Santo Tomas down 55-70, a Growling Tigers assistant coach screamed on his players.


"Maghigpit naman tayo sa depensa!"


On the next play, Ateneo de Manila guard Chris de Chavez sank a three-pointer to push the Blue Eagles further up, 73 - 55.


The UST cagers, however, would have none of that anymore. 


The España-based squad locked down on the defending back-to-back champions and drilled three-pointer after three-pointer but fell really short as Ateneo escaped with a 81 - 77 victory to clinch a twice-to-beat advantage in the upcoming Final Four of the 73rd UAAP men's basketball tournament Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.


"They started bombing us with three pointers," Coach Norman Black told reporters. "It's very difficult to defend a team that is shooting like that."


True enough, the Tigers almost completed the comeback but forward Melo Afuang missed a wide-open undergoal stab with 11.5 seconds remaining.


Kirk Long atoned for crucial miscues by splitting his charities as the Katipunan-based five chalked up their 10th win in the tournament and assured themselves of an advantage when the semifinals begin two weeks from now.


UST's searing comeback breathed fire into an otherwise sleepy afternoon with Ateneo seemingly cruising to an easy win when they put up their biggest lead, 68 - 49, a little over five minutes on the clock.


"We won the game, that's the most important thing," a relieved Black said.


The Eagles were in control of the match almost all throughout - thanks to Erik Salamat rediscovering his sharp shooting form and bench player Chris de Chavez providing offensive spark.


Salamat had 18 points, five assists and two steals for Ateneo while de Chavez added 12 markers. 


On the other hand, the Tigers looked uninterested at times but found refuge in their hustle and trifecta expertise to mount a comeback that nobody thought they would.


A win could've come as a perfect gift for UST Coach Pido Jarencio, who celebrated his 46th birthday.


It turned out to be a nightmare, though, for the Tigers as they continued their slide with this ninth loss in 13 matches.


Sophomores Jeric Teng and Clark Bautista outscored the Eagles in the fourth quarter and finished with a combined 39 points, seven rebounds and five assists. They had eight three-pointers.


All UST players suited up for the game but only seven of 15 scored.


The scores:


Ateneo (81) - Salamat 18, De Chavez 12, Chua 11, Long 10, Dela Cruz 6, Monfort 6, Buenafe 6, Golla 5, Salva 3, Tiongson 2, Austria 2, Escueta 0


UST (77) - Teng 23, Bautista 16, Daquioag 10, Afuang 10, Mariano 8, Fortuna 6, Pe 4, Wong 0, Tinte 0, Marata 0, Mamaril 0, Lo 0, Marquez 0, Camus 0, Aytona 0


Quarterscores: 17 - 13; 40 - 23; 60 - 45; 81 - 77

Blog Survey #3: FEU, mangunguna sa UAAP elims

Kahit nasa PBA na ako, #1 pa rin kami - Arwind Santos

Tams, mangunguna sa UAAP elims

Ni Josiah Israel Albelda

Larawan ni Karl de Leon

Pose ni Arwind Santos

Halos tatlo sa apat na Bilog ang Bola readers ang nagsabi na ang Far Eastern University Tamaraws ang mangunguna sa pagtatapos ng 73rd UAAP men's basketball tournament elimination round.

Walong (72%) boto ang nakuha ng Morayta-based team habang tatlo (27%) naman ang naibigay sa defending champion Ateneo de Manila University sa botohang naganap sa Bilog ang Bola.

Wala namang pumili sa De La Salle at Adamson, na kumumpleto sa Final Four cast ng liga.

Ngayong linggo, ang botohan sa Bilog ang Bola ay tungkol sa paparating na UAAP Cheerdance Competition.

Matatandaang nakuha ng FEU Cheering Squad ang kampeonato noong nakaraang taon habang pumangalawa naman ang Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion at pangatlo ang UP Pep Squad, na nanguna mula 2007 hanggang 2008.

UAAP: Easter Thursday

Easter Thursday
Warriors ground out-of-sync Eagles

By Josiah Israel Albelda

26 August 2010

Given up for dead after a dismal start, University of the East breathed life into its sagging campaign, slaying another giant in Ateneo de Manila University, 62 - 60, at the Araneta Coliseum Thursday.


Sharpshooting guard James Martinez connected on four three-pointers in the fourth quarter - including a dagger with under two minutes left - to send the Red Warriors to their second straight victory in the 73rd UAAP men's basketball tournament.


The Recto-based squad thus improved to four wins in 11 matches, only a week after stunning second-running Adamson University last Saturday.


Likewise, the victory kept UE alive in its bid to snatch the last Final Four spot from idle De La Salle University.


"I can compare this game to Easter Sunday," Coach Lawrence Chongson told reporters. "This is like a resurrection for us."


"We are playing like there's no tomorrow."


The Red Warriors kept the game close all throughout before hitting the baskets when they mattered most to send the Blue Eagles crashing back to earth following a demolition of their rivals last Sunday.


Martinez, Adrian Santos and Paul Lee conspired as UE dropped a 7 - 0 blast to start the final period and tie the game at 45 apiece.


Both squads traded baskets before the six-foot Martinez drained back-to-back treys to push the Red Warriors up, 56 - 50.


"Hinahanap talaga ako ng mga kakampi ko kaya naging open ako," the guard, coming back from an ACL injury that derailed him last season, said.


UE seemed to break away but the Blue Eagles came back, delivering their own 7 - 0 run capped by an Erik Salamat triple with a little over two minutes remaining.


Lee, who struggled for nine points on three-of-15 shooting, then sank two free throws before Martinez finished the Katipunan-based squad off with a desperation heave.


"Wala ng nangyayari nun, so tinira ko na," he added. "Buti pumasok."


Ateneo played without the vim and vigor it showed when it dismantled De La Salle, 74 - 57, last weekend and was held to an atrocious 27.7% shooting.


The Blue Eagles and Coach Norman Black complained a million times about what they saw as bum calls and were obviously out of focus the whole match.


On the other hand, Chongson viewed this game as their biggest of the season - and his boys were up to the task.


"Right now, we can still enter the Final Four," he shared. "We have to take care of what we can take of and God will do the rest."


Martinez finished with 22 points on six-of-10 three-point shooting while improving center Ezer Rosopa added 12 markers, eight boards and a career-high four blocked shots.


Meanwhile, Salamat led the Blue and White with 16 points while burly slotman Jumbo Escueta had his best game with 10 points, all in the first half.


The scores:


UE (62) - Martinez 22, Rosopa 12, Lee 9, Acibar 7, Reyes 6, Santos 2, Casajeros 2, Tagarda 2, Enguio 0, Zamar 0, Sumido 0, Duran 0


Ateneo (60) - Salamat 16, Escueta 10, Monfort 9, Chua 9, Buenafe 5, Long 4, Dela Cruz 3, Tiongson 2, Golla 2, Salva 0, Gonzaga 0, Austria 0


Quarterscores: 10 - 8; 27 - 27; 38 - 45; 62 - 60

UAAP: Ano raw? #3

Ano raw? 

(Over) heard by Josiah Israel Albelda

26 August 2010

Photo from Beautiful Times

While UE's 62-60 victory over Ateneo earlier today was stunning, hearing these people scream the following left us more amazed.


#3 "Lolo hindi mo nakita! Hindi mo nakita!" - a hysteric TV starlet and former UP volleybelle Jed Montero shouted at (probably) her grandfather after boyfriend and UE hotshot James Martinez drained a triple that put the Red Warriors ahead, 61-57 with one minute and 46 seconds left.


#2 "Hoy referee! G**o! G**o ka!!!" - an Ateneo fan blurted when the refs didn't call a foul on a blocked Jumbo Escueta attempt.


#3 I forgot the exact words but UAAP analyst Boom Gonzales said "major major" during his opening spiel with Mark Molina. 


Seems that there is a major major problem with our commentators now.

UAAP: Ano raw? #2

Ano raw?

23 August 2010

(Over) heard by Josiah Israel Albelda

Photo from spot.ph

#3 "Ep-Ee-Yu! Ep-Ee-Yu! Ep-Ee-Yu!" - the throng of FEU supporters chanted as rookie Terrence Romeo drained a triple that gave the Tamaraws a good lead over UST in the middle of the final quarter.


#2 "Mga bakla! Mga pangit! Mga supot!" - a La Salle fan at the Lower Box section shouted when the Blue Babble Battalion delivered its halftime routine during the Ateneo-La Salle tussle yesterday.


#1 "Mga sexy!" - the same Archer fan screamed when cheerdancers from La Salle's Animo Squad jumped their way into the court. He added a toot of his vuvuzela for good measure.

Video #2: Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation

By Maviel Gonzales for College Hoops
www.collegehoops.com.ph/ 

21 August 2010

Watch how UAAP "foreigners" say some tongue-twisting words in Tagalog. Mike Silungan, Emmanuel Mbe, Kirk Long, Will Stinnett and Moriah Gingerich, sino ang pinaka kagilagilalas?


Mav is one of my co-correspondents at Yahoo! College Hoops. I was there when we shot the videos with Mbe and Stinnett.

UAAP: Experience, maturity, keys in Blue and Green rematch

Tenorio, Ritualo speak up

Ateneo experience, La Salle maturity keys in Blue and Green rematch

By Josiah Israel Albelda

19 August 2010

Note: This story will appear in tomorrow's issue of Inquirer Libre. Grab one ha. :)

When De La Salle pulled a victory from under the rug of Ateneo de Manila less than a month ago, not a few were surprised with how the Green Archers showed endgame nerves totally absent last season.

Sophomore Samuel Marata drained two triples in the waning minutes and rookie Jarelan Tampus showed hustle enough to get Coach Dindo Pumaren say "He was the difference" to power the Taft-based crew to a mighty come-from-behind win.

So when the archrivals meet again this Sunday, the maturity of Pumaren's boys would be some sort of a gauge on who will take Game 2 of the Season 73 series.

On the other hand, the emergence of skipper Erik Salamat as a complete weapon and the Blue Eagles' veteran experience would surely be a cause of concern for the hosts, who will try to strengthen their stranglehold on a Final Four spot.

These views come from two distinctive alumni from both the Blue and Green. Two cagers who know what it takes to give pride to one's Alma Mater.

According to ex-Ateneo playmaker and PBA superstar LA Tenorio, the Katipunan-based quintet had a harder time in the first game because of La Salle's maturity.

"Nag mature talaga sila," said the newly-minted PBA co-Finals MVP and Mythical Team member. "Hindi sila bumigay kahit nung malaki ang lamang in the last two minutes."

"They're hungry because of what happened last season," former La Salle gunner Ren Ren Ritualo told Bilog ang Bola. "They are surprising everyone - maybe even themselves - with how they are performing."

And while the Blue Eagles' meltdown was so surprising, someone from the Blue side thinks that anything like that won't happen anytime soon.

"These guys have championship experience," shared Coach Norman Black. "I don't think they will just roll over and die after this (loss to La Salle.)"

Ritualo couldn't agree more: "Ateneo has veterans and championship experience. Alam nila kung anong gagawin sa tamang lugar, sa tamang oras. That will be their advantage."

Like no other

Nothing in the history of Philippine college basketball could compare to what the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry has become.

Games between both squads have not only been hoops spectacles but high-society gatherings of sorts, with politicians, government officials, tycoons and celebrities filling the seats at the Araneta Coliseum to cheer for their schools.

"I just can't explain kung bakit ganito kalaki yung rivalry," Tenorio said. "Iba talaga e. Iba yung approach ng parehong team pag Ateneo-La Salle talaga. Maybe it's all about pride."

"Maganda yung rivalry," added Ritualo. "Teams come to play hard and try to outdo each other with their best shots."

Tenorio and Ritualo know this so much. Ritualo, for one, was the most vital cog of La Salle's four-peat championship teams from 1998 to 2001 and has his jersey #4 the only retired one in Green Archer history.

Who will win it?

"I think Ateneo," Tenorio said without hesitation. "Nakukuha na ni Erik Salamat yung game niya and Nico Salva is doing a good job. We just have to break the press and play consistently the whole 40 minutes para makabawi."

"Syempre La Salle," answered Ritualo. "Yung hustle, teamwork and system - tatak na ng La Salle talaga. Nagbago man yung coach, Pumaren pa rin yan. Pareho lang."

Two days from now, the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers lock horns not only for school pride but more importantly, for position in the UAAP team standings.

The archenemies are currently third and fourth in the rankings and a win will give them a bigger chance of snatching the top two spots at the end of the elimination round.

So it's time to throw all of the statistics, history and scouting work away because when Ateneo and La Salle meet again, all hell will break loose. ###