Ateneo prevails over FEU, 63-59

Starting—and Keeping It—Clean

There’s something about clean slates. No, not the immaculate 14-0 elims record of UE two seasons ago. Neither our Finals sweep last year. Rather, the blank 0-0 slate with which every team started the season. It’s all about fresh starts, equal opportunities, renewed hopes. To be sure, one’s line-up, coaching prowess and alumni support are team advantages analogous to an inside track, pole position or low handicap. Such team prospects got written up or posted as season previews to devour and debate. (It’ll be interesting to review just how spot-on or -off they will have been by season’s end.) Several of those installed FEU as the prohibitive favorite. To this Head Coach Norman Black responded best, as quoted by journalist Rick Olivarez: “That’s fine. But no one has ever won it on paper. We still have to settle things on the basketball court.”

There lies the appeal of the UAAP (or of any competition for that matter). A tabula rasa going in, a chance for every communal hope and effort to etch as many Ws as possible. And for every L that mars a slate, a next game that presents yet another beginning, an opportunity for an offsetting or comebacking W. While supply lasts.

So it goes with the league as a whole. A fresh mandate, preemptive changes and innovations for a three-month bind. To hold at bay certain evils associated with officiating, gambling and recruitment. May host FEU, the rest of the UAAP Board, Commissioner Joe Lipa, and the authorities keep the competitions as clean, honest and free as we hope our national elections to be. These worthies know even better than we how calls and non-calls, for one, can alter the flow and eventual outcome of a game. For every team—and every fan standing alongside—at the same starting point, let’s recapture if not preserve the purity of the college game. However naïve and vain that sounds. Hoping for the best is after all the right place to begin.   

Getting Down and Dirty

Practically from the moment the First Round schedule of games came out, sportswriters dubbed the Ateneo-FEU match a virtual preview of the Finals. But such a consensus, if indeed one, is likely to be as fleeting and mercurial as economic forecasts and credit ratings, opinion polls and electoral trends. Expect the experts then, based on ALL the teams’ fluid fortunes, to revise prognoses at least twice: after Round 1 and after Round 2. (Just what will the win-loss slates be by then?)

Well, at least for now, in somewhat of an upset of pre-season proportions and predictions, the Ateneo Blue Eagles outlasted the FEU Tamaraws, 63-59. With their first win of the season, the Blue and White served notice that the UAAP crown is not for the Tamaraws’—or any other team’s—taking. Still, one defeat does not host FEU rob of top billing, never mind the Hardball and Rebound gangs’ favoring the defending champions. Morayta still looms as the popular destination of the season 72 crown on the strength of such a potent starting unit. Mark Barroca (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals) channeled the great Tamaraw guards Johnny Abarrientos, Celino Cruz and Denok Miranda. Aldrech Ramos (15 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, 1 steal) showed how much he gained from his Smart Gilas stint. National teammate JR Cawaling though was sub-par with only four points. Reil Cervantes continued to be a force in the paint and starting point guard RR Garcia is this early a favorite for Rookie of the Year. A formidable first five, indeed … but other than import Pippo Noundou, there was precious little bench support.

In contrast, Coach Black pressed the right buttons in letting Ryan Buenafe, Nico Salva and Eman Monfort come off the bench to help overhaul our initial 0-8 deficit. A surprise Salva triple in fact led to our largest lead of 12, 37-25. Our huge 23-point 2^nd Quarter that led to a 40-29 advantage at the half saw us shooting 50% from the field (with 7 of 12 from long-distance). But after the intermission, FEU clamped down on our transition offense and half-court sets to hold us to just 10 points in the 3^rd Quarter. They caught up with us at 54 with 6:49 left in the game. Noundou in particular was effective in bumping Rabeh out of the low blocks or beating him to his sweet spots. But winning time’s no stranger to the reigning MVP. He scored five markers on two key baskets in the Eagles’ 7-0 retort. Ryan split his gift shots to leave a window open for a tying Tamaraw trey. But RR Garcia missed badly on his seriously challenged attempt. Rabeh’s charity for the final count placed an exclamation point on our champions’ poise, determined defense and broad-based, balanced offense.

Between themselves, Ryan, Nico and Eman contributed 27 timely points to the FEU reserves’ 13. As the Pumaren brothers and assistant Tonichi Yturri scouted the two protagonists, they must have noted how the Blue Eagles drew firepower from eight out of our 11-man rotation. This hearkens back to our only loss last season to the same team. In that round 1 clash, Ateneo had the upper hand until a wayward Tamaraw elbow dislocated the jaw of a hot-starting Salamat. After he left the game for good, Head Coach Norman Black had Chris Tiu log more minutes than usual. This rendered him ineffective during crunch time. Norman has publicly acknowledged that he ought to have used more of his bench then.

By holding down the Tamaraws below 60 points, our Blue Eagles reiterated their championship accent on defense. But the opponent was no slouch either. They held us to 36.5% FG shooting (our 3-point attempts fared better at 38.9%). And a glaring area of improvement would be one of our strengths last year: second chance points, of which we had zip yesterday. The FEU bigs were a handful; Ramos swatted away our incursions in the lane but ultimately, Nonoy outblocked him, 5-4. Baclao failed to contribute in the points department, but he hauled down 11 rebounds and pulled off one steal.

Virtually from tip-off, it was a bruising, intense contest of skills and wills. Even disinterested quarters deemed it worthy of a Finals match. There it is again, the portent of championship protagonists.

Well done, guys … particularly Rabeh … for your self-restraint in the thick or on the receiving end of the Tamaraws’ physicality. As defending champs and individual awardees, expect more of the same. Easy for us to say, but here’s hoping excellent team play that translates to W after W will always be your greatest source of vindication and form of vengeance.

Special mention also to Kirk Long for his tenacious D, especially on JR Cawaling with  highlight blocks on Reil Cervantes and RR Garcia. And that nothing-but-net trey from the deep corner off an extra pass from Jai was a beaut! And speaking of Jai, don’t stop driving down the middle. Sure, you missed a couple but those will start falling soon enough. And the penetrations add that other dimension to your offense to keep your defender guessing.

Starting on the Right Vector

All in all, our Blue Eagles demonstrated in this first match of season 72 great depth and versatility in all positions, a potent inside-outside game, and the solid half-court and transition D that’s been our hallmark since Norman took over the helm. We also took care of the ball fairly well with “only” 14 turnovers. The leadership issue? Different guys stepped up and held the team steady: Jai, Nonoy, Rabeh, Eric, Eman. There’s a dawning recognition on our part that while Chris Tiu was a visible leader the last two seasons, these other guys were already inspiring and influencing their teammates at different intervals, in workouts and actual games. After all, as Ateneans we’re trained to lead wherever the Lord places us. Why should the basketball arena be any exception?

Next up are the always dangerous UE Warriors, which blasted the sluggish DLSU Green Archers by 19. Here’s hoping we’ll hurdle our second assignment in a row against a top contender.

With the conclusion of the UAAP season 72’s second playing day, each of the eight teams now sports either a W or L in their ledgers. The opening weekend has been an eye-opener for some, a shot in the arm for others. For our Blue Eagles, starting clean is one thing; staying spotless is another. But perish the thought of streaks or sweeps … not after just one win, and not with every future foe an unpredictable, dangerous one. As Coach Norman never tires of saying, “one game at a time.”

That’s axiomatic of our title run last year. It’s even more of an imperative this season.

P.S.

The Blue Eagles dedicated their victory to would-be teammate Mike Baldos. Already the proud owner of a college degree, Mike could not be part of the line-up due to an oversight involving his masteral units. While the team sorely misses his footwork and slippery moves at the low blocks, such a loss allows other bigs like Golla, Chua and Burke more minutes and contributions.

We will always remember Mike’s exploits in Team Glory B and, when called up, his quality minutes during crucial intervals of games, especially the Finals last season. Thank you very much, Mike:

The sudden vacancy in the 16-man roster also paved the way for the return of Eman Monfort (fancy that, a PG for a PF). His perseverance in Team Glory B paid off, for we witnessed a more controlled yet driven point guard with deadlier than ever outside sniping and peskier defense. Welcome back, Eman!