UE Red Warriors
73 Points
35 Rebounds
15 Assists
_8 Steals
_6 Blocks
29/69 (42.03%) FG
_6/25 (24.00%) 3P FG
_9/12 (75.00%) FT
FEU Tamaraws
61 Points
39 Rebounds
12 Assists
_4 Steals
_5 Blocks
28/66 (42.42%) FG
_4/18 (22.22%) 3P FG
_1/2_ (50.00%) FT
Quarters: 23-8, 36-24, 54-45, 73-61
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Showing posts with label S - Season 71 (2nd Round). Show all posts
Showing posts with label S - Season 71 (2nd Round). Show all posts
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Eagles bag semis incentive
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 31, 2008
Ateneo kept its fiery form in the second round last night as the Eagles waylaid the National University Bulldogs, 83-58, to clinch a twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals of the UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Most Valuable Player candidates Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Chris Tiu anchored the Eagles to their 12th win in 13 starts which gave the Katipunan-based squad to the top for the first time since the 2006 season, when they eventually lost to UST in the Finals.
Al-Hussaini led the Loyola-based squad with 20 points and six rebounds while Tiu made 16 points, six rebounds and three assists as he shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Earlier, Far Eastern University bolstered its own bid for the second twice-to-beat incentive with a 71-70 suqeaker over the University of the Philippines.
It was the 10th win against three losses for the Tamaraws who now occupy the second spoy in the eight-team league.
"Now the hard part begins," Ateneo coach Norman Black said. "At least we were able to accomplish our goal up to this point and we’ll just have to sit back and find out who are we going to play in the Final Four."
With the number one seeding in the semis, the Blue Eagles will meet either University of the East or the University of Santo Tomas. The Red Warriors, who has a 7-5 record, hold a two-game lead over the 5-7 Growling Tigers as both teams meet today.
Edwin Asoro was the lone double-digit scorer for NU with 19 points along with 13 rebounds and four blocks as the Bulldogs suffered their fifth straight defeat to fall to 2-11.
The Bulldogs never came close after Jahnke converted a three-pointer for a 32-31 lead as Tiu hit nine consecutive points while Jai Reyes and Eric Salamat each made a three in the homestretch as Ateneo grabbed a huge 49-37 halftime lead.
In the first game, the Tamaraws trailed the Fighting Maroons, 51-53, going ito the final 10 minutes where Mac Baracael pumped in six points, including the go-ahead triple that broke a 56-56 deadlock, 7:38 left.
In victory, FEU coach Glenn Capacio expressed his disgust with his players.
"Siguro hindi na ako nagkukulang to motivate them," said Capacio. "May tendency sila kapag alam nila ang kalaban na wala na sa running sa Final Four, nagre-relax sila."
"Kung ikaw ang nasa side ng UP, nothing to lose so ibibigay nila yung best nila, kami dapat may killer instinct kami kasi going to the Final Four hindi ka pwedeng magrelax," he added.
Baracael, playing in his second game since being shot by a still unknown assailant last month, finished with nine points.
"Bibigyan ko siya (Baracael) ng passing grade, siguro nasa 75-80 percent na siya ngayon," Capacio said. "Talagang kailangan namin siya para makatulong sa mga big men ko kaya pinipilit ko siyang masanay sa endgame kasi siya ang leader at pinaka-senior sa team."
Aldrech Ramos shared top scoring honors with Mark Barroca with 12 points, to go along with his six rebounds. JR Cawaling, last year’s Rookie of the Year, made five of his seven points in the fourth period while grabbing seven rebounds and dished out four assists off the bench.
Ateneo kept its fiery form in the second round last night as the Eagles waylaid the National University Bulldogs, 83-58, to clinch a twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals of the UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Most Valuable Player candidates Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Chris Tiu anchored the Eagles to their 12th win in 13 starts which gave the Katipunan-based squad to the top for the first time since the 2006 season, when they eventually lost to UST in the Finals.
Al-Hussaini led the Loyola-based squad with 20 points and six rebounds while Tiu made 16 points, six rebounds and three assists as he shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Earlier, Far Eastern University bolstered its own bid for the second twice-to-beat incentive with a 71-70 suqeaker over the University of the Philippines.
It was the 10th win against three losses for the Tamaraws who now occupy the second spoy in the eight-team league.
"Now the hard part begins," Ateneo coach Norman Black said. "At least we were able to accomplish our goal up to this point and we’ll just have to sit back and find out who are we going to play in the Final Four."
With the number one seeding in the semis, the Blue Eagles will meet either University of the East or the University of Santo Tomas. The Red Warriors, who has a 7-5 record, hold a two-game lead over the 5-7 Growling Tigers as both teams meet today.
Edwin Asoro was the lone double-digit scorer for NU with 19 points along with 13 rebounds and four blocks as the Bulldogs suffered their fifth straight defeat to fall to 2-11.
The Bulldogs never came close after Jahnke converted a three-pointer for a 32-31 lead as Tiu hit nine consecutive points while Jai Reyes and Eric Salamat each made a three in the homestretch as Ateneo grabbed a huge 49-37 halftime lead.
In the first game, the Tamaraws trailed the Fighting Maroons, 51-53, going ito the final 10 minutes where Mac Baracael pumped in six points, including the go-ahead triple that broke a 56-56 deadlock, 7:38 left.
In victory, FEU coach Glenn Capacio expressed his disgust with his players.
"Siguro hindi na ako nagkukulang to motivate them," said Capacio. "May tendency sila kapag alam nila ang kalaban na wala na sa running sa Final Four, nagre-relax sila."
"Kung ikaw ang nasa side ng UP, nothing to lose so ibibigay nila yung best nila, kami dapat may killer instinct kami kasi going to the Final Four hindi ka pwedeng magrelax," he added.
Baracael, playing in his second game since being shot by a still unknown assailant last month, finished with nine points.
"Bibigyan ko siya (Baracael) ng passing grade, siguro nasa 75-80 percent na siya ngayon," Capacio said. "Talagang kailangan namin siya para makatulong sa mga big men ko kaya pinipilit ko siyang masanay sa endgame kasi siya ang leader at pinaka-senior sa team."
Aldrech Ramos shared top scoring honors with Mark Barroca with 12 points, to go along with his six rebounds. JR Cawaling, last year’s Rookie of the Year, made five of his seven points in the fourth period while grabbing seven rebounds and dished out four assists off the bench.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Ateneo targets semis incentive
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 30, 2008
Ateneo, needing just one more win to assure itself of the overall top spot, aims to use its game against lowly National University today to hone its defense while shooting for win No. 12 to formally gain a twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals of the UAAP basketball tournament.
"Well, we are just a win away from getting the twice-to-beat," Ateneo coach Norman Black said on the eve of their 4 p.m. date with the Bulldogs at the PhilSports Arena.
"That’s the goal from the very beginning and we have to win against NU."
With two games remaining, Black said defense will be the team’s priority.
"At this point of the season, we just decided to play defense, we’ll not worry about our offense anymore," he said.
"Defense got us into a good start."
A victory will not only give the Eagles the coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the Final 4 but will also put Ateneo in the No. 1 post in the semifinals.
Opening the day’s twinbill at 2 p.m. will pit Far Eastern University against the University of the Philippines where the Tamaraws will aim for solo second to boost their own bid for the other twice-to-beat incentives.
The Blue Eagles will be bannered once more by Most Valuable Player candidates Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Chris Tiu while Eric Salamat, Ryan Buenafe and Nonoy Baclao are expected to provide added muscle.
Despite a 2-10 record, the Bulldogs played competitive basketball in their last three games, faltering only in the endgame.
This, the Bulldogs will try to prevent behind Edwin Asoro, Jonathan Jahnke, Raymund Aguilar, Jewel Ponferrada, Jessey Garcia and Chris Catamora.
In the first game, the Tamaraws will have Mac Baracael on their bench for the second straight time.
Baracael, who was shot last month by a still unknown assailant, played six minutes against NU last Thursday and scored a jumper and grabbed a rebound in his first game after missing seven games while recovering from his gunshot wounds.
"Pakiramdam ko parang rookie ulit ako," Baracael said Thursday.
Although the return of Baracael has rejuvenated the 9-3 Tamaraws’ quest for one of the two twice-to-beat incentives, coach Glenn Capacio remains wary about his team’s performance going into the homestretch.
"Siyempre masaya kami na nasa Final Four kami pero hindi pa tumitigil kasi ang gusto namin talaga ay mag-number two at malaking advantage sa amin kapag nasa top two kami," said Capacio.
While Benedict Fernandez has led the team in scoring, FEU has been bolstered by the efforts of point guard Mark Barroca, who scored 26 and 22 points in his last two games. Big men Aldrech Ramos and Reil Cervantes have helped the team inside while backup guard Jens Knuttel is providing solid contributions off the bench.
The Fighting Maroons, who holds a 3-9 mark, hopes to have Jay Agbayani back from injury while Migs de Asis hopes to have another solid effort like he did in the last two games. On the other hand, Martin Reyes will look to bounce back from his disappointing one point production against Ateneo last Sunday.
Ateneo, needing just one more win to assure itself of the overall top spot, aims to use its game against lowly National University today to hone its defense while shooting for win No. 12 to formally gain a twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals of the UAAP basketball tournament.
"Well, we are just a win away from getting the twice-to-beat," Ateneo coach Norman Black said on the eve of their 4 p.m. date with the Bulldogs at the PhilSports Arena.
"That’s the goal from the very beginning and we have to win against NU."
With two games remaining, Black said defense will be the team’s priority.
"At this point of the season, we just decided to play defense, we’ll not worry about our offense anymore," he said.
"Defense got us into a good start."
A victory will not only give the Eagles the coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the Final 4 but will also put Ateneo in the No. 1 post in the semifinals.
Opening the day’s twinbill at 2 p.m. will pit Far Eastern University against the University of the Philippines where the Tamaraws will aim for solo second to boost their own bid for the other twice-to-beat incentives.
The Blue Eagles will be bannered once more by Most Valuable Player candidates Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Chris Tiu while Eric Salamat, Ryan Buenafe and Nonoy Baclao are expected to provide added muscle.
Despite a 2-10 record, the Bulldogs played competitive basketball in their last three games, faltering only in the endgame.
This, the Bulldogs will try to prevent behind Edwin Asoro, Jonathan Jahnke, Raymund Aguilar, Jewel Ponferrada, Jessey Garcia and Chris Catamora.
In the first game, the Tamaraws will have Mac Baracael on their bench for the second straight time.
Baracael, who was shot last month by a still unknown assailant, played six minutes against NU last Thursday and scored a jumper and grabbed a rebound in his first game after missing seven games while recovering from his gunshot wounds.
"Pakiramdam ko parang rookie ulit ako," Baracael said Thursday.
Although the return of Baracael has rejuvenated the 9-3 Tamaraws’ quest for one of the two twice-to-beat incentives, coach Glenn Capacio remains wary about his team’s performance going into the homestretch.
"Siyempre masaya kami na nasa Final Four kami pero hindi pa tumitigil kasi ang gusto namin talaga ay mag-number two at malaking advantage sa amin kapag nasa top two kami," said Capacio.
While Benedict Fernandez has led the team in scoring, FEU has been bolstered by the efforts of point guard Mark Barroca, who scored 26 and 22 points in his last two games. Big men Aldrech Ramos and Reil Cervantes have helped the team inside while backup guard Jens Knuttel is providing solid contributions off the bench.
The Fighting Maroons, who holds a 3-9 mark, hopes to have Jay Agbayani back from injury while Migs de Asis hopes to have another solid effort like he did in the last two games. On the other hand, Martin Reyes will look to bounce back from his disappointing one point production against Ateneo last Sunday.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Game Result: FEU 64 - NU 60
FEU Tamaraws
64 Points
38 Rebounds
14 Assists
_3 Steals
_4 Blocks
22/62 (35.48%) FG
_2/14 (14.29%) 3P FG
18/27 (66.67%) FT
NU Bulldogs
60 Points
42 Rebounds
17 Assists
_3 Steals
_4 Blocks
25/65 (38.46%) FG
_5/22 (22.73%) 3P FG
_5/7_ (71.43%) FT
Quarters: 16-17, 37-33, 56-48, 64-60
64 Points
38 Rebounds
14 Assists
_3 Steals
_4 Blocks
22/62 (35.48%) FG
_2/14 (14.29%) 3P FG
18/27 (66.67%) FT
NU Bulldogs
60 Points
42 Rebounds
17 Assists
_3 Steals
_4 Blocks
25/65 (38.46%) FG
_5/22 (22.73%) 3P FG
_5/7_ (71.43%) FT
Quarters: 16-17, 37-33, 56-48, 64-60
Tamaraws, Archers barge into semis
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 29, 2008
Baracael returns to FEU bench
Inspired by the presence of Mac Baracael, whose dream of playing in the PBA nearly turned into a nightmare a month ago, Far Eastern University repulsed the spirited challenge of National University, 64-60, yesterday to secure a semifinals berth in the UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
Though the 6-foot-3 Baracael was still out of rhythm as evident by his poor timing and balance, FEU coach Glenn Capacio gave him a passing grade.
In the other game, defending champion La Salle also gained a semis berth by downing University of Santo Tomas, 81-79.
With their wins, La Salle and FEU joined league-leading Ateneo (11-1) in the Final Four.
Freshman Maui Villanueva starred for La Salle’s victory when he scored on a follow-up as time expired.
La Salle’s Houdini act despite the absence of head coach Franz Pumaren put UST’s Final Four bid in peril.
The Tigers, who fell to 5-7, rallied mightily to tie the game at 79-79 on the effort of seldom-used Milan Vargas. But the Archers still got the victory as rookie LA Revilla drove hard to the basket in a bid to settle the game. Though he missed his shot, Villanueva was there to follow it up to the cheers of the a huge green and white supporters.
"Actually we don’t have any timeouts left pero nung nag timeout sila, nakapag-diagram pa kami ng play," said La Salle interim coach Jack Santiago. "Talagang play namin was for LA kasi five seconds na lang at siya yung pinakamabilis. Good thing na-beat niya yung defense ng UST."
Pumaren is currently in Iran, calling the shots for the RP Youth Team in the FIBA Asia Youth Championships.
"I had a sleepless night, siguro mga 4 a.m. na ako nakakatulog," said Santiago. "During games, may mga konting adjustments, mostly on defense, same scenario pa din as when coach Franz was here."
JV Casio led La Salle with 29 points, 18 coming in the final canto as the Archers broke a 67-67 tie by hitting five straight points that made it a 74-69 contest with 2:58 left.
Peejay Barua added 17 markers while Rico Maierhofer tallied a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds before fouling out.
In the first game, Baracael scored only two points in his comeback from a near-fatal shooting incident that remains unsolved until this time but was upbeat about his playing condition.
"Happy ako kasi nakabalik na ako at matutulungan ko na ang team at makakapaglaro, second chance na ito sa akin," said Baracael, who was fielded in the game with only two minutes and 16 seconds left in the first quarter.
He was fielded back in the third where his jumper gave the Tamaraws a 56-48 lead.
"Siguro gusto ko lang ma-feel niya yung laro ulit pero alam ko naman na hindi pa siya 100 percent so ang hiningi ko lang sa kanya ay 2 to 3 minutes. Ayos na sakin basta maka-contribute siya sa defense at sa rebounding," Capacio said of Baracael.
Baracael, who suffered a fractured rib because of the incident, was cleared by doctors to practice with the team two weeks ago but got involved in his first full contact practice only last Monday.
Inspired by the presence of their leader, the Tamaraws, behind Mark Barroca, Aldrech Ramos and Benedict Fernandez, overcame a faltering finish to notch their 9th win in 12 starts, a victory that propelled them to the semis for the first time since Arwind Santos led the Tamaraws to their 19th overall championship in 2005.
Barroca, who scored 26 points last Saturday against De La Salle, led FEU anew with 22 points, 15 of which came in the first half, while Reil Cervantes put in 12 points.
Ramos and Fernandez combined for only 15 points this time but hit crucial baskets down the stretch that stopped NU’s spirited challenge.
Trailing by eight entering the final canto, the Bulldogs unleashed a blistering 10-0 blast as Chris Catamora scored off a pass by Raymund Aguilar that gave NU a 58-56 lead with 4:54 left in the game.
But FEU reclaimed the lead as Ramos scored on a tough lay-in with 2:21 to go, 62-60, before coming up with several defensive plays to frustrate the Bulldogs this time around.
"Parang nabunutan ako ng tinik," said Capacio. "Mabuti na lang na-execute namin ang mga plays namin down the stretch. We’re really happy that we are in the Final Four,"
Jonathan Jahnke led NU with 15 points while Aguilar made 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists but suffered its fourth straight setback to fall down into the cellar with Adamson at 2-10.
Baracael returns to FEU bench
Inspired by the presence of Mac Baracael, whose dream of playing in the PBA nearly turned into a nightmare a month ago, Far Eastern University repulsed the spirited challenge of National University, 64-60, yesterday to secure a semifinals berth in the UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
Though the 6-foot-3 Baracael was still out of rhythm as evident by his poor timing and balance, FEU coach Glenn Capacio gave him a passing grade.
In the other game, defending champion La Salle also gained a semis berth by downing University of Santo Tomas, 81-79.
With their wins, La Salle and FEU joined league-leading Ateneo (11-1) in the Final Four.
Freshman Maui Villanueva starred for La Salle’s victory when he scored on a follow-up as time expired.
La Salle’s Houdini act despite the absence of head coach Franz Pumaren put UST’s Final Four bid in peril.
The Tigers, who fell to 5-7, rallied mightily to tie the game at 79-79 on the effort of seldom-used Milan Vargas. But the Archers still got the victory as rookie LA Revilla drove hard to the basket in a bid to settle the game. Though he missed his shot, Villanueva was there to follow it up to the cheers of the a huge green and white supporters.
"Actually we don’t have any timeouts left pero nung nag timeout sila, nakapag-diagram pa kami ng play," said La Salle interim coach Jack Santiago. "Talagang play namin was for LA kasi five seconds na lang at siya yung pinakamabilis. Good thing na-beat niya yung defense ng UST."
Pumaren is currently in Iran, calling the shots for the RP Youth Team in the FIBA Asia Youth Championships.
"I had a sleepless night, siguro mga 4 a.m. na ako nakakatulog," said Santiago. "During games, may mga konting adjustments, mostly on defense, same scenario pa din as when coach Franz was here."
JV Casio led La Salle with 29 points, 18 coming in the final canto as the Archers broke a 67-67 tie by hitting five straight points that made it a 74-69 contest with 2:58 left.
Peejay Barua added 17 markers while Rico Maierhofer tallied a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds before fouling out.
In the first game, Baracael scored only two points in his comeback from a near-fatal shooting incident that remains unsolved until this time but was upbeat about his playing condition.
"Happy ako kasi nakabalik na ako at matutulungan ko na ang team at makakapaglaro, second chance na ito sa akin," said Baracael, who was fielded in the game with only two minutes and 16 seconds left in the first quarter.
He was fielded back in the third where his jumper gave the Tamaraws a 56-48 lead.
"Siguro gusto ko lang ma-feel niya yung laro ulit pero alam ko naman na hindi pa siya 100 percent so ang hiningi ko lang sa kanya ay 2 to 3 minutes. Ayos na sakin basta maka-contribute siya sa defense at sa rebounding," Capacio said of Baracael.
Baracael, who suffered a fractured rib because of the incident, was cleared by doctors to practice with the team two weeks ago but got involved in his first full contact practice only last Monday.
Inspired by the presence of their leader, the Tamaraws, behind Mark Barroca, Aldrech Ramos and Benedict Fernandez, overcame a faltering finish to notch their 9th win in 12 starts, a victory that propelled them to the semis for the first time since Arwind Santos led the Tamaraws to their 19th overall championship in 2005.
Barroca, who scored 26 points last Saturday against De La Salle, led FEU anew with 22 points, 15 of which came in the first half, while Reil Cervantes put in 12 points.
Ramos and Fernandez combined for only 15 points this time but hit crucial baskets down the stretch that stopped NU’s spirited challenge.
Trailing by eight entering the final canto, the Bulldogs unleashed a blistering 10-0 blast as Chris Catamora scored off a pass by Raymund Aguilar that gave NU a 58-56 lead with 4:54 left in the game.
But FEU reclaimed the lead as Ramos scored on a tough lay-in with 2:21 to go, 62-60, before coming up with several defensive plays to frustrate the Bulldogs this time around.
"Parang nabunutan ako ng tinik," said Capacio. "Mabuti na lang na-execute namin ang mga plays namin down the stretch. We’re really happy that we are in the Final Four,"
Jonathan Jahnke led NU with 15 points while Aguilar made 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists but suffered its fourth straight setback to fall down into the cellar with Adamson at 2-10.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Game Result: ADMU 61 - UE 57 (2nd Round)
ADMU Blue Eagles
61 Points
46 Rebounds
10 Assists
_6 Steals
_3 Blocks
19/66 (28.79%) FG
_4/18 (22.22%) 3P FG
19/25 (76.00%) FT
UE Red Warriors
57 Points
44 Rebounds
10 Assists
_6 Steals
_4 Blocks
24/71 (33.80%) FG
_7/18 (38.89%) 3P FG
_2/3_ (66.67%) FT
Quarters: 12-13, 21-22, 36-42, 50-8, 61-57
61 Points
46 Rebounds
10 Assists
_6 Steals
_3 Blocks
19/66 (28.79%) FG
_4/18 (22.22%) 3P FG
19/25 (76.00%) FT
UE Red Warriors
57 Points
44 Rebounds
10 Assists
_6 Steals
_4 Blocks
24/71 (33.80%) FG
_7/18 (38.89%) 3P FG
_2/3_ (66.67%) FT
Quarters: 12-13, 21-22, 36-42, 50-8, 61-57
Game Result: UP 73 - AdU 42 (2nd Round)
UP Fighting Maroons
73 Points
43 Rebounds
19 Assists
_4 Steals
_2 Blocks
30/68 (44.12%) FG
_9/21 (42.86%) 3P FG
_4/6_ (66.67%) FT
AdU Soaring Falcons
42 Points
40 Rebounds
10 Assists
_8 Steals
_4 Blocks
15/58 (25.86%) FG
_2/18 (11.11%) 3P FG
10/15 (66.67%) FT
Quarters: 17-10, 38-14, 54-19, 73-42
73 Points
43 Rebounds
19 Assists
_4 Steals
_2 Blocks
30/68 (44.12%) FG
_9/21 (42.86%) 3P FG
_4/6_ (66.67%) FT
AdU Soaring Falcons
42 Points
40 Rebounds
10 Assists
_8 Steals
_4 Blocks
15/58 (25.86%) FG
_2/18 (11.11%) 3P FG
10/15 (66.67%) FT
Quarters: 17-10, 38-14, 54-19, 73-42
Eagles soar to 10th win
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 22, 2008
Ateneo turned to veteran scorer Chris Tiu and rising star Ryan Buenafe when the game was on the line yesterday as the Blue Eagles escaped with a 61-57 decision over University of the East in overtime in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
Buenafe drove past Paul Lee with 21 seconds left in extra period to give Ateneo a 59-57 lead, then watched UE forward Elmer Espiritu make a bad shot in the ensuing play, sending Nonoy Baclao, Ateneo’s do-it-all forward, to go to the line and make two charities six seconds to go for the final count.
"That was a big shot by Ryan," Eagles mentor Norman Black said after the team boosted its record to 10-1. "Luckily, he came through for us in the end."
Tiu, in his last year at the Ateneo, sank a triple with 13.6 ticks remaining after eluding a double-team to freeze the count at 50-all at the end of regulation.
Black said tying the score was not his main priority.
"We were looking for him and we tried to give him the ball and give it back to him two to three times.
We wanted to go for a two-point shot if we get it off in the first five to six seconds and if we could not do that it would be a 24-second shot clock so we went for the tie and it worked well for us." "UE is one of the toughest teams we have faced and we consider them as one of the teams to beat so we really expected a tough game going here today," added Black.
Rabeh Al-Hussaini led the way for Ateneo with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Tiu banged in 18 markers, collared nine boards and three assists although they were no longer on the court in the endgame owing to cramps.
Rookie Paul Zamar topscored for UE with 13, while James Martinez netted 11 and Hans Thiele drilled in 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, who slipped to 6-5.
In the first game, host University of the Philippines pounced on an Adamson squad that played without three players for a 73-42 win.
Main men Marc Agustin and Paul Gonzalgo and Allan Santos were benched for disciplinary reasons, sending the Falcons to their seventh straight setback.
Head coach Leo Austria politely declined to say why they were not given playing time.
The Maroons had the game in the bag after two quarters when they erected a 38-14 advantage and the lead even snowballed to 64-26 in the third canto as the Falcons could only come up with five points in that stretch.
Martin Reyes finished with 13 points, 10 of which in the first half, as the Fighting Maroons improved to 3-8.
"We didn’t expect to win this big," UP head coach Aboy Castro said.
Ateneo turned to veteran scorer Chris Tiu and rising star Ryan Buenafe when the game was on the line yesterday as the Blue Eagles escaped with a 61-57 decision over University of the East in overtime in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
Buenafe drove past Paul Lee with 21 seconds left in extra period to give Ateneo a 59-57 lead, then watched UE forward Elmer Espiritu make a bad shot in the ensuing play, sending Nonoy Baclao, Ateneo’s do-it-all forward, to go to the line and make two charities six seconds to go for the final count.
"That was a big shot by Ryan," Eagles mentor Norman Black said after the team boosted its record to 10-1. "Luckily, he came through for us in the end."
Tiu, in his last year at the Ateneo, sank a triple with 13.6 ticks remaining after eluding a double-team to freeze the count at 50-all at the end of regulation.
Black said tying the score was not his main priority.
"We were looking for him and we tried to give him the ball and give it back to him two to three times.
We wanted to go for a two-point shot if we get it off in the first five to six seconds and if we could not do that it would be a 24-second shot clock so we went for the tie and it worked well for us." "UE is one of the toughest teams we have faced and we consider them as one of the teams to beat so we really expected a tough game going here today," added Black.
Rabeh Al-Hussaini led the way for Ateneo with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Tiu banged in 18 markers, collared nine boards and three assists although they were no longer on the court in the endgame owing to cramps.
Rookie Paul Zamar topscored for UE with 13, while James Martinez netted 11 and Hans Thiele drilled in 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, who slipped to 6-5.
In the first game, host University of the Philippines pounced on an Adamson squad that played without three players for a 73-42 win.
Main men Marc Agustin and Paul Gonzalgo and Allan Santos were benched for disciplinary reasons, sending the Falcons to their seventh straight setback.
Head coach Leo Austria politely declined to say why they were not given playing time.
The Maroons had the game in the bag after two quarters when they erected a 38-14 advantage and the lead even snowballed to 64-26 in the third canto as the Falcons could only come up with five points in that stretch.
Martin Reyes finished with 13 points, 10 of which in the first half, as the Fighting Maroons improved to 3-8.
"We didn’t expect to win this big," UP head coach Aboy Castro said.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Eagles eye to boost twice-to-beat bid
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 21, 2008While the rest of the teams are either trying to improve on their standings or jockeying for the Final 4 slots, Ateneo will be aiming to bolster its bid for a twice-to-beat advantage today as it battles University of the East in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Blue Eagles, whose 9-1 record formally gave them a spot in the next phase, are heavily-favored to claim their 10th win of the season against the Red Warriors.
The Loyola-based squad is a game ahead of La Salle, which sports an 8-2 win-loss card and already assured of at least a playoff for one of the four coveted seats.
But while Ateneo is already in the semifinals, Eagles tactician Norman Black is not about to relax.
"Our goal is to get to the top two but it doesn’t stop here," Black said. "We have to play hard and continue respecting our opponents because we have no time to relax."
In last Sunday’s win over Adamson, the duo of Rabeh Al-Hussaini and reserve guard Eric Salamat joined hands in dealing Adamson its eighth loss, 78-59, and their exploits will surely be on UE strategist Dindo Pumaren’s mind when they take to the court this afternoon. Al-Hussaini had 29 points while Salamat shot 17 against the Falcons.
Top player Chris Tiu, rookie Ryan Buenafe and workhorse Nonoy Baclao are also capable of taking the limelight in case Al-Hussaini and Salamat fail to light up the scoreboard.
The first time the two squads met last July 13, Ateneo ran away with a 64-58 victory with Al-Hussaini racking up 17 points and the same number of rebounds.
"We have to prepare against Rabeh because of the most the time they go to the post," said Pumaren.
Black believes UE is on a high following the Warriors’ massive 95-65 win over host University of the Philippines over the weekend.
"UE is playing a lot better," he said. "They looked impressive with the way they played defense and they seemed to have their rhythm back already."
Despite a smaller frontline, Pumaren will most likely tap the services of Elmer Espiritu, Hans Thiele, and Pari Llagas in order to neutralize Al-Hussaini.
But the peppery duo of James Martinez and Marcy Arellano will try to make up for UE’s lack of ceiling.
Meanwhile, cellar-dwellers UP and Adamson look to go one up on each other when they meet in the 2 p.m. opener.
Both teams enter the match trying to end their respective losing skids. The Fighting Maroons are on a three-game slide while the Falcons are on a six-game skid stretching back to the first round.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Game Result: FEU 74 vs UST 69 (2nd Round)
FEU Tamaraws
74 Points
42 Rebounds
17 Assists
_8 Steals
_7 Blocks
25/74 (33.78%) FG
_6/24 (25.00%) 3P FG
18/26 (69.23%) FT
UST Growling Tigers
69 Points
46 Rebounds
15 Assists
_3 Steals
_4 Blocks
22/62 (35.48%) FG
_6/19 (31.58%) 3P FG
19/29 (65.52%) FT
Quarters: 21-21, 31-39, 41-54, 60-60, 74-69
74 Points
42 Rebounds
17 Assists
_8 Steals
_7 Blocks
25/74 (33.78%) FG
_6/24 (25.00%) 3P FG
18/26 (69.23%) FT
UST Growling Tigers
69 Points
46 Rebounds
15 Assists
_3 Steals
_4 Blocks
22/62 (35.48%) FG
_6/19 (31.58%) 3P FG
19/29 (65.52%) FT
Quarters: 21-21, 31-39, 41-54, 60-60, 74-69
Game Result: ADMU 78 vs AdU 59 (2nd Round)
ADMU Blue Eagles
78 Points
33 Rebounds
20 Assists
_9 Steals
_4 Blocks
27/52 (51.92%) FG
_3/11 (27.27%) 3P FG
21/25 (84.00%) FT
AdU Soaring Falcons
59 Points
37 Rebounds
11 Assists
_9 Steals
_3 Blocks
23/66 (34.85%) FG
_1/8_ (12.50%) 3P FG
12/17 (70.59%) FT
Quarters: 26-13, 48-30, 74-45, 95-65
78 Points
33 Rebounds
20 Assists
_9 Steals
_4 Blocks
27/52 (51.92%) FG
_3/11 (27.27%) 3P FG
21/25 (84.00%) FT
AdU Soaring Falcons
59 Points
37 Rebounds
11 Assists
_9 Steals
_3 Blocks
23/66 (34.85%) FG
_1/8_ (12.50%) 3P FG
12/17 (70.59%) FT
Quarters: 26-13, 48-30, 74-45, 95-65
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Game Result: UE 95 vs UP 65 (2nd Round)
UE Red Warriors
79 Points
51 Rebounds
25 Assists
_8 Steals
_7 Blocks
35/78 (44.87%) FG
_7/23 (30.43%) 3P FG
18/28 (64.29%) FT
UP Fighting Maroons
65 Points
39 Rebounds
15 Assists
_6 Steals
_1 Blocks
25/67 (37.31%) FG
_5/19 (26.32%) 3P FG
10/18 (55.56%) FT
Quarters: 26-13, 48-30, 74-45, 95-65
79 Points
51 Rebounds
25 Assists
_8 Steals
_7 Blocks
35/78 (44.87%) FG
_7/23 (30.43%) 3P FG
18/28 (64.29%) FT
UP Fighting Maroons
65 Points
39 Rebounds
15 Assists
_6 Steals
_1 Blocks
25/67 (37.31%) FG
_5/19 (26.32%) 3P FG
10/18 (55.56%) FT
Quarters: 26-13, 48-30, 74-45, 95-65
Game Result: DLSU 79 vs NU 67 (2nd Round)
DLSU GReen Archers
79 Points
33 Rebounds
19 Assists
_8 Steals
_3 Blocks
30/68 (44.12%) FG
_8/21 (38.10%) 3P FG
11/16 (68.75%) FT
NU Bulldogs
67 Points
40 Rebounds
13 Assists
_5 Steals
_4 Blocks
22/55 (38.60%) FG
_6/25 (24.00%) 3P FG
17/24 (70.83%) FT
Quarters: 19-22, 31-42, 62-51, 79-67
79 Points
33 Rebounds
19 Assists
_8 Steals
_3 Blocks
30/68 (44.12%) FG
_8/21 (38.10%) 3P FG
11/16 (68.75%) FT
NU Bulldogs
67 Points
40 Rebounds
13 Assists
_5 Steals
_4 Blocks
22/55 (38.60%) FG
_6/25 (24.00%) 3P FG
17/24 (70.83%) FT
Quarters: 19-22, 31-42, 62-51, 79-67
Archers waylay Bulldogs
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 17, 2008
Defending champion La Salle thought that all it had to do to win against National University was to show up.
The Green Archers found out yesterday that it would need more than that as they had to bank on veteran guard JV Casio’s timely hits in the second half to pull off a 79-67 victory over the Bulldogs in the 71st UAAP basketball wars at the PhilSports Arena.
Casio exploded for 15 points in the final 20 minutes of play, including nine in the third quarter that helped lift La Salle to a 48-46 lead, 4:17 remaining in the third frame.
"The players probably thought that with NU’s record, they (Bulldogs) will just give the game to us," said La Salle coach Franz Pumaren, who had earlier watched in dismay as the Bulldogs raced to a 36-21 advantage in the second quarter.
"That’s the reason why the players played aggressively in the second quarter," said Pumaren.
The win boosted La Salle’s win-loss mark to 8-2, just half a game behind league-leading Ateneo, while the loss dropped NU to 2-8.
After Casio’s scoring spree, the Archers zoomed to a 76-61 lead behind Hyram Bagatsing and James Mangahas, who each made a triple, and Indonesian center Ferdinand, who rattled the rim off LA Revilla’s pass.
Casio led all scorers with 22 markers, while Peejay Barua drilled in 14, including 11 in the first half. Revilla chipped in eight and four feeds off the bench.
Edwin Asoro led the Bulldogs with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Raymund Aguilar and Jonathan Jahnke chipping 11 and 10 points, respectively.
In the second game, University of the East (UE) crushed University of the Philippines, 95-65, for the Red Warriors’ first back-to-back victories since winning their first two games of the season.
Marcy Arellano starred for UE with 23 points, 21 of which coming in the first half alone, while adding five rebounds and six assists in 23 minutes in his best game of the season.
"First time this season maganda ang laro ni Marcy," said UE head coach Dindo Pumaren. "Sana tuloy tuloy na siya, he played good defense at same time ‘yung offense niya dumating, he’s struggling the whole first round, may mga spurts lang siya but maganda nilaro niya."
Toto Bandaying and Pari Llagas made 11 points apiece while Hans Thiele finished with 10 points and six rebounds.
UE started with a 15-2 lead before grabbing a commanding 48-30 lead at the half. The Warriors then led by 30 or more points on several occasions during the late stretches of the match to seal the win.
The win enabled the Warriors to gain a 1 ½ game lead over University of Santo Tomas for the last spot in the Final Four.
"Basta kami we’re not concerned dun sa likod namin yung sa taas ang hinahabol namin," said Pumaren.
Paul Sorongon and Jay Agbayani led State U with 17 points each as UP fell further in the cellar with a 2-8 record to tie National University.
UE’s win was their fourth straight against UP, all by a combined margin of 130 points.
NU started off strong by scoring the game’s first nine points and eventually grabbed an 11-2 lead.
But the Green Archers outscored them, 15-5, to take the lead only for the Sampaloc-based cagers to unleash a 20-4 blast for a commanding 36-21 edge off baskets by Asoro and Jonathan Jahnke.
"I told them at halftime that we were running away from what we were supposed to do.," said Pumaren, who will miss the last three games of the season due to his coaching commitments with the Philippine team in the FIBA-Asia Youth Championships in Tehran, Iran.
"Like what I’m stressing to my players, we’re only good when we play within the system," added Pumaren.
In the second game, University of the East (UE) crushed University of the Philippines, 95-65, for the Red Warriors’ first back-to-back victories since winning their first two games of the season.
Defending champion La Salle thought that all it had to do to win against National University was to show up.
The Green Archers found out yesterday that it would need more than that as they had to bank on veteran guard JV Casio’s timely hits in the second half to pull off a 79-67 victory over the Bulldogs in the 71st UAAP basketball wars at the PhilSports Arena.
Casio exploded for 15 points in the final 20 minutes of play, including nine in the third quarter that helped lift La Salle to a 48-46 lead, 4:17 remaining in the third frame.
"The players probably thought that with NU’s record, they (Bulldogs) will just give the game to us," said La Salle coach Franz Pumaren, who had earlier watched in dismay as the Bulldogs raced to a 36-21 advantage in the second quarter.
"That’s the reason why the players played aggressively in the second quarter," said Pumaren.
The win boosted La Salle’s win-loss mark to 8-2, just half a game behind league-leading Ateneo, while the loss dropped NU to 2-8.
After Casio’s scoring spree, the Archers zoomed to a 76-61 lead behind Hyram Bagatsing and James Mangahas, who each made a triple, and Indonesian center Ferdinand, who rattled the rim off LA Revilla’s pass.
Casio led all scorers with 22 markers, while Peejay Barua drilled in 14, including 11 in the first half. Revilla chipped in eight and four feeds off the bench.
Edwin Asoro led the Bulldogs with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Raymund Aguilar and Jonathan Jahnke chipping 11 and 10 points, respectively.
In the second game, University of the East (UE) crushed University of the Philippines, 95-65, for the Red Warriors’ first back-to-back victories since winning their first two games of the season.
Marcy Arellano starred for UE with 23 points, 21 of which coming in the first half alone, while adding five rebounds and six assists in 23 minutes in his best game of the season.
"First time this season maganda ang laro ni Marcy," said UE head coach Dindo Pumaren. "Sana tuloy tuloy na siya, he played good defense at same time ‘yung offense niya dumating, he’s struggling the whole first round, may mga spurts lang siya but maganda nilaro niya."
Toto Bandaying and Pari Llagas made 11 points apiece while Hans Thiele finished with 10 points and six rebounds.
UE started with a 15-2 lead before grabbing a commanding 48-30 lead at the half. The Warriors then led by 30 or more points on several occasions during the late stretches of the match to seal the win.
The win enabled the Warriors to gain a 1 ½ game lead over University of Santo Tomas for the last spot in the Final Four.
"Basta kami we’re not concerned dun sa likod namin yung sa taas ang hinahabol namin," said Pumaren.
Paul Sorongon and Jay Agbayani led State U with 17 points each as UP fell further in the cellar with a 2-8 record to tie National University.
UE’s win was their fourth straight against UP, all by a combined margin of 130 points.
NU started off strong by scoring the game’s first nine points and eventually grabbed an 11-2 lead.
But the Green Archers outscored them, 15-5, to take the lead only for the Sampaloc-based cagers to unleash a 20-4 blast for a commanding 36-21 edge off baskets by Asoro and Jonathan Jahnke.
"I told them at halftime that we were running away from what we were supposed to do.," said Pumaren, who will miss the last three games of the season due to his coaching commitments with the Philippine team in the FIBA-Asia Youth Championships in Tehran, Iran.
"Like what I’m stressing to my players, we’re only good when we play within the system," added Pumaren.
In the second game, University of the East (UE) crushed University of the Philippines, 95-65, for the Red Warriors’ first back-to-back victories since winning their first two games of the season.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
DLSU, UE resume drive
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 16, 2008
Defending champion La Salle and University of the East resume their Final Four drive when they go up against separate rivals in the UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena today.
The Green Archers collide with the National University Bulldogs in the opener at 2 p.m. while the Red Warriors tackle the slumping University of the Philippines Maroons at 4 p.m.
La Salle is a game behind Ateneo with a 7-2 record but is expected to close the gap at the end of the day. The Eagles are sporting an 8-1 card.
But La Salle mentor Franz Pumaren is wary about the possibility of NU scoring another upset.
"We cannot take them for granted as we all know they (Bulldogs) spoiled Ateneo’s bid last year and our main objective is to win as many games as possible," said Pumaren.
If they’re all healthy, the Bulldogs are capable of scoring another upset just like what they did against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws whom they beat, 69-61, at the end of the first round last Aug. 3.
They also managed to get back at the Maroons, 72-59, before injuries to key players wrought havoc on their bid against the Warriors last week and suffered a crushing 67-50 beating.
Jonathan Jahnke and Jessey Garcia are not likely to suit up today due to various injuries.
The wily Jahnke, the team’s third leading scorer with 9.0 points per game suffered a hip injury in the second quarter against UE while Garcia injured his head and neck after a collision with Marcy Arellano on a fastbreak play.
Pumaren is again expected to rely on Rico Maierhofer, who came off the bench to score 19 points and 13 rebounds in the team’s 81-61 win over UP on Aug. 10.
Also expected to play key roles in the team are JV Casio, James Mangahas and Peejay Barua.
It was Barua who starred for DLSU’s 93-69 thrashing of NU in the first round after scoring 26 points.
NU’s Edwin Asoro, Raymund Aguilar, and Jewel Ponferrada have to pick up the scoring slack in the event Jahnke and Garcia will not see action.
With a 5-4 card, the Warriors have to win again over the Maroons to improve their semis bid. A win will put the Warriors a game-and-a-half ahead of the Tigers.
Aside from Arellano, UE coach Dindo Pumaren can again rely on the services of Elmer Espiritu, Hans Thiele, and James Martinez.
Defending champion La Salle and University of the East resume their Final Four drive when they go up against separate rivals in the UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena today.
The Green Archers collide with the National University Bulldogs in the opener at 2 p.m. while the Red Warriors tackle the slumping University of the Philippines Maroons at 4 p.m.
La Salle is a game behind Ateneo with a 7-2 record but is expected to close the gap at the end of the day. The Eagles are sporting an 8-1 card.
But La Salle mentor Franz Pumaren is wary about the possibility of NU scoring another upset.
"We cannot take them for granted as we all know they (Bulldogs) spoiled Ateneo’s bid last year and our main objective is to win as many games as possible," said Pumaren.
If they’re all healthy, the Bulldogs are capable of scoring another upset just like what they did against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws whom they beat, 69-61, at the end of the first round last Aug. 3.
They also managed to get back at the Maroons, 72-59, before injuries to key players wrought havoc on their bid against the Warriors last week and suffered a crushing 67-50 beating.
Jonathan Jahnke and Jessey Garcia are not likely to suit up today due to various injuries.
The wily Jahnke, the team’s third leading scorer with 9.0 points per game suffered a hip injury in the second quarter against UE while Garcia injured his head and neck after a collision with Marcy Arellano on a fastbreak play.
Pumaren is again expected to rely on Rico Maierhofer, who came off the bench to score 19 points and 13 rebounds in the team’s 81-61 win over UP on Aug. 10.
Also expected to play key roles in the team are JV Casio, James Mangahas and Peejay Barua.
It was Barua who starred for DLSU’s 93-69 thrashing of NU in the first round after scoring 26 points.
NU’s Edwin Asoro, Raymund Aguilar, and Jewel Ponferrada have to pick up the scoring slack in the event Jahnke and Garcia will not see action.
With a 5-4 card, the Warriors have to win again over the Maroons to improve their semis bid. A win will put the Warriors a game-and-a-half ahead of the Tigers.
Aside from Arellano, UE coach Dindo Pumaren can again rely on the services of Elmer Espiritu, Hans Thiele, and James Martinez.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Game Result: ADMU 85 vs UST 76 (2nd Round)
ADMU Blue Eagles
85 Points
29 Rebounds
17 Assists
_5 Steals
_6 Blocks
29/59 (49.15%) FG
_7/17 (41.18%) 3P FG
UST Growling Tigers
76 Points
45 Rebounds
13 Assists
_3 Steals
_2 Blocks
26/67 (38.81%) FG
_5/19 (26.32%) 3P FG
Quarters: 20-11, 38-35, 63-55, 85-76
85 Points
29 Rebounds
17 Assists
_5 Steals
_6 Blocks
29/59 (49.15%) FG
_7/17 (41.18%) 3P FG
UST Growling Tigers
76 Points
45 Rebounds
13 Assists
_3 Steals
_2 Blocks
26/67 (38.81%) FG
_5/19 (26.32%) 3P FG
Quarters: 20-11, 38-35, 63-55, 85-76
Game Result: FEU 70 vs AdU 62 (2nd Round)
FEU Tamaraws
70 Points
44 Rebounds
18 Assists
_5 Steals
_5 Blocks
26/69 (37.68%) FG
_6/21 (25.57%) 3P FG
AdU Soaring Falcons
62 Points
39 Rebounds
14 Assists
_3 Steal
_6 Blocks
22/63 (34.92%) FG
_2/14 (14.29%) 3P FG
Quarters: 16-11, 32-30, 59-45, 70-62
70 Points
44 Rebounds
18 Assists
_5 Steals
_5 Blocks
26/69 (37.68%) FG
_6/21 (25.57%) 3P FG
AdU Soaring Falcons
62 Points
39 Rebounds
14 Assists
_3 Steal
_6 Blocks
22/63 (34.92%) FG
_2/14 (14.29%) 3P FG
Quarters: 16-11, 32-30, 59-45, 70-62
Eagles claw Tigers anew
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 15, 2008
Not even the thunderstorm could cool off Ateneo star Chris Tiu yesterday.
In what could be his finest game in a stellar collegiate career, Tiu sizzled for a career-high 29 points as Ateneo blew past University of Santo Tomas, 85-76, to boost its Final Four bid in the UAAP basketball tournament on a wet day at the Philsports Arena.
The 5-foot-11 Tiu highlighted his game-long brilliance with three triples aside from posting a near-perfect 14-of-15 shooting from the free throw area to help the Eagles notch their 8th win in 9 games.
In the first game, Far Eastern University snapped a two-game losing streak behind Marlon Adolfo’s second-half explosion to beat Adamson University, 70-62.
Adolfo scattered 15 of his 18 points in the last two quarters as the Tamaraws erected a 14-point lead en route to their 6th win in 9 starts.
For the second time, Rabeh Al-Hussaini outshone reigning MVP and UST counterpart Jervy Cruz as the 6-foot-6 center tallied 24 points and five rebounds.
"Our top two players really played well, they really made some crucial shots in the end," said Ateneo coach Norman Black. "UST still hurt us on the boards but we were able to shoot a high percentage from the floor which really helped us out."
Black, however, remained cautious about their efforts before the end of the season.
"The key is that we understand that we are the best team but we have to play our A game every time, it’s not time for us to be confident," said Black. "Our aim is to get into the Final Four and play our best game come September."
To underscore his strength down low, Al-Hussaini converted 10 consecutive points at one point as Ateneo eventually took a 63-55 lead in the third while Tiu had 11 in the final canto, most of them from the stripe as the the Blue Eagles took a 75-62 edge.
That run was aided by a triple from Eric Salamat with 2:21 left in the game.
Salamat, still hampered by a discolated jaw, made 14 points in 21 minutes off the bench.
Cruz, the reigning Most Valuable Player, finished with 23 points and 18 rebounds, 13 of which came in the first half. Dylan Ababou finished with 17 points but missed four shots from the three-point arc with rookie Clark Bautista nailing 12 markers.
Ateneo grabbed an early 24-11 lead in the second quarter but Cruz and Ababou to combine for 18 points in the second quarter to cut the margin to 38-35 at halftime.
Adolfo, also hauled down 10 rebounds in his 29 minutes of action.
"Natutuwa ako at nagstep-up siya (Adolfo) bilang big man dahil ang daming foul trouble ng mga big men ko," FEU coach Glenn Capacio said.
Benedict Fernandez chipped in 14 points –all in the second half – while pointguard Mark Barroca added 13 markers.
FEU led 32-30 at halftime behind Barroca’s 10 points, but Adolfo and Fernandez conspired for 23 points for a 59-45 advantage in the third.
Adamson fell into a three-way tie for last place with NU and University of the Philippines with similar 2-7 cards.
Mike Galinato led Adamson with 12 points while Colina finished with a double-double of 10 markers and 11 boards.
Not even the thunderstorm could cool off Ateneo star Chris Tiu yesterday.
In what could be his finest game in a stellar collegiate career, Tiu sizzled for a career-high 29 points as Ateneo blew past University of Santo Tomas, 85-76, to boost its Final Four bid in the UAAP basketball tournament on a wet day at the Philsports Arena.
The 5-foot-11 Tiu highlighted his game-long brilliance with three triples aside from posting a near-perfect 14-of-15 shooting from the free throw area to help the Eagles notch their 8th win in 9 games.
In the first game, Far Eastern University snapped a two-game losing streak behind Marlon Adolfo’s second-half explosion to beat Adamson University, 70-62.
Adolfo scattered 15 of his 18 points in the last two quarters as the Tamaraws erected a 14-point lead en route to their 6th win in 9 starts.
For the second time, Rabeh Al-Hussaini outshone reigning MVP and UST counterpart Jervy Cruz as the 6-foot-6 center tallied 24 points and five rebounds.
"Our top two players really played well, they really made some crucial shots in the end," said Ateneo coach Norman Black. "UST still hurt us on the boards but we were able to shoot a high percentage from the floor which really helped us out."
Black, however, remained cautious about their efforts before the end of the season.
"The key is that we understand that we are the best team but we have to play our A game every time, it’s not time for us to be confident," said Black. "Our aim is to get into the Final Four and play our best game come September."
To underscore his strength down low, Al-Hussaini converted 10 consecutive points at one point as Ateneo eventually took a 63-55 lead in the third while Tiu had 11 in the final canto, most of them from the stripe as the the Blue Eagles took a 75-62 edge.
That run was aided by a triple from Eric Salamat with 2:21 left in the game.
Salamat, still hampered by a discolated jaw, made 14 points in 21 minutes off the bench.
Cruz, the reigning Most Valuable Player, finished with 23 points and 18 rebounds, 13 of which came in the first half. Dylan Ababou finished with 17 points but missed four shots from the three-point arc with rookie Clark Bautista nailing 12 markers.
Ateneo grabbed an early 24-11 lead in the second quarter but Cruz and Ababou to combine for 18 points in the second quarter to cut the margin to 38-35 at halftime.
Adolfo, also hauled down 10 rebounds in his 29 minutes of action.
"Natutuwa ako at nagstep-up siya (Adolfo) bilang big man dahil ang daming foul trouble ng mga big men ko," FEU coach Glenn Capacio said.
Benedict Fernandez chipped in 14 points –all in the second half – while pointguard Mark Barroca added 13 markers.
FEU led 32-30 at halftime behind Barroca’s 10 points, but Adolfo and Fernandez conspired for 23 points for a 59-45 advantage in the third.
Adamson fell into a three-way tie for last place with NU and University of the Philippines with similar 2-7 cards.
Mike Galinato led Adamson with 12 points while Colina finished with a double-double of 10 markers and 11 boards.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Ateneo eyes win No. 8
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 14, 2008
Ateneo tries to boost its Final Four bid when it battles University of Santo Tomas even as Far Eastern University hopes to get back into the winning track today in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the Philsports Arena.
The Blue Eagles improved their record to 7-1 after getting back at the Tamaraws, 78-74, last Sunday, in a performance that would serve them well when they clash with the Tigers at 4 p.m.
"I’m expecting that we probably play a lot better," Black said. "We don’t seem to play very well when we have a one week break which we just had so it’s just nice to be able to have a game after last Sunday."
Clashing in the opening game at 2 p.m. are the Tamaraws and the Adamson Falcons with the Morayta-based squad aching to end a two-game slump after winning five of their first six games.
Black expects another tough and exciting battle with the Tigers whom they beat 64-57 in the first round.
Team captain Chris Tiu and reserve guard Eric Salamat are expected to show their stuff anew together with Rookie of the Year favorite Ryan Buenafe.
On the other side, UST mentor Pido Jarencio is hoping that his team can pull off an upset this time against the Eagles.
"Sana maka-tsamba," said Jarencio. "Alam naman natin ang Ateneo malakas this year."
With point guard Japs Cuan back in harness after suffering a torn meniscus, UST will have a complete lineup against the Eagles this time.
Dylan Ababou is out to redeem himself from a miserable shooting performance in their first meeting while Francis Allera and Khasim Mirza are aching to have stellar roles anew.
Expected to provide a subplot is the showdown between reigning MVP Jervy Cruz of UST and Rabeh Al-Hussaini of Ateneo in the shaded area.
Just like the 6-foot-4 Ababou, Cruz is also expected to go all-out after being held to just eight points and 15 boards in their first-round encounter. Cruz was brilliant in the team’s 97-83 win over the Falcons last Sunday as he tallied 29 points and 15 rebounds.
"He’s the MVP, he’s unstoppable, last time we were able to stop him and we just imagine that he has a lot of revenge coming into his mind," Black said of Cruz.
Ateneo tries to boost its Final Four bid when it battles University of Santo Tomas even as Far Eastern University hopes to get back into the winning track today in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the Philsports Arena.
The Blue Eagles improved their record to 7-1 after getting back at the Tamaraws, 78-74, last Sunday, in a performance that would serve them well when they clash with the Tigers at 4 p.m.
"I’m expecting that we probably play a lot better," Black said. "We don’t seem to play very well when we have a one week break which we just had so it’s just nice to be able to have a game after last Sunday."
Clashing in the opening game at 2 p.m. are the Tamaraws and the Adamson Falcons with the Morayta-based squad aching to end a two-game slump after winning five of their first six games.
Black expects another tough and exciting battle with the Tigers whom they beat 64-57 in the first round.
Team captain Chris Tiu and reserve guard Eric Salamat are expected to show their stuff anew together with Rookie of the Year favorite Ryan Buenafe.
On the other side, UST mentor Pido Jarencio is hoping that his team can pull off an upset this time against the Eagles.
"Sana maka-tsamba," said Jarencio. "Alam naman natin ang Ateneo malakas this year."
With point guard Japs Cuan back in harness after suffering a torn meniscus, UST will have a complete lineup against the Eagles this time.
Dylan Ababou is out to redeem himself from a miserable shooting performance in their first meeting while Francis Allera and Khasim Mirza are aching to have stellar roles anew.
Expected to provide a subplot is the showdown between reigning MVP Jervy Cruz of UST and Rabeh Al-Hussaini of Ateneo in the shaded area.
Just like the 6-foot-4 Ababou, Cruz is also expected to go all-out after being held to just eight points and 15 boards in their first-round encounter. Cruz was brilliant in the team’s 97-83 win over the Falcons last Sunday as he tallied 29 points and 15 rebounds.
"He’s the MVP, he’s unstoppable, last time we were able to stop him and we just imagine that he has a lot of revenge coming into his mind," Black said of Cruz.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Archers demolish Maroons
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 11, 2008
Reigning champion De La Salle shook off a slow start to beat University of the Philppines, 81-61, and firm up its hold of second place in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.
Rico Maierhofer came off the bench to score 19 points as the Archers, who also drew big games from the usually reliable JV Casio, James Mangahas and Peejay Barua, improved their record to 7-2.
The 6-foot-6 Maierhofer also grabbed 13 rebounds in 22 minutes of action while Casio and Mangahas chipped in 17 and 16 points, respectively. Barua tallied 10 markers.
In the second game, University of the East went full throttle in the final half to crush National University, 67-50.
Former PBL slam-dunk champion Elmer Espiritu and Hans Thiele led the Red Warriors’ charge, scoring 13 and 11 points, most of them in the last two frames to pull away from a tight first half action.
The 6-foot-5 Thiele and 6-foot-4 Espiritu combined for 27 boards as the Warriors improved to 5-4.
With the score tied at 19 at halftime, the Warriors broke the game wide apart by unloading 16 straight points. They even padded their lead to 20 late in the payoff period.
"We were too tight in the first half but naging relaxed sila in the second half," said UE coach Dindo Pumaren. "The difference of this game and the last was nakagawa kami ng mga stops unlike noong last game."
La Salle led by only four points at halftime before Maierhofer and Mangahas combined for 14 points to stretch their lead to 59-48.
Barua also contributed eight in the final period to complete the dominating performance in the final half.
"Actually it’s not the start that we really wanted to achieve, we were flat from the start, we just came off a tough game against UE. It’s a good thing that the veterans took over the game," said La Salle coach Franz Pumaren.
Martin Reyes led UP in a losing effort with 21 points and five rebounds with Woody Co and Jay Agbayani nailing nine markers apiece.
The Maroons, this year’s hosts, fell to 2-7.
Trailing 7-5 early in the game, the Archers made a 14-2 blast with Maierhofer scoring the last 10 to take a 19-9 first quarter advantage.
The Maroons rallied to within 30-34 as Co and Reyes combined for 13 points. Kevin Astorga and Magi Sison also contributed in the second quarter to make the contest look exciting.
But the excitement UP supporters had hoped never materialized as Maierhofer and company started to impose their will. Maierhofer highlighted his impressive performance by making two of three tries from the three-point area.
Reigning champion De La Salle shook off a slow start to beat University of the Philppines, 81-61, and firm up its hold of second place in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.
Rico Maierhofer came off the bench to score 19 points as the Archers, who also drew big games from the usually reliable JV Casio, James Mangahas and Peejay Barua, improved their record to 7-2.
The 6-foot-6 Maierhofer also grabbed 13 rebounds in 22 minutes of action while Casio and Mangahas chipped in 17 and 16 points, respectively. Barua tallied 10 markers.
In the second game, University of the East went full throttle in the final half to crush National University, 67-50.
Former PBL slam-dunk champion Elmer Espiritu and Hans Thiele led the Red Warriors’ charge, scoring 13 and 11 points, most of them in the last two frames to pull away from a tight first half action.
The 6-foot-5 Thiele and 6-foot-4 Espiritu combined for 27 boards as the Warriors improved to 5-4.
With the score tied at 19 at halftime, the Warriors broke the game wide apart by unloading 16 straight points. They even padded their lead to 20 late in the payoff period.
"We were too tight in the first half but naging relaxed sila in the second half," said UE coach Dindo Pumaren. "The difference of this game and the last was nakagawa kami ng mga stops unlike noong last game."
La Salle led by only four points at halftime before Maierhofer and Mangahas combined for 14 points to stretch their lead to 59-48.
Barua also contributed eight in the final period to complete the dominating performance in the final half.
"Actually it’s not the start that we really wanted to achieve, we were flat from the start, we just came off a tough game against UE. It’s a good thing that the veterans took over the game," said La Salle coach Franz Pumaren.
Martin Reyes led UP in a losing effort with 21 points and five rebounds with Woody Co and Jay Agbayani nailing nine markers apiece.
The Maroons, this year’s hosts, fell to 2-7.
Trailing 7-5 early in the game, the Archers made a 14-2 blast with Maierhofer scoring the last 10 to take a 19-9 first quarter advantage.
The Maroons rallied to within 30-34 as Co and Reyes combined for 13 points. Kevin Astorga and Magi Sison also contributed in the second quarter to make the contest look exciting.
But the excitement UP supporters had hoped never materialized as Maierhofer and company started to impose their will. Maierhofer highlighted his impressive performance by making two of three tries from the three-point area.
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