By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - September 5, 2008
University of the East thumped Far Eastern University, 73-61, yesterday to deny the Tamaraws an outright playoff for the second twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals of the UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Red Warriors went on a whirlwind start to open up a 23-8 first quarter lead, stretched this to 16 in the next two periods and then held off a short-lived FEU uprising to end their elimination round assignments with a 9-5 record going to their best-of-three semifinals series with top qualifier Ateneo.
The loss closed out the Tamaraws’ elims record at 10-4 . FEU was eyeing a victory that will give the Tamaraws at least a playoff for the No. 2 spot and the twice-to-beat advantage in their semis battle with De La Salle university.
As it is, FEU is now praying for a La Salle loss to Ateneo tomorrow for a playoff for the coveted No. 2 spot. The Archers are carrying a 10-3 card.
"I’m so proud of my boys for the tremendous effort," said UE coach Dindo Pumaren. "FEU looked scared, every time they bring down the ball parang hirap na hirap sila."
Pari Llagas led UE with 17 points on top of seven rebounds while James Martinez added 16 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the three-point area.
"Hopefully maganda pa rin laro namin pero kumpiyansa ako na maganda itatakbo ng team," said Pumaren who will need to beat the Eagles twice to advance to the finals.
"We’re going up right now, yung peak namin tamang-tama, we made some stops in this game especially coming from Raffy Reyes," Pumaren said. "Madadala namin tong panalo na to sa Final Four."
Benedict Fernandez, who succumbed to cramps late in the fnal period, led FEU with 16 points and four rebounds. Reil Cervantes finished with 10 points and five boards with Aldrech Ramos tallied 10 points and seven caroms.
In the first game, Adamson University wrapped up its campaign with a 68-57 victory to end the season with a 3-11 record.
The Falcons leaned on the efforts of veterans Marc Agustin and Paul Gonzalgo to snap a nine-game losing skid that started during the first round of hostilities.
Agustin and Gonzalgo wrapped up their playing careers with the San Marcelino-based cagers in style as the sons of former PBA cagers tallied 18 and 15 points, respectively.
Undergraduate Jerick Canada added 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals while Alex Nuyles chipped in 10 markers and nine boards.
"I’m happy na hindi kami nakulelat ngayon," said Adamson coach Leo Austria. "People were expecting us to be the darkhorse team pero siguro next season we’ll try our best to get into the Final Four and I think may potential yung team."
"We did our best, pero we came up short but it’s a good lesson for us," added Austria, who reassumed his duties as Falcons’ mentor after leaving the team in 2006 to coach Welcoat in the PBA.
Raymund Aguilar finished with 14 points and nine rebounds as the Bulldogs finished the year with a 2-12 card, losing its final six games. Edwin Asoro, who is also playing his last season, was held to six points on 2-of-8 shooting.
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Showing posts with label T - AdU Soaring Falcons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label T - AdU Soaring Falcons. Show all posts
Friday, September 5, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
La Salle escapes against Adamson
By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - September 1, 2008
La Salle went two-of-two without head coach Franz Pumaren.
But what a experience it was for assistant coach Jack Santiago as the Archers needed an extra five minutes to eke a pulsating 84-79 win over the surprisingly stubborn Adamson squad in the UAAP basketball tournament yesterday at the Philsports.
Last Thursday, the Archers leaned on a late-game heroic of Maui Villanueva to produce a harrowing 81-79 win over University of Santo Tomas.
Those wins were scary but Santiago said they were fulfilling.
"It’s a good experience for me pero sabi ko sa kanina na sana wag nila akong pakabahin dahil mahirap din sa akin," said Santiago, who was visibly nervous during the last two minutes of the regulation.
"I accomplished my mission for coach Franz," said Santiago, still feeling jittery.
Pumaren is out of town calling the shots for RP Youth team in the Asian Youth Championship in Tehran, Iran. He will be back in time for another tense duel with Ateneo on Sunday.
Santiago, who played for six seasons in the PBA before he joined the staff of Pumaren, had to thank LA Revilla this time for bailing them out of trouble.
The rookie guard converted a go-ahead triple with 1:46 to go in the extra session as the Green Archers shattered a 76-76 deadlock. JV Casio and James Mangahas also contributed to dispatch the upset-minded Falcons.
With the win, their 10th in 13 starts, the Archers enhanced their bid for a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final. They are currently tied with idle Far Eastern University, thus making their encounter with Ateneo on Sunday a must-win.
In the second game, University of the East completed the semis cast by ousting 2006 champion University of Santo Tomas, 89-87.
For a while, the Red Warriors appeared headed for a breezy win when they took a 74-50 lead late in the third quarter but the Tigers came through with several spurts that saw them move dangerously within 87-88 with 37 ticks left.
Despite missing 7-of-9 free throws, the Warriuors still survived the Tigers’ onslaught who played minus coach Pido Jarencio in the fourth after being ejected for continues complaining.
The Warriors, who will meet FEU on Saturday, will face the Eagles in the semis.
"Sabi ko nga sa mga boys, a win is a win kahit na gaano kasama ang pagkapanalo namin panalo pa rin," Santiago said.
Casio led La Salle with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists despite shooting 6-of-16 from the field while Rico Maierhofer tallied his fifth double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Mangahas recorded 15 points, including four straight in overtime as La Salle built a 76-73 lead only for Paul Gonzalgo to answer back with a triple at the 2:07 mark.
Gonzalgo scored 23 points on 4-of-10 treys while Marc Agustin made 14 points and five rebounds. It was ninth consecutive defeat for the Falcons to fall to 2-11.
In a game that saw nine deadlocks and eight lead changes, the Falcons took the lead with 1:00 left in regulation on two foul shots by Agustin, 70-68. But Casio scored off several Adamson defenders to tie the contest anew with 43.1 ticks to go.
The Archers had a chance to win the game with 5.7 seconds in the fourth but Revilla failed to convert on a driving lay up.
La Salle went two-of-two without head coach Franz Pumaren.
But what a experience it was for assistant coach Jack Santiago as the Archers needed an extra five minutes to eke a pulsating 84-79 win over the surprisingly stubborn Adamson squad in the UAAP basketball tournament yesterday at the Philsports.
Last Thursday, the Archers leaned on a late-game heroic of Maui Villanueva to produce a harrowing 81-79 win over University of Santo Tomas.
Those wins were scary but Santiago said they were fulfilling.
"It’s a good experience for me pero sabi ko sa kanina na sana wag nila akong pakabahin dahil mahirap din sa akin," said Santiago, who was visibly nervous during the last two minutes of the regulation.
"I accomplished my mission for coach Franz," said Santiago, still feeling jittery.
Pumaren is out of town calling the shots for RP Youth team in the Asian Youth Championship in Tehran, Iran. He will be back in time for another tense duel with Ateneo on Sunday.
Santiago, who played for six seasons in the PBA before he joined the staff of Pumaren, had to thank LA Revilla this time for bailing them out of trouble.
The rookie guard converted a go-ahead triple with 1:46 to go in the extra session as the Green Archers shattered a 76-76 deadlock. JV Casio and James Mangahas also contributed to dispatch the upset-minded Falcons.
With the win, their 10th in 13 starts, the Archers enhanced their bid for a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final. They are currently tied with idle Far Eastern University, thus making their encounter with Ateneo on Sunday a must-win.
In the second game, University of the East completed the semis cast by ousting 2006 champion University of Santo Tomas, 89-87.
For a while, the Red Warriors appeared headed for a breezy win when they took a 74-50 lead late in the third quarter but the Tigers came through with several spurts that saw them move dangerously within 87-88 with 37 ticks left.
Despite missing 7-of-9 free throws, the Warriuors still survived the Tigers’ onslaught who played minus coach Pido Jarencio in the fourth after being ejected for continues complaining.
The Warriors, who will meet FEU on Saturday, will face the Eagles in the semis.
"Sabi ko nga sa mga boys, a win is a win kahit na gaano kasama ang pagkapanalo namin panalo pa rin," Santiago said.
Casio led La Salle with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists despite shooting 6-of-16 from the field while Rico Maierhofer tallied his fifth double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Mangahas recorded 15 points, including four straight in overtime as La Salle built a 76-73 lead only for Paul Gonzalgo to answer back with a triple at the 2:07 mark.
Gonzalgo scored 23 points on 4-of-10 treys while Marc Agustin made 14 points and five rebounds. It was ninth consecutive defeat for the Falcons to fall to 2-11.
In a game that saw nine deadlocks and eight lead changes, the Falcons took the lead with 1:00 left in regulation on two foul shots by Agustin, 70-68. But Casio scored off several Adamson defenders to tie the contest anew with 43.1 ticks to go.
The Archers had a chance to win the game with 5.7 seconds in the fourth but Revilla failed to convert on a driving lay up.
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: 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: 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: 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.
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.
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