UAAP Juniors Finals Preview

UAAP Juniors Finals preview

By Kristina Noelle Villanueva

When Ateneo team captain and RP Under-18 standout Kiefer Ravena sat during a post-game interview after the Blue Eaglets turned back University of Santo Tomas for the second time this season, Ravena said that if there's one team that he expects to see in the finals, that would be UST. And now that the season is nearing its culmination, Ravena's words waxed prophetic as the Tiger Cubs barged into the finals after a series of heart-wrenching games. But will Ravena's desire for a three-peat also prove true for the Katipunan-based squad? Let's take a look and see.

Why Ateneo Would Three-Peat

With a team who swept the eliminations and with a lineup that boasts of the trio of RP Under-18 mainstays Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal and Paolo Romero, it seems that the championship is already within striking distance of the three-peat seeking Ateneo Blue Eaglets. Armed with a vaunted championship experience of a back-to-back title and a heady battle-tested crew, the Eaglets are definitely out to give UST a tough time in its own quest of stripping the crown from Katipunan. And with a thrice-to-beat incentive to boost their campaign, expect Ateneo to give it their all in their final 120 minutes (or 80 as they need only two wins to clinch the third consecutive crown) of heart-thumping action.

The Main Players:

1 - Kiefer Ravena - Ravena, season 72 Finals MVP and mythical five member and this season's second-running MVP contender, has consistently powered the Eaglets through their 14 games, chalking up a league-high average of 20.9 points per outing. A crafty team player, Ravena could not only kill his opponents with his penetration drives and outside shooting but also in orchestrating plays, looking out for the open man for this year's second highest feed average with 5.2 per game.

2 - Von Pessumal - Pessumal has always provided able backup for Ravena in the first round of eliminations and has trailed behind his teammate in the scoring output in most of their assignments. When there is a need to step up if Ravena is in the midst of a "pedestrian game," Pessumal can take charge as evidenced by his career-best 23 points versus Adamson. But the second round saw a drop in Pessumal's scoring output as he played behind marked cards on the tight defensive stops of Ateneo's opponents. The Eaglets' starting small forward may not always tally monster numbers in the stat sheets but his gritty defense is always dependable on court. So expect Pessumal to guard the Santo Tomas' offensive sniping to the grind.

3 - Paolo Romero - Romero windds up the Eaglets' RP youth trio, posting an average of 10.8 points per outing and lording over the rebounding department for the Eaglets on his team-high 8.2 caroms per game.

4 - Bench Players - ADMU collects a second-best 32.1 off-the-bench points, enough proof that Coach Jamike Jarin has the luxury of a deeper bench and a more fluid rotation.

Ateneo in Numbers

Ateneo is the league's top defending team as they are capable of holding their opponents' offensive strikings to a season-lowest 57.6 points in every match while also topping the offensive end, registering a season-high 84.0 points per outing. The Eaglets also dominate the rebounding department, hauling down a top 52.3 average caroms which they convert to 7.3 second chance points every game. ADMU is also the least error-prone squad, logging in an average of 20.8 turnovers and 17.7 fouls each assignment which is among the lowest in the league. 

Achilles' Heel

With Ateneo all set for their third straight title, the Eaglets would have to shake off the rust off a two-week break which they gained upon their ouright entry into the finals. The Eaglets swept the eliminations three times prior to this season (1986, 1999, 2006) but lost all their first games in all their four finals appearances before clinching the championship crown. This is something they should avoid this year to nail the victory early and so as not to fan the hopes of UST in the next finals games for a possible upset victory all the way to clinching the title.

Out to Spoil the Eaglets' Bid: The Long and Winding Road

Ateneo may be 14-0 but UST sure put the fear of God into them with a pair of nailbiters that went went the Katipunan squad's way.  The The Tiger Cubs started out flat in their twin setbacks against the Blue Eaglets. 

Ending the first round in a two-way tie for second place with NU, the Tiger Cubs pounced on the Bullpups in a rubber-match for solo second to clinch the much coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinal stepladder format. With a slip of National U at third place, the Bustillos-based five forged a duel with fourth-running De La Salle-Zobel, with the latter nailing a 57-54 escape over the Bullpups to gain the right in facing the second-seeded Cubs. UST, behind the combined exploits of top four MVP candidate Ejay Corre and Airon Cabauatan in separate acts in the third and fourth periods, took the arrows out of the Junior Archers in a 74-60 pounding of the Alabang-based team as the Tiger Cubs secured the ticket to facing Ateneo in the Finals.

The main players:

1 - Kevin Ferrer - With the season 72 Rookie of the Year and season 73 Mythical Five member bannering your team, expect UST to give Ateneo a tough fight in their best-of-three finals series. Ferrer produces an average of 19.9 points (second to Ravena's 20.9) and a league-best 13.1 boards and 2.6 blocks in 14 games, a clear proof that this 6-foot-4 small forward is a real threat both on the offensive and defensive end. This Tiger Cubs team captain, however, sputtered on his A-game in his first few games in the second round, finishing with only 11 and 10 points in his first two games but more than made up for it on the confidence he gives to his teammates on the playing court, allowing his team to step up and deliver when needed.

2 - Ejay Corre - This rookie spitfire's exploits could prove fatal for any player on the court as he could slash through tight defensive stops, knock in shots from downtown and steal the leather from his rivals for a go-ahead basket. Corre has been a key force for the Tiger Cubs in the second round, taking over the scoring duties for Ferrer in some of their games (23 points to Ferrer's 16 in their clash with NU and 16 markers to Ferrer's 15 in their square-off against Far Eastern University to cite a few). Corre has been especially vital in their last two games in the semifinals, with Corre sizzling with 15 of his team's 21-point output in the third round of their matchup against La Salle, helping lift the team to their finals appearance this season.

3 - Airon Cabauatan - This sophomore point guard is a crafty playmaker and a reliable scoring machine rolled into one. Cabauatan's cat-like quickness and agility help him put their opponents' defense to shame on his difficult baskets on his drive and fastbreak plays. Cabauatan also heads the scoring department for UST, wounding up fourth on his 11.0 average in 14 games, next to Ferrer, Corre and Jaypee Sarcia.

4 - Jaypee Sarcia - Leave this man open and expect a barrage of threes to knock his opponents down for good. Although a few misfirings could be forgiven on better shot selection, Sarcia's hot-shooting hands from rainbow country are the team's saving grace whenever the Santo Tomas high's game is on the line.

5 - Bench Players - Unlike the Blue Eaglets, UST's bench isn't as deep, with the eleven men left in the rotation tallying only an average of 21.7 points in fourteen starts which is the third lowest in the league. Although a few step up when needed, like Pao Salas who is Cabauatan's fill-in guy and Russel Gooh, who may not come through with a stellar performance on the offensive end but puts in key stops against the opposing team, no one guy could be a sole source in carrying the offensive cudgels for UST in the absence of their starters.

UST in Numbers

UST averages a total team effort of 79.6 points per game while allowing foes to score 65.6 points. And although the Tiger Cubs are a close second to Ateneo in total field goals made (43.0 to ADMU's 46.3) and rebounds (51.0 to ADMU's 52.3), the Eaglets would have to watch out for the defensive strategies of the Tiger Cubs who is second to FEU in steals (10.2 spg) and number one in blocks (5.9 bpg). the Eaglets should also avoid creating scoring opportunities for UST which tops in fastbreak points (16.6) and second chance points (13.5).

First and Second Round Encounters: A Preview of What Is To Come

The Blue Eaglets barely escaped the Santo Tomas crew in their encounters in the elims by a close 76-72 and 60-57 squeakers as UST fumbled at endgame to the more experienced champion team. The Tiger Cubs had their chances in securing the win in their two games, knocking in crucial baskets at the dwindling seconds as they gained every opportunity to close in on the Eaglets and turn the game around for España only to bow down in the end to the more composed Ateneo squad who relied on the charity stripe at the dying seconds in both games to seal the win.

In their first round encounter last July 17, Ferrer fired back-to-back triples for UST to threaten Ateneo as the Tiger Cubs came within one, 73-72, with 17.7 seconds remaining. But Pessumal and Marky Mercado hit their bonus shots at the remaining ticks to ice the contest for the Eaglets, 76-72. In the second round, Ateneo also relied on Ravena's charities in the dying seconds as UST flubbed their attempts at the basket at endgame to nail their 59-57 victory.

Sans their UST games, Ateneo wielded their wins on a lopsided fashion, posting the highest margin against UP (86 points) and the lowest against archrival La Salle (13 points). With UST giving the Katipunan-based squad a tough 40 minutes of basketball action, their finals matches are expected to go down the drain, with both teams boosted by their desires to covet the "W", with Ateneo trying to get their third straight title, and with UST gaining the possible bragging rights of handing the undefeated Eaglets its first loss this season and, if chances side on the black and gold squad, deny ADMU of a three-peat romp.

The Tiger Cubs would have their hands full against the Eaglets' RP youth troika of Ravena, Pessumal and Romero and the solid backup of Ateneo's bench players but one must expect a tough act from Ferrer, Corre, Cabauatan and Sarcia. Although their team will have to do their part in trying to snatch that crown. 

This would also be the perfect opportunity for the Cubs in avenging their heartbreaking losses to the Eaglets in their two semifinals matches last season, where they squandered a twice-to-beat incentive against then fourth-running Ateneo, stripping them of a finals appearance.

But a three-peat victory just seems to be too ripe for the picking and too sweet to just let go of, so the heavily fancied Blue Eaglets would not give this as easily to the Tiger Cubs. With both teams determined for the title, let us all see how they will channel their hunger for the crown in their best-of-three finals series that tips off tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Arena in San Juan.