Now what, UE Red Warriors?

 

Now what, UE Red Warriors?

By Rick Olivares

 

For such a proud team… it beggars one’s imagination to see how far the University of the East Red Warriors have fallen.

 

Halfway through the first round of UAAP Season 84, the Red Warriors are at the bottom of the standings with a 0-5 slate.

 

They did give a very good account of themselves when they rallied in their season opener against La Salle. Were it not for some late game errors, they could have snatched a win from the perennial title favorites, losing 71-66.

 

Since that game, they have been blown out by Adamson (82-66), UST (74-62), UP (81-66), and FEU (88-74); losing by an average of 14.7 points a game.

 

Worse, their next assignment is against 5-0 Ateneo. 

 

Currently, they are seventh in scoring with 66.8 points per game. Yet, they surrender 79.2 points an outing; worst in the league.

 

They are also at the bottom or near it in terms of total field goals (34.9% shooting), points in the paint (24.4; seventh), rebounds (a poor 37.8 per game), second chance points (6.0), and starter points (33.0 per outing). 

 

Defensively, they are almost at the bottom of every category. 

 

Granted they lost gunner Rey Suerte, center Alex Diakhte and John Apacible, point guards Philip Manalang and Chris Conner, forwards Neil Tolentino and Nick Abanto, hence, their struggles.

 

They still have combo guard Jojo Antiporda, Allan Beltran, Jem Cruz, Harvey Pagsanjan, and Abdul Sawat. They were able to bring in Mapua star Clint Escamis and Nico Paranada but overall, the former has struggled in his UAAP debut. 

 

Pagsanjan, Escamis, and Paranada can put the ball in the hoop. So they have three stars who they can build a team around. And they need a lot of help post-haste. 

 

The Red Warriors have the second longest title drought in the UAAP right after Adamson (the Falcons last won in 1978). UE last won a title in 1985 when they were bannered by Allan Caidic, Jerry Codinera, and Boycie Zamar. They made the finals in 2007 and 2009 but were denied by La Salle and Ateneo respectively.

 

Since then, the last time they had a memorable charge was in 2013 under Zamar and in 2014 under current La Salle head coach Derek Pumaren when they lost the battle for the fourth and last Final Four seat to eventual winners, NU. 

 

Since that year, they have put up a 17-58 record this season included. 

 

Even worse outside their record are the off-court troubles that have hounded them.

 

At one point during the 2014 season, three of the team’s stars traded blows with one another during a pre-season tournament. A few of their stars from this era did not even come back for their final playing year. 

 

Two seasons ago, Joe Silva was their head coach but was undermined by their late team manager Lawrence Chongson who became the head coach but not in title as that was accorded to late team sponsor, Bong Tan.

 

Then this season, first year head coach Jack Santiago was suspended for two matches owing to alleged instructions to hurt UP’s Ricci Rivero in an encounter UE lost, 81-66. 

 

Is there any hope on the horizon for long-suffering UE fans?

 

Maybe not this season, but right now, with their backs against the wall, all they can do is try to improve with every game and play the spoiler’s role. 

 

According to a team insider, the problem goes deeper. The malaise of constant losing is hard to shake off. 

 

Culture building is something the proponents of change advise. But that has fallen on deaf ears. 

 

For a team that was the pride of the UAAP for the longest time, building a culture takes time. time isn’t something they have or at least they think they don’t. Hopefully, no one is impatient and team management and school ownership take the right steps instead of taking shortcuts. 

 

Because when you’re down, it isn’t always a case of going up. 

 

 

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!

How Ateneo teaches you to practice zen in a win over La Salle.

 Oh, ye of little faith…

Ateneo defeated La Salle, 74-57, to remain undefeated after four matches, sending the latter to their first loss of Season 84. 

 

I had a laugh in the midst of that 10-0 third quarter run by the Ateneo Blue Eagles that took the starch out of the La Salle Green Archers.

 

Somehow, weirdly enough I thought of a comic book story in Archie comics. Yes, Archie. That red headed dude from Riverdale. 

 

In that comic book story, Riverdale was getting trounced by this visiting team that was playing them physically in a game of American Football. Archie and the gang were trying their darn hardest to play tough and mean but it wasn’t in their character.

 

Then somehow, they chose to play with huge smiles and a friendly attitude but while running their plays. And they overturned the deficit to win with their opponents clearly flustered, bewildered, and confused. 

 

I thought back then… what a shitty story.

 

Shows me what I know, right?

 

When the Green Archers razed the first quarter lead clearly buoyed by the energetic Mike Phillips and the shooting of Mark Nonoy, I had to suppress any agitation. I think I have mastered that in the last 10 years where I will not react no matter if Ateneo is winning or losing. The only time I would give in is when the final buzzer of a game-clinching championship has gone off. Other than that, I keep cool.  

 

A game like Ateneo-La Salle should be practiced with zen-like restraint. Or any Ateneo game under Tab Baldwin although the man did get slapped with a T.

 

So during that searing La Salle rally where they cut the deficit to one point, I told myself…. relax. They’ve got this.

 

If I am to illustrate that Archie reference, I would point to Angelo Kouame who looked in trouble against Mike Phillips in the first half. However, in the last 20 minutes, he became more active and held the La Salle rookie to two points while scoring five for himself. In my opinion, Angelo hasn’t really asserted himself and sometimes looks like a rookie himself – indecisive and well, watching the game happen instead of being in the thick of things. 

 

It wasn’t just him but everyone else was losing the ball and turning the ball over while looking lethargic. And SJ… well.. seemed spaced out, tentative, and unsure of himself again. But in that fourth period, we had the old SJ back.

 

And when push came to shove – Angelo was that rock in the middle once more. 

 

However, before all that, just when it seemed like La Salle was going to overtake Ateneo, Tyler Trio knocked down two consecutive triples and the lead was 13 points by the end of the third period, 58-45. Storm weathered.

 

Relax. Trust in the team. Practice zen. 

 

So….. what do I like about this win?

The calmness about them. They put up a lead, lost in, then put it right back with workman-like precision and ruthlessness. And there's more.

 

Tyler Tio.

He used to get so frustrated with his game as it was not where it should be. But that changed in the last three seasons. He had gotten comfortable and his game flowed. I had seen almost all his games since his second to the last year with Xavier. This calmness and control about him is a joy to watch. Those two triples doused cold water on a hot DLSU squad.

 

Gian Mamuyac

I love players like Mamu – this roving, freelancing on defense type of player who wreaks havoc with his steals, then hits huge buckets and makes big plays. He finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals, and 1 assist. At one point, he had as many steals as the entire La Salle team. How about that?

 

Chris Koon.

He is just getting better and better. Doesn’t complain. Just plays the game. Like Archie, right? Massive player coming off the bench. 6 points, 2 boards, and 2 dimes. 

 

Gio Chiu.

Talk about a big time drive against that amazing Mike Phillips. He has just gotten so much better. I wish the coaching staff got to work on him so that in his final year in Ateneo High, he would have helped Kai Sotto win another chip. 

 

But Gio has been playing quality minutes.

 

All 11 Blue Eagles sent in scored. 

We had more turnover points for the second consecutive game 15-5.

We had more second chance points, 14-10.

We had more fastbreak points, 16-6.

 

Now if we can work those free throws because DLSU shot 16 (although they bricked half) while Ateneo was 5/8. 

 

And Ateneo was whistled for 18 fouls to La Salle’s 11. Really now?

 

It’s okay. I’ll trust the process.

 

Now to look in my baul for that old Archie comic book. 

 

Ateneo clamps down on Adamson in defensive masterclass

 Ateneo clamps down on Adamson in defensive masterclass

By Rick Olivares

 

Okay, the Ateneo Blue Eagles addressed some concerns here in their 78-47 triumph over Adamson.

 

What you have to like first and foremost this was a team win.

 

All 14 players sent in scored at least two points. Only Angelo Kouame scored in double figures with 13 points to go with 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block.

 

And of those 14 players sent in, 11 had at least one assist. That was 23 assists to the nine of Adamson. 

 

In terms of bench points, Ateneo’s reserves poured in 47 to the 21 of the Falcons. With the bench playing well, it afforded the starters some rest. Even a bit will help. 

 

Another thing you have to like is how Chris Koon is finding his form and will ably fill in for Raffy Verano when he graduates. Koon can drive, shoot, rebound, find the open man, and can only get better with his defense and court sense.

 

Gabriel Gomez came alive with two three and two free throws. 

 

Joshua Lazaro is huge off the boards with nine while Koon added five. 

 

On the defensive side, no Adamson player scored more than six points. I have not seen this happen before. Not even in the juniors tournament. Maybe in women’s hoops. 

 

The Falcons shot a collective 19/65 field goals for 29.2%. 

 

I would like to point out how the Blue Eagles stopped the opposing playmakers of Adamson.

 

Player	Vs UE	Vs Ateneo
Jerom Lastimosa	14 points (4/4 FG) + 4/4 FT, 2 assists	4 points (2/8 FGs), 3 assists, 1 steal
Joem Sabandal	8 points, 4 assists	2 points (1/5 FGs)
Jed Colonia	2 assists, 2 steals	1 point (0/5 FGs)

 

And this is how UP’s point guards figured in the match.

Player	Vs Ateneo
Joel Cagulangan	4 points (0/1 FGs) 4/4 FTs
Gerry Abadiano	2 points (1/3 FGs)

 

Ateneo did well early on against FEU’s playmakers before losing the plot.

 

What did they address from the previous two games?

The need to hold on to a lead.

They went up by 20-plus points in the first half but coughed it up again. However, after a nervy start to the third period, they brought it right back up to a high of 35.

 

They outscored Adamson 20-18 in points off turnovers.

They had an 11-4 advantage in fastbreak points. 

They shot more free throws (11/19) as opposed to Adamson (6/10). 

 

But Adamson had a slim 12-10 advantage in second chance points. 

Remember, this is a young Adamson team and they will get better. They will soak in all the learnings from this beating and get better. after all, they have the coaching staff and the players.

 

You would like to say the team is firing on all cylinders but it isn’t just yet. Still kinks to work out. But they are getting there.

 

All in all, a tidy win for Ateneo heading into their Saturday match versus La Salle. 

 

Looking at Ateneo’s 79-70 win over FEU

Looking at Ateneo’s 79-70 win over FEU

By Rick Olivares

 

Two wins. Two nine-point wins.

 

One satisfying. The latest triumph, not exactly satisfying because it was annoying.

 

Annoying in the sense that they should have pounded FEU into the dust but instead gave them life and hope.

 

This is one of those games where the Ateneo Blue Eagles blew hot and cold. You get the feeling they got the full measure of FEU but FEU did not get the full measure of Ateneo with SJ Belangel and Angelo Kouame playing a bit below standard. 

 

However, they will have to be concerned.

 

·      This is the second consecutive game where they gave up a huge lead (20 points at one point).

·      This is the second consecutive game where the opponent had more second chance and fastbreak points (11-1 second chance points and 10-2 in fastbreak points).

·      This is the second consecutive game where the opponent shot more free throws (9/11 versus 16/23). 

·      This is the second consecutive game where Angelo Kouame did not get the better of his opposing center.

·      This is the second consecutive game where the opponent outscored them in the fourth quarter. Were it not for the huge leads, they might have lost the game. UP outscored Ateneo 27-19 in the final canto while FEU tacked on 19-12 points in the payoff period.

 

Angelo Kouame 11 points, 13 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block vs. 3 turnovers.

Malick Diouf 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal against one mistake.

 

Angelo Kouame 9 points and 11 rebounds against 2 turnovers.

Emmanuel Ojuola 15 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal against 5 turnovers.

 

On at least three occasions, he could have dunked the ball or easily laid it in, but instead, he went for a reverse lay-up.

 

And I don’t get why he has to chase Ojuola outside when the man does not take a shot from there. With him outside, FEU kept attacking the interior; hence, more free throw attempts.

 

As they say, a win is a win. Ateneo is still 2-0 and finding different ways and weapons to win. 

 

Speaking of weapons, Dave Ildefonso has been consistent (19 points versus UP and 17 points against FEU).

 

And there’s the next man up.

 

Against UP, Raffy Verano was excellent. This time, Verano was still very good, but that next man up award goes to Tyler Tio who also scored 17 points; all in the third period as he matched the Tamaraws production by his lonesome and then some. 

 

I was waiting for him to explode against UP which he normally does. Instead, he scored five against UP but saved that ammo for FEU (6-10 FG and 1-1 FTs). That huge lead he helped put up in the third period served as a buffer. 

 

And this time Chris Koon played a whole lot better. He made his presence felt this time with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal against zero turnovers. And I like that he looked more comfortable this time around. He played almost 14 minutes and was a factor. The more he soaks in the experience and the competition he will get better. 

 

BJ Andrade played well as did Gian Mamuyac. They stopped RJ Abarrientos early on but when Ateneo’s defense caved in, the do-it-all player for FEU picked up on his point production.

 

We’re still at the learning curve (in the absence of a real pre-season). Ateneo has faced two tough teams in a row and will go up against Adamson which notched its first win under Nash Racela this Thursday. 

 

It would be interesting to see how they come out against the Soaring Falcons on a day’s rest.

 

My thoughts about the NU Bulldogs’ 71-69 win over the Adamson Falcons

My thoughts about the NU Bulldogs’ 71-69 win over the Adamson Falcons

By Rick Olivares

 

When Adamson’s Ricky Peromingan trooped to the free throw line with about a second left with an opportunity to send the game against National University to overtime, I thought, “Jeez, this guy is going to miss his shots.”

 

Aside from the fact that he had not been there all game long, he had this grin on his face that was like, “Oh, shit.”

 

And shades of Santi Cabatu! He did. Even the purposely missed free throw didn’t stand a chance of his teammates getting a tip-in.

 

So, NU escaped with a 71-69 win.

 

Here are my thoughts about the NU Bulldogs in their first game (yes, we know the season is very young). 

 

·      I like how the work ethic they displayed. They look to be in tremendous shape and physical. And they all crash the boards. They have a lot of mobile players who are also interchangeable in terms of position too. Just the way Jeff Napa likes his team to play.

 

·      And this was a huge break for Ernest Felicilda who for the longest time had to live in the shadow of his former Bullpup teammates Gerry Abadiano and Terrence Fortea. Felicilda led NU with 14 points on 50% shooting from the field. 

 

·      But there is some concern… yes, this was a team win, but they will need more than points coming from Felicilda to win. 

 

·      Now that Dave Ildefonso has returned to Ateneo, I was hoping John Lloyd Clemente would step up to the plate. He didn’t exactly impress in the first game of the year. He scored eight points but on 3/15 shooting. 

 

·      And it isn’t only JLC. They need to get Issa Gaye untracked. He only scored six points on five field goal attempts. 

 

·      In the first half, NU grabbed seven offensive rebounds but only scored two points. Adamson later caught up and scored five markers. NU did better in the second half as they scored nine second chance points and limited Adamson to four second chance points. 

 

 

·      Johnkimwell Figueroa is a huge addition to the Bulldogs. Love his activity and his hustle in and around the shaded lane.

 

·      Adamson seemed to be the perfect opening day foe for them as new coach Nash Racela had not had a lot of time to work with his boys.

 

As for Adamson, they have tremendous upside. Here is how I saw them for that first game.

 

·      We all know that Jerom Lastimosa is a darn good point guard. But shades of Val Chauca! He sure lit a fire under Adamson late in the game. Credit though to NU as they threw a double team to force him to give up that ball. 

 

·      If NU was getting all the offensive boards in the first half, the Soaring Falcons did better in the second half. 

 

·      What a debut for Didat Hanapi. If you watched juniors ball, you would know that Hanapi is good. With Aaron Fermin unavailable due to injury, Hanapi stepped up. Am not surprised he led the team in scoring with 20 points. 

 

·      If Joshua Yerro and Vince Magbuhos get going as well, they will help Adamson’s cause. When we first saw Magbuhos years ago, I thought of him as potentially, another player in the mold of former Adamson star, Eric Camson. At this stage of his college career, he should be more bullish and not as a cameo player. As it stands, Figueroa could get more playing time.

 

·      Think about this… in spite of not having a lot of time to work on his team, Nash Racela almost got his wards to steal a win. How much more when they are ready?

 

My thoughts about Ateneo’s 90-81 win over UP to open the UAAP Season 84 campaign.

 

My thoughts about Ateneo’s 90-81 win over UP to open the UAAP Season 84 campaign.

By Rick Olivares

 

Heading into the game, I wondered what UP’s Malick Diouf would be like for UP. When Ateneo first saw him with CEU, he gave the Blue Eagles fits. And that was with a team of no-names. 

 

Imagine what he would do with a blue chip recruiting class.

 

While Diouf played well in spurts, Ateneo pretty much handled UP well en route to its first victory of the season.

 

How did they do that?

 

Here’s how I see it.

 

Ateneo took out UP’s point guards in Gerry Abadiano and Joel Cagulangan. 

The highly touted duo combined for eight points and two rebounds. They had zero assists and three turnovers. Both averaged about 14 minutes.

 

In contrast, Ateneo’s playmakers SJ Belangel and Tyler Tio totaled 15 points, seven boards, seven assists, one steal versus three turnovers. The two Blue Eagle quarterbacks averaged almost 20 minutes each; meaning both did a good job of running the offense. 

 

I thought they played great defense. 

If you watch the first minutes of the first quarter, none of UP’s players were getting looks at the basket. They stopped Abadiano, Cagulangan, Terrence Fortea, and Ricci Rivero.

 

After Carl Tamayo scored nine points in the first half, he only added four the rest of the way.

 

Malick Diouf tallied eight in the first half and only scored seven in the last half.

 

In the second half though, CJ Cansino and Rivero got going but that was about it. 

 

In the second half, Ateneo’s Raffy Verano, SJ Belangel, Dave Ildefonso, Angelo Kouame, and Gian Mamuyac played even better. 

 

Furthermore, the Blue Eagles repulsed one uprising after another.

 

Dave Ildefonso filled that three-spot quite nicely. 

Imagine if Dwight Ramos were there…. either Dave would spell him or he would move to the two-spot. 

 

Dwight, of course, is gone. And that spot this year and the next belongs to Ildefonso who got better and found his place within the team as the game wore on. And to think that this wasn’t even his best outing. 

 

Talk about an instant impact. 

 

Raffy Verano fit into his old four-spot like a hand in glove.

In his final playing year, Verano showed why he was the previous starter. He tallied 18 points on 8-10 shooting, picked up five boards, and passed for two assists. He also stole the ball once and turned the rock over once.

 

He didn’t demand the ball. He just scored and played in the flow of the game. He was quietly efficient.

 

At a crucial juncture the second and third team held fast.

Early in the game when Ateneo raced to a lead, the bench gave it up. But in the second half, when the Fighting Maroons cut the 20-point lead down to seven, it promptly went back up. 

 

Gio Chiu played better and scored four points. Ditto with Chew Daves and Chris Koon who looked lost for most of the game. 

 

While I know this is just the first game, I was hoping to see Koon and Gabriel Gomez make an impact. I thought… Jason Credo would have done much better. 

 

I’ll wait though. One game is obviously not enough. 

UP's bench scoring is masked only because of CJ Cansino's splurge. But if you look at bench play, Ateneo's was better. Jolo Mendoza, Joshua Lazaro, Tyler Tio, Gian Mamuyac, Giio Chiu, and others chipped in and did well. 

 

When UP was threatening, no doubt quite a lot of Ateneo fans must have wondered why Tab Baldwin did not send back Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, and Angelo Kouame back into the fray. 

 

When the trio returned, the team had repulsed one final UP fight back.

 

Even in victory, there will be lessons learned for the blue and white.

 

As for UP, CJ Cansino is a big game player. He ably filled in the shoes vacated by Juan Gomez de Liano. 

 

Carl Tamayo will just get better and better. As I said before, the second coming of Ranidel de Ocampo.

 

This UP team will adjust. Watch out.