You have to thank NU for sticking it to Ateneo because this will make them better.

 You know this was coming.

 

The extra motions, the pushing, the physicality. Maybe the Ateneo Blue Eagles did not know it. After all, they had not yet played a Jeff Napa team before. 

 

While Napa’s Bullpups teams were physical but they were good; the product of good recruiting. 

 

In Letran, Napa found his identity making use of what he had while being physical. He did throw off those San Beda and Lyceum squads with the same aggressive trapping game. Unfortunately, like those matches in the NCAA, they fell short against Ateneo, 74-64.

 

The tactic isn’t new. Pido Jarencio employed that against Ateneo while coaching UST. Ditto with Aldin Ayo when he was with La Salle and UST. 

 

This game did have its unnerving moments because of all these moving screens and pushing to create space that the referees often overlooked despite being obvious. It allowed NU to score cheap points that with every bucket saw their confidence soar. Hence, they stayed in the game right up to the very end.

 

What you have to like about NU is they did all this with Issa Gaye playing only two minutes. Whatever is up, we will have to ask. Is it possible that NU will crash the Final Four?

 

It is possible. 

 

And for the second time this season, the Blue Eagles were unable to fully control the opposing teams point guards. They did a good job against Enzo Joson at the start but Steve Nash came in and helped inspire his squad. Ernest Felicilda played well too.

 

In the last couple of years, every time Ateneo plays NU, they have to contend with the Ildefonso brothers.

 

Dave was shut down in two seasons against Ateneo. Shaun? 

 

In Season 81, he averaged 5.5 points in two matches against his old team.

 

In 82 he averaged 15 points in two games against Ateneo.  

 

Today, he was held to 5 points. 

 

With Shaun not doing well against his old team and Dave back in Katipunan, it was Reyland Torres (14 points), John Lloyd Clemente (12 points), and Felicilda (10) who carried their scoring cudgels. 

 

So maybe you can chalk this up to a first encounter. Now they know what to expect. 

 

With NU taking the fight to them, Ateneo lapsed once more into some stats that were of concern in the first two games:

 

	Ateneo	NU
Points off turnovers	4	13
Fastbreak points	4	15
Free throws	5/11	9/9

 

But what saved the day was:

-       Angelo Kouame who swatted eight shots. He also scored some crucial points while grabbing those boards.

-       Big buckets from Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, Gian Mamuyac, and Raffy Verano. 

-       Huge points again from Tyler Tio. 

-       The experience of pulling out close matches and big game experience. 

-       NU finally getting nailed for two moving screens in the last couple of minutes. 

 

Ateneo seems to be taking the best shots of opponents and yet is 5-0. You can say that this is a character building win for Ateneo (ditto for NU despite being on the losing end). 

 

On to the next!