NONOY FOR PRESIDENT

Final Flight

2011-10-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Mission accomplished dear NFP followers and Ateneo fans alike. Four straight UAAP championships all done with hard work by the boys in Blue and White. While they say that this year’s crown was ours to lose, I beg to disagree. As challenging as the first three titles have been, this year’s competition was definitely more difficult. All teams, with the exception of UE, have souped up with five-star, four-star recruits who will definitely be making noise in the years to come. We, however are blessed with a team that has a solid core, great recruits, the best coaching staff across the nation, and of course, a tried and battle-tested system.

My heart was literally pounding even as me and my buddies watched the pre-game talk (sadly, we could only host our own viewing party) and labored through Boom and TJ’s “commentating.” I even said out loud, “start the freaking game already!” That’s how anxious I was, everyone was. We’re on the doorstep of history, of immortality, and as Brad Pitt said in Troy, it’s ours to take. And in such fashion did the boys take the offered crown. Not through a tight, heartpounding affair, but through a statement, a thorough beatdown the Ateneo way. The best send-off a team can give its graduating captains. What a sweet final flight it is for Bacon, Kirk and Emman.

The final score read 82-69. People, who obviously hold grudges against the team will just grumble “tambak na naman, ano pang bago? Nabili na ang referee...” and so on. But this was far from an easy game from the get go. The Tams actually led 36-35 during the break thanks to an 18-5 bomb midway through the second period. However, in true Ateneo fashion, the Blue Eagles imposed their will in the third canto, slowly but surely pulling away and disposing off a stubborn FEU side. It seems that Aldrech Ramos was the lone Tamaraw willing to fight. Terrence Romeo was his usual self, which means throwing up a 1 of 15 from the field and building a house. RR Garcia, the MVP that he is (yes, he should’ve been the MVP) showed up but for mere flashes and wasn’t consistent throughout the game. The Emman Monfort (one banner amused me by saying MonFOURTH) puzzle will never be solved by RR or the FEU Tamaraws.

But how on earth did we manage a beatdown? I mean, I was looking forward to a grind out similar to that of last year’s Game 2. Well, I only saw one reason, and it may as well be the conclusion. Norman Black let go of the Phenom’s leash. Yep. I don’t know if it’s only me but... Kiefer was totally calling the shots in that monumental run. He called his number everytime down and Coach B never bat an eyelash. It seemed as if he was goading the Rookie of the Year to show them all what he’s made off. Me and my buddies were howling in delight as he buried Cris Tolomia, Ping Exciminiano, Terrence Romeo and for all that is holy, RR Garcia. He completely toyed with them. Watching him post them up, make a half-spin/dropstep then fadeaway? I must be dreaming but I thought his number was 23 or 24! He completely beasted it out there. That makes the PCCL much more exciting. We’re also gunning for another national title. NATIONAL guys.

5 for the Blue and White (with an additional two, which doesn’t need to be explained):

Kiefer Ravena – Topscoring in a Finals game? No big deal for the Phenom. It just goes to show that he is as good as advertised, and even better. That’s some serious moxie young fella. Total domination of the FEU guards was just too cruel.

Nico Salva – Why hello there Mr. Finals MVP sir. Yet again you proved your mettle and made a point of saying Ateneo doesn’t rely on Kiefer and Greg alone. That when they have a bad day, you will be the constant. One more year Nic. It’s good to end it with a ring to complete your hand, just saying.

Magic Tiongson – Magic indeed. The timing was right for the heir apparent to Emman MonFOURTH. Each of those 11 points were needed as Zags and Chua weren’t that much their effective selves. Besides, making this a stepping stone for your ascendancy? What a way to stage it, in the Finals nonetheless.

Greg Slaughter – Come back next year please big fella. It would be much more fun, not to mention crazier. Imagine a frontline of you, Nic and Ryan. Sheesh, that makes me shiver. Besides, as you said in your “speech,” we welcomed you. Best to pay it back by going for one more run.

Emman Monfort – Cap, I know it’s sort of wrong (in a masculine world such as the Philippines) to say it, but hell I’m going to miss you. You are the champion for little guys, pun intended. You got cut, yet you proved to be our diamond in the rough in the long run. One may say you’d never play at the pro level, but the hell that I care, what matters most is that the Pocket Rocket made #6 so cool in Blue and White. What matters most is that you are the heart and soul of this team. Yes cap, make no mistake, this was your team to command. It was a joy watching you zoom, outwit, outmuscle, outhustle, and win on the sacred floor of SMART Araneta Coliseum all my years in school. This was your swan song, nay, I say, a King Eagle’s song, and what a show you put out there for me. You are a legend cap. And you may have not noticed me, but I was a seatmate back in Sir Sev’s Public Relations class. Cheered my heart out for the Pocket Rocket, just so you know.

Kirk Long – As my favorite NBA team, the Chicago Bulls, had a Captain Kirk who defended to the death and was an absolute team player, we also have our own Captain Kirk. Entering the Loyola Schools the same time as I did, even being classmates in Public Relations under Sir Sev, I was wondering how good a ballplayer Kirk was. I thought he was a beast-it-out type of guard who could bury his defender at will. He was not, and while I was partially dismayed, he excelled at the other side of the court, the side which I love: defense. Nothing feels as great as shutting down your opponent on the court, more so if he’s the main man. And that’s what captain Kirk does. He does it without question, without complaints, without doubt. There’ll only be one Kirk Long, dogged defender, nightmares of wing scorers, but I know for sure, there’ll be others who will take up the mantle with gusto.

Bacon Austria – This guy was such a beast back in our days in Ateneo High School. Everyone always asked, when it’s time for intramurals and sportsfests, will Bacon play? Being in the same batch as he, I was sure freaking scared. This is not to downplay our own Carlo Balmaceda, but Bacs was just a different beast. He outscored the NU Bullpups in one whole quarter by himself during our last year in High School. He was the epitome of “Ang bumangga, giba!” Together with Tonino, he punished the FEU Baby Tams’ frontline that boasted of Mark Lopez and Soc Rivera (where the hell is this guy?). Sure, his stellar Juniors career didn’t elevate as much as we, his batchmates, hoped, but it was not that bad. He made do with what Coach B had in store for him. He never questioned it. He never rebelled from it. He never complained. He knows what it takes to be a winner. I’m sure you can recapture your old magic if you decide to test the waters Bacs. You just played within the system since you know it’s what will give you the thing you desire the most: a championship. And oh, you weren’t only gifted with a championship, you were gifted with four. Mike G might be regretting his decision to go to UP now but that’s just the way it is.

And so another basketball season in the UAAP has come and gone, and we still are kings of the hill. As to how long our reign will end, that I cannot answer with certainty. But as long as the Blue and the White, with the Eagles in flight, I know Ateneo will fight everyday. I cannot, in earnest write a better feature for our captains as of the moment, but I’m sure, our thanks will go beyond words and they will understand it. Oh how I would give anything to hear the mass at the Church of Gesu like I did three championships ago, but alas, time presses me to meet deadlines. The next time Ateneo basketball will make news, Blue and White faithful, is when our boys are duking it out for a National title. Winning that, will be the cherry on top for the captains, especially the legend of Emman MonFOURTH. And when it is done and over with, the smell of burning wood suffusing our nostrils, someone familiar will be saying on the stage, “Basta alam ko next year, Drive for Five tayo.”

GO ATENEO!

ONE BIG FIGHT!

By mr. Orange

photo from fabilioh.com

Game Dubs and Headlines: Ateneo vs FEU (Final Game 2)

2011-10-05T05:25:00.000-07:00

Utot ng champion.

Meron bang makakatalo sa Ateneo? what say you?

Para sa nagdududa.

Emman: Little bro, are you alright? Are you crying? Or is that just a sparkle in your eyes?

Kiefer: Ano coach? Batukan ko na to?

Coach Norman: Beeleesun mow hubung nukuteengeen pu luhat kay Chris Tiu.

Hand, Y U NO MISS ?

Greg, apir!

Romeo: San Bonfire?

Juami: Dun...

I love you Coach.

Romeo: Kirk, stay away! Greg is my Juliet.

Jeric: *to self* Yes... ako na next...

Ramos! TROLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!

FINISH LINE

OBF! SEE YOU AT THE BONFIRE FELLAS!

Season 74 UAAP Men’s Srs Champions, again.

2011-10-02T05:02:00.000-07:00

Ateneo vs FEU

Game 2, FINALS

82-69 (DOMINATING WIN)

Four straight UAAP crowns and on the verge of stamping its name in history, Ateneo was simply in a class of its own this year. No one even came close.

Winning never gets old.

For the Haters

Vindication.

It took 17 games to prove that Ateneo deserves to be on top. All the doubters, naysayers and fools who have, all season long, accused the University of cheating and rigging games can just go suck balls. You guys don’t know shit about basketball. Go develop your own basketball programs before you even dare challenge the most dominant collegiate team in the country right now.

For the next 9-10 months, Ateneo de Manila will be reining Champions and just like the past 3 seasons, you can just weep in your rooms and wish you were invited to the celebrations.

For the Fans

Guys, once again we have proven that the Ateneo crowd can have as much impact on the season as it can on one single game. Looking back, that game against FEU in the 2^nd round, being down by 16, the heart of both the team and the crowd was tested and both came through. That game was testament to why NFP has always lobbied for the real fans to show up each game. We may not be playing on the court, but we’ve been dominating our own cheering match on the stands. It is when real fans are full force that we are able to rebut even the wildest of Waves. Next season should be interesting as more and more fans are getting into the role of pumping-up the crowd.

Props to the guys behind the “Ateneo Make Some Noise” sign during the FEU match who kept cheering even when everyone else had stopped. We’d like to also send props to the high school boys from yesterday’s game who were simply explosive. Please pass the ACET and bring your rowdiness in college. We need more badboys who won’t let up in cheering.

To everyone else, let’s bring it next season. We be crazzzzzy.

For the Graduating Players

I will probably miss Emman the most. No offense to the other point guards, but Emman is undoubtedly the most humble point guard Ateneo has had since Paul Tanchi. His talent is one thing but his heart is what endears him to many

Emman’s play is a product of how his whole experience in the team. Like in last night’s final speech Emman says in his Tagalog-Englsih speak, “ To all my coaches, here is your end product” gesturing to his whole body, to the delight and laughter of many. But it was a clear indicator of how he gives glory back to those who have given him trust. He could have easily said that he had natural talent and his hard work has brought him where he is right now. Instead, he acknowledges the people who have helped him be the “man” that he is; teammates, coaches, family and friends.

He may not be the biggest, most athletic, highest scoring, most charismatic guard in town, but he sure knows how to play and play to win he does. League leading in steals, assists and free throw percentage. (More Emman on the seniors’ tribute by NFP)

Captain Kirk said in his final speech last night, “…I never thought this day would come”…and so did many of us. I mean, Kirk was part of this dynasty and his significance goes beyond the total number of points he has scored in his whole UAAP career. His seamless transition from being an offensive player to the defensive juggernaut that he is now has given us at NFP even much more respect for him. Like Baclao and Salamat, Kirk has mastered the art of intimidation through sheer hustle and lock-down defense. I’d think twice before I put the ball on the floor if Kirk was guarding me. Heck, even the passing lanes were closed out as easily. Kirk has become Ateneo’s defensive anchor as he has obviously taken the mantra of “defense wins ballgames” to heart.

Bacon. Bacon. Bacon… It’s been a love-hate relationship between you and I. We at NFP have been in constant battle with trying to defend you for your inconsistent play. This is only because we know you are better than what people see. Nevertheless, you are a proven champion and we appreciate the pockets of brilliance you have provided the team in your 5-year service. You got 4 collegiate rings to back up your rich history in Ateneo, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were indeed included in the Ateneo Hall of Fame for having the most championships as a blue-baller. You may not have been MVP in the collegiate ranks, but you’ve definitely achieved more than most basketball players have in their lifetime. So stay competitive and push your own boundaries, you are a warrior.

To be continued….

---MMPKP

Photos from fabilioh.com

10

2011-09-29T23:17:00.000-07:00

10 was the number Dennis Rodman wore during his Bad Boys days. He was a defensive demon as well a monster on rebounds.

10 was the deficit yesterday before someone jump-started the whole team.

10 is the jersey number that someone wore.

Everything would not have been possible without JP Erram. Yes, make no mistake, JP Erram played big when it all mattered most. And no, this isn’t the first time, this is his second straight Finals appearance and he played not meaningful, but significant minutes.

As much as the hullabaloo regarding El Tres Aguilas, this is still a team that relies on every single player down that bench. As much as El Tres Aguilas have been an offensive juggernaut, they would not have made it this far with players who played their role to the hilt. The likes of our Captains: Kirk, Bacon, then there’s Emman, Zags, Chua and even if I am an Oping fan (I would want for the guy to break out), Erram has solidified his presence.

After hitting their first three field goals, Ateneo suddenly groped for form in the latter stages of the first quarter and the early second canto. Our big guys were reluctant to get out on the picks to blitz the FEU guards fearing Carl Cruz and Aldrech Ramos might sneak inside. Romeo feasted on that, much to my dismay. Enter JP Erram. Here we got an agile big man, light on his feet, quick on his wits. Cris Tolomia (who from now on I shall call “Smooth”) thought he was in a free lane for a lay-up. Not missing a beat, Erram swooped from the three-point line where his man was to deny Smooth a deuce emphatically. The rest as they say was history.

As much as praise needs to be given to El Tres Aguilas, combining for a monstrous 63-point output, especially that perfect game of Nico Salva (going 8/8 on field goals and 8/8 from the line), there’s no bigger praise than to that surprise package called Erram. Yes, Erram was my player of the day. He reminded me of the relentlessness and energy on defense by a certain President we honor by creating this blog.

But in no discredit to the other Eagles, they all did a good job of being composed and letting the game come to them. No one forced shots unless there really was no option, yes even Magic did not force his shots.

Emman Monfort again was a thorn to RR Garcia. Really, how come other guards who are supposedly better than Emman (Lester Alvarez, LA Revilla, etc.) can’t guard this demon of an MVP? I’m sure RR Garcia would wish for the day to come when Emman doesn’t face him down the other end of the court.

Now, let’s get to our 5 For the Blue and White. Guys who performed for the team when it mattered most. The 5 who starred in yesterday’s game is:

Nico Salva – Again, this “third” banana went nuts and made FEU pay for concentrating to much on Greg Slaughter. 8/8 from the field and from the line plus that throw-down on the break. Nothing more could get any better than that. Oh hark, he’s way tougher than Chris Bosh by the way. LOL

JP Erram – Sure his stat line read 4 points, 2 rebounds and a block. But that block could’nt have been more bigger since this woke up the team and the crowd. That chase-down may be a nightmare now for Cris Tolomia, who we’re sure will be looking from over his shoulder on lay-ups from now on. I’m relying on you to wow me again Mr. Erram.

Kiefer Ravena – Showing that this is the stage where he excels the most, Kiefer did strut his stuff as if this were a Finals game in the juniors. 17 points, 5 boards, 4 dimes and 2 steals was the stat-line. Now, anyone else wanna say Phantom?

Emman Monfort – The offense (11 points) was a bonus. The real bonus here is the defense he played on the MVP (no, Bobby Ray Parks is not an MVP). 6 points fellas. 6 points was all RR Garcia scored. Here’s to your swan song Mr. Monfort. You are definitely ingrained in Blue Eagle lore.

Greg Slaughter – Everyone knows that I’ve been crowing for 5 throw-downs. Three ain’t that bad. The alley-oop still is dreamy big fella, I never thought you’d make it but that one basically destroyed FEU’s heart. Nice game big fella. You don’t have to score 20+ and grab 15+ rebounds. We’re a team and we help each other out. Not like Bobby Ray.

P.S.

- Wasn’t able to watch live and had to go through the pains of hearing Boom and TJ call games. Can we have Sir Sev back please? Studio 23 make it happen!!!

- RR and Aldrech gotta do better than that.

- If trends follow, we’re in for a grinder on Tuesday. People will say no more Buenafe but hey, we got Ravena. Rook’s absolutely clutch.

- 6th man, you’ve outdid yourselves this time. But i still want more. CHEER UNTIL YOU ARE HOARSE!

By mr. Orange

Game Dubs and Headlines: Ateneo vs FEU (Finals Game 1)

2011-09-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

I EAT BEEEEEEEEEFFFFFF!!!!

Ref, ref, palitan ko muna yung ulo ng basketball ah. Puuuurfect.

Ganitow buh guweeen yong Figure Four? (Check out the guy in white, excites the shit out of NFP, Newsome in the house)

Kirk: Huhuhuhuhu....Tolomia baby...

Tolomia: I can't talk to you right now, I have to go...

Greg: Kirk, he's not worth it. You'll find someone bigger and better... *winkwink*

ULTRAMAN!!!!

"Teach me how to (air) dougie.. teach me how to (air) dougie...teach me how, teach me how..."

Ako si Wulberin!!! Arggghh!!!! *chaching* clawwwwsssss...arrraaaay.

Kiefer: I shall ride my imaginary Tamaraw now.

Romeo: Ay puuu... walang ganyanan. RR oh...

Lean on my shoulder beybeh.

Abra Kadabra Inyorpeys!

Game 2 on Staurday! LET'S GO ATENEO! ONE BIG FIGHT!!!!!

Photos from Fabilioh's Philip Sison

Eyes on the Prize

2011-09-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

This is where we want to be at the end of it all.

So here we are, on the cusp of immortality , after beating UST once more for a seat in the Finals. Only two teams have had a four-peat in Final Four history; UST and DLSU. We have a good chance to join this elite club. I may be getting ahead of myself in this one but with the way our recruitment is going, Ryan returning for two more years after this redshirt year, we can very much do a Chicago Bulls-run minus the gap between the two three-peats.

The Adamson loss, while it was a tough pill to swallow, especially for me, can be considered a blessing in disguise. The champion teams from Seasons 71-73 did not sport unblemished in the elimination rounds. I for one hate having to sweep. Why? It gives everyone a sense of complacency and relaxation, which was evident during that horrific game against Adamson. It’s good to have a loss so the boys and the coaching staff will know what they must do in certain situations and what aspects to improve on and concentrate in practice. The crowd doesn’t cheer as much as they used to during the final tour of duty of Chris Tiu (no, they weren’t just shrieks from the females). Nor did they cheer as much as they used to in the final year of the President this blog was named after for. Have they been so pampered? Is it already a given that we will win any given day that it is useless to cheer our boys on? I think not.

However, as we enter the finals for the fourth time in as many years, I not only want to see a hungrier Blue Eagle squad. I want to see a hungrier 6th Man crowd. As much as the boys rely on their talents and team play on the floor, they rely more on us. They rely on the crowd to boost them from minute 1 to minute 40. There must be no letdown for the Blue Crew. Notice how the Blue Eagles became lethargic when they saw that their own crowd, their own school was just content sitting and eating their popcorn and letting that other bird squad’s crowd cheer their team on. Come on people! We must treat this year and the years after as if it were Season 71! Do you guys want to have another dark age? I don’t. Let’s show these shrieking crowds what it takes to be THE 6th Man. Heck, for the sake of it all, we were the ones who put up a cheering squad in the first place! It would be a shame if we don’t even cheer for our boys. Chop chop fellas!

***
On the basketball side, the boys seemed focused enough during their bounce back game against UST. A win is a win, they say. Is it just me or was there a spring in our big man’s step? I admonish that he bit off the numerous fakes Karim Abdul gave him but he made a good account of himself with that sticker block to return the favor. Then again, it’s better to be faked off than just be content standing tall.

You can do better than that Greg. I know that you just got bored as the season went on that you became content at just touching that ball and kicking it back out. And I am pleading you, as much as your J is as good looking as Rabeh’s, don’t use it unless it’s the only option left. You played much better when you fought your way inside playing as if you are a 6’4” undersized center. That’s how you should play game in, game out. I mean come on, you beasted it out there! You got good speed for a guy one-third of Lolong’s measurement (21 feet monster croc LOL). Time to show those naysayers saying you are just a “walking Meralco Post.” And if it’s Adamson we face for the championship, it would be a good time to remind Alex Nuyles who is boss and why we call the paint the SLAUGHTERhouse.

Can’t say much for Kirk and Emman since they do their jobs well. I guess just the lack of outside shooting, which has surprisingly left us this year, is the one I want. But it cannot be helped. All the two seniors got to do is give the ball to the Big Three and hit the open shots and defend like mad, like everyone else on the team. Kiefer Ravena doesn’t have to be given remarks except for how he defends the post. But that was how Eric Salamat started off so I’m not worried. They just have to find solely him on the breaks as he runs like a gazelle and jumps insanely high. He is what you call the high octane runner of this running team.

Nico Salva, man, I’ve hailed you twice for being the best third banana, but do select your shots better. That’s the only thing I’m asking for. You don’t have to do it by yourself. Do it if we have no other option just like last year. You’re great as it is, just don’t overdo it. Just ask LeBron James what happens when one overdoes it.

The bench I’m looking at would be comprised of Justin Chua at the center spot, Poy Erram at the 4 (he’s undeniably fast for a big fella and this gives the length needed for those stretch fours), Bacon at point-forward, Tonino Gonzaga and, this might surprise everybody, Oping Sumalinog. Why Oping? Why not?! We can just give the scoring chores to Chua and Gonzaga and have everyone else consider defending to death. Erram can do it. Bacon can do it. And Oping most definitely can do it. Come on ‘Ping, be our Zion Laterre this year. Show off that athletic hustle you showed in the first three games. It may definitely be your swan song so make good of it.
Let’s see if the boys in Blue and White bring home the bacon (pun unintended). Let’s do this in workman-like fashion, just like how we did it three years ago.

Eyes on the prize fellas, eyes on the prize.

by Mr. Orange

Anatomy Of A Loss (PART 2)

2011-09-11T00:24:00.000-07:00

Reading the paper today didn't help. Suddenly writers all over decided to dig up words from their dictionaries to describe how Adamson shamed Ateneo. For instance STAR sports headline exclaims: "Falcons claw, defeather, feast on Eagles". (defeather!?)

But you see, this is what readers want to read. The Cinderella story of an "underdog" beating the big bad mighty villain.

Let's admit it, this was once our story, when the Hail Mary Squad vanquished the invincible Green Archers to capture the 2002 crown. No one expected it, but it was our destiny. What people don't realize is that Adamson was never an underdog when it went up against Ateneo. Both teams feed on the same style of play. The main difference is probably just the focus of one from the other. When Adamson players heat up offensively, they begin to feed off their defensive energy and boost their overall confidence, sometimes even to the point of cockiness (which happens to the best of us). Ateneo, on the other hand, works the other way around; the Eagles need to be solid defensively to be able to create opportunities offensively. Why do you think Coach Norman chose Adamson players to fill up the slots in the team when they joined an international competition? Adamson and Ateneo complement each others game. Whoever clicks first, wins.

But if you will argue that it is a battle of class, then I think you better stop reading and get the fuck out of our blog. It is a disrespect to the game of basketball to bring in issues of money and social standing. We won’t deny the truth of social classes, but on the court, it just doesn’t equate.

Let me continue where I left off from yesterday’s list of things Ateneo needs to cover for the next games.

Shoot With Confidence

Like I mentioned earlier, Ateneo’s offense stems from their ability to shut down their opponents and fuel their running game. Obviously, yesterday was an off day for our defense. From the moment Alvarez hit his first triple to start the offense going for Adamson, up to the one-handed follow-up flush by Manyara to add insult to injury, it showed how lost we were defensively. It eventually took its toll on our offense. We couldn’t run as much as we would have wanted, but when we did get to run, we were able to get some easy points on the board. But how do you run the floor when there are no missed shots to rebound? How do you run when there are no turnovers to convert to turnover points? And most importantly, there weren’t enough forced turnovers as well. Limited amount of steals or steal attempts. No jump-ball opportunities forced. Not even a single shot clock violation or an 8 second backcourt violation. These things used to be norms for the Eagles. Yesterday, they were simply outhustled.

There is really no answer to bad shooting. What the team could do though is attack the basket more and try to get to the line. Ateneo’s 3-point shooting has been inconsistent this year but we’re lucky enough to be efficient in running the ball, pounding it inside and hitting timely midrange shots. But when these weapons don’t click, we need other options. Shooters must be ready to shoot and slashers slash. If we get Oping, Emman, Juami, Tonino and even Von open to gun from the outside, there is bigger chance to free up the clogged lanes for guys like Ravena, Long and Salva to penetrate for easier baskets.

Defend With Command

There’s a difference between just defending and defending with command. Whenever Ateneo blows out their opponent, their defense often comes with a level of dominance that makes the opponent’s players have nightmares with just the thought of having to cross the midcourt line in 8 seconds.

Adamson hit their stride early by breaking down Ateneo’s defense from the onset. When they hit their outside shots, it spread the floor enough for Nuyles and Alvarez to make plays. This should not have occurred if we had disallowed the two to get to their spots at the top of the key. It is as crucial for the Blue Eagles to guard spots on the court as it is to guard players. We must watch the tapes and see where Nuyles and Alvarez usually get the ball. It is fine to allow them to get the ball, but a bit disturbing if they get it in places and angles wherein they can wreak havoc. Same goes with their other players. If we get to push them out of places they’d usually go to to create screens and angles to the basket for their slashers, it will limit their movement and give our defenders back their leverage.

Cheer With All You’ve Got

Finally, we’ve come to the topic that irks me even with just the thought of it.

As soon as the Eagles were down by double digits, the proud crowd of almost 6,000 (1/3 of the full house 17k strong) went silent and their hearts numb. Numb to the fact that the boys were still in the game and forget that it is the sound of the final buzzer that signified the end of the match, not the score; Not yet at least. We were doomed from the start with this kind of crowd. Where were the fans from that FEU match who cheered on the team and kept them fighting? Where were the men and women who brought posters and banners, painted their faces and wore their jerseys just to be able to express their support for the team? Have we become so used to winning that it has come to a point wherein games are now just for entertainment’s sake once more? I sure hope not. Cause we dare not call ourselves 6^th men if we only intend to come play when we’re ahead.

The 6^th man comes in to relieve the starters and provide the firepower to keep the team competitive after fielding in its best players. Adamson’s crowd may have had the numbers, but I still believe we could have out-manned them with just the sheer heart we’ve shown in the past 3 years. Sadly, not all die-hards were in the building yesterday, and were replaced with ordinary audience in it for the hype.

A person once asked team NFP what a true UAAP fan was. We gave her a few points to ponder on but not really sure if we captured the point. Yesterday I found one glaring point to add to our observations. If Ateneo is down big and is sure to lose the game, would you stand up and leave? Will you try to dodge the embarrassment of having to go out of Araneta and face a band of shrieking ladies and boastful gentlemen who celebrate as though they won the game with their team? If you will, then I pity you. Don’t we Ateneans feel the same pride every time we win? Don’t we hope for NO CLASSES whenever we’re crowned champions? And don’t we feel the same level of “angas” walking out of Araneta heads up high as if hoping to bump into an opponent’s fan and tell him/her: “You’ve just been served.”

Well, we got served. So for those who think that leaving an unfinished game just because our team lost is acceptable, think again. You are a deserter, and just like in the HBO Series’ Game Of Thrones, there’s only one thing you deserve. (Not literally of course) Same goes for those who stopped believing. If a fairy in Neverland dies with every non-believing child, then imagine the effect on our players whenever we begin doubting and pointing fingers. Let us not turn into those types of supporters. We need to just hang in there and trust that the team will bounce back. They always do.

So here we are, a few days from the beginning of most heart wrenching finish yet. The end is beyond our expectations; we can only hope for the best, but that requires for all of us to give our best as well.

Rally the troops, the team needs all the help they can get. Let us defend the crown with them. If there are only 2000 diehards in Ateneo, then let there be 2000 strong in the game. Full on, we march.

Go Ateneo!

---MMPKP

Photo from fabilioh.com

Mary for You, for You’re white and blue, we pray You keep us Mary, constantly true. We pray You keep us Mary, faithful to you.

Anatomy Of A Loss (PART 1)

2011-09-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

It HAS been a while. And yet it seems that the feeling is still the same.
I'll never get used to losing.

As sucky as the 2 losses to La Salle in the pre-season tournaments. As sucky as losing to UST after a season of dominance in '06. As as sucky not being able to defend the crown in '03. Significant losses that have one common theme: the suckiness of it all is part of the journey to where Ateneo basketball is now. The only good thing that comes with losing, I guess, would be the learning that comes with it. With the winning streak we've been having, losing definitely gives the team a point of view that will make them say:

"So this is how losing feels like. Do we like this feeling?"
(while we hope for a response that goes...)
"This should not happen again."

Adamson came ready today. They knew they could match up well with our players and if they kept the game close, they had enough talent to pull through. Just so happens that today, Ateneo was caught flat-footed; nothing clicked. And well, you saw what happened, no sense in retelling.

Looking forward, I am sure Coach Black and company are now regrouping, trying to solve the enigma that is today's performance. Let me point out some elements we need to focus on for the subsequent games we will be playing.

Pass with Purpose

As we have mentioned time and again, the Blue Eagles play efficient team basketball whenever they move the ball around and run their plays to the dot. Only a handful of players can actually create their own shots while majority rely on coming off screens, moving without the ball, or grabbing second chance opportunities with offensive boards or hustling for loose balls. However, this only holds true if your opponents are stupid. Thus my admiration for Coach Austria grows every time Ateneo meets Adamson. He takes his losses seriously and prepares his crew well.

Today, it seemed like the Eagles were rattled with a the type of defense that Adamson used. Mind you, this was no special defense, just straight up man-to-man but with rapid switching and occasional double-teams that confused the players into unsure match-ups and hurried shots. The team failed to recognize open spots on the floor. They tried to run their plays too strictly that they did not adjust well to the movements of defenders. Don't pass just because you have to, pass because you trust that the receiver knows what to do with the ball. If not, find the open man or return to the basics - pick-and-rolls, drives and dish, or foul fishing. These plays never fail, but we've gotten so used to having our go-to plays that we forget to play old-school basketball.

Adamson double/triple-teamed Greg when they could which led to either offensive fouls or unnecessary turnovers. Yes Greg did have his monster jam, but there was quickly an adjustment in Adamson's defense after that. Greg should recognize where the open man is; his height gives him that privilege anyway. The other Blue Eagles on the floor should know which angles on the floor will allow him a clear passing lane and not just wait for cross-court passes or ill-advised handoffs.

Drive with Direction

We've seen the blue eagles run the floor and get easy baskets on layups and even dunks. However, when playing half-court offense, it seems gone are the days when players such as Salamat and Buenafe would literally bully their way to the basket for magical (yet highly calculated) shots. Dribbling skills is one thing, but capitalizing on open lanes is another.

Nowadays, Monfort, Ravena and Nico are often the ones attacking the rim, and this only on occasions wherein they are either trying to fish for fouls, or in clear advantage on their defenders. I happen to think driving the ball to the hole is more team-play than individual talent. Adamson showed us how earlier. Did you catch it? I'm pretty sure Nuyles cannot take on Kirk 1 on 1 on sheer athletic ability alone. Yes the dude can jump over Kirk if he wanted to, but he first needs to make sure he gets the ball, and then jumps with the ball given how pesky Kirk's hands and quick feet can get. So how did they do it? Simple. Offensively, Adamson hits two birds with one stone (no pun intended), by a) blocking out their man when trying to get position on the floor, and b) uses this blocking and jockeying for position in guise of intended "screens" to free up the lanes. Hence Nuyles getting so much open space to attack the basket and sky up with 2nd-level defenders jumping too late and Kirk steps late trying to battle through triple screens. When Nuyles or Alvarez misses, Manyara, Colina, Camson and Brondial are there free to clean up.

Stopping such a team-oriented approach will also require team effort for Ateneo. The first solution could be putting a bigger yet quick-on-his-feet defender on Nuyles and Alvarez. I say put Oping on Alex and Kirk or Tonino on Lester. Yes, you give up speed when you put bigger defenders on proven ball handlers and scorers, but let us not forget that this is as much won on the floor as it is when the actual shot is made. Oping might not be as quick as Kirk or Tonino when defending Nuyles, but he has pretty much all-day to get in his case. Offensively, Oping can post Nuyles up or shoot over him on midrange catch-and-shoot situations, tiring him down when it's his turn to do damage. Defensively, Oping's long arms have proven to be a nightmare for shooters even with Alex's high leaping ability; and Oping can jump as well. The speed issue though can be argued, but I say it is up to the other Ateneans on the floor to make sure that they do not get pushed out of the lane. Boxing out not just when there is a shot, but the general taking of the opponents' sweet-spot subsequently opportunities for them to be productive.

---MMPKP

Photo from fabilioh.com

NOTES:

Expect more bashing now, it won't get any easier friend, be the bigger man. Eyes on the prize.
Adamson's FB call, as funny and amusing as it was for us, it did them well. The response of their supporters proved crucial in taking away Ateneo's leverage in having its 6th man.
Perfect time to bring out Norman Black's NO YABANG mantra perhaps? So that we can all churn out all the unnecessary distractions and re-focus our energies in trying to give as much support to the team.
The Austria household... I just cannot fathom.
Another broken streak: the curse of the wave. It is still jologs though.

PREVIEW:
Anatomy Of A Loss (PART 2)
Shoot with Confidence
Defend with Command
Cheer with Everything You've Got

WTF???

2011-09-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

credits (?) to Niko Bolante of InterAKTV

Bring Out Your Blue Broom?

2011-09-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

Try posting him up now.

This is it. The final game of the elimination round. That one last chance for that other bird team to break their losing drought. And it will be one more game for the champions to stamp their class and fan all the hate once more.

This is the sweeper ladies and gentlemen. This is the game where the hard work our Blue Eagles have put in all season long will be partly rewarded. However, let’s keep in mind that the ultimate reward for the hardest work done by the boys in Blue and White will be that fourth title. We are all so praying hard for.
The sweep will be sweet for me if it happens.

Why? I’m so fed up by all those lowly birds who cry shrilly “LUTOOOOOO!” everytime they get whistled for a foul on a driving Ateneo player. It will be sweet since I know Nico won’t disappoint me and finally show Camson his place in the power forward of the League pecking order. It will be sweet since I know Greg is reserving that inner beast for his duel with Manyara, that guy who thinks he can hang with him, then going all out to make this poor little pretender cry on his way home as he quits basketball. It will be sweet for Kiefer Ravena finally shows Alex Nuyles, Janus Lozada and Roider Cabrera the true meaning of fear. It will be sweet for it will be a countdown of the final games that the beloved Pocket Rocket, Captain Kirk and Bacon will be playing with that Ateneo emblazoned on their chests.

So, in advance of the game, let’s discuss what should and what shouldn’t be done by our Hail Mary Squad in order to preserve our clean slate and barge straight into the finals. By the way, did you know that Adamson put up a Facebook page just for the game. Anyway, let’s get to the nitty gritty.
5 Important Matters for the Blue and White:

Hammer Adamson with pick and rolls. In the first game, they’ve proved they are inept at defending this basic basketball play. With Greg at the helm and an accurate Emman and Long at hand, I say keep punishing them on the switch. No matter how much of a defensive team Bacon’s dad has shaped them since taking the reins, they are still a sieve when it comes to that particular play.
Push the tempo. It is important that Kiefer be found on his bust outs. Emman would take care of that. Why do I want a fast pace? The Falcons couldn’t keep up with a Growling Tigers team that is a 3rd spot at best. What more if it’s the best running team in the league?
Rebound, rebound and rebound. To fuel our unstoppable running game, everyone must be focused on boxing out their man. I hope and I pray that there will be limited offensive rebounds for that other bird team. Greg should grab 20, just saying.
Bench mob. Let’s take this like my favorite NBA team, the Chicago Bulls. They had the best bench in terms of efficiency and chemistry. Our bench must be ON THE SAME PAGE ALL THE TIME. Also, we should find Justin Chua on pick and pops as he got his lost stroke back. Tonino can make do with scrapping it out and turning garbage into gold. Frank Golla however is the kicker. I do not mean to diss the dude, but his butterfingers are really bad. Not to mention sometimes, he gets lost on defensive switches leaving the paint undefended.
Move the ball. We are the best passing team so why the heck would we keep the ball static? Keep that moving around as we push the tempo to make these Falcons dizzy before Greg rams it down (I HOPE!).

by Mr. Orange

The admission everybody's waiting for.

2011-09-08T21:20:00.000-07:00

Don't act so surprised. You knew it all along.

The accusations have been getting out of hand. Ever since the beginning of Ateneo's dominance in the UAAP, people have been trying to discredit them. Just because the Ateneo de Manila University demands a higher tuition fee than most schools, everybody has assumed that we have the money to pay off referees and have them do our bidding. Today, Team NFP will give them what they've been asking for all along: an admission of guilt. Yes, we have been cheating, and it's time you knew how. Team NFP takes all responsibility.

Team NFP has been greasing the rims of the basket of the opposing teams. During the half, while everyone is looking at the cheerdancers, we wipe off the grease on one basket and grease the other one.
Team NFP has put the substance known as Flubber on Kiefer's soles, granting him superior jumping ability and otherworldly athletic prowess. This way, he is able to beat Norbert Torres to rebounds and dunk the ball on some occasions.

Guilty as charged.

Team NFP has been lacing the other teams' uniforms with a Slovenian itching powder, making them lose their concentration and composure during games. The Blue Eagles take advantage accordingly.
Team NFP has called on the spirit of the late John Havlicek to provide Tonino Gonzaga with unparalleled defensive intensity and outstanding shooting.
Team NFP has provided stilts for some random dude and now he's the favorite to win the league's MVP in his first season.
Team NFP has gifted Emman with the shoes of Hermes himself to grant him speed and the passing ability that will be the envy of others. I bet you didn't know that Hermes was quite the point guard, didn't you?

Yes, we are responsible for all the Ateneo victories so far this year. I believe that we have done a pretty good job ensuring that no team stands a chance against us. The talent that this team has is not enough to win. It needs all the help we can get. Teams that are allegedly better than us man-for-man are not in the Final Four because we cheated. So there. Go suck on that.

by Mr. Pink

Salva, Salva, and oh... Salva!!!

2011-09-07T20:45:00.000-07:00

Let's drink to that!

What more can I say about this guy? He has been a major cog in the Ateneo Express that has been mowing down every team, leaving hanged heads in its wake. When will they learn that the Blue Eagles isn’t a team about Greg Slaughter, or Kiefer Ravena? Then again I cannot fault them. Choose one, the other goes off. Choose two, Salva goes off!

The game started rather slowly before the Blue and White got a 12-11 lead midway through the first half. However, at the turn of the second quarter, the team that ran FEU to submission in Game 1 of the Finals last year showed up and boy was it a joy to watch. They were all over the court, especially on that end that I intend to favor more than the other, defense.

Defense is what it takes to win championships. Defense is this champion’s calling card. Defense is that one constant that will be forever ingrained in anyone who wears the Blue and White with an Ateneo across his chest. Defense is what one of our captains, Captain Kirk, does best. And this is where it all starts and ends. Unfortunately for Bobby Ray Parks, he won’t have another chance to solve the Long problem as this is cap’s final year.

As Coach B was quoted at the end of the game, “The offense will take care of itself.” And it was taken care off, by the one considered to be the third banana on the team, and was believed to be an actual bust by a genius who hasn’t seen him play. Hark, he’s methodically destroying teams. Look, he shoots a jumper, it goes in, the defender will have to pull up to keep him closed out. But once he does that, boom! The said third banana unleashes that Kobe-esque first step and finishes on the rim, and yeah, I was waiting for that throw down towards the end of a beautiful fastbreak plays. As Kevin Harlan would say, “Up high! Down hard!” Heads up UAAP, Nico Salva is making Nonoy Baclao, our dear and beloved president, a prophet for telling us he’ll be better than The Rocket was when he still flew high and mighty above defenders.

But make no mistake, “Up high! Down hard,” doesn’t mean we’ll go down. It means the opposion who wants to fly as high as us (hark, they’re soaring) will go down hard. Yes, I want a beatdown next Saturday and I’m looking at you Greg, to beat the crap out of Manyara. And I’m looking at you Nico, to make Camson shut up. And yes, you Kiefer, to put Alex Nuyles in his rightful place, kneeling on the floor, groveling infront of the Blue Mamba.

5 for the Blue and White-Nico Salva. Once more, he gets the top spot for me. With scintillating games left and right, I can’t ask more from the third banana. 3 more games for the season, Nic. Show them what you can do. Make them witnessesses as well.

Kirk Long. I cannot ask for more from our dear captain. He has done everything and anything for the Blue and White and relishes at the fact that he is a defender who is way above his peers. Name me one lockdown defender who can boast the same way? Yeah, no one.
Greg Slaughter. Pounding a former MVP candidate into submission? Heck, that’s just another day in the office. Although I’d love a little more emotion from our big man and that mean streak please. I know that when you have it on, you’d send Manyara packing and quitting basketball entirely. Please Greg, please! Ram five throwdowns on Saturday! :P
Kiefer Ravena. Well it just goes to show that scoring 30 points is nothing. Has he hit 30? Nope. His season high is at 24 and I’m totally fine with it. Why? He’s a daily 15-5-3-2stls kind of guy. That I would not exchange for 30 points.
Emman and Zags. Well, we are no four-man team. Zags has been tearing it up off-the-bench though I’d like to see him in a combo with Oping for that toughness factor on defense that screams, “TAKE NO PRISONERS!!!” As for Emman, he doesn’t have to score as much as he did last year, which is totally fine. He’s still the team’s pilot on the court.

P.S.

Why does Ray Parks sit down when Kirk sits down? It’s not as if the one subbing for Kirk can defend him as well.
Emmanuel Mbe has been a chump all season long. So long Mbe... Abdul is the foreign player who rules now.
The rest of the NU team is pathetic. They can’t move without the ball to save their lives and they can’t shoot to save their lives. Just goes to show that you are still lightyears away from a ring. 54+ years and still counting.
I really want that 29-0 to prove a point and Greg ramming down 5 in Manyara’s face to shut Adamson up. I don’t give a crap about their angry birds campaign. Heck, they should get Greg mad. I won’t feel sorry for them if he decides to go berserk on them (not as in fighting, but tearing them up piece by piece).

by Mr. Orange

Lights out.

2011-09-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

This guy joesy138 has been posting some wickedly old school clips of Ateneo games. These bring back some of the supposed "dark ages" of the blue and white. However, in this particular game, Ateneo's gunners were on target and hitting from all cylinders.

Notable names:

ATENEO
Brandon Sison, 1/2 and the better shooter of the Sison twins. He played either 3 or 4 but obviously favors staying beyond the arch for those long bombs.

Brian Sison, the Sison I grew up watching. He was a mid-range, dribble pop type of player who can also wreak havoc in the paint. I remember him a bit more bulky than his twin.

Gabby Cui, whenever you find Van Opstal or Joshua Webb over-acting after a made basket, remember that it was Gabby Cui who started the Rodman-like presence and passion in college hoops. Played in the PBA for some time.

John Verayo, some would consider him one of Ateneo's most potent scorers. And yet only a handful of people nowadays can honestly say they've heard of his name. He threw up threes like Silungan, but made them like Ritualo. Quick and deadly.

Tonichi Pinzon, before the LA Tenorio, the Jai Reyes, the Emman Monfort and even before the Paul Tanchi and the LA Mumar, Ateneo had this spitfirish guard who would play each game like it was his last. Ateneo breeds great guards as much as they do big men.

Alexander Arespacochaga, yes, Assistant Coach Sandy donned the blue and white not too long ago. As you can see, he was one of the last few who were "lucky" or "unlucky" enough to wear the supposedly cursed no.9. Coach Sandy wasn't a star, but I am sure his patience for training them big men comes from his own experience. He was the Nonoy Baclao of his time.

Ryan Pamintuan, I remember my dad telling me that Ryan was the best-skilled big man to ever to come out of Ateneo's HS system. He had the bulk of a Center, the strength of a forward and the footwork of a guard. But I believe he also had the bones and ligaments of a baby. He got injured and lost his groove throughout his college basketball career.

Mon Tioseco, you might remember him when he played during a La Salle- Ateneo friendship game 2 years back. I remember him as Rainier Sison's partner in hitting bombs left and right for Ateneo.

LA SALLE
I will not go into too much details on each of their players, but let me site some points that might be useful info on how good the ] dynasty of La Salle was during the olden days.

Mark Telan - 2-time UAAP MVP and consistent Mythical 5 Member. Played in the PBA.
Don Allado - Multiple MVP awards in the collegiate and amateur ranks, consistent Mythical 5 Member, probably the single most dominant big man for the Green Archers. Multi-titled in the amateurs and the pros. He was and still is the "King Archer"
Dino Aldeguer - Leader of La Salle's drive for the dynasty. Played for the MBA and had a stint in the PBA. Crucial cog in the dethronement of the FEU powerhouse. One of the steadiest guards ever.
Tyrone Bautista - Shooter and designated hitman. Played for both the MBA and PBA.
Chris Tan - Step son of Coach Norman, played in the MBA and a few seasons in the PBA. Shooter.
Maoi Roca - Became a showbiz guy after he joined Tropang Trumpo in the late 90's.
Luigi Trillo - Former Adamson Coach and well-known for his prominent family name..and now for his hideous commentating.
Calijohn Orfrecio - He was the Cholo Villanueva or the Maui Villanueva of the greens. Scrappy but effective.

Imagine all this before Renren, Cortez, Cardona, Casio, Cuan, Arana, Meierhoffer, Jose, etc... La Salle was always loaded. So yeah.. you cannot doubt their winning run.

I miss seeing players wear shirts under their jerseys. Wesley and Rainier used to do that. I dare our players to do that.

If the Blue Eagles become this efficient with their outside game, you can just imagine how quick a game can turn into a blowout.

Thank you for the person who posted these vids. (See '97 Ateneo juniors vs UST) BJ Manalo in action.

---MMPKP

12-0.

2011-09-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sure every Atenean has noticed. And I'm equally sure that the haters have come up with a new conspiracy theory. After a horrible start to the season, the bench has finally stepped up its collective game and has propelled the Ateneo Blue Eagles to greater heights. Of course, the emergence has come at the expense of some players, but one can't argue about results.

The game against UP was a breakout game of sorts for last year's starting center, Justin. People may find this hard to believe, but he's just much of a bruiser than Frank. Sure, you may find him smiling more often, but this guy is as rough as they come. Offensive centers may get the soft label more often, but the way he throws his body at defenders to position himself under the basket says otherwise. Midrange Justin is not gone completely, but Rough and Rumble Justin is a sight to behold. Wrestling for position and battling for rebounds is his calling card.

The UP game featured a very overwhelming performance from the backcourt, except for Bacon who graced us with his presence with 8 monster rebounds and a couple of putbacks. There were turnovers everywhere and the scoring wasn't there. But with double-doubles from Greg and Justin and a fine offensive display once again by Nico, the Blue Eagles remain undefeated and showed the league that an off-day is not enough to stop them.

With the bench clicking just in time for the championship run and the starters consistently tuning out fine performances, the 6th Man must also step up its game. If you don't find the Blue Eagles' performance compelling enough to get up from your seats and scream at the top of your lungs, there is seriously something wrong with you.

by Mr. Pink

The moro-moro of Katipunan

2011-08-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Will we see a breakout game for these two boys? Keep your fingers crossed.

As the years passed by since Nestor David and Marvin Cruz, with Josant Cervantes, Toti Almeda, and Abby Santos trundled up and down the hardcourt wearing the Fighting Maroons’ colors, the games between UP and Ateneo can no longer be called the Battle for Katipunan. Let’s be serious. After that one game shocker UP had some seasons ago, there’s no way Ateneo will cough this one up against them. Hence, until the Athletics Department of UP steps up, these games I shall dub as the moro-moro of Katipunan.

However, in this moro-moro, there are lots of interesting stories and match-ups to be observed. There’s the story of how much UP will be able to score. Or there is the story of how much you think the boys in blue will win. Or, will Bacon finally prove to Mike G he made the worst decision of his life by choosing to don the Maroon jersey than the Blue and White? And one more thing, being an Ateneo High School folk, will there even be a comparison between the two probably greatest guards in their era between Kiefer and Mike? I can’t answer those just yet, but I’ll be giving my 5 things interesting to watch out for on Thursday.

Will Greg, at least for this game, show his mean chops against Mbah? I hope he does in preparation for the beating he’ll give a crying Austin Manyara on September 10. Come on big guy, I know there’s a very mean and bad side that you’re waiting to unleash.

Will Justin Chua and Tonino Gonzaga continue their very hot play off-the-pine for the Blue Eagles? These two have been tearing up the bench competition lately taking turns on who’s going to score for the second unit.

Will Coach finally re-insert Oping in the rotation? I’ve been dying to see him get meaningful minutes. He plays lockdown D and can score on drives and open jumpshots.

The Blue Mamba beating the former King Eaglet? I'll have to wait and see. But common knowledge suggests that G-Man will be having Emman Monfort nightmares. Kiefer will probably feast on Jett Manuel and Gelo Montecastro.

Salva-tion? Man, teams should probably pay more attention to Nico this time with his recent play. I mean come on, this guy can destroy bigs off the dribble, post smaller men to oblivion, and lead the team in scoring!

Those are my takes, 6th Man. What are yours?

by Mr. Orange

thanks to Anna Natividad for the photos

DLSU Receives Thrashing from Nico Salva, este, Blue Eagles

2011-08-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

(editor's note: show some love for our new writer!)

Had no regrets lining up for tickets, though I wished I got Upper B’s instead. It’s where the action’s at. Sorry, I’m not made for the Upper A, it’s better to be near the Babble. But to see people only cheering when Ateneo is in the driver’s seat is but a minor aberration.

The game started slow for both teams, especially the boys in blue. But after a bust out of the Phenom, we got our bearings and the timely insertion of Tonino Gonzaga was the onus. Boy did he have a game. I was thrown back during my days where I met Zags by the EDSA walk of the Ateneo High School, he was still giving out dominant performances for the Blue Eaglets then and this is what I call dominant. Sure, only 12 points. But against his match-up? Total obliteration.

I wonder where the second foul against Greg came from (he was pretty jumping straight up in the jumbotron replay), but I digress. The opening minute blocks were totally awesome. I don’t care even if Van Opstal outscored him. Greg didn’t have to. His wingman, Nico Salva did more than enough to give the big guy some rest in preparation for the upcoming 29-0 on September 10 (yes, I’m boldly predicting a 29-0 against that other, tinier bird). I don’t know what’s wrong with the other teams who seem to neglect Salva and focus on Kief and Greg. Seriously, this guy led the Blue Eagles in scoring last year. Neglecting him seemed to be a slight. He can ball. And he can destroy your team any given time when he wants to pay you back for slighting him with token defense. Just ask FEU and UST.

Well, there’s not much I can say about it, though I’d like to honor 5 Blue Eagles in my 5 for the Blue and White.

5 for the Blue and White

Nico Salva. This guy can play fellas. He ain't a bust, TGM. Yours is. And boy did he put on a show. Dancing around Van Opstal and Torres (why the heck is he shooting threes?) en route to another fine offensive performance.
Tonino Gonzaga. Yep. This was Zags' game from beginning to end. And is it just me or is he the only one accustomed to the new three point line? The stat line was totally stuffed.
Justin Chua. Am I worried that whenever Greg sits down we lose a step? Heck no. Justin Chua arrived and played like it was Season 73. He made mincemeat out of Torres for crying out loud.
Pocket Rocket. Well, it's no question who's the best point guard of the season. No, I won't take it back. Smallest guy collaring loose balls and rebounds in the land of the giants? Giving pinpoint fastbreak passes like a football quarterback?
Kiefer Ravena. It looks like my claim that he is the most consistent rookie by not scoring less than 10 points since the first game fluke nearly doomed me. And Kiefer Ravena just keeps saying to doubters: take me seriously. Heck, TGM, I know you’re pissing in your pants out of fear right now. Same goes to TALO. And oh, was that a “ala Kobe bastos move” on dela Paz and Atkins (anyone can disrespect Atkins yeah)? That got me jumping inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

P.S.

Greg, please get a mean streak. You are far too gentle on the opposition it seems. Or are you just pacing yourself for the real show?
Joshua Webb, your pre-game dunks don’t mean anything; Kiefer torched you badly if I may add.
Norbert Torres, I have to give my regards to you and your idiotic big man coach named Tonnichi Yturri. Thanks for keeping shooting from downtown like no tomorrow just like Roider Cabrera.
Not hearing sucky commentators was a good feeling. I bet people who watched on TV got too much whining from TJ Manotoc (if my guess is correct).

by Mr. Orange

Spotting a scalper.

2011-08-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

People look forward to the UAAP Men's Basketball Tournament for a plethora of reasons. For the players, they look forward to for obvious reasons. For me, I look forward to it because I am a very big basketball fan and there's nothing like watching fellow Ateneans play for the school. But there are some people who enjoy neither basketball nor watching their schoolmates play. They're in it for the money. And while I understand that some Filipinos need to make a living, this is simply not the way to do it. And don't take my word for it. It's freakin' illegal for crying out loud.

I hate scalpers of all shapes and sizes and there are two that I encounter the most often. I will be providing diagrams to help all the readers of this blog as to identify those scums of society and hopefully report them to the proper authorities.

Exhibit A

Setting aside all artistic limitations, the image above is what your average Smart Araneta Coliseum scalper looks like. While the clothing may not be accurate, I am sure that any scalper will be without a small sling bag around his body, otherwise known as the scalper bag. I would surmise that he probably reeks of some unknown odor. He fearlessly roams around the arena looking for rich dudes without tickets. And once he finds them, he sells them his ridiculously priced tickets, as if it was he organized the event. The thing that pisses me off the most is that these guys leech off someone else's hard work. All they've got to show are a couple of sleepless nights and maybe a few hours standing in line, and he has the audacity to sell you a ticket for a thousand bucks? That's just ridiculous. I really hate people who take credit for other people's hard work. That includes you, Atayde.

Exhibit B

You can find almost all Ateneo scalpers in one place. I'm not even going to mention where it is, but if you're an Atenean, then you know what I'm talking about. They don't dress in a distinct manner so it's hard to spot them when you're looking at physical attributes. But when you hear them talk, that's when it all makes sense. I wonder if this is what the JGSOM had in mind when they wanted more entrepreneurs from Ateneo. They're definitely creative, sometimes using Facebook to have their friends bid on their tickets. Such blatant scalping is just horrendous. If I hate the Araneta scalper, then I hate his Ateneo counterpart ten times more. Let's just say I expected more from these guys. They do not deserve to study in the Ateneo if they want to engage in criminal activity. The only "friendly price" for me is if its less than what it's actually worth. I do not like bashing people from my own school, but this is just too much. If anyone connected to the Ateneo administration reads this, I hope something concrete is done to address the problem.

I hate the scalping culture. And as long as there are rich lazy people who would rather buy tickets at a higher price than line up because they have the money, it will continue to plague this country. So much for getting rid of "utak wang-wang". Its roots go deeper than what anyone expects. Actually, I would treat the Araneta scalpers as some sort of collateral damage. But if even Ateneans continue to scalp, then good luck to Noynoy in his crusade. Scalpers can just go suck it.

by Mr. Pink

One lazy Thursday afternoon

2011-08-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

Best point guard in the league. No question.

There's really something about this UE team that I can't quite capture. It's clear that they are better than what their record suggests. But they still suck to a certain extent, hence their horrible record. And for one reason or another, they seem to play really well against the Blue Eagles. I thought that the first round encounter was an aberration, that maybe the team was looking way ahead of this game. But this lethargic Thursday game proved that the Red Warriors are not your ordinary cellar-dwellers, if there is such a thing.

JM Noble can definitely hoop. Inside that hulking build is a smooth operator with a soft touch from the outside. I didn't quite agree with having Frank defend him because speed-wise, Noble has the advantage. Actually, I wouldn't have any of our big men defend him because it takes away a lot of our rebounding. Noble torched us with shots from all angles and he definitely deserves plenty of credit. The Four Perimeter Dudes and a Big lineup definitely works for UE. And while I played around with the thought of having the team counter with our own version, we wouldn't have enough firepower on the offensive end. Besides, teams have to adjust to the defending champion, not the other way around.

If Noble gained my respect, Lord Casajeros lost all of mine for him, not that he had that much to begin with. He was just trollin' the whole game. He tried to pull a fast one on Nico with a flop with a five-second delay. That was just stupid. Nico barely grazed him and he falls to the ground as if he was shot ten times in the chest. I hope next time somebody gives him a real reason to fall on his back, and I don't even care if he gets up or not.

It was a horrible day for us offensively, as shots that would normally fall for us were not falling. Even reliable free throw shooters could not find the mark. However, when everyone else was struggling from the line, Emman was as steady as a rock, sealing the win after Paul Zamar and Noble gave us a reason to squirm a little bit. It was nice to see Greg be aggressive and not settle for jump shots. Equally nice was seeing Justin hit his midrange shots. He didn't match his point total the previous game, but his points were crucial in keeping UE at bay, especially when Nico wasn't his usual self offensively.

The issue of whether we have peaked or not may be of interest to some people, but not for me. All I see are wins and losses, and Ateneo's record speaks for itself. Of course, those goddamn haters will hold on to that peaking bullshit as some way to console themselves and help them sleep at night. So to all you haters, keep on hating. And don't tell me it's lonely at the top. I know y'all are dying to join us here. Dream on, fools.

Notes:

I miss Juami.
Had a not so nice experience at the stands today. I'm sure it's just blown out of proportion in my head, but if you hear me out, you'll find yourself agreeing with me.
Hey, TGM. Stop taking credit for everything good that's happening in Ateneo. If your school were the wellspring of everything that's good in this world, I'm sure the only blemish it has is having to call you an alumnus. I'm sure Franz Pumaren and Ryan Araña were epitomes of class back in the day. Perfect gentlemen, if I ever saw one.

by Mr. Pink

Our own game of thrones.

2011-08-23T15:31:00.000-07:00


Bacon: And what do we say to the god of losing?

I really don't like eating my words, but the Coach Jerry Codiñera and the UE Red Warriors have left me with no other choice. They exceeded my expectations by winning not just one, but two games when nobody else was giving them a chance. This year's Red Warriors has morphed from a listless team to a bunch of guys who lead the league in floor burns and bruises. If you saw the UE-La Salle game last Saturday, you saw how much effort the Red Warriors gave. Former league laughingstock Lucas Tagarda made a good account of himself, diving for loose balls and fighting for rebounds, enough to make people forget about his little faux pas two years ago. Coming off a big win and slowly getting more confident, UE is a formidable opponent that can very well threaten our nine-game winning streak.

People will always point to Sunday's game as a distraction. Our players may be looking too far ahead rather than focusing on the task at hand. The team may also underestimate the Red Warriors because of their meager record, which gives the Red Warriors an opportunity to catch us flatfooted. I believe these worries can be put to rest, as Coach Norman will not allow the Red Warriors to be overlooked.

The UE Red Warriors gave the Blue Eagles fits the last time out, so much so that nobody from Team NFP wanted to write about it since it was so disappointing. They were successful in drawing Greg out of the paint with RR De Leon and his decent midrange game. They also used the pick-and-roll to offset the Blue Eagles' size advantage, which resulted in Chris Javier getting a few layups. If UE tries this again tomorrow, then I would expect to see more mobile forwards like Frank and Oping to play alongside Greg so he can stay in the paint as the last line of defense. Adrian Santos is another guy who Ateneo has to watch out for, as he has made a living out of putbacks and catching drop passes.

In the wings, they have the always dangerous Paul Zamar, with equally capable JM Noble, Biboy Enguio, and the enigmatic Lord Casajeros. Kirk can take care of Zamar, although extra attention has to be given. Maybe give him a little bit of the Terrence Romeo treatment or some of the Alex Nuyles treatment. Noble's physique hides the fact that he's one of the most skilled players in this UE team, if not the whole UAAP. I'm sure Bacon can hold his own against Noble defensively. Zags can take care of Enguio, or even Zamar for some stretches. Casajeros deserves some attention, but he does shoot plenty of bad shots. He's nothing Kiefer can't handle. And while they haven't gotten it going yet, shooters BJ Zosa and JR Sumido are people Ateneo should be wary of.

UE has been parading rookies in their point guard slot. While Roi Sumang's speed gives him a great advantage, he's not yet ready to give Emman challenges on defense. I'm wishing that Kiefer gets some time at the one spot against Zosa or Von Chavez and gives them reasons to rethink their UAAP careers. Last I heard, Sheak Sheriff and Robin Tan have not yet recovered from Kiefer's abuse last game.

Offensively, pounding the ball inside and letting Greg do the work would be the best option, given the obvious size disparity. UE will commit too much on defending Greg, so everyone else has to be ready to shoot, most especially Nico or Justin from midrange. Hopefully, those two can continue their strong play just in time for the last stretch. The transition offense has to be in full display because that's when we usually pull away from the other team. Also, it may be too much to ask, but I'm hoping that this is the game that Juami gets his rhythm back.

While this is a very winnable game for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, they'd be fools to think that the UE Red Warriors would just lie down and hand us the win in a silver platter. We're fighting for all the marbles and if we have to claw our way to the finish line, then I say why not? I hate Cersei Lannister with a passion, possibly rivaling my hate for Boom Gonzalez. But she makes a great point: "When you play the game of thrones, you either win, or you die." One team has already failed in its quest for history. I know two things: I know I will never quote Boom to make a point and I know which side I want to be in when the season's over.

by Mr. Pink
photo from Anna Natividad of Little Fabilioh

Game Dubs and Headlines: Ateneo vs. UST (Round 2)

2011-08-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

O, kungwari nasa bus tayo, tas biglang.... sweeeeeerrrrve.

Girl1: Yan, yan... wag kang gagalaw papa Kirk.

Girl 2: Kiefer pogi, isang picture lang please?

Guy: Hi Greg.

Guy: Dito ba beybs?

Tonino: Dahan-dahan plis?

Guy: Aytz.

Pssssst pogi...

Yeeeeeeessss?

Greg: Jeric hun, let me explain.

Teng: No, wala tayong kelangan pagusapan.

Abdul: Greg, take me!!!!!

Von: Coach, tatay ka daw ni Abdul oh!?

Fortuna: Gusto ko kumain sa.....................MAKDONALDS CHARUUUSH!

Kief: Eww may tae yung bola...

Coach Sandy: Coach, umutot ka ba?
Coach Norman: Loomeepuht ka duown paruh dee mow ma-uhmoy

Emman: Uy, kaninong **** to?
Kirk: *hehehe* Why do you think they call me Long?

Emman: Kingkong? Ikaw ba yan? I'm a big fans...

Sa Basketball...Bilog ang Bola.

Pati ulo ng Ref.

Yes we are.

Much ado about freethrows.

2011-08-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

This was probably illegal, according to the brilliant minds of the internet.

If we were to talk about dominance in the UAAP, then the Ateneo Blue Eagles would be right smack in the middle of the conversation. But, mind you, for the clueless fans out there, it's not as if we've blown out all opponents so far. But just when everyone will think that the Blue Eagles have finally met their match, Coach Norman pulls a sleight of hand and wins the game. The Blue Eagles are a savvy and composed bunch and they are the standard by which everyone else is measured. However, not everyone is happy about the team's success. And they've gone as far as making up silly tales of deceit and deception to amuse themselves while their team is getting pummeled to the ground.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles lead the league in FTA, averaging a little over 27 attempts per game. To the intelligent basketball fan, this means that the team is playing a very efficient brand of basketball. They are playing aggressive, drawing fouls in the process. It may also mean that other teams have trouble getting over the height advantage that Greg brings to the team. Because of their attempt to compensate, the other teams' centers end up fouling him because of their inability to guard him one-on-one. But mindless buffoons see this stat as proof that the games are fixed and the referees are deliberately giving the Blue Eagles more free throws.

It's really irritating how a respected, and I use the term loosely, journalist like TJ Manotoc would suggest that games are indeed fixed. He would rave on about how a great difference in each teams' FTA is very rare when it has happened before in the SAME season. He would rave on about how the MVP doesn't get free throws when it's clear that he's not even trying to fish for any. And of course, because the masses don't know any better, they eat it up and treat it as gospel truth.

Frankly, I'm tired of people's pathetic excuses as to why their team can't beat the Blue Eagles. Before it was their teams' youth but now Ateneo's cheating? The numerous attempts to discredit Ateneo's dominance is pathetic and is pretty much giving away the fact that this country continues to be plagued with crab mentality. Of course, I understand this is the UAAP and every game matters, but why is it so hard to admit that this particular team is playing their assess off? Instead of giving them pats on the back, they make up conspiracy theories worthy of a mention in a Mario Puzo novel.

It pains me that nobody outside of Loyola Heights wants to admit that the Blue Eagles are giving 110% each game because they're so convinced that the games are fixed. The collective and individual effort that the Blue Eagles give is unmatched. The way Kirk and Emman run around picks all game long is a tutorial on excellent one-on-one defense. The way Kiefer sprints for those easy transition points at least five times a game is a testament to his excellent conditioning. These aren't a bunch of Juan Tamads waiting for guavas to fall on their laps. These are go-getters who know what it takes to win. And it's unfortunate how nobody wants to give them credit for it because they're probably high on stupid pills.

It is true what they say, that it is lonely at the top. But hey, it's where I'd rather be than anywhere else. I'm sure my fellow Ateneans feel the same way. Now to the goddamn haters, I guess there's only one thing left to do.

by Mr. Pink

Feeding Frenzy

2011-08-21T01:07:00.000-07:00

Ateneo vs UST

Round 2 Game 2

82-57 (WIN)

Just a week after Ateneo's heart-stopping victory over the Mighty Tams, many predicted that the second round would be a tougher more physical path for the Blue Eagles. FEU showed in their recent encounter with Ateneo how preparation and familiarity with the later's system is key in getting over the Everest-like dominance of the boys-in-blue. However, the Eagles proved that it's easier said than done, while UST, had to learn that the hard way.

Ateneo came out slow on offense but insane on defense. Seriously insane. UST was simply shocked by how quick the Eagles were on their feet. Emman, Tonino, Kirk, Bacon, and Kief provided the full-court D to check UST's usually high-scoring duo of Fortuna and Teng, while Greg, Frank, Justin, and Oping put up the much needed inside coverage to control the boards and limit second-chance opportunities. The best part, was how the 2nd and even the 3rd units kept the defense up for 48min.

Nico Salva churned-in his most brilliant offensive performance this season by running rings around heftier opponents and shooting the lights out early in the game. Spin moves, drives, pump fakes, and mid and long-range jumpers deeemnit! Nico has simply brought his game up to a level wherein he can simply carry the offensive burden for the Eagles WHEN necessary. Being named player-of-the-game in the past two consecutive games, he has shown that even though he is not the 1st nor 2nd scoring option on the floor, he remains ready to provide the team with a 3rd solid and dominant force both in offense and defense. A veteran will always be a veteran. 20 well-earned points.

I don't know if you've been getting sick with all the props for Kiefer, but come on, the kid's got major skills. He's a one-man show-stopper. Ravena has proven that he can spark runs and hit crucial shots when he wants to, but what makes him special is his passion for playing. Skills is one thing but a love for the game to boot will simply make a monster of a player. When Kiefer scores, everyone goes wild, but has there ever been a player that has made excitement in offense as he has on defense? No, NBA players don't count.

Would you rather watch a blow-out game or a buzzer win?

Personally I'm torn. As much as I was ecstatic after Ateneo eked out last week's OT win against FEU, I found it too much of an emotional roller-coaster watching the Eagles on the other end of the pole, trying to crawl back from a deep well. But then for entertainment purposes, I feel it more apt to write about a game like that than say a blow-out over a team who's not necessarily a top-contender. If it were say a beating of La Salle or FEU, the story would be different. But that's just me.

Nine and O. Hoping for a sweep. Let's keep the faith guys, and continue watching the games live. The 6th man starting to show some spunk.

Go Ateneo!

---MMKP

photos from the great people of fabilioh.com

NOTES:

Kief will eat you alive.
Kevin Ferrer got frustrated early. Von was a Monkey-eating Eagle. (Get it?)
It was hardly a breakout game for Justin Chua, but a least he's getting some time on the floor. hope he gets his confidence back.
Tallo, you might want to dry the pee on your pants. Let me see you do your crossover on Kiefer.
BON JOVIIIIIII!!!!

One 4 The Books.

2011-08-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

Crazy finish...

What the hell did just happen?

2011-08-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

This was exactly how I looked in the first half.

"7-1 ain't so bad."

"I'd rather lose now than later."

"Losing builds character."

"Dear God, I've never seen a basketball miracle live. If I'm ever going to see one, now would be perfect."

Those were only a few of the thoughts in my head when RR Garcia hit that long bomb that turned my legs into jelly and took the air out of my lungs. I've watched plenty of basketball games and there are times that the team I'm rooting for is facing a large deficit with not a lot of time left. All those times, I pray for something magical, in the level of Reggie Miller's 8 points in 9 seconds or Tracy McGrady's 13 points in 35 seconds. But my prayers have never been answered. I still go home disappointed, trying either to console myself or rationalize why the team had to lose at that particular time. Until last Saturday.

This guy stepped it up big time.

Ateneo has had its share of magical basketball moments: Doug Kramer's shot, Kirk Long's shot, and the comeback against FEU two seasons ago were the most recent one. And last Saturday, I wasn't so sure that the basketball gods would be generous enough to give us a fourth one. I'm a pretty big fan of the Blue Eagles, but like I said earlier, I've seen too much basketball games to know that not every comeback finishes the job. I'm not proud of that moment of weakness, but what I'm proud of is that I kept standing, ready to cheer the team on regardless of the result. If I'm not going to BELiEVE, then I have no business wearing that shirt. So after the customary fouls to delay the game....

After the Emman steal: oh shit.

After Romeo did something very Terrence-y: Oh shit.

After the Kiefer layup: OH SHIT.

After the Ramos miss: OH SHIT.

After another Kiefer layup: OH SHIT.

After the block party on Cruz: Pandemonium.


Our guys made sure that jabroni didn't ruin the comeback.

To be honest, I was surprised how the Tamaraws were confident, given that they were blown out barely a week before. Also, Christian Sentcheu was nowhere to be found, doughnut-izing (yeah, I'm in the business of making words up now) the team even further. But Aldrech Ramos was active on defense, denying Greg of offensive opportunities. RR Garcia was aggressive, making plays and penetrating Ateneo's defense. Even the exiled Jens Knuttel made a cameo as the Calendar Man to Kiefer's Batman: sent just to badger and not do any real damage. And as far as I can remember, the last time someone threw down an alley-oop dunk on the team, they lost in a blow out. FEU looked like the team that everyone knew and feared. I know lesser teams would have folded, ready to chalk the game up to experience and just try to do better next time. But not this bunch. I know Coach Norman wouldn't forgive anyone from that team who stopped believing until the last buzzer. Damn. He would've slapped me silly if he knew.

How nice of you to show up, Justin.

No words can express the feeling of realizing that your expectations has been met by reality. And I can't help feeling that being part of that fantastic crowd that day, I had something to do with that. Of course, we'll never know how much we accomplished as a crowd. But from the outside looking in, it was pretty fantastic. So hit the comments and let's talk about that epic game. I usually try not to use the word epic because of how the real meaning has been saturated with its constant loose usage. But if that game wasn't epic, then I don't know what is. Kiefer, I AM A WITNESS.

It takes a great player to know one.

Notes:

I'm terribly sorry for the delay. I was having some technical difficulties.
Juami seems to have lost some of his mojo and, subsequently, his playing time.
As we all know, our good friend Tony Atayde has left the blogosphere. So Tony, in honor of your contributions to the sporting world, here is a parting gift, from me to you.

by Mr. Pink

Part deux already?

2011-08-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

Jump straight up while shooting those open shots, Nico. You've done the #8 a great service.

After just 6 days, the Blue Eagles find themselves against the FEU Tamaraws once more. And if nothing drastic happened in the last week, then the Blue Eagles will still be unmatched while TJ Manotoc will continue to whine about the MVPs lack of free-throws, as if being the MVP alone entitles you to more.

So far, this year has been a disaster for FEU. Nobody expected that Reil Cervantes' absence would have this much impact on the team. Pipo Noundou's unexpected injury has also been quite the challenge for Bert Flores and his troops. So far, his adjustments have not been that effective. I don't know if it's his own doing that Aldrech Ramos' role on offense has decreased, or it's just Terrence Romeo who has single-handedly obliterated the whole concept of ball movement. I don't think this is how RR Garcia envisioned the encore to his MVP year.

If Norman Black and his staff increases the role of his graduating players, then the FEU braintrust looks to be doing the exact opposite. JR Cawaling, a creation of FEU's own hype machine, has not lived up to expectations. Jens Knuttel has been benched because of his lack of offensive creativity, his defense and leadership notwithstanding. His modest play simply pales in comparison to his more flamboyant, but not necessarily better, teammates. Remember that it was only him who stayed in Morayta after graduation. Soc Rivera, Mark Lopez, and Jolas Paguia all left. All Knuttel's got to show for his loyalty are some spot minutes and plenty of cheerleading. It's too late for revisionist history, but Coach Norman could have done wonders for this kid.

I want to see how much impact Mark Bringas can bring to the FEU frontcourt. Christian Sentcheu has proven to be one of the most offensively inept players in the UAAP today, and the Tamaraws can't keep playing a man down on offense in exchange for mediocre defense. Bringas can at least shoot the ball beyond the shaded area, but he does give up a lot of size down low. If he starts roughhousing to compensate, then he'll hear it from the 6th Man.

Coach Norman said it best when he said that he doesn't care if the team's peaking too early. 7-0 is a good place to be. Despite the unbeaten streak, there's so much to improve on. Greg and his post moves, Kiefer and his three point shooting, Nico and his shot selection, Bacon and his butterfingers, Juami and his court awareness, Justin and his offense, Frank and his putbacks, and so much more. Yet despite all these offensive deficiencies, the team compensates for on defense. Nobody takes a day off. Emman may not have a good shooting day, but you can be sure that he'll be all over the opposing point guard. It doesn't matter how many staggered screens the other team sets, Kirk will run around all of them and disrupt the passing lanes.

TJ Manotoc, I have called the whambulance because I foresee that your incessant whining will continue even after this game.

Notes:

If Anton Montinola likes to meddle so much, why can't he just make himself the head coach? Oh that's right, he wants control, not accountability. What a dick.
If you've watched the NCAA recently, it's annoying how the commentators spend half of their time promoting the league, that their players have "humble beginnings", or "tougher" and they actually prefer physical play. Why don't you just shut the fuck up and let the product speak for itself? You're acting like insecure bitches. Yeah, I said it. The NCAA is insecure of the UAAP.
Speaking of NCAA, my favorite players are Paolo Taha and Ronald Pascual. That man can jump.

by Mr. Pink

Presenting the inaugural Andy Awards.

2011-08-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Andy Awards, or The Andys, are aptly named after this year's UAAP Commissioner Andy Jao, who, through his constant sucking, inspires everyone to be sucky as well.

The Howard Flor Award is given to the league's big man who, albeit talented, is constantly being ignored in favor of his perimeter-based teammates. The winner of the Howard Flor Award is:

Aldrech Ramos is not some diamond-in-the-rough project that's going to pan out in a few years. The Beast of the Far East is the real deal, yet he's being ignored on offensive sets. Because of the absence of Reil Cervantes and Pipo Noundou, the Tamaraw post game has been abandoned. As a result, this former MVP Candidate has been relegated to a supporting role, setting picks and grabbing rebounds for his trigger-happy teammates.

The Patrick Cabahug Award is given to the player who thinks that his only role is to score, treating his teammates as mere ornaments of the game. The winners of the Patrick Cabahug Award are:

Alex Nuyles' story was cute in the beginning. He was the underdog who worked really hard to get where he was at. Now, it seems like all the attention is getting to his head, forcing shots and shooting early in the shot clock. He seems content with using his athleticism not to get to the basket and draw fouls but just to jump higher when shooting his jump shot. Terrence Romeo, on the other hand, has a pathetic story. It looks like he's still trying to score 80+ points every game. In a team with the reigning MVP and a consistent Mythical Five member, he wants to be the star. Chucking up bad shots all game long will now be known as "doing a Terrence".

The Woody Co award is given to the player who peaked way too early and is now just really depressing to watch. The winner of the Woody Co award is:

Which begs the very, very sad question: did he even peak? JR Cawaling has sucked since time immemorial. Maybe keeping him under wraps all those years was not a good idea. I'm beginning to think that the Rookie of the Year Award is cursed. If so, watch out, Jeric Teng.

The Ferdinand Award is given to the player who celebrated prematurely and ended up embarrassing himself because of the unnecessary and ironic display of hubris. The winner of the Ferdinand Award is:

Dumbass.

Hey, Ateneo Fans! I'm open to award suggestions. Just leave a comment if you have some good ideas. Maybe awarding a Marvin Poloyapoy Award to Arnold Van Opstal for his short shorts or something, I don't know.

by Mr. Pink

Last dig at the second-smartest guy in the planet behind Yturri

2011-08-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

Keep on dissing how our players look because you're such a piece of work yourself, asshole. You must be flattered with all the attention you're getting from the blue side.

by Mr. Pink (I hide behind a pen name so people won't make memes with my face on it)

Rage faces from the internetz again
Photo of the sad old man from a piece of cow dung I saw this morning

Only way we know how.

2011-08-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

You'll always hate what you can't have, Mr. Atayde

Many were expecting a Finals rematch. A lot were expecting a close fight. The FEU Tamaraws were hoping for an upset. With an unbeaten record and bulls-eyes on the team’s back, a lot of questions were to be answered during this game. Is this the team that will finally bring the Blue Eagles down to earth? Is the championship experience of Bert Flores enough to outwit Norman Black? Will the Blue Eagles’ defense be able to contain The Tamaraws’ offense? Will Terence Romeo ever learn to pass the ball willingly?

It was a very well-defended start for both teams. Both teams were having their shares of missed shots and turnovers. Many had open looks from the outside and the perimeter but failed to convert. Everyman on the court wanted to start strong and contribute early for their team. Greg Slaughter started the scoring load as he overpowered one-hit wonder Foronda inside. He was also clicking from the foul line all game long. FEU tried to contain Greg with their own version of a 7-foot center in Christian Sentcheu. Yes, the two may have roughly the same height, but the skill disparity was obvious. Sentcheu changed a couple of shots but he didn’t really become a concern throughout the game.

Our backcourt tandem of Kiefer Ravena and Emman Monfort showed that they are the standard by which all other backcourts will be measured. Emman ran the show and continued his mastery of reigning MVP RR Garcia, while Kiefer finished plays. He didn’t score much this game but Emman was in his sensational best. One thing about FEU’s offense is that it starts with Garcia acting like a spark plug, but Emman made sure that RR had a hard time all game long. As the league’s best point-guard this season, he showed how tough he was in the defensive end and how he is also a threat in the offensive end, albeit in a non-scoring capacity. Kiefer, on the other hand, didn’t have a good game. He had a great one. His full repertoire was in full display. Jump shots, lay-ups, wild shots, foul-fishing; you name it, he made it. He even did a decent job guarding Terrence Romeo during defensive switches. His plays left the Ateneo crowd at awe and entertained at the same time. Clearly, Ateneo’s future is in good, skilled and god-given hands.

On the Tamaraws’ side, RR Garcia was trying to lift his team single-handedly. He is a great player no doubt, but he can’t do it alone. Terrence Romeo was simply himself, trying desperately to score in the only way he can: ball-hogging. He just refuses to see his teammates out there. Simply put, passing is not really in his vocabulary. Aldrech Ramos tried to contribute but he settled for jumpshots all game long. Cawaling tried to play, but slipped, literally. Tolomia did not see open lanes to drive into. Their coaching staff was a bit unstable. I am really convinced that FEU has not yet figured out a good way of rotating its players. They love to play their three-guard line-up of Garcia, Romeo and Tolomia, but not only they give up to much size this way, but they're benching their best perimeter defender, Ping Exciminiano. Cawaling and Ramos are capable of scoring but the ball is always in the hands of the guards so they can’t seem to get the flow of the offense. They still haven’t figured out how they would use their personnel effectively which is why they lost this game and the previous one against UP.

Everyone contributed in this game. Kirk had his stifling defense and a couple of threes. Bacon and Zags provided much needed hustle and scrappiness. Frank was a monster on the glass. Nico had his lay-ins and jump shots. Justin made his mid-range jumpers. Though there were times that they couldn’t get their hands on the ball during rebound scrambles that ended with putbacks. But nonetheless, team defense and well-oiled offense sealed this win even before the 5-minute mark of the 4th quarter. Containing a team to under 50 points is not an easy thing to do.

After seven games, the Blue Eagles have proven that they are the best team in the league this season. Not by making shots but by stopping them. Not by flare, but by execution. Not with flavor, with substance. Not as individuals, but as a team. Sweeping the first round was not an easy task, but neither was it impossible. One Big Fight!

Notes:

Nico has to develop new ways to score. Apparently his nifty fakes are now well scouted by defenders from other teams. Also, is it just me or is he fading away a little while taking his jumpshots?

Terrence Romeo will be the reason why his team will be unsuccessful this year. He can’t keep playing as if he’s the 1st scoring option.

FEU does not lack players, they lack roles for their players.

by Mr. White

La Salle, Dreaming Too Early?

2011-08-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

IF YOU ARE A GREEN MIND, YOU MAY NOT WANT TO CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE. SO JUST GO ON YOUR WAY AND F YOURSELF.

I feel bad for even bothering to rebut some of the points raised by a certain green-minded genius. But I simply can't fathom how this dude had been given green light to write for Inboundpass even with his distorted concept of basketball analysis he so humbly calls his "opinions". Even with his beloved team's disappointing inconsistent showing so far, which can obviously already speak volumes of the current system they run, let me enlighten you with the reasons why the Greens will remain a secondary color compared to the Blues. (See what I did there?)

Nobody said Ateneo was invincible. Whoever said Ateneo was invincible must have been hiding under the rock in '06. But let's not dwell on the past and focus on this team, the 2011 Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Greg'S Laughter

With all the shit thrown around with every opportunity haters get, I'm not surprised Greg has sometimes looked a bit distracted and pressured to churn in monster performances each game. The challenge for Greg is to channel all his energy in simply playing basketball and not trying to prove naysayers wrong all the time. Let the 6th man do the talking.

It's a no-win situation for Greg. When he plays really well, opponents cry-foul on eligibility issues. If he has bad games, then he's suddenly just a "Meralco post" who can be beat by basketball player wannabes.

Greg dominates like a madman. But when he starts missing shots, he loses focus and becomes sluggish. Ateneo is a machine run by team-play and if one player decides to think for himself, it affects the whole team. Greg really needs to realize that he doesn't need to dominate each game, he just needs to trust teammates to recognize opportunities.

I'm sure there will be more bull to be said throughout the season, especially with the way Ateneo has been playing. The team needs to always have their "eyes on the prize", if they do that, Greg will have the last laugh.

Kief the Faith

Ravena, even with his obvious god-given skills, has continued to develop himself to become a better player. His basketball I.Q. is just off-the-charts. But like every Atenean, he accepts the challenge to transcend norms and strive to be the best that he can be. Yes, he can be "neutralized if the defense is focused on him", but let me point out how the genius chooses his words. Kiefer can indeed be NEUTRALIZED, but can he be STOPPED?

Me no think so.

Keeping the ball away from Kiefer is harder to do than most basketball analysts think. It takes more than a "big defender" or even a veteran to cover a player who is always steps ahead in the play. What makes Ateneo's system work so well is that it involves each player on the floor to know exactly what role they need to play to make the play work. If Kiefer is involved in the play the team is running, he probably already knows whose hands the ball will land 5 possessions after and what spots will be free by that time. You see, unlike your silly, useless, and sad excuses for assistant coaches that you yourself admit you have, we have assistant coaches who tirelessly scout and breakdown both offensive and defensive plays of opponents and brings the basketball game warfare into a whole different level.

Oh and btw, I find it quite funny yet disgraceful that you even dared to use "Disorder" and Webb together in a sentence. Before you even think of Webb stopping Kiefer, make sure you think long and hard why you have so many IFs in your statements. Kinda gives a sense of both disappointment and hopeless desperation if you ask me.

EmMAN

Let me start by declaring that Emman is the best point guard in the league right now. Yes I said it. If you challenge it by saying that if you put him in a different team, he wouldn't be as successful. I'd ask you what your concept of a point guard is. Arguably, there's reigning "king" PG RR Garcia and teammates Terrence Romeo and Cris Tolomia whom we all know can each torch the net all game long. There's also UST's Jeric Fortuna and La Salle's LA Revilla who have both proven themselves very capable in taking-over games, especially in crunch time. And of course, probably the biggest argument would be Lester Alvarez who has simply been dangerously and consistently deadly on both ends of the floor.

So what makes Emman "the man"? Look at it this way, if you remove all these other guards from their teams, will their other players still be able to create for themselves? Let me guess, a resounding "Yes"? That's because most if not all the other teams in the UAAP have lineups composed of, believe it or not, players who are used to being stars before college. Give them the ball and they will and can score for themselves.

For Ateneo however, save maybe for Kiefer, who else do you think can score for themselves? Nico's dribbling has always been his weakness, and yet he manages to consistently score, not just because of skill alone. How many times have we seen him receive the ball mid-range to knock down jumpers, after an Emman drive and dish. Or how he streaks down the floor for an easy lay-in coming from a lob or a no-look pass from Monfort.

Kirk is not decent. He is Ateneo's cornerstone and most consistent player. Unfortunately, Kirk isn't the type to look for his shots or demand the ball. He gets his points from getting himself free through screens and bleeding out for fast break opportunities.

Emman is Ateneo's motor and steadying factor. Every time he is on the floor, he gives his all and allows the game come to him. He is able to distribute the ball and create opportunities for his teammates to get easy baskets while giving his share of flare to the game with his natural spunk and swagger.

One fourth? Dude, this guy gives more than 100% of the effort your players give. So what does that make your players? 1/16?!

Emman serves the ball to his teammates on a silver platter. That's a sign of a true point guard, thank you very much.

(For someone who calls himself Greenmind and takes pride in a fanboys club called GangGreen, you've got quite the nerve declaring someone dirty)

Bench Express

How can one even compare our bench with La Salle's? I mean come on, their bench is like a bunch of former high school super stars still high on the glory days of Taft. Listen to me when I tell you this: If you went to La Salle to get your playing time, yes you will get it. But if you expect to learn and develop as a player, I'm sorry, but you'll be in for quite the surprise.

Indeed, if you compare benches head-to-head, I won't argue in favor of the Blue Eagles because ours has much to learn and experience. However, I wouldn't say ours is incapable of beating yours in a match up. The only thing stopping our bench from actually exploding is that ours cares more about team effort. Ateneo's bench players know their roles and play it out as if they were all nominated for the Academy Awards.

Trust me, there's a switch that Coach Black is hiding and as soon as he turns that switch on, the bench players will play. No one in their right mind would simply believe that these players got into the team and just dropped their high school accomplishments and skills to accept roles. No, it's their pride they let go off.

Think of it this way, try remembering how many times Tonino and Juami played in UAAP games before this season? You can probably add all their minutes and not even match the number of Atkins' missed 3-point shot attempts in just one season. And yet, here they are playing confidently and stepping up when it counts most. I'll even go as far as to not blink if they had the ball in their hands with seconds left in a tied game vs La Salle. That's how much I know they'll deliver.

Our bench will not count the points your bench has scored or minutes your players have logged. They don't have time to. They're too busy counting the wins they plan to get until the day they get their chance to play. That's dedication right there.

We've all gotten sick of all the drama surrounding not just the team but the overall hosting gig of Ateneo in the UAAP. From Ryan Buenafe-related allegations such as his supposed pending controversial case, weight issues, academic problems and, rift with Art Dela Cruz, to the endless debate on why Greg Slaughter should not be allowed to play, Ateneo has been barraged with some ridiculous bashing from schools who simply want to get 1-up on the most dominant basketball team in recent years. We will not back down, we will not fold, but we do plan to break some long standing records in the UAAP.

"We're not aiming for FOUR, all we want is MORE" - NFP,2011

I'm inviting you to watch us do so in style.

Manipulation my ass.

---MMPKP

Sabaw of the Day

2011-08-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

Rage face from the internetz

Picture of the old man from the fiery depths of hell

Get well soon, my friend.

2011-08-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

credits to the owner of the original picture

Hardly A Preview....Not Really A Rematch.

2011-08-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Some consider the game on Sunday versus Far Eastern University a sort of preview of this year's UAAP Finals. As the first round of eliminations come to an end this weekend, Ateneo will try to clean up the round with a not-so-surprising 7-0 record. FEU on the other hand, will try to bounce back from yesterday's embarrassing 76-63 whipping from cellar dweller UP.

The "mighty" Tams are coming into the game possibly missing some marquee players in shooter JR Cawaling (injury) and big man Mark Bringas (possible suspension after yesterdays hullabaloo). They will have to rely on the firepower of hotshot guards RR Garcia, Terence Romeo and Chris Tolomia who have taken turns in bringing the boys in green-and-yellow to a string of, shall we say, victorious escapes.

Yes, escapes.

How many times have the Tams come back from being down in the dirt this year, and narrowly escaping the now more gutsy and fearless lineup of teams? With their 4-2 record hanging on the 2nd spot in the standings by the thread, look for FEU to try and snag a lucky one from the Blue shirts. This, however, will be quite a daunting task, allow me to give you 2 reasons why:

a) Team play - Ateneo's main weapon is defense but what makes it a machine is teamwork. Even with a bunch of talented players who can easily match up and go one-on-one with any player in the league, it is when the blues pass the ball around, double team, put up screens to open up shooters, move without the ball, box-out, etc that Ateneo runs its offensive strategy. FEU had that before. They have been settling for one-on-one plays as of late and it has worked for them against teams who have yet to develop team-defense. But against Ateneo, they will need to be more generous with the ball.

b) Second chance points - With Pipo Noundou and Reil Cervantes out for the Tams, Mark Bringas, Aldrech Ramos and Christian Sentcheu are tasked to be the men-in-the-middle. Unlike Cervantes and Pipo, the current bigs for the Tams are starting to become more of sideshows this year with the surplus of guards. Unfortunately for these big men, when the guards are missing their shots, they need to be always ready to bang their bodies inside and grab boards for second chance opportunities. Having Greg Slaughter to guard and box-out will be a hand full as they take turns, but if you add Erram, Sumalinog, Chua, Salva and even Monfort fighting for rebounds, Kief, Zags and Long spreading the floor, and missing two more guys in your lineup. The bigs will have to work extra hard keeping up with the running game and the peskiness of the Blue Eagles.

This game however, will not be a walk in the park for the Blues. As I have reiterated a number of times above, FEU's triumvirate of talented guards can heat up and rally their troops in literally a blink of an eye. Ateneo needs to be alert in closing up the lanes and guarding the perimeter. Look for Coach Black to have quick substitutions to make sure there are fresh legs on the floor.

Kirk will again be our main man in the game. His defense will hopefully disallow RR to distribute the ball. Besides, I'm sure Kirk remembers pretty well the way he almost choked in last year's Finals. Expect him to go all-out on Sunday. Greg had a bad game last time, and with Bringas out for FEU, Greg will hopefully have a field day in the paint, of course do not expect fellow-Gilas big Aldrech Ramos to up points easily.

See you guys on Sunday! OBF!

---MMPKP

We going Tiger-hunting.

2011-08-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

The doubters sound awfully quiet.

Since winning the championship back in 2006 (wow, it still kind of hurts to say that), the Tigers have been on a downward spiral. Dylan Ababou may have won the MVP a few years back, but it still doesn't hide the fact that the Tigers have not been all that menacing recently. They looked like a promising team at the beginning of this season. Their uniforms were not of the phantasmagorical variety anymore and they were actually playing well. One would expect that this team would have a hard time scoring without trigger-happy guard Clark Bautista. However, Jeric Fortuna and Jeric Teng have picked up the scoring for the team. Blue-collar forward Chris Camus has also displayed a fantastic transition game, with some crazy ball-handling and a strong ability to finish. And with rookies Kevin Ferrer and Karim Abdul contributing, they racked off two straight wins to open the season. But they were sent plummeting back to the ground with two straight losses, with that last one breaking hearts in the process. It has yet to be seen if spirits were broken, too.

After that late game collapse in their last outing, the UST Growling Tigers are looking to bounce back and make a statement. And no bigger statement can be made than a win against the defending champs. The UST team is a stark contrast to the Ateneo Blue Eagles. They encourage plenty of free-lancing on offense, and provide no discernible team defense. They're basically the UP Fighting Maroons with one more win. While Teng has been repackaged as some sort of defensive stopper, guarding the likes of Rayray Parks and RR Garcia, the rest of the team don't seem to be very interested on that end of the court.

I can say with full confidence that UST is not good enough to beat Ateneo. Abdul may have the strength to match up with Greg, but height makes all the difference. Nico and Oping can take turns with Camus and our guards can take care of their guards. As the cliche goes, the only people capable of beating Ateneo in this game are themselves. We were almost pick-and-rolled to death by the Red Warriors who were taken very lightly. I hope something lights a fire in them so they'll be motivated to annihilate the opposition for the rest of the season, en route to our fourth straight championship. And if they find it difficult to play hard for 40 minutes, they should think of three words: Doug, Macky, JC. I'm sure those guys would give anything just to play the Tigers one more time.

Notes:

I always thought Mark Canlas was the best pro prospect among the past Tigers outside of Jervy Cruz. Instead, it is Francis Allera and his Lawrence Chongson-hair who is playing in the PBA. Even the dumbass Allan Evangelista is nowhere to be found.
I think the Babble should give the spiels a rest. Gico Sinjian is good at it and it doesn't mean that everyone else is too. He gave the Babble experience his own flavor and its time everyone else did the same. Leave the pa-cute stuff to UE's cheap Babble imitation.
I'm wondering what Tonichi Yturri is actually good at. Everybody knows what the Greenies think of his coaching capabilities. He's even worse in the broadcast booth. Hearing him talk sounds more like an exorcism rather than real commentating. At least he's not part of the constant parade of fools that is more commonly known as the UAAP Announce Team.

by Mr. Pink

Look at this fool.

2011-08-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

credits to the owner

Is it still a battle of Katip?

2011-07-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

Game 5, Round 1
Ateneo vs UP
77-57 (WIN)
Record: 5-0

The UP Fighting Maroons have been losing the "fight" ever since Marvin Cruz hung up his college sneaks to go pro. For some time now, UP has ended the season disappointing many, given the young and talented crew they have been gifted with in recent years. The disappointments began when high school hot shot Migs de Asis lost his touch and eventually his roster spot. However, UP had their eyes on brighter days with the emergence of a bunch of brave young souls willing to bring back the glory days of UP.

Winning the game for UP would be a big statement. To simply challenge would also be a statement. UP practically had nothing to lose. They were a cellar-dweller going against the top team. If they lose, it wouldn't be a surprise at all, but if they won, it would be epic, worthy of a true oblation.

For the Blue Eagles, this was a game they needed to win, not just to preserve their unblemished record, but also to stamp its class in the field of highly competitive basketball programs in the UAAP. To win this game was to show that they treat each team with the same respect and will compete at the highest of levels (especially with the almost embarrassing performance against cellar dweller University of the East in their last game).

UP surprised the Eagles with quick passing that led to easy perimeter baskets. Former King Eaglet Mike Gamboa and Youth Team vet Paolo Romero led the Maroons to an early lead indicating a fearless approach to the Eagles' dominance. Gamboa hit two big threes to jump start UP's upset run. But, just when UP was gaining its confidence, Ateneo, led by Cap'n Kirk and the Pocket Rocket, tightened up the D and pushed the ball in practically every opportunity they had and literally racing back to grab the lead.

Ateneo has just been a machine as of late. Save for the lackluster performance against UE, the Blue Eagles have churned-in clinic-like performances to the misfortune of their opponents. Coach Norman has had the luxury of having Kiefer and Greg get the opportunities to dominate and get comfortable with UAAP play by surrounding them with combinations beneficial for their style of play. Mixing up run-and-gun with half-court setups has led to a widening of Ateneo's offensive forte. Kiefer is just a monster on the open court. Greg, even with moments of indecisiveness and frustration, has continued to lead the Blue pack, and the league in the MVP race.

The Maroons are quite the enigma. They have people who can shoot the ball, a presence down low, and a tough coach to shape them up. However, the mixture just isn't working. Their lack of individual lockdown defenders have not been compensated with good team defense. The offense is always in high gear with Mike Silungan and Jet Manuel willing to hoist shots up for their team, but the effort has not been there on defense. This is where Alvin Padilla and Mark Lopez, two very willing defenders, are missed the most.

It's hard to criticize the team even in a blowout win. But there are some things that should be worked out if we're expecting a fourth straight championship. Greg, for one, took too many jump shots for my liking. I know he can make them, but it just makes more sense for him to stay in the paint and do some damage there. Also, the team as a whole has been coasting during some moments in the game. A championship team goes all out all the time. It doesn't matter who the team is facing. There should be one standard and one standard alone.

Look for the Blue Eagles to peek come 2nd round. For now, we can just hope that each one of Ateneo's 16 strong comes out ready to play whether it be against a top dog or a cellar-dweller.

--- NFP (collab)

Photos from fabilioh.com

NOTES:

Emman is bringing it hard this year. He may not be racking up the numbers but he's definitely stepped his game up this season. he puts the MAN in emMAN.
Greg needs to pound it hard inside. He's almost unstoppable in the paint, so he better bang it in there ike he's life depended on it.
Oping's offensive game has been inconsistent and bothersome. is it because of the lack in playing time? Or because he's just scared to make errors on the floor. If he only gets as much ' confidence' as Bacon shows, he'd be great. Hope he wakes up.
Chua or Bacon?

NFP Postgame Awards: Ateneo - NU (Round 1)

2011-07-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

The NFP Postgame Awards is a homage to past Blue Eagles who gave their all playing for the good ol' blue and white. It also takes jabs at some dudes who were heckler-favorites.

The Zion Laterre Award is given to the Blue Eagle who spilled blood, sweat, and tears on the court, providing much needed hustle and energy. The winner of the Zion Laterre Award is:

Emman was simply superb yesterday. After winning last week's Epok Quimpo award, Emman proved to everyone that height is never always might. I can definitely conclude that he is the best rebounding guard in the UAAP right now.

The Jobe Nkemakolam award goes to the player who comes off the bench to bring in much needed fire power and spunk. And the Jobe Nkemakolam awardees are: (Yes we had 2)

Poy Erram came in with a few minutes left in an already won game but proved that he deserves a slot in Ateneo's regular rotation. Coming up with timely blocks and easy buckets, Erram put the icing on the cake for team Blue.

Emman was given much deserved rest after a fast-paced first quarter and just when everyone thought it was garbage time for the Blue Eagles to close the half, Juami comes in and manages to squeeze in two big treys to pad on to Ateneo's lead and killing the fight in the bulldogs early on

---MMPKP
Photos from Fabilioh

Notes:

Seeing them 3rd-stringers playing confidently on the court is such a joy to watch.
Bon Jovi is a playmaker and he will definitely get his time.
Oping is the man. He just needs to be more aggressive and confident with his shot.
No heckler favorites for this one, NU just played really bad.
Justin Chua... why?!

Freefall: Ateneo-UE Preview

2011-07-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

Damn son.

It's so hard to believe that not too long ago, UE was on the brink of the championship. There was Elmer Espiritu, a versatile forward who knew how to use his superior athleticism to help his team. There was also Pari Llagas, who was around 2 inches short of being a superstar with his great footwork and fundamentals. Then there was Val Acuña, who could make defenses pay with his accurate shooting. And of course, who could forget the great Wowowee Paul Lee, one of the best players the league has ever seen. Rudy Lingganay. Raphy Reyes. James Martinez. Even Ken Acibar, who was supposedly the star player for this year's batch of Red Warriors, is gone. This is a definitely a different UE team. But contrary to what Barney Stinson believes in, new is not always better. This version of the UE Red Warriors sucks.

Gone is Coach Lawrence Chongson. And whether you admit it or not, you are going to miss his well-maintained locks of hair, carelessly flying around as he barks orders from his players. Replacing him is Jerry Codiñera, who's hardly a coaching greenhorn. He's had stints with the UP Maroons as an assistant and as the head honcho of the Teletech Titans of the defunct PBL. I must say that I do not have a good grasp of his coaching style. But looking at the Red Warriors' roster, it might not even matter.

Don't get me wrong, the team has a shitload of talent, but it's just not going to work. I don't think Paul Zamar is capable of carrying the team as the leader and the main offensive option. He got away with some open shots before because his more talented teammates were getting all the attention on defense. The talent level just drops drastically after that. Roi Sumang can contribute, but he can't punish teams offensively Bonbon Custodio-style. Wingmen Lord Casajeros, JR Sumido, and Biboy Enguio are not elite scorers who force defenses to adjust accordingly. Lucas Tagarda is proving to be a one-hit wonder, as he was such a hit with the Ateneo fans when he hurt himself while foolishly trying to dunk during warm-ups. Nowadays, he's not even that funny anymore, so there's really no point of giving him any attention. Rookies and former San Beda Red Cubs Von Chavez and Chris Javier do not look ready for this type of competition.

On offense, the team should exploit the obvious size advantage and just dump the ball to Greg. I don't think Coach Codiñera is dumb enough to put Javier on him, so it's going to be Erwin Duran. But if Duran can't handle Rabeh, then there's no way he can handle Greg. It's all going to revolve around him. What the Blue Eagles will do as a team will depend on how the Red Warriors will defend Greg. On defense, we should just do the same old shit we do every game. Nobody really stands out, but the possibility of a fluke breakout game remains. The team should shut everybody down, just in case.

I know Coach Norman is an advocate of the "No Yabang" philosophy, but this UE team is just sad. Hoping for a blowout because I love myself some Bon Jovi action.

Oh how I miss thee.

by Mr. Pink

Letdown: Pretenders to the Crown

2011-07-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

More blowouts plz.

There were a lot of things going through my head before this game. Who will guard Bobby Ray Parks? Will Emmanuel Mbe be able to guard Greg Slaughter? How much transition offense can we run given that NU's transition defense is pretty decent? Can one player really make the NU Bulldogs title contenders for this year? The fact that there's so many questions that need to be answered speaks about the gravity of this game. This isn't the league whipping boys of old. Supposedly, they're Final Four contenders.

All my questions were answered and more. I can probably sum-up this game in two very appropriate words: TOTAL DOMINATION. There were a lot of things going right for the Blue Eagles and a lot of things going wrong with the NU Bulldogs, resulting in a good old-fashioned blowout. It wasn’t hard to see how the boys in blue dismantled their opponents this game.

While Parks early three-point play made us a little bit nervous, the rest of the half showed that we had nothing to worry about. Maybe it's just me, but Parks hardly qualifies as a ballhog. He is definitely no Terrence Romeo. There is no question about his talent. I know his poor performance (don't be fooled by the 20 points as he scored most of it during garbage time) can be attributed to Ateneo's superb defense, but where are the rest of the Bulldogs? Basketball is a team sport but I didn’t see anyone helping Ray Parks during the game. No cuts to the basket were made. There was hardly any ball movement from their team. The rest of the Bulldogs were stagnant most of times when he had the ball. He had to score the whole game (well, tried to actually), while at the same time guarding the likes of Kirk Long and Kiefer Ravena, guards who are in constant motion during offensive sets. It’s funny how he would walk to the bench during timeouts and not high five any of his teammates. I guess when you’re that tired and that frustrated with your teammates, all you see during timeouts is the coaching staff. If you're going to have one person carry your team, I think it would be polite to set some back screens or whatever instead of just having him dribble to his hearts' content.

Meanwhile, the Blue Eagles, as always, were immaculate in running their sets. Unlike the previous two games, forced shots and unforced errors were minimal this game. Again, the starting line-up of Nico, Emman, Kiefer, Kirk, and Greg was solid. When these five are on the floor, both ends of the floor are covered. Offensive and defensive continuity was not a problem when they ran the show. Kirk did an astonishing job of guarding Bobby Ray Parks. To contain a player who has tremendous scoring abilities to a couple of lay-ups is a difficult thing to do. He just chased him around, contested his every shot, and never gave him breathing room. Now, when I think of lockdown defense, I think of Kirk. His passing and outside shooting were also in full display.

Greg took everyone that tried to guard him to school. He was tripled-teamed, slapped in the face and arms, but still he got baskets for the team. He even blocked a couple of shots that started the Ateneo fastbreaks. His scoring was there, but hopefully he'll improve his rebounding in the next few games. 7 rebounds for a seven-footer is a travesty. On defense, he changed shots just by standing in the paint, and that's an achievement for someone who looks that friendly. Emman is the best point-guard this year so far in the UAAP, and his fingerprints were all over this game. No one can out-muscle, out-run, out-hustle, or even out-jump this guy on the court. He plays all out all the freakin' time. He even grabbed more rebounds than Mbe. His leadership is vital to this team, reminiscent of this other point guard who donned the #6 for the Blue and White not too long ago.

After a rough start to the season, Nico is finally settling in his role this year. He scored on a multitude of shots, from jumpers to lay-ins. However, his one-handers need a little work, as they always seem a little short. Maybe a little more muscle can do the work. And if you're a fan of conspiracy theories, try this one for size: Coach Norman wanted everyone to think Kiefer was a bust, hence the first game booboo. He just wanted the Greenies to focus on Greg during their game. But now, the cat's out of the bag. Kiefer is spectacular. And there's nothing anybody can do about it. But the spark off the bench this game was clearly Oping. After taking one game off, he made a three, drew some fouls, defended like a mad man, and ultimately, became the x-factor that the Blue Eagles needed during the game.

The Blue Eagles moved the ball well and played the perfect game, even sneaking in a stretch during the third quarter when they made 6 straight baskets that ended with a buzzer beating 3 from Juami. By the start of the fourth, everyone in the arena knew that the game was pretty much in the bag. But everyone was still up in arms, mainly because everyone wanted to see the rest of the non-Kiefer rookies get some playing time. And I must say, the future looks promising for the Blue and White.

Maybe it was just NU’s inexperience or lack of chemistry or it was the Blue Eagles’ steady and crisp plays that made this game a one-sided affair. But nonetheless, this game showed that basketball is still a team sport and it is supposed to be played that way.

Notes :

Emmanuel Mbe should have been thrown out during this game for constantly complaining foul calls on him. He made obvious fouls and he complained everytime.

Where the hell is Kyle Neypes?

Props to the fat dude from the NU crowd who danced with his heart and soul.

The Blue Eagles had fun this game. Kirk, Greg and Kiefer were actually smiling before they even made shots.

I was surprised that a lot of people watched this game. I guess they were expecting a real contest.

I still miss Jessica Mendoza.

No Slaughter dunk today. Sad.

It's very questionable how the NU Coaching Staff decided to let Parks play when the outcome has already been decided. Was padding stats really that more important than rest and avoiding the risk of injury? That kind of stunts will bite them in the ass in the future.

by Mr. White

"Bulldogs have rabies now!": Ateneo-NU Preview

2011-07-19T23:47:00.000-07:00

A true captain

disclaimer: The title of this article does not reflect the writing capacity of Team NFP

Two Games. Two different rookies took over and led the team to the win. Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena are two of the prized rookies who have performed exceptionally, scoring 23 and 24 points respectively in the past two games. But on the other side of the fence, one rookie is also making waves with equally exceptional play.

All bark, no bite. That pretty much sums up what they have been the past decade. The National University has long been aching to have a successful season in the UAAP. After the Danny Ildefonso and Lordy Tugade led squad reached the Final Four, NU has been the perennial cellar-dwellers of the league. The best Jonathan Fernandez and Edwin Asoro could do was deny the Ateneo a twice-to-beat advantage four years ago. However, the new management under the SM Group has made it clear that they do not intend to keep this reputation any longer. They have become a major player in the recruitment wars and they will no longer have to make do with the leftovers.

Bobby Ray Parks Jr. is the face of the most recent reincarnation of the Bulldogs, the ones who finally have the bite to back up the bark. After a good-but-not-spectacular game against UST, he bounced back with a 30-point performance against UP; that game, ironically came after a first-half domination of Kiefer against La Salle. Against UP, he showed what he’s capable of doing; hitting the outside shots with that nice stroke of his and driving to the basket with a good mix of size, speed and athleticism. Aside from Parks, less heralded recruit Denice Villamor has been punishing teams with his timely outside shooting. Glenn Khobuntin has transitioned very well from a big in high school to a more mobile forward in college. However, NU finds itself with a logjam at the point guard position, with veteran Joseph Terso and rookies Gelo Alolino and Cedric Labing-isa. Because Coach Eric Altamirano is trying to find enough playing time for all three, they are having troubles finding a good rhythm individually.

How will Ateneo fare against the new look Bulldogs?

Inside, Greg can surely overwhelm Emmanuel Mbe and backup center Marion Magat. Though Mbe has shown some improvements from last year, he is still not at that level where he can outdo everything that Greg does for the team. In terms of match-up, NU will need another defender for Greg because their centers do not have the size. But if they don't heed the signs and still decide to defend Greg one-on-one, he will have a field day in the paint. If they double him, then expect lots of nifty passes underneath the basket for open lay-ups by the other players. On the defensive side, Mbe and Magat are pretty limited offensively, relying on putbacks and layups to score. In that aspect, Greg will have enough energy to lead the team on the other end.

In the wings, Kirk, Bacon, Zags, or even Oping can take turns in defending Parks. It will keep Parks guessing as to what will happen next and it will keep our defenders fresh as well. If there’s a need for Kiefer to guard Parks, I’m pretty sure that he can handle the job just like what he did in the preseason leagues. For Villamor, Alolino, and Khobuntin, we need to always put a man in front of them. We cannot allow these players to have that confidence to shoot. As good as Altamirano is as a coach, his plays are limited and results in an isolation play for Parks most of the time. Just play honest defense and their offense will surely stagnate. Bodying Parks up and not allowing the other players to have a good shooting day will lead us to a third straight victory.

Hopefully, after the DLSU game, the boys’ mindset is still the same; always play tight defense no matter what. NU can defeat us just like what happened in the preseason. The boys just have to respect the fact that this team is not the Bulldogs of old and they can hurt them if they're not careful. With Coach Norman at the helm, I'm sure the Blue Eagles will be as focused as ever, with claws ready to claim another prey.

by Mr. Blonde

NFP Postgame Awards: Ateneo-La Salle

2011-07-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

That was quite a game. It's too bad La Salle can't use their classic "we-are-a-team-of-rookies-and-sophomores" excuse anymore. It was getting old anyway. I wonder how they feel about getting their asses handed to them by a rookie.

The Rainier Sison Award is given to the Blue Eagle who showed exemplary effort on the defensive end, making sure that his counterpart gets no breathing room. The winner of the Rainier Sison is:

Newly-christened La Salle douche Samuel Marata never got into a groove because of Kirk's defense. And when visions of the last year's first round meltdown entered my brain, I knew we were in good shape because of Kirk's perpetually running motor. Nice haircut, by the way.

The Woody Co award is given to the player who peaked way too early and is now just pathetic to watch. The winner of the Woody Co award is:

It's not so fun to jeer him Joshua Webb anymore because he sucks now. What a loser. What's worse for Arnold Van Opstal: being called Ferdinand 2.0 or Webb 2.0?

Notes:

I'm going to have to rename the Epok Quimpo Award to the Emman Monfort Award.
I can't believe the gangrenous bunch have the nerve calling our players ugly when they have the ugliest player in the league pound-for-pound. But I'm not even going to diss him because he seems like a good kid.
I am, however, going to diss Mark Tallo. Don't you wish there was a Ctrl+Z you can press somewhere you stupid fuck?
Looking forward to the NU game. I don't want them to get better, but I think Kyle Neypes could do some damage if given the playing time.

by Mr. Pink

credits to uaapsports.studio23.tv for the Spyder photo. Sorry I typed over your watermark.

Sabaw of the Day

2011-07-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

by Mr. Pink

credits to the owner of the original picture

Excuse me, but...

2011-07-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

by Mr. Pink

photos from here and here.

We are Witnesses

2011-07-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

Slaughter Slam #2

Overrated. All-hype. Phantom. He has been called every name in the book because of one game. Everybody breathed a sigh of relief because thankfully, The Phenom wasn't what everyone thought he was. He's a phony and the Ateneans were fools. But little did we know, the great Kiefer Ravena was about to make fools out of all the doubters.

In as big a stage as they come, Kiefer put on a show for everyone; to the delight of Ateneans and to the chagrin of everyone else. His two-minute first quarter blitz set the tone for the rest of the game. He showed us the full offensive repertoire: an acrobatic lay-up here, a midrange shot there, and even a three-pointer on top. He was his usual solid self on defense, picking up steals that got the Ateneo transition game going. It didn't matter if it was veteran Simon Atkins or rookie Roldan Sara. It only takes a second before Kiefer is off and running to the other side. I'm willing to bet a thousand bucks that a certain (ex)recruit peed his pants at least five times while watching the game because that's what he'll be dealing with next year. While Kiefer was "shut down" (what haters want to call it to help them sleep at night) in the second half, the rest of the team pitched in to hold off the multiple La Salle rallies.

Lost in the glamor of that breakout game was another breakout game. I was ready to petition for the retirement of the #8 jersey after this game, but thankfully, Nico found his groove. He missed a couple of lay-ups early in the first, but a couple of jump shots got his game going. We were even treated to an up and under move that sent Jovet Mendoza out of his socks and to the bench, never to be heard from again. His timely corner three gave the team just enough cushion when were being threatened late in the fourth. However, his game still needs a little fine-tuning. A countermove will prove to be helpful when his initial drive in the post is checked.

It was awesome to see the transition offense up and running, something we did not see so much in the first game. We forced plenty of turnovers and ran at every opportunity, to Kirk's benefit as he flourishes in the open court. Yutien Andrada's absence became more conspicuous because he has the speed and the wingspan to defend our finishers. The running probably hurt Greg's game a little bit, plus the fact that when we actually tried to set up, he was getting triple-teamed constantly. But he made all the right plays as he found open teammates again and again for easy shots. He was also changing plenty of shots down low so I can't believe he was only credited with two blocks. If we were counting blocks on Norbert Torres, that would have been right in the ballpark. La Salle almost rendered him ineffective defensively when they had both Mendoza and Torres on the floor. Both are perimeter threats and this could have forced Greg to move out of the paint. It is very dumbfounding why Dindo Pumaren would prefer Maui Villanueva and his hideous jump shot.

Kiefer may have been the man during this game, but this team is no one-trick pony. The Blue Eagles can run the opposition out of the building or pound the ball inside. The options are endless but I'm sure Coach Norman has already figured it out. Wish I could say the same for Pumaren. I don't know how to properly end this so borrowing a line from Parokya ni Edgar...

Notes:

I've said it once and I will say it again, the ball belongs in Emman's steady hands during crunch time. The man is just clutch. I'm glad he didn't let LA Revilla's douchebaggery get to him.
Speaking of douchebaggery, a big fuck you to Atkins and Marata. Nice acting jobs, fuckers. Maybe you'll do something to actually win the game next time.
For a while there, I thought the scary version of the La Salle press was back.
The second unit is still struggling. I'm looking at Juami and Justin to provide the scoring while the starters take a breather.
The only thing I hate about Ateneo-La Salle games (aside from actually losing them) is the posers.
I hate saying this, but my main man Bacon let me down. He did, however, provide some much needed ballhandling when our guards were flustered by the press. He'll bounce back.
I'm a little sad for Papot Paredes. He seemed primed for a great season but he's being benched in favor of two unspectacular rookies.
WHAT THE FUCKIN' HELL REFS?

This is the silliest Kiefer has looked in the last week.

by Mr. Pink

P.S. I know it's not basketball, but I couldn't resist taking a jab.

Pacquiao: My next? My next what?

Game Dubs and Headlines: Ateneo vs. La Salle

2011-07-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

Kiefer: "Ref, ano tawag?"

Ref1: "Wala, gusto lang kita makausap, pwede pa-otograp? Kung ayaw mo, powl ka."

Kirk: "Ref, what'd I do wrong? He was the one...."

Ref2: "Basta powl. No asking me enimor...unless you gib me manny...or kiss"

Kirk: "Manny? WTF..."

Ref2: "Are yu karsing at me?"

Kirk: " I meant ...uhhh....Where's The Foul?"

HEADLINE: No Blood, No Foul

Marata: "Uy lamok"

HEADLINE: Ravena, nilapastangan si Sara

Sara: "Eto na, crosober na toh, tapos saksak, tapos dakdakan ko si sloter"..."my game....my time...".............."Ay PUUUU"

Fr Dacanay: "Buenafeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!"

Coach Norman: "Hey look it's Kobe!!"

Atkins & Villanueva: "San?!!?"

Nico: "TrooooLllooooolllllooL"

Ref2: "Powl namber piptin, tumatae sa court"

HEADLINE: Revilla at Monfort. Break Na.

Revilla: "Emman babes, di ba natin pwedeng pagusapan to?!" *huhuhu*

Emman: "It's not you, it's me."

HEADLINE: Kirk, Tinuhog si Atkins. Atkins Natuwa.

Kirk: "Foul!"

Atkins: "Ohhh...Yummy..."

Revilla: "Pare, inuman naman tayo minsan"

Emman: "Sige, sopdrinks"

Revilla: "Siraulo ka ah! Gusto mo ba ko patayin?"

Emman: "Di naman, pero gusto kita sapakin?"

Ref3: "Tekateka..... readyyyy... payt!!!"

Kiefer: "Ref, bilis dun ka pumunta, kikiss kita dun"

Photos from the amazing Philip Sison from Fabilioh.com

---MMPKP

A tribute to a friend...

2011-07-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Circus is in Town

2011-07-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

Watching the game on television today was painful. These fools do not know what they're talking about most of the time. Really, Louie Vigil was from the Letran Squires? And they can't even tell Jeff Javillonar and Denice Villamor apart. Come on. If they weren't screaming like a couple of fangirls, they were bumbling like losers. I can't believe these guys even have a job. They suck major ass.

by Mr. Pink

photos from here, here, here, and here.

Here We Go Again: Ateneo-La Salle Preview

2011-07-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

Being The Phenom is a double-edged sword.

If you were to ask me whom I’d pick to lead Ateneo to a win over La Salle on Saturday, I’d stop you, put my hand on your face and ask you to tell me whoever gave you the idea that Ateneo would have a walk in the park against La Salle.

As much as people believe that Ateneo’s win over gritty Adamson was just the tip of the iceberg in potential for the Blue Eagles, I believe it goes quite the same with La Salle. Even with the loss to FEU and a showcase of defensive dismantling by the quicker and craftier guards of FEU, La Salle showed glimpses of maturity and preparation from their young squad which should make one reconsider doubts in La Salle’s capabilities in forming great team compositions.

One can easily tell that the Archers have prepared plays specifically for their outside gunners while recognizing their surplus of multifaceted offensive threats to maximize productivity. It’s obviously a work in progress; a progression that could lead to something quite deadly. The Blue Eagles will be ready though.

La Salle’s current lineup is practically made up of a bunch of players who can play 2-3 positions and provide both inside and outside offense. Papot Paredes, Jovet Mendoza, Maui Villanueva, Joshua Webb, and Norbert Torres are all suspects in occasionally confusing opponents with their triple threat offensive capabilities. They can post up, take the ball strong to the hoop with dribble drives, and, when given enough space and an open shot, stroke it from the outside. Expect Ateneo to play them with equally flexible and athletic defenders in rotating Sumalinog, Salva, Gonzaga, Austria and even Erram. Hopefully our guys can harass them enough to limit their options and create bad angles by covering passing lanes. Our guards must be quick to double team and try to strip the ball away when opportunity presents itself, ala Eric “The Salute” Salamat.

La Salle’s strength is in the guards (not surprised given their growing collection of young and talented recruits). However, Simon Atkins was shooting blanks all game long against FEU. Given the number of free looks he had during the game, clicking early on would have meant easily bringing his team back into the game, or even running away with it especially with LA Revilla playing splendid and consistent basketball. Last year’s offensive tandem of Almond Vosotros and Sam Marata were practically no-shows during the match. Marata came in late 3^rd quarter for some unknown reason (we refuse to speculate), while Vosotros just wasn’t aggressive enough. (LA’s resurgence has definitely affected his role in the team) I’m pretty sure Atkins, Dela Paz and Marata will be ready to drop bombs in Katipunan come Saturday. Ateneo’s guards must be ready to pressure the Lasallian back court to give up the ball early and prevent them from running their offense. However, they must make sure to not exhaust too much energy since they will need it while attempting to break La Salle’s daunted full-court press, which seems to be making a modern day comeback this season.

Defensively, La Salle will most probably use the same defensive plan they used when they beat Ateneo in the Fil Oil tournament a month or so ago. Recognizing Slaughter’s height dominance in the middle, expect the greens to cover Greg with double teams all game long. Greg should be able to find his open teammates while trying to keep Torres, Van Opstal, Gotladera and Andrada busy and guessing through occasional offensive outbursts. Greg needs to be patient; besides, this game is not to be about his offense but his ability to read the defense and dish out to open teammates. Moreover, this game is about Ateneo’s other players’ ability to hit open shots. Specifically, I would like to see Juami and Bacon be more consistent in hitting open shots. Nico’s jumpers weren’t automatic against Adamson, so look for him to find his shots early in the game.

Crucial for Ateneo would be their ability to create free lanes in the paint for easy buckets and taking high percentage shots by controlling the offensive boards. Both tasks involve moving without the ball and doing extra work in route to delayed gratification. For close to mid range offense, I would expect Frank, Oping and Justin to be more aggressive in battling for rebounds and trying to get second chance points. Since the La Salle bigs will be busy pushing Greg off away from the paint, the complimentary bigs of Ateneo should be able to position themselves where they can take and make shots. If the ball movement works well for Ateneo, expect Kirk Long and Kiefer Ravena to take turns in running rings around La Salle’s smaller guards, and hopefully barrage their way to the basket and get to the line. Tampus and dela Paz will have their his hands full in trying to keep pace with the two Atenean stalwarts.

Ateneo, like in every game against La Salle, should bring their A-game if they expect to come out with a W. Defense must still be their primary focus, but they must execute their offense and hit their open shots to be able open up the game. A win is a win, but I’d prefer nothing else but a blowout.

Go Ateneo!

--- MMPKP

Notes:

Defensively, Kiefer and Kirk will probably take turns shadowing Marata and Revilla. But I have a feeling that Vosotros and Tampus will be the main gunmen for La Salle in this match.
Kiefer will kill it on game day.
FilOil is FilOil, UAAP is UAAP. This one’s for the cake!

NFP Postgame Awards: Ateneo-Adamson

2011-07-12T06:48:00.000-07:00

The NFP Postgame Awards is a homage to past Blue Eagles who gave their all playing for the good ol' blue and white. It also takes jabs at some dudes who were heckler-favorites.

The Zion Laterre Award is given to the Blue Eagle who spilled blood, sweat, and tears on the court, providing much needed hustle and energy. The winner of the Zion Laterre Award is:

Oping announced his return to the UAAP with some thunderous rebounds and key defensive stops. His quiet intensity gave the team a jolt that helped them finish the Falcons for good.

The Epok Quimpo Award is awarded to the player who showed superb leadership and an unbelievable performance in the clutch. The winner of the Epok Quimpo Award is:

When the other team is fouling, Emman's steady hands are where the ball should be. His shooting is just immaculate.

Notes:

No surprises from the bench today. Hopefully we'll have a performance worthy of a Jobe Nkemakolam/Mike Baldos Award in the future.
Jan Colina deserves an award for being a complete asshole.
About Kiefer: everyone needs to chill. Want to discuss? Send us an email.
Ditto about Bacon.

by Mr. Pink

Still the Better Bird

2011-07-11T03:35:00.000-07:00

Hopefully we'll see at least fifty more shots of this variety

The first game of the season is always an important one. All the offseason preparations finally come to fruition. And what better way to start the Blue Eagles' season than to put them against the team that they beat last year in the Final Four. The Adamson Soaring Falcons has steadily improved under the guidance of Coach Leo Austria. This year, the Falcons are considered to be the Veteran Team with only a handful of players not returning (shout out to Mike Galinato). If the Blue Eagles were to test their new crew, this was the team to match-up with. The Falcons have lost 28 straight times to the Eagles and they hope to use this as motivation coming into this game.

The Battle of the Birds started with good offensive movement and good defensive rotation from the Blue Eagles. It was clear from the beginning that Slaughter would be the anchor on both ends of the court. His size not only was a problem for the Falcons in the offensive end, as he would take Austin Manyara to school everytime he posted up, but also in the defensive end of the court. He changed a lot of the shots that the Falcons tried around the rim. Emman, as always, was steady and solid in both ends. His early assists to Greg and the wild pass that turned into a three-pointer by Kirk was the spark that the Blue Eagles needed. But the Eagles closed the first quarter rather poorly when the second unit was subbed in. Alex Nuyles, Lester Alvarez, and Eric Camson managed to keep the Falcons within striking distance.

When Kiefer was subbed late in the first, he looked very rattled and unsure. I don’t know whether he was sick or had some first game jitters but he did not look like the Phenom we all know. He struggled to create anything during his first touches. He was contained by the Falcons´ defense all game long and he was rarely given any breathing space to operate and do his thing. .

After the break, Coach Norman put his starters back on the court as he tried to add more to the Eagles´ lead. Whether it was the Falcons putting more defensive pressure or relaxing on the part of our boys, they had a hard time establishing continuity on offense. There were bad shots all over the place. Even Greg got a little bit sloppy sealing his man in the post as the ball was swiped from him a couple of times. On the defensive end, the Eagles were too slow to rotate to the outside shooters as Alvarez and streak shooter Roider Cabrera made the most out of the breathing space they had. It took a thunderous slam by Greg to wake the Blue Eagles and the crowd up from their slumber, and they tried to capitalize immediately. But the Falcons took the lead and the losing streak looked like it was going to end.

The fourth quarter was all about defense for both teams. The Blue Eagles struggled to finish plays around the rim. The Falcons, on the other hand, fell in love with the three-pointer so much that they neglected to see that Slaughter was not even in the game. Both teams had a 3-4 minute offensive drought as they exchanged shots brought about by poor offensive sets. But with steady free-throw shooting, key defensive plays, and the sudden sloppiness of Adamson, the boys snatched the victory from the jaws of defeat.

This was a very good game for the boys because it showed that all-game focus was needed to win games, especially games against teams that had many veterans. The problem was settling down during set plays. The Eagles neglected the extra passes and the ball-screen cuts that were always present during the game. A lot of them were looking down on the court as if they were about to shoot the ball. On the defensive end of the court, they were a step behind when the Falcons moved the ball around and looked for the extra passes on the wings which gave them a lot of looks in the perimeter and beyond the arc. The Eagles have to understand that Greg is not the only defense they have. They have to play team defense and not only to rely on the big man to change shots. The starters were steady but I think the coaching staff has to figure out a good combination when putting second stringers in the game. But if anything was clearer, it is that the Eagles have the ability to settle down and climb back from a deficit and win the game. In the end, ball movement and team defense gave them their first win this season. 1 down, 13 to go. One big fight!

Notes:

Emman and Greg will be the foundations of the Eagles this year. If they play well, the team plays well.
Nico was settling for too many long jumpers. I know he can hit it from outside but he is deadlier when he takes people of the dribble and finishes around the rim. He can even get fouls by doing so.
There was no transition offense during that game. I hope they can run more next game.
Bacon is in his rightful place as point-forward. Maybe he´s trying to fill the gap of another point forward we miss.
Kiefer needs to get more touches and needs to get more involved.
Ryan Buenafe will be missed this year. His post-up isolations and nifty passes were always the Eagles´ way of sparking their game when they struggle to shoot.
Lastly, Jessica Mendoza, you will always be missed by your Ateneo family

by Mr. White

Feather Fight: Ateneo-Adamson preview

2011-07-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, the long wait ends. After winning the championship, celebratory bonfire, the excellent recruitment class, exciting summer games, the not-so-good splits with some of our players, and to the latest tirade about eligibility, finally, all the hype, drama, tensions and conflicts will be ultimately solved where it should be solved; the basketball court. And, what a good way it is to start our journey for that historic four-peat with a game against Adamson.

Ateneo has a rich history with Adamson. It has always been brought up that Adamson’s losing streak to us now runs to 28 straight games. For the not-so-avid UAAP fans, that is 14 years of continuously losing to the Blue Eagles. In a recent interview, Leo Austria said that our country has been under a few presidents already and they still have not gotten that elusive win. When talking about Adamson, it always starts with their coach, Leo Austria. Since he took over the coaching duties, there has been a steady rise in standings for the Falcons. They may not have the blue-chip recruits but they always seem to play hard all the time, playing good defense creating turnovers that lead to fastbreak points care of their feisty and speedy guards and athletic forwards. Other than the Romeo/Garcia and Monfort/Long (and now Ravena) combinations in the league, Adamson may have the best and fastest guards out there led by Alvarez and Canada. These two players are not afraid to take it to the hole when the defense lapse in the break or take a pull-up jumper here and there when a pick and roll with Colina or Camson is set-up.

Adamson, probably, is one of the best three point shooting team in the league right now. Alvarez and Canada can simply outshoot any player and often bail out the team when the proper plays are not executed. Nuyles, Cabrera and Lozada are the other players to watch out for they can shoot timely treys to put pressure on their opponent’s perimeter D. If they have a good shooting day, it will open up the lanes for a drive by either their highly-skilled guards or athletic forwards. Of course, the other side of the coin reflects that Adamson is a jump-shooting team who relies too much on jump shots to dictate their game.

Adamson’s line-up is intact and composed of veterans who are hungry and motivated to end their playing years on a high note. This team has been together for so long already and chemistry will not be a problem. Also, just like every player who is in the twilight of his UAAP career, they want to end their stint in good fashion. However, so are we.

So how will we match-up with Adamson then? In the defensive side of the court, our players will not have hard time keeping their man in front of them. Canada and Alvarez may be fast but Emman and Kirk can match their speed. Our perimeter D can frustrate Adamson that they may lose some of the precious time just to set-up their plays. In the post, I can assure you that our bigs can handle the pressure of a Camson or a Colina. Defense-wise, our depth and coaching is an advantage and I am pretty sure Coach Norman knows what to do to keep Adamson at bay.

Offensively, Ateneo can give Adamson fits all throughout the game. Our versality like, for example, Nico playing either in the post or perimeter can break the zone Adamson sets. With Alvarez and Canada in the Adamson backcourt, our guards can take advantage of their superiority in height. Expect some post-up turnaround jumpers from Kiefer just like how he took advantage of Melo Lim in the Fil-Oil tournament. Lastly, our main offensive weapon with Greg, the paint is where we will have a field day. Despite the fact that Adamson has good wing players and guards, they are missing an effective center. Austin Manyara is, at least, average in terms of defense but he is not enough to contain Greg. Greg has played against the best centers in the league, in Asia, and even in some parts of the world. So despite Manyara being effective defensively, Greg will easily figure out his defense and break it during the game. If Adamson tries to overplay Greg, Emman, Kirk, Kiefer and Nico will certainly have a field day in the perimeter leaving them with open looks because of rotation lapses or easy lay-ups with good passing. On the other side of the court, Greg will have plenty of energy left on offense because Manyara doesn't have the skills to make him work defensively.

Adamson may be a good or even great team but beating Ateneo is simply too much. I expect Ateneo to overwhelm Adamson with its match-up advantages and tight defensive schemes. Not this game. Not this year.

As what Emman said in the bonfire “Mas madali na buhay ko next year, ipapasa ko na lang ang bola kay Greg o kaya kay Kiefer.” I expect the same thing. We can do this. Our journey for that fourpeat starts with Adamson. But, remember, no yabang.

by Mr. Blonde

The Norman Black Project

2011-07-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is the first of a two-part preview of the 2011 Ateneo Blue Eagles frontcourt.

It is definitely no secret. Norman Black is to big men what spinach is to Popeye. The combination is just glorious. Coach Norman and big men make beautiful music together. And by make beautiful music, I mean win a ridiculous number of games. Doug Kramer, then with his notorious butter fingers, couldn't catch a drop pass to save his life. But he turned into a monster in the paint, thanks to Coach Norman's tutelage. Season 69 Finals scapegoat Claiford Arao turned into a solid post option during his final year, again thanks to Coach Norman. Remember Rabeh? Needless to say, Coach Norman is the best big man coach in the country, maybe even the best coach period. This year, the Blue Eagles again have a platoon of big men with the necessary size and skill for 40 minutes of ground and pound. Figuratively, of course.

By Philippine standards, Greg Slaughter is one heck of a specimen. We're not really used to seeing that kind of size everyday. So can I really blame some schools for not wanting to face him in the court? No, but to hell with them anyway. Images of EJ Feihl come to mind, but I'd like to believe that they are world's apart, mainly because Greg actually knows how to hoop. His post-up game is not perfect. If you've been keeping track of preseason games, his moves seem a little slow, and it slows down the offense as a whole. But he can make plays for his teammates when it becomes a little crowded inside. He can also step out for the midrange jumpshot occasionally, or drive to the basket when left without options, but I'd rather see him leave that to his teammates. He has to stay inside and take advantage of the large discrepancy in size. If it were up to me, I wouldn't make plays for Greg and have him focus on rebounding and defense. But I'm not about to question the three-time champion on the bench. I hope Greg is not as hot-headed as our other great center before because people will be inclined to hit him harder because of his size. Foreigners like Alinko Mbah, Karim Abdul, Austin Manyara, and Christian Sentcheu will come in and try to frustrate Greg with physicality. It's up to him and rise above and focus on doing his job. I'm sure he won't be having trouble with these guys defensively. They kind of suck at basketball.

Nico Salva has quietly emerged as one of the team's best two-way threats. He is a very versatile offensive option, with mini-hooks and a reliable jumpshot in his arsenal. Being part of the esteemed 2008 Recruiting Class, Nico had high expectations from the start. He didn't start out as a contributor immediately, but his steady ascent makes him a crucial piece to our fourth straight championship. His dribbling is still a little suspect. It looks a little slow and uncomfortable. I'm hoping that he'll be able to develop a slashing game similar to JC Intal. On defense, He can easily jump for those rebounds and blocks, that's why I'd like to see him more as a help defender. With other defenders being able to guard the likes of Joshua Webb or even Kyle Neypes, expect Nico to serve some Spalding (or Nike) with a side of embarrassment a few times as the last line of defense. It's also imperative to keep the likes of Yutien Andrada and Eric Camson off the glass. Nico has all the tools to become at least a Mythical Five member, but I know that he wants one thing and one thing only: a bonfire this October.

Coming back from a one-year hiatus is Oping Sumalinog. He seemed to be primed for a breakout year last year. But the wheel of fortune spun the other way, and he spent last year recovering from an ACIL injury. Without sounding overly optimistic, I'm expecting a grand comeback this year, just like what his buddy Emman had two years ago. He might not get plenty of touches on offense, but he will make it up with his rebounding and hustle. He's also capable of guarding Dylan Ababou-type players, with enough foot speed and upper body strength to stand toe-to-toe with those type of players. Offensively, Oping has better dribbling skills than Nico, which translates to a more effective slashing game. His shot is not as reliable as Nico's, but he has more range, although Nico is slowly catching up. Teams are going to have to pick their poison with those two.

to be continued...

by Mr. Pink

The Eric Salamat Prototype

2011-07-06T02:14:00.000-07:00

This is the second part of a two-part preview of the 2011 Ateneo Blue Eagles backcourt.

What else can be said about The Phenom himself? He dominated the Juniors Division with his explosive athleticism and smooth midrange touch. If the preseason is any indication, he seems on his way to dominating the Seniors as well. But a word of caution: don't be disappointed if he doesn't average 30ppg this season, or any season for that matter. That's just not how the Norman Black System works. But you can count on hardnosed defense and pinpoint passing from Kiefer. People may not realize how high his basketball IQ is, only rivaled by one Ryan Buenafe, who will not be suiting up this season. He played the point for much of the preseason and I don't see that changing. He can also defend people who are at least five inches taller than him, like Rayray Parks and Kevin Ferrer. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a go at Mike Silungan. His three-point shooting needs a little work, but who cares? He does everything else much better. If I were a kid from Cebu playing behind this genius, I wouldn't feel too bad. But that's just me.

Whoever thought that Tonino Gonzaga would play a big role during this year's campaign? If you're saying you knew it all along, you're probably a liar. He shocked everyone, including me, during the preseason with, again, his defense. We always knew that his motor was always running, but defending at a high level? Definitely a welcome surprise. Zags has pythons for arms. Mix this with his intensity results in a very log night for whoever he's guarding. This gives Coach Norman another defensive stopper to spell Kirk without giving up some scoring. Zags can knock in the open-three pointer and he drives to the basket every now and then. He will do the great Nonoy Baclao proud. That #7 must have some magic in it or something.

While watching the Ateneo-San Beda Finals on TV, one of the fools parading as a sportscaster mentioned that Juami Tiongson was not known for his offense. I was shocked at two things: first, how this fool could have gotten his job. Second, I know for a fact that Juami is known ONLY for his offense. He can light up the scoreboard very easily with a wide array of jumpshots and floaters. I see him being used more in a shooting guard capacity. He can get his own shot off, but Coach Norman can make plays for him. He runs well without the ball, making full use of the screens to free himself for that smooth j of his. We've seen glimpses of his playmaking, and now it's just a matter of doing it consistently. His defense is not as good as his other teammates, but he's not bad ether. If Juami is on the court, expect two things: scorched nets and broken hearts.

I don't see Bon Jovi Cipriano and Von Pessumal getting extended minutes this year. But if they bide their time and learn from the guys playing ahead of them, they'll be seeing action in no time. If there's one thing we know about Coach Norman, he loves the Eric Salamat prototype: nonstop defense, extended range, and tough personality. Maybe we'll even see a salute here and there. Looks like the boys have their work cut out for them. And during games, don't forget to scream "Get That Ball". I'm sure our backcourt will be happy to oblige.

by Mr. Pink

The Eric Salamat Prototype

2011-07-05T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is the first of a two-part preview of the 2011 Ateneo Blue Eagles backcourt.

The Ateneo system has produced quite a number of dominant big men over the past few years. They were so good that it's easy to forget that the team has had an equally dominant backcourt, as well: one that can not only score, but is capable of shutting down their counterparts. RR Garcia's performance, or lack thereof, during last year's Finals is a testament to the backcourt's smothering defense. This year, even in Eric Salamat's absence, the Blue Eagles will have plenty of bodies to throw at the likes of Lester Alvarez, Terrence Romeo, and Roi Sumang, while stretching the defense on the other end to give the bigs room to operate down low.

Epok Quimpo. Jai Reyes. Emman Monfort. These guys are proof to the old adage that it is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. Every Ateneo fan should marvel at Emman's evolution as a player. He went from bench warmer, to rotation player, to Team B player, to designated scorer off the bench, to the starting point guard of a championship team. Emman has transformed himself from a one-dimensional player to an all-around playmaker. But if there's one thing that stands out about him, it's his toughness, which makes him arguably the world's smallest enforcer. It doesn't matter how big you are, he will go after you if you mess around with the team. He might not have as many high-scoring afternoons like last season, before he became a full-fledged point guard. But you can expect suffocating defense and superb leadership throughout the season.

When Kirk Long entered the Ateneo as a freshman four years ago, everybody thought they were looking at the next King Eagle, the one that would carry the team offensively for long stretches. Well, they got half of it right. Kirk can still go off for 20 points every now and then, most likely against UST, but it is his defense that makes him invaluable, worthy of King Eagle status. Other people with crazy athletic ability may be content with dunks and highlight-reel plays, but not this guy. He will stick to the other team's best perimeter scorer like a glove, while playing the passing lanes to get those easy points in transition. Outside of Kiefer Ravena, he may be the team's best finisher on the break, and it only helps that he can get ahead of everyone easily with his gazelle-like strides. Last I heard, Terrence Romeo was still having nightmares about Kirk's defense. I'm sure at least six other players can sympathize.

Plenty of people love Bacon, but Bacon Austria is not as popular as his namesake. He is not an elite defender and his offensive repertoire is pretty limited. However, his leadership is unmatched and his blood is ice cold. He gives Coach Norman another ball handler on the floor when teams break out the full court press, while providing important poise and composure. Also, like what he did during the Final Four four years ago, he can post up opposing guards, leaving them more fatigued on offense and potentially limiting their production. Nowadays, people put bacon on everything, even cookies and ice cream. I know I want some Bacon on my team. He may not be as dominant as his MVP self, but he loves playing for the Ateneo. Nothing beats HEART. He promised us the four-peat after all, and I expect him to fulfill that promise.

to be continued.

by Mr. Pink

Jersey Shore

2011-07-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

Space for Rent

If you walk around the Loyola Schools campus, you will be welcomed by the new tarps of the Ateneo team mounted on poles. This year, they went the simple and non dramatic route which is probably best.

The players don what might be their official Season 74 kits. These jerseys look okay, save maybe for the AD SPACE that they are! Logos of Nike, Smart, Burger King and Fil-Oil accompanies Ateneo's and the UAAP's seals.

Ok nike's our jersey sponsor, so I guess he deserves to be included. (Hoping all sports get to don the Nike logo in their jerseys this time around)

Hmmm... Mr Pangilinan has always been a major sponsor, but I don't see the point of putting the Smart logo in the jerseys. How is telecommunication used to better the team? Money sponsorship is not enough reason.

Burger King was plastered in last year's jersey. Why?!? Do they give free burgers to the team? Are they to blame for Ryan's weight problems?

FilOil was also in last year's jersey. Financial sponsor I suppose? If we keep doing this, people will start doubting our FilOil Cup win.
The Ateneo seal should always be there. Not the Eagle, the official seal. Without the floral pattern around it, not just the shield with the stripes and pot-and-wolves. The whole seal. Even on the shorts if necessary.The UAAP seal will be included in the "lineup" because it's mandatory. I would think though that the league should have a less colorful logo. They do not need to actually have the 8 teams represented in the logo. If Beda joins the club, how will they differ with UE?

What's the difference with our jersey with Manny Pacquiao's? Manny has 8 world titles, we have 4 championships. If ads are the gauge of the team's success, expect a more hideous jersey in 2014.

It's All About the Numbers

What you might notice in these portraits, more than its money-making capabilities, is that some players have changed their numbers for the coming UAAP season. If you plan to buy jerseys from replica specialty shops, make sure you are updated with these changes first. We'll never know if the changes will be permanent but if you are as much of a follower as myself, I would hope these changes are just temporary. Here's why...

Juami Tiongson used to wear #13 in the Juniors, when he entered the Seniors team 2 years ago, he used #4 (1+3?) since Ryan Buenafe got 13 already. (#4 was vacated by Yuri Escueta after the 2008 championship) Last year, Juami began wearing #5 as the "new Jai Reyes". Art Dela Cruz donned #4. This year, it seems Juami is going back to his #4 jersey (seen during FilOil Cup) as Art Dela Cruz is lost. (yes, I use the term loosely for your personal interpretation)

Bacon Austria wore #8 in the Juniors team, but when he joined the Seniors squad, Ken Barracoso was already wearing #8 after switching from #15. Bacon wore #18 for a while. When Barracoso opted out of his 5th year, Bacon switched back to his HS #8 and has worn it ever since. However, I believe he is switching back to #13 this season, maybe as tribute to fallen friend? If it is so, I do hope it remains a tribute, and when the Buenafe does comes back, he gets his #13 jersey back. Bacon could return to using #8 if this does happen... BUT... will the # still be available.

Nico Salva has been #14 for the Blue Eagles since he came in. The number has always been linked to Ateneo's best; Enrico Villanueva wore the number, and Larry Fonacier wore it in his last playing year (his knee got f*cked up though). I say Nico deserves to wear #14 for Ateneo, but he seems to think otherwise. Nico, if you noticed in his portrait photo in front of Leong Hall, is wearing #8 this year. Bacon's number. The switch, I feel, is his personal tribute to Kobe (#24) who used to don #8 as a rising star, and is obviously his idol. (2x4=8, but some say he chose 24 because it's +1 over Jordan(#23) and LeBron(#23, now#6)). So, if Nico stays with #8, and Bacon's #13, is this a sign that Buenafe will remain #0?

Ryan is obviously not playing this year. But I'm hoping he does come back next year to bring back order in the numbers.

BJ Cipriano is wearing #4 as well. So I'm not sure how this will work out. Gwyne is wearing #11, formerly of Eric Salamat. Von Pessumal is wearing #19, his HS jersey #, and Rabbeh's former. Oping Sumalinog continues to wear Chris Tiu's former #17. Greg Slaughter will wear #20 to replace sharpshooter-on-leave Chris De Chavez. Kiefer has secured #15 since his name became known and Balmaceda left the team. Emman wore #15 after Wesley Gonzales graduated, and Barracoso switched to #8. He then got #6 after a year of absence from the team, and took LA Tenorio's #6.

Currently:

4 - Juami Tiongson & BonJovi Cirpriano
5
6 - Emman Monfort
7 - Tonino Gonzaga
8 - Nico Salva
9 - cursed (haha)
10 - Poy Erram
11 - Gwyne Capacio
12 - Kirk Long
13 - Bacon Austria
14
15 - Kiefer Ravena
16
17 - Oping Sumalinog
18 - Justin Chua
19 - Von Pessumal
20 - Greg Slaughter
21 - Frank Golla
22 - Jeric Estrada

See you guys at the games!

---MMPKP

NOTE:

Juami is wearing his #5 jersey in his portrait photo along campus poles. (He wore #4 in the FilOil tournament)
Jeric Estrada is wearing #38. (I think he just wore Paul Siarot's FilOil jersey)
If the players just traded jerseys for the photo shoot, I would think that the photo shoot was a stupid one. Some people are not familiar with the players' names, they will only remeber the number. Hence, if you take pictures of players not wearing their numbers just for the sake/effort of having them wear Ateneo jerseys in the shoot, might as well edit out all the numbers and have generic/blank jerseys instead.
Given this development, I would think that the photos of the players are just photos and not a representation of their current number choices for Season 74. They will probably be back to using their original jersey numbers come UAAP opening.

Mr. Hodge. (NLEX D League)

2011-07-03T03:38:00.001-07:00

Belated happy birthday chief. I wasn't a fan of this particular play of yours yesterday and I bet Coach Black wanted to go Mike Tyson and bite your ear off after you did it. But hey, it's your birthday, and if you want to take a swing at a 6 foot plusplus giant, then by all means, swing away.

Beware of EMMANny Pacquiao.

---MMPKP

Notes on yesterday's exhibition game between NLEX Road Warriors of the PBA D-league and our very own:

Tonino Gonzaga and Juami Tiongson are ready to play.
Starters - Slaughter, Salva, Long, Monfort and OPING!! wuhoo! (Hope he gets his shots)
Free throw shootout was epic. (Participants of the contest shot better than the team did!)
Eric obviously misses playing with Ateneo
Clifford Hodge is a monster on the playing court, why was he not recruited by any University before? He gooooood.

Season 74 Line Up

2011-06-26T01:27:00.000-07:00

Ateneo de Manila University

Head Coach

Norman Black

Players

Juami Tiongson PG

Emman Monfort PG

Bon Jovi Cipriano PG

Kiefer Ravena PG/SG

Von Pessumal SG

Tonino Gonzaga SG/SF

Bacon Austria SG/SF

Kirk Long SG/SF

Gwyne Capacio SF

Oping Sumalinog SF/PF

Nico Salva PF

Frank Golla PF

Justin Chua PF/C

Greg Slaughter C

JP Erram C

Jeric Estrada C

Likely starting 5

Monfort, Emman

Ravena, Kiefer

Long, Kirk

Salva, Nico

Slaughter, Greg

Likely 2nd string

Juami Tiongson

Bacon Austria

Oping Sumalinog

Frank Golla

Justin Chua

Likely 3rd string

Bon Jovi Cipriano

Tonino Gonzaga

Von Pessumal

Gwyne Capacio

JP Erram

Why is Jeric on the bench again?

Jeric has yet to prove that he can play. He made 1 shot last season and did not play during the off-season. He had to work on academics this Summer. So for me, he will and should sit this one out.

Will Chris and Ryan be back next year (2012)?

I do hope so. Chris can play. He had signs of brilliance in a couple of games last year. He can shoot. but he needs to study first.

If Ryan (and Chris) return next year, they will have another year of eligibility. Just like when Wesley returned after 1 year of being removed from the team and how Magnum Membrere and Paolo Bugia had extra years as well. But first, they have to get through this year with academics. For Ryan, it will be a little more interesting. With all the "rumors" that have spread like wildfire and him staying quiet about it, and the University practically mum, I would think Ryan's year will be quite controversial. But, I want him back. Ateneo this year, remains a powerhouse, but Buenafe is crucial for Ateneo. Without Eric, Ryan would have been the remaining swag in Ateneo. Salva and Golla bring it once in a while, but there's just so much the Baste-boys brought to the team.

Ryan, if you get to read this, shape up. literally and figuratively. We want you back as much as we need you back.

Ateneo, expect insults and bashing from other universities. That;s just how things work in the UAAP wars. Let's just stay tough and protect our own.

Go Ateneo!

---MMPKP

Notes:

Art, goodluck with San Beda. hope you get the playing time you've always wanted. You already got the spotlight anyway.
Mark Tallo, I bet you'll be great one day. No regrets ah. But if you do end up in La Salle, goodluck on getting the playing time you want. I suggest you try UST or UP...Then again, you might not want to study as much as play.

Homecourt

2011-06-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through the Internet when I found this gem of a piece. And this is the part that struck me most:

Comcast Center, Maryland – The Terps’ program has struggled a bit in recent years, but that hasn’t damaged the environment at the Comcast Center, which is home to some of the rowdiest fans in all of college basketball. Student seating is based on a points system that rewards loyalty, which means the most passionate fans get the best seats. No wonder Maryland upsets so many highly ranked teams at home. The Comcast Center has a capacity of 17,950.

How I wish Ateneo would have something like this. More often than not, it is the most silent fans that get the best seats, while the hardcore fans are left to languish in the bleachers.

The Sad State of College Athletics

2011-06-16T03:44:00.000-07:00

This is the worst kept secret in the Philippines. Everybody knows it, but nobody wants to talk about it. There is no such thing as amateur basketball in this country. This country's notion of amateur cannot be more wrong, and the worse thing is it has left a trail of bodies in its wake. The fact that players here receive benefits while still in college is very questionable. They are allowed to endorse products and receive free shoes and the like for their services. But as much as that is a serious issue, it pales in comparison to the bigger issue that plagues college basketball players.

In the US, if a player hires an agent, he will lose his amateur status and forfeit his eligibility. Here, it's not uncommon for players to have "handlers" or whatever bullshit they call themselves. They negotiate for the kid and whatnot, while pretending that they really care for the kid's future. They are masters at concealing the fact that they are only looking out for themselves, trying to mooch off the success that the they hope the kid will achieve. They turn to a bunch of Yes-Men and Kiss-asses in order to please the kid. They tell the kid that they are the best and fill his head with delusions of grandeur. And when the kid's career doesn't pan out as planned, they move on to the next kid with potential, just like vultures looking for carcasses. Especially for the kids from provinces, they think they're doing themselves good by trusting handlers to deal with negotiations in the big city. They're just like the farmers who are fooled into selling everything they have because of scams who take advantage of their situation. Personally, I hate how World Wide Wes and Maverick Carter turned Lebron into the biggest douchebag the world has ever seen. But imagine how many more like them operate here in this country, fooling kids with smooth words, but only ruining their careers in the process.

The lines between professional and amateur basketball has long been blurred. I don't blame the viewers. The only professional basketball league in this country is pathetic and it's turning into some kind of Bizarro NBA: it tries to be the NBA but fails dramatically. The substandard product is simply too much to bear. So people turn to amateur basketball, where there is arguably more passion and the loyalty is much more evident. But in the process, amateur basketball has become a money-making machine, with adults taking most of the profit. The culture of handlers has to be stopped, lest we want more kids spurning a bright future for more playing time.

by TCS

photo from here

Disturbing sight

2011-06-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

While I was enjoying the Ateneo-FEU game last Friday, I saw a referee interacting with a "fan" on the bleachers. The "fan" was throwing up hand signals and the referee was playing close attention. I don't know anything about referee etiquette, but I think they're not supposed to talk to the audience at any time. They never seem to pay me any attention when I throw a few pleasantries down their way.

The first thing that came to my mind: game-fixing. I have nothing against people who wear little sling bags, but they look really suspicious. If there's anybody connected to the Fil-Oil organizers or Commissioner Ato Badolato, please contact them for us and tell them about this little incident. They may or they may not have been involved in some shady dealings, so its best for the referee to just focus on the play on court. There were enough dubious calls already.

Welcome to the fold.

2011-05-12T05:41:00.000-07:00

Looks like someone turned in his arrows for a good pair of wings.

Photo from this site.

AEL BANAL TO ATENEO!

2011-04-12T23:33:00.000-07:00

It looks like Ael Banal hasn't really decided which school to study in this year. Let's help him make the decision! For all the fans reading this, please help us spread the word.

SIGN THE AEL BANAL TO ATENEO PETITION!

Don't Get Too Excited

2011-04-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, news about MVP's impending purchase of the Sacramento Kings franchise spread like wildfire. Of course, the Filipinos ate it all up. I can't believe that Filipinos haven't learned their lesson about the lethal combination of hype and national insecurity. Not too long ago, there was an electricity regarding Charice Pempengco's appearance in Glee. People assumed that she was going to be a regular cast member. We all know how that panned out.

I did some research, something that people fail to do during these times. Granting that the Maloofs do want to sell the Kings, why would they want to sell it to a man whose net worth is only $35 million when their collective net worth is $450 million? That alone makes the whole rumor illogical. It's not about passion, you dumbfucks. It's all about the money. Donald Sterling is an evil man yet he owns his own NBA franchise, and I doubt that it's because of his passion for basketball. The poorest, and I use the term loosely, NBA owner is worth $80 million. Do the math and tell me what you think. And what's this shit about the Filipinos passion for basketball? Filipinos are pretty passionate about basketball, but we do not have the monopoly on passion. We're hardly the most passionate people. First we're the happiest country in the world and now we're the most passionate about basketball. All this is a load of crap.

What's worse is when people heard about this, they went about saying that having a Filipino play in the NBA is not that far-fetched anymore. Get a grip, assholes. When the MVP of the country's best league can barely contribute to his team outside of points, you know you're in trouble. It says a lot about the Philippine culture. It is all about the padrino system and you can throw all competencies outside the window. A Russian recently took charge of an NBA franchise, but did he replace everyone with Russians? Did he even try to trade for Andrei Kirilenko? No, because he's not a douche and Kirilenko sucks. Does that make him any less patriotic? You be the judge.

Posting stuff like these immediately brand me as unpatriotic. Don't get me wrong, I love MVP. But I guess when the Filipinos are about to cum collectively, they get pissed when you turn the porn off. I'm pissed that we're so desperate for attention globally, you're willing to look past certain realities of this world. Well, call me if this thing is actually featured in an NBA website and not from some gossip columnist masquerading as a sports analyst.

This photo just screams sports analyst. Fire Quinito? Yes please.

by TCS

photo of the strapping fellow from The Dean's Corner