By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - September 10, 2008
The time has come for Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Ateneo’s six-foot-four center.
After playing second fiddle to the likes of Doug Kramer and Ford Arao in his first three seasons, Al-Hussaini rose to become the Blue Eagles’ top performer and strong candidate for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
His strong performance helped the Eagles top the eliminations in the UAAP basketball tournament with a 13-1 win-loss record.
Al-Hussaini currently trails University of Santo Tomas’ Jervy Cruz in the statistical points’ race with an average of 71.1429, almost four points behind the 75.0714 points Cruz amassed.
Appearing in all 14 games of the double-round elims, Al-Hussaini averaged 18 points a game, second to Cruz in that category, along with 9.6 rebounds, third in the league.
Winning the MVP, however, is not Al-Hussaini’s priority.
"Sa akin naman hindi ko iniisip ang manalo ng MVP," he said. "Basta ang importante ay yung makapagchampion kami kasi noong high school ako hindi ako nakapagchampion gusto ko naman sa college, kung may award na dumating bonus na yun."
Ateneo coach Norman Black believes that Al-Hussaini has a strong chance to garner the MVP title, although he concedes that Jervy Cruz of University of Santo Tomas would be a tough obstacle to overcome.
"I think he has played enough to garner to award but Jervy Cruz is a tough competition," said Black.
Before suiting up for the Eagles, Al-Hussaini honed his skills in the NCAA junior tournament where he played for the Philippine Christian University.
PCU, however, did not come close to challenge the supremacy of the San Beda Red Cubs.
In his first three UAAP seasons, Al-Hussaini normed just 6.1 points and five rebounds in 32 games.
This season, however, Al-Hussaini blossomed into Ateneo’s biggest scoring threat.
Against University of the East, Al-Hussaini nailed 18 points and 17 as the Eagles trounced the Warriors, 64-58.
"I played a bad game the previous game so sinabi sa akin ni coach na kailangan kumuha ako ng offensive rebounds to pass the ball so I pushed myself more.
"Ginawa ko lang yung sinabi ni coach kasi I played a bad game so I pushed myself more kaya kailangan ko grab ng offensive rebounds and pass the ball," he said after that game.
His most notable performance came on July 31 when he dropped 33 points, the most by any player this season, and grabbed 20 rebounds last July 31.
But ironically, the Eagles lost, 72-66, to Far Eastern University for the team’s only defeat.
While Ateneo is a strong candidate to win the crown, the task is not yet over for the team as they will meet UE in the Final Four.
Although the Red Warriors are ranked fourth, Al-Hussaini doesn’t count them out.
"Sa Final Four, iba na yung way of playing," said Al-Hussaini. "Yung UE gustong makaisa sa amin. Kami ayaw naming paabot pa sa ganun so feeling namin yung game against them ay magiging intense at more of a defensive game."
Custom Search
Showing posts with label T - ADMU Blue Eagles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label T - ADMU Blue Eagles. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Archers play for win, Eagles for pride
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - September 6, 2008
It will be a no-bearing game for top semifinalist Ateneo when it tangles with archrival De La Salle University today, but expect the Eagles to battle the Archers as though a championship is at stake as the elimination round of the UAAP basketball tournament comes to fitting close at the Araneta Coliseum.
While the Blue Eagles have nothing to lose but pride in their 4 p.m. encounter, the stakes will be higher for the Archers who will be eyeing the No. 2 spot and the second twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals.
Nothing will make Ateneo happier than beating their arch enemy. A loss for the Archers means they will have to face the Far Eastern University Tamaraws for the last twice-to-beat-advantage already enjoyed by the Eagles regardless of the result of today’s game.
Ateneo coach Norman Black acknowledges that his team has nothing to gain or lose in today’s duel but he expects them to play their best against La Salle.
"It’s La Salle-Ateneo so there’s always the pressure to win," said Black. "Whether it’s a no-bearing game or not, our supporters would love us to beat La Salle so I know it’s going to be a bearing game for them (fans) and it may not be a bearing game for us but we’ll just try our best to win."
The Eagles are set to meet University of the East in the Final 4 needing only one win to secure a finals berth.
Ateneo will be bannered by Most Valuable Player candidate Rabeh Al-Hussaini along with team skipper Chris Tiu, reserve guard Eric Salamat, and rookie Ryan Buenafe.
As for the Green Archers, all they need to do is to win in order to secure second spot in the Final Four after Far Eastern University suffered a 73-61 defeat to University of the East last Thursday.
Franz Pumaren is expected to be back to coach the team in today’s game after his stint with the RP Youth squad in the FIBA Asia Youth Championships in Tehran, Iran where he led the Filipino cagers to a quarterfinals berth.
In Pumaren’s absence, Jack Santiago, a former PBA cager before being tapped as La Salle’s assistant coach six years ago, steered the Archers to two close victories over University of Santo Tomas and Adamson University.
"It’s a good experience for me pero sabi ko nga sa mga boys sana wag nila sana akong pakabahin ng ganun because it's going to be hard for myself," Santiago said.
As for the match against the Blue Eagles, Santiago hopes that the team would not suffer the same problems it had in the last two games.
"I told them that we’re running away from our system. Some defensive and offensive plays, hindi ginagawa," Santiago said. "I mean come big games like against Ateneo, we cannot have these kinds of mistakes."
In hopes of winning this time against their rivals, Mythical Five candidates JV Casio and Rico Maierhofer are expected to give their all while role players Peejay Barua and James Mangahas will also have to produce well.
Meanwhile, UST aims to end its season on a winning note when it tangles with University of the Philippines in the 2 p.m. opener.
It will be a no-bearing game for top semifinalist Ateneo when it tangles with archrival De La Salle University today, but expect the Eagles to battle the Archers as though a championship is at stake as the elimination round of the UAAP basketball tournament comes to fitting close at the Araneta Coliseum.
While the Blue Eagles have nothing to lose but pride in their 4 p.m. encounter, the stakes will be higher for the Archers who will be eyeing the No. 2 spot and the second twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals.
Nothing will make Ateneo happier than beating their arch enemy. A loss for the Archers means they will have to face the Far Eastern University Tamaraws for the last twice-to-beat-advantage already enjoyed by the Eagles regardless of the result of today’s game.
Ateneo coach Norman Black acknowledges that his team has nothing to gain or lose in today’s duel but he expects them to play their best against La Salle.
"It’s La Salle-Ateneo so there’s always the pressure to win," said Black. "Whether it’s a no-bearing game or not, our supporters would love us to beat La Salle so I know it’s going to be a bearing game for them (fans) and it may not be a bearing game for us but we’ll just try our best to win."
The Eagles are set to meet University of the East in the Final 4 needing only one win to secure a finals berth.
Ateneo will be bannered by Most Valuable Player candidate Rabeh Al-Hussaini along with team skipper Chris Tiu, reserve guard Eric Salamat, and rookie Ryan Buenafe.
As for the Green Archers, all they need to do is to win in order to secure second spot in the Final Four after Far Eastern University suffered a 73-61 defeat to University of the East last Thursday.
Franz Pumaren is expected to be back to coach the team in today’s game after his stint with the RP Youth squad in the FIBA Asia Youth Championships in Tehran, Iran where he led the Filipino cagers to a quarterfinals berth.
In Pumaren’s absence, Jack Santiago, a former PBA cager before being tapped as La Salle’s assistant coach six years ago, steered the Archers to two close victories over University of Santo Tomas and Adamson University.
"It’s a good experience for me pero sabi ko nga sa mga boys sana wag nila sana akong pakabahin ng ganun because it's going to be hard for myself," Santiago said.
As for the match against the Blue Eagles, Santiago hopes that the team would not suffer the same problems it had in the last two games.
"I told them that we’re running away from our system. Some defensive and offensive plays, hindi ginagawa," Santiago said. "I mean come big games like against Ateneo, we cannot have these kinds of mistakes."
In hopes of winning this time against their rivals, Mythical Five candidates JV Casio and Rico Maierhofer are expected to give their all while role players Peejay Barua and James Mangahas will also have to produce well.
Meanwhile, UST aims to end its season on a winning note when it tangles with University of the Philippines in the 2 p.m. opener.
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.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Eagles near No. 1 spot
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 25, 2008
Ateneo remained perfect in the second round of elimination yesterday as the Eagles demolished the University of the Philippines Maroons, 79-58, to clinch at least a playoff for one of the two twice-to-beat berths in the Final 4 of the UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
After surviving the huge challenge of the Maroons in the first two quarters, the Eagles went full throttle in the payoff period to pull away for good for their 11th win that moved them to within a win of securing the No. 1 spot in the semifinals.
With an 11-1 card, the Eagles, who will face the National University Bulldogs on Saturday, need only one more win to secure the top spot and the twice-to-beat advantage that goes with it. The Eagles are 2 ½ games ahead of co-second placers Far Eastern University and De La Salle, both with 8-3 records.
The second placer after the double-round elims also enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage in the semis.
In the second game, University of the East bounced back from a heart-breaking overtime loss to Ateneo by downing Adamson, 58-45, to improve to 7-4.
Paul Zamar and veteran Marcy Arellano topscored for the Warriors with 13 points apiece.
The win enabled the Warriors to increase their lead over University of Santo Tomas for the last spot in the Final Four to 1 ½ games.
Zamar, son of former UE head coach Boyzie Zamar, shot 6-of-10 from the field, while adding four rebounds in 28 minutes of play.
So tough was UE’s defense that no player in Adamson’s side scored in double figures.
Ateneo led only by eight points at halftime, 36-28, but center Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Chris Tiu came through with inspired plays to spark the decisive breakaway and extend the Eagles’ win streak to six, their longest in years.
They won their first five games in the first round before absorbing a stinging 72-66 loss to Far Eastern University.
Al-Hussaini led Ateneo with 24 points and 17 rebounds, his fourth double-double performance of the season, while Tiu finished with 14 markers.
Tiu highlighted his brilliant game by producing a season-high 10 assists – the most by any player in the league since NU’s Jason Malcontento made 11 in the team’s 95-86 loss to UP on August 3, 2006.
Ateneo coach Norman Black also credited his second unit for stepping up big after some of the team’s key players played lackadaisically this time.
"I was very happy with our performance in the second half, especially with the second team," said Black. "I’ve been wanting to them to pick up their game and they were able to separate from UP which I think was important, so hats off to my second team today."
Ateneo struggled in the first 20 minutes as Woody Co scored all his 10 points in the first half while Magi Sison and Migs de Asis added six apiece that saw the Maroons trail by only point in the first quarter and eight at the half.
"First half, I thought our teamwork was bad, they (Maroons) were helping defensively and our ball movement was bad in the first half, we weren’t sharing the ball, everybody wanted to shoot," Black said.
"At halftime, we talked about it, we’ve been an unselfish team the entire year let’s not start to change now, we have been a little success. So in the second half, we tried to get back playing more as a team which basically what came down," he added.
The Blue Eagles’ biggest lead came at 27 points after Luis Gonzaga buried a triple with under a minute left in the game, 79-52.
Ateneo remained perfect in the second round of elimination yesterday as the Eagles demolished the University of the Philippines Maroons, 79-58, to clinch at least a playoff for one of the two twice-to-beat berths in the Final 4 of the UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
After surviving the huge challenge of the Maroons in the first two quarters, the Eagles went full throttle in the payoff period to pull away for good for their 11th win that moved them to within a win of securing the No. 1 spot in the semifinals.
With an 11-1 card, the Eagles, who will face the National University Bulldogs on Saturday, need only one more win to secure the top spot and the twice-to-beat advantage that goes with it. The Eagles are 2 ½ games ahead of co-second placers Far Eastern University and De La Salle, both with 8-3 records.
The second placer after the double-round elims also enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage in the semis.
In the second game, University of the East bounced back from a heart-breaking overtime loss to Ateneo by downing Adamson, 58-45, to improve to 7-4.
Paul Zamar and veteran Marcy Arellano topscored for the Warriors with 13 points apiece.
The win enabled the Warriors to increase their lead over University of Santo Tomas for the last spot in the Final Four to 1 ½ games.
Zamar, son of former UE head coach Boyzie Zamar, shot 6-of-10 from the field, while adding four rebounds in 28 minutes of play.
So tough was UE’s defense that no player in Adamson’s side scored in double figures.
Ateneo led only by eight points at halftime, 36-28, but center Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Chris Tiu came through with inspired plays to spark the decisive breakaway and extend the Eagles’ win streak to six, their longest in years.
They won their first five games in the first round before absorbing a stinging 72-66 loss to Far Eastern University.
Al-Hussaini led Ateneo with 24 points and 17 rebounds, his fourth double-double performance of the season, while Tiu finished with 14 markers.
Tiu highlighted his brilliant game by producing a season-high 10 assists – the most by any player in the league since NU’s Jason Malcontento made 11 in the team’s 95-86 loss to UP on August 3, 2006.
Ateneo coach Norman Black also credited his second unit for stepping up big after some of the team’s key players played lackadaisically this time.
"I was very happy with our performance in the second half, especially with the second team," said Black. "I’ve been wanting to them to pick up their game and they were able to separate from UP which I think was important, so hats off to my second team today."
Ateneo struggled in the first 20 minutes as Woody Co scored all his 10 points in the first half while Magi Sison and Migs de Asis added six apiece that saw the Maroons trail by only point in the first quarter and eight at the half.
"First half, I thought our teamwork was bad, they (Maroons) were helping defensively and our ball movement was bad in the first half, we weren’t sharing the ball, everybody wanted to shoot," Black said.
"At halftime, we talked about it, we’ve been an unselfish team the entire year let’s not start to change now, we have been a little success. So in the second half, we tried to get back playing more as a team which basically what came down," he added.
The Blue Eagles’ biggest lead came at 27 points after Luis Gonzaga buried a triple with under a minute left in the game, 79-52.
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
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: 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
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
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.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sweet revenge for Blue Eagles
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 10, 2008
Ateneo survived a late rally by Far Eastern University to eke out a vengeful 78-74 win and remain on top in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.
The Blue Eagles pulled away in the second half with a huge 15-point cushion before warding off a late rally by the Tamaraws down the stretch to improve their win-loss record to 7-1.
"We really concentrated on our defensive rebounds because we gave FEU a lot of offensive rebounds," said Ateneo coach Norman Black. "They made a rally but luckily we have enough energy to hang on and get the win."
In the first game, University of Santo Tomas rode on the heroics of Jervy Cruz to open its second round assignments with a 97-83 victory over the struggling Adamson University.
Cruz, the reigning Most Valuable Player and the top player in the statistical points race after the first round, scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as he led four Tigers in double figures.
Eric Salamat, who dislocated his jaw in their victory against UST last Sunday, had a strong game off the bench for Ateneo with 18 points as he hit of 4-of-5 from way beyond the arc.
Chris Tiu and Rabeh Al-Hussaini contributed 16 points each while rookie sensation Ryan Buenafe chipped in 10 markers.
Salamat, a former San Sebastian Staglet, hit 10 points in a huge 15-3 blast bridging the third and fourth periods as Ateneo grabbed a commanding 67-52 lead with 8:10 left in the game.
But FEU made a huge run towards the end as Benedict Fernandez and Mark Barroca joined forces to cut Ateneo’s lead down to just two, 76-74, with 1:03 remaining.
However, Al-Hussaini scored off Riel Cervantes at the post with 51.9 ticks to go to seal the final score.
Cervantes led the Tamaraws with 14 points and six rebounds as they dropped their second straight game to fall to 5-3. Paul Sanga and Fernandez made 13 and 11 points apiece.
Ateneo erased a 27-19 deficit to take a 36-33 halftime margin off a triple by Jai Reyes at the buzzer.
The victory allowed UST to tie University of the East in the fourth spot with similar 4-4 win-loss record.
Mark Canlas chipped in 13 points and 10 rebounds while Clark Bautista had another sterling performance with 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the three-point area.
"Dalawa lang naman sinabi ko sa mga bata, desire tapos yung commitment. Talagang dapat every game ibigay nila lahat, kapag meron yung tingin ko matibay kami kaya from the start pa lang aggressive kami," UST mentor Pido Jarencio said .
Meanwhile, defending champion De La Salle-Zobel stretched its unbeaten streak in juniors hostilities by defeating UST, 65-56, at the Blue Eagle gym.
Nico Elorde and Luis dela Paz led the Bengals with 14 and 13 points, respectively, while Matthew Capacio tallied 12 points and eight rebounds as DLSZ extended its win run to 8.
In the other juniors’ contest, National University defeated winless UPIS, 75-69, to improve to a 3-5 slate while handing the Pages their eighth straight setback.
UST took its biggest lead of the game at 20 points, 32-12, during the second quarter.
Cruz hit 12 markers in the first half to help the Tigers grab the comfortable 44-29 halftime lead.
But the Falcons slowly trimmed down the lead to five, 49-44, as Jerick Canada hit a fastbreak layup with 6:14 to go in the third frame.
The Espana-based dribblers, however, countered with an 11-3 run which was capped by Bautista’s triple to push the Falcons back in a shouting distance, 60-47, with 3:52 left.
While Adamson pulled closer at the end of the third, 70-61, the Tigers sealed the win as Cruz scored 11 points while Canlas tallied six markers in that final canto.
Big man Jan Colina and Paul Gonzalgo led the chare with 20 points apiece while Canada produced 15 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists for the Falcons who dropped to 2-4 to join host University of the Philippines and National University at the cellar.
UST point guard Japs Cuan played his first game since suffering a torn meniscus and made two points in eight minutes.
Ateneo survived a late rally by Far Eastern University to eke out a vengeful 78-74 win and remain on top in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.
The Blue Eagles pulled away in the second half with a huge 15-point cushion before warding off a late rally by the Tamaraws down the stretch to improve their win-loss record to 7-1.
"We really concentrated on our defensive rebounds because we gave FEU a lot of offensive rebounds," said Ateneo coach Norman Black. "They made a rally but luckily we have enough energy to hang on and get the win."
In the first game, University of Santo Tomas rode on the heroics of Jervy Cruz to open its second round assignments with a 97-83 victory over the struggling Adamson University.
Cruz, the reigning Most Valuable Player and the top player in the statistical points race after the first round, scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as he led four Tigers in double figures.
Eric Salamat, who dislocated his jaw in their victory against UST last Sunday, had a strong game off the bench for Ateneo with 18 points as he hit of 4-of-5 from way beyond the arc.
Chris Tiu and Rabeh Al-Hussaini contributed 16 points each while rookie sensation Ryan Buenafe chipped in 10 markers.
Salamat, a former San Sebastian Staglet, hit 10 points in a huge 15-3 blast bridging the third and fourth periods as Ateneo grabbed a commanding 67-52 lead with 8:10 left in the game.
But FEU made a huge run towards the end as Benedict Fernandez and Mark Barroca joined forces to cut Ateneo’s lead down to just two, 76-74, with 1:03 remaining.
However, Al-Hussaini scored off Riel Cervantes at the post with 51.9 ticks to go to seal the final score.
Cervantes led the Tamaraws with 14 points and six rebounds as they dropped their second straight game to fall to 5-3. Paul Sanga and Fernandez made 13 and 11 points apiece.
Ateneo erased a 27-19 deficit to take a 36-33 halftime margin off a triple by Jai Reyes at the buzzer.
The victory allowed UST to tie University of the East in the fourth spot with similar 4-4 win-loss record.
Mark Canlas chipped in 13 points and 10 rebounds while Clark Bautista had another sterling performance with 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the three-point area.
"Dalawa lang naman sinabi ko sa mga bata, desire tapos yung commitment. Talagang dapat every game ibigay nila lahat, kapag meron yung tingin ko matibay kami kaya from the start pa lang aggressive kami," UST mentor Pido Jarencio said .
Meanwhile, defending champion De La Salle-Zobel stretched its unbeaten streak in juniors hostilities by defeating UST, 65-56, at the Blue Eagle gym.
Nico Elorde and Luis dela Paz led the Bengals with 14 and 13 points, respectively, while Matthew Capacio tallied 12 points and eight rebounds as DLSZ extended its win run to 8.
In the other juniors’ contest, National University defeated winless UPIS, 75-69, to improve to a 3-5 slate while handing the Pages their eighth straight setback.
UST took its biggest lead of the game at 20 points, 32-12, during the second quarter.
Cruz hit 12 markers in the first half to help the Tigers grab the comfortable 44-29 halftime lead.
But the Falcons slowly trimmed down the lead to five, 49-44, as Jerick Canada hit a fastbreak layup with 6:14 to go in the third frame.
The Espana-based dribblers, however, countered with an 11-3 run which was capped by Bautista’s triple to push the Falcons back in a shouting distance, 60-47, with 3:52 left.
While Adamson pulled closer at the end of the third, 70-61, the Tigers sealed the win as Cruz scored 11 points while Canlas tallied six markers in that final canto.
Big man Jan Colina and Paul Gonzalgo led the chare with 20 points apiece while Canada produced 15 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists for the Falcons who dropped to 2-4 to join host University of the Philippines and National University at the cellar.
UST point guard Japs Cuan played his first game since suffering a torn meniscus and made two points in eight minutes.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Eagles try to get back at Tamaraws
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 9, 2008
Last Thursday, defending champion La Salle and National University got back at their first round tormentors.
League-leading Ateneo hopes to do the same today against Far Eastern University as the Eagles seek to boost their Final Four bid in the UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.
The Blue Eagles were denied of a first-round sweep after losing to the Tamaraws, 72-66, last July 31. But they hope to erase that stigma when they clash with the Tamaraws at 4 p.m.
The Archers beat the University of the East Warriors, 70-62, while the Bulldogs ripped the University of the Philippines Maroons, 72-59.
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas hopes to start its second round campaign on a winning note when it tangles with Adamson University in the 2 p.m. opener.
In FEU’s win over Ateneo, coach Glenn Capacio leaned on big men Riel Cervantes, Aldrech Ramos and Benedict Fernandez who came through with clutch plays to frustrate the Eagles’ sweep bid.
It also negated the monster game of Rabeh Al-Hussaini, who finished with 33 points and 22 rebounds.
Coach Norman Black is expected to make key adjustments to exact sweet revenge.
"We just lost to them, it’s quite fresh in our minds so after the first round we started preparing for this game," Black said.
Aside from Al-Hussaini, who was running second in the statistical points race after the first round, Ateneo will also rely on Chris Tiu, Noy Baclao, and Eric Salamat.
FEU, for its part, hopes to bounce back from a stinging loss to erstwhile winless National University, 69-61.
Meantime, the Tigers relied on leading scorer Dylan Ababou and rookie Clark Bautista to score an 86-80 overtime win over the Falcons.
Despite getting a good review before the start of the tournament, the Tigers could only post a 3-4 record at the end of the first round. They are coming off a 64-57 defeat to Ateneo last Sunday.
Aside from Ababou, Jervy Cruz, last year’s MVP and Francis Allera have to play hard and connect to beat the Falcons again.
Adamson, meanwhile, has dropped its last three games to end the first round with a 2-5 card but coach Leo Austria is hoping that Marc Agustin, Mike Galinato, and Jerick Canada could recover from a scoring slump to reverse their floundering fortunes.
Last Thursday, defending champion La Salle and National University got back at their first round tormentors.
League-leading Ateneo hopes to do the same today against Far Eastern University as the Eagles seek to boost their Final Four bid in the UAAP basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.
The Blue Eagles were denied of a first-round sweep after losing to the Tamaraws, 72-66, last July 31. But they hope to erase that stigma when they clash with the Tamaraws at 4 p.m.
The Archers beat the University of the East Warriors, 70-62, while the Bulldogs ripped the University of the Philippines Maroons, 72-59.
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas hopes to start its second round campaign on a winning note when it tangles with Adamson University in the 2 p.m. opener.
In FEU’s win over Ateneo, coach Glenn Capacio leaned on big men Riel Cervantes, Aldrech Ramos and Benedict Fernandez who came through with clutch plays to frustrate the Eagles’ sweep bid.
It also negated the monster game of Rabeh Al-Hussaini, who finished with 33 points and 22 rebounds.
Coach Norman Black is expected to make key adjustments to exact sweet revenge.
"We just lost to them, it’s quite fresh in our minds so after the first round we started preparing for this game," Black said.
Aside from Al-Hussaini, who was running second in the statistical points race after the first round, Ateneo will also rely on Chris Tiu, Noy Baclao, and Eric Salamat.
FEU, for its part, hopes to bounce back from a stinging loss to erstwhile winless National University, 69-61.
Meantime, the Tigers relied on leading scorer Dylan Ababou and rookie Clark Bautista to score an 86-80 overtime win over the Falcons.
Despite getting a good review before the start of the tournament, the Tigers could only post a 3-4 record at the end of the first round. They are coming off a 64-57 defeat to Ateneo last Sunday.
Aside from Ababou, Jervy Cruz, last year’s MVP and Francis Allera have to play hard and connect to beat the Falcons again.
Adamson, meanwhile, has dropped its last three games to end the first round with a 2-5 card but coach Leo Austria is hoping that Marc Agustin, Mike Galinato, and Jerick Canada could recover from a scoring slump to reverse their floundering fortunes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
