Breaking down the Ateneo-FEU game:

Breaking down the Ateneo-FEU game:

If you look at the stats, the two squads are almost dead even:
ADMU – 44 rebounds (11 offensive), 11 assists, 2 steals, and 7 blocks
FEU – 44 rebounds (13 offensive), 12 assists, 6 steals, and 5 blocks

Here you will see a disparity:
ADMU – 6 fastbreak points
FEU – 14 fastbreak points

If there’s any team that has been leading the fastbreak it has been NU for the last two years. Against UP they had 26 FB points. The most in the Opening Weekend.

So what is wrong with the running game? We run a more deliberate version. In San Miguel when Norman Black or Bobby Parks (later Michael Phelps) would get the rebound, everyone ran. They would pass it to the guards on the fly. Our bigs aren’t that good in bringing down the ball. Something we’ve not had since Wesley Gonzales, Larry Fonacier, and Rich Alvarez were in blue.

Here it’s rebound then find the guard unless the ball immediately falls into the hands of Jai Reyes, Eric Salamat, or Ryan Buenafe.

ADMU – 0 second chance points
FEU – 14 second chance points

ADMU – 12 turnover points
FEU – 14 turnover points

ADMU – 10 of 14 free throws
FEU – 7 of 10 free throws

So how did Ateneo beat FEU?
More free throws made and attempted and more three-pointers made. Plus Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Ryan Buenafe came through in the clutch.

With FEU pressing in the final seconds, the ball went down to Rabeh in the backcourt which was almost a mistake. But at the next inbound, it went to Buenafe who was made to bring down the ball. Knuttel fouled him in the final 13.6 seconds that resulted in two free throws (Ryan made one). That extra point was crucial because FEU now couldn’t go to a low post play but a three-point attempt. They hit only two in the second half of play (Ateneo hit all of its seven in the first half of play).

Some say we had a deeper bench and that FEU is inexperienced. I find that incorrect and even laughable after everyone was seeding them as the top dog they now do not have the experience. Seven Ateneans scored to the eight of FEU.

For starters, this team won a summer title, some played on a champion PBL team, and others were also on national squads. That’s lifetimes of experience right there.

The two backcourts nearly canceled each other out. Ateneo got 23 points from Reyes, Salamat, and Monfort.

FEU got 22 from Barroca, Garcia, and Knuttel.

The simple answer is they got outplayed down the stretch with Al-Hussaini establishing himself down low. He had five attempts in the final quarter and scored 6 points including 4 in the final 74 seconds of play.

Unlike previous Ateneo teams that would own the third quarter of play and try to hold off foes in the fourth, in this game, the Blue Eagles took the first, second, and fourth quarters in terms of scoring.