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.

UAAP: Ramos rediscovers sharp form, Acibar is a monster

Acibar is a monster;

Ramos rediscovers sharp form

By Josiah Israel Albelda

21 August 2010

Two long-armed, high-flying and reed-thin post players grabbed the spotlight at the UAAP wars today. 


After posting career-highs of 18 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks in a loss to league-leading Far Eastern last week, Ken Acibar showed how he can dominate anew, scoring 15 markers, hauling down 16 rebounds (seven of which are offensive) and blocking four shots as the University of the East sent Adamson crashing back to earth with a 71 - 63 upset earlier today at the Philsports Arena.


The six-foot-five Acibar drained six of his 14 shots and was most efficient player on the court (21). The only knock I see on this guy's game is that he takes too many perimeter shots. Acibar is lanky and quick on his feet, thus, he might have a higher shot percentage (a respectable 43.1% in the first round) if he decides to drive hard to the hoop.


Likewise, he commits a lot of turnovers. After averaging 1.7 turnovers in the first round (second only to Paul Lee's team and league-worst 3.7), Acibar had six turnovers in this match.


Smart Gilas national developmental team standout Aldrech Ramos, meanwhile, displayed the deadly form that earned him raves last season, where he placed second in the Most Valuable Player.


Playing under the radar for the first eight games, Ramos exploded in their 76 - 67 victory over the toothless Santo Tomas. The six-foot-seven center had 21 points, 15 rebounds (seven of which are offensive), six assists and two blocked shots. 


With this awesome performance (he also shot 10-of-14 from two-point range), Ramos built a strong case for his own MVP run. At the end of the first round, he was actually third in the race, having a total 58.43 SPs.


Teammate Ryan Roose Garcia led with 64.71 SPs while King Warrior Paul Lee had 60.29 SPs.


What's good for the Tamaraws is that Ramos is just heating up, still trying to fit in Coach Glenn Capacio's new system after being with Smart Gilas for seven months.


"Nahirapan pa talaga ako mag adjust sa bagong system namin," he said. 


And with this comes a warning that the rest of the UAAP land should be careful because a loose Tamaraw is on the prowl. ###

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.

Bilog Survey #1: UP, di na mananalo

The Fighting Maroons are in dire need of help. 

Photo by GM Tan of maroonsbasketball.com

Bilog Survey #1

UP to finish Season 73 winless

By Josiah Israel Albelda

20 August 2010

Almost half of Bilog ang Bola readers do not see a win coming for my hapless University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.

Nine out of the 22 votes (40%) cast in the week-long poll at Bilog ang Bola said that UP will not beat anybody this year, a dour forecast for a team dubbed by many pundits as a dark horse before Season 73 began.

The poll started before the second round, with the Maroons toting a 0-7 record. They have since dropped two straight - in blowout fashion - to Ateneo and La Salle.

UP's friends at the cellar, National University (interestingly, their opponent this Sunday) and University of the East got four (18%) votes each while University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University were chosen twice (9%). 

One said that the Maroons will shock front-running Far Eastern University while none thought of UP trimming Adamson University.

This week's poll will be on who the top three picks of the 2010 PBA Rookie Draft will be.

PBA: Captain Hook to sail with Meralco

Captain Hook set to sail with Meralco

Air 21 now has 1st, 2nd, 3rd picks in 2010 Draft

By Josiah Israel Albelda

20 August 2010

I hope Mac Cardona doesn't bring his penchant for court scuffles with him to Meralco. 

After getting stripped barren due to lopsided trades over the past few seasons, the Meralco (Jumpers) franchise is starting to build from the rubble.

It was less than a month ago since the sale of the former Sta. Lucia franchise was finalized and the team owned by basketball godfather Manny V. Pangilinan is already making its presence felt in the big league, signing three-time champion coach Ryan Gregorio, who tagged assistant Ronnie Magsanoc along with him.

The deal gives Gregorio (supposedly) a guaranteed five-year contract that will hand him the coaching reins of the Meralco squad while also being the head of the company's basketball operations.

Now, the (Jumpers) have acquired Talk N' Text scoring machine Mac Mac Cardona in a three-team deal that also involved Air 21.

Sinong napunta saan?

Air 21 Express - Josh Urbiztondo and 3rd pick in the 2010 Draft (from Meralco)

Meralco (Jumpers) - Mac Mac Cardona (from Talk N' Text)

Talk N' Text Tropang Texters - 4th pick in the 2010 Draft (from Air 21)

In essence, Meralco got Cardona for the 4th pick in next week's Rookie Draft.

Extra

Some notable draft prospects: RJ Jazul, Jimbo Aquino, John Wilson, Pari Llagas, Elmer Espiritu, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao, Giorgio Ciriacruz, Borgie Hermida, Rey Guevarra

UAAP: Crippled

Crippled

Lopez' high-flying acts gone - for now

By Josiah Israel Albelda

19 August 2010

Mark Lopez is one of the few UP players I like. Although he has been having problems manning the point for the disgruntled, demoralized and distracted Maroons, the athletic Lopez has always been there to sky high for rebounds and dive for loose balls.

Earlier today, the six-foot-two wingman suffered what apparently was a torn ACL in his right knee after a fall in UP's game against host De La Salle. After colliding with Archer rookie Jarelan Tampus in midair, Lopez landed, fell down and pointed in his knee as he helplessly sought for salvation.

He was brought out of the court in a stretcher with his right knee in heavy braces. 

Adding insult to injury was the loss of team captain Woody Co early in the fourth quarter due to an ankle sprain. Co landed awkwardly after a shot attempt and grimaced in pain. Even after getting his ankle wrapped in ice, the forward was still writhing in agony, obviously affected by what has happened to him.

With these two "developments," UP's once-promising season is quickly and surely descending into a wasted year. With no wins to show after nine games, the Maroons are in danger of equaling their infamous 0 - 14 Season 70.

Note: It is interesting to note that Coach Dindo Pumaren was one of the first to check on Lopez, who fell in front of the La Salle bench. Actually, nobody from the UP bench went to their teammate's rescue until Pumaren called for help. When Lopez was brought on a stretcher, all Green Archers went to him and gave him high-fives.

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. ###