Analysis: Ateneo 73 vs. UST 69

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Analysis: Ateneo 73 vs. UST 69

by rick olivares pic by joseph nocos

This game, a 73-69 win over UST, is par for the course for these Ateneo Blue Eagles. If you saw them during the summer, they played exactly this way — a maddening start then mostly followed by a strong finish. Sometimes it was good enough for a win, sometimes not. 

I guess it is all right considering this is a young team and there is so much to learn. So maybe a little patience for the young padawans is in order. It was a tough game and that made it an even better win because it was won despite so many things not going right.

What am I getting at?

One, the poor and sluggish start. Okay. Jitters. I get it. Still as they always say, do not run away from your offense.

I know that Tab Baldwin wants the team to make the extra pass. In the first period, I thought that the Blue Eagles were pulling the trigger early in the shot clock. Not much ball movement. Maybe one pass then launch. Lots of raised eyebrows here. Gigil factor, you think?

They addressed that in the second period. The problem was, the outside artilllery was firing duds.

Why did we have trouble and look awful for the most part? Aside from the missed open shots, the bigs couldn’t get going. Isaac Go gave inspired minutes while GBoy Babilonia rescued himself late in the game from joining fellow bigs Kris Porter and Chibueze Ikeh who looked like they didn’t have a clue about what was going on. Yes, we heard the latter nursed a high fever a few days ago but he dressed right? And the soft games seem to be the norm rather than the exception. In contrast, William Afoakwah, who is a transferee from La Salle, gave a better account for himself as he tried to go hard a lot. 

With those problems, UST threw a 1-2-2 zone at us to try and contain the top of the key drives of Thirdy Ravena and try and stop Aaron Black’s explosion; the two Blue Eagles who carried the cudgels on both ends of the court early in the game. As I have said continuously since last season, Aaron Black will be the next big time Ateneo scorer. And he has been and will continue to be. Imagine what he could be like if he were a few more inches taller. He could be like Ray Parks. That zone gave Ateneo problems. With the layers of defenders, Aaron Black stopped attacking the basket.

I also wondered about the rotation. Raffy Verano played well in limited minutes stopping Louie Vigil on two post-plays. Soon after he is subbed out, Vigil scores on a three-point play off Ravena. Am not saying Thirdy can’t do the job; am saying Verano should have been used a little more. And why did it take so long for Jolo Mendoza to come into the game?

Adrian Wong struggled mightily. He hit a big shot late in the game but we needed someone to stabilize that backcourt. Holy guacamole, you wonder how we will do against the La Salle press and we saw what happened in the summer. We got chewed out. If Black didn’t hit that long jumper to give Ateneo an eight point lead late in the game then the Blue Eagles could have been in bigger trouble because the momentum was clearly on UST's side. That was the big shot. That righted the ship. Imagine if it didn’t then that lout in the Ateneo gallery who screamed at the UST gallery to go home when the Blue Eagles stormed to a 14-point lead in the early fourth period would have never heard the end of it from the coaches and fans of other schools who sat nearby. Show some class, dude. 

Both teams' point guards had poor outings.

Matt Nieto was 1-4 with zero assists. Wong was 1-11 from the field with zero assists. That cancelled out the subpar game of UST’s Marvin Lee and Jon Sheriff although Renzo Subido did well with six assists. I know that Ateneo also wants Mendoza and Asistio to run the point as well. The latter dished off three assists. Assists for Asistio. Living up to his name now, is he?

When Mendoza and later Asistio hit those three-long bombs that changed the complexion of the game. It gave life to Ateneo. And for UST it was their undoing. 

Rookie head coach Boy Sablan had done a great job with his wards repeatedly attacking the interior of Ateneo that is without an intimidating rim protector. He expertly shuffled his men and unveiled terrific packages in Jan Macasaet and Regie Basibas who will round out into very good players, studs for the Growling Tigers. And he looks to finally play Jeepy Faundo, something the previous coaches didn’t do much. Those three gave UST a lot of energy and hustle plays. 

Louie Vigil was solid. Look at the numbers - 21 points 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Could have had a triple double. Maybe Kent Lao and Embons Bonleon can also help out in the scoring. 

Here’s what I think went wrong. He needed to get Bonleon back in the game. But then again, Basibas was playing well. And Sablan stuck to that zone. When Ateneo was hitting those long bombs, he called time. I was surprised that out of the timeout he still stuck to the zone with the Tigers scrambling to cover the shooter. This is where Ateneo made some of its best reads of the game moving the ball around. If Asistio and Wong hit their shots, they would have busted the game wide open. At that point, in my opinion, he should have played man-to-man.

Despite that, I thought that Sablan for stretches outcoached his more season counterparts across the court. UST has nothing to be ashamed about. They’ve got a good coaching staff and a team in place. 

Ateneo lost the battle of the rebounds (52-48 including 23 offensive rebounds by the Growling Tigers), free throws (25 attempts to Ateneo’s 6), assists (17-16), and turnovers (16-14 in UST’s favor). The Tigers might have owned the boards but the Blue Eagles posted more inside points (40-30) and perimeter points (28-20), and fastbreak points (12-4). That was because of — despite the bricks from the outside — good shooting by Black (67%), Ravena (53%), Mendoza (67%), and Go (50%). 

On the defensive end, Ateneo was pretty good — 8 blocks to 1, 7 steals to 3, 13-8 in turnover points. 

It will be interesting to see how both teams progress and check their concerns the rest of the way.

UAAP Season 79 Men's Basketball Analysis: Adamson 104 vs. UP 85

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Analysis: Adamson 104 vs. UP 85

by rick olivares

This was an impressive win for Adamson and a very disappointing loss for UP. I didn’t think UP would win this match up but I was still disappointed in seeing how they performed.

In their first five possessions, they had three turnovers including two 24-second shot clock violations. That is horrible. Don’t give me opening day jitters as an excuse. This is a veteran team not a bunch of rookies. Opening Day jitters is for froshes and Team B call-ups.

Adamson has more newbies and they were solid.

My thoughts about the UP Fighting Maroons:

Head coach Bo Perasol says it’s winning small battles en route to the big ones. Despite the 19-point opening day blowout, was there any improvement?

Sure there was.

In the three previous UAAP seasons, UP averaged 9.9, 11.6, and 9.9 assists. During the summer, they “regressed” to 9.0 assists per outing. Against Adamson this UAAP, despite playing a lot of isolation — what is it with this pro-style offense — they finished with 16 assists. So that’s good, right?

However, there’s still the rub. Their three point guards - Henry Asilum, Diego Dario, and Jarrell Lim -- each had one assist. That is a terrible stat. Dave Moralde had the most assists with five and he played the two and the three. And speaking of Asilum, he played well in the first quarter then just as he was getting hot, I was surprised to see him rotate out in favor of Dario. I felt they should have left him in the game. But that’s just me. 

Moving on, the Fighting Maroons finished with 13 steals yet they gave up 104 points. That is way too much to give up. I expect that total from pro basketball teams but not college squads playing with 10-minute periods. 

UP had more second chance, turnover, and fastbreak points so what happened? How did they still lose? Adamson started out well and finished strong in the first and third periods. In the even numbered quarters, they started out poor but finished strong. If you root for Adamson, you have to like that they finished strong in every quarter. So you see some form of consistency.

And more to that, the Fighting Maroons got killed from the perimeter as Adamson scorched them for 53 points from the outside. So for me, its defense and their team play.

Still a lot to fix on this team!

My thoughts about the Adamson Falcons:

First and foremost, it was their team discipline. When a play broke down, they kicked the ball out to the point guard to reset. As for their offense, no more staggered screen to free a shooter. Instead they ran some side screens for cutters towards the basket. Depending on what the defense gave them, they decided on what to do with the ball whether to attack the trim or pass the ball out. I also thought they took a lot of shots in rhythm and in the flow of the game. Remember that part where after forcing a UP turnover, point guard Rob Manalang found an open Jerrick Ahanmisi? Bang. He recognized who was hot and who was open.

Furthermore, they didn’t force too many shots. 

Second, they answered every run by UP with one of their own. They lost focus at times. JDee Tungcab and Terence Mustre come to mind but they came back and played better. This is a hallmark of a good basketball team when you trust the system and answer all the runs and bombs thrown at you.

Third, that back court of Rob Manalang and Jerrick Ahanmisi is impressive. Splash Brothers, all right! It looks like they have been playing together for some time now. Look at that stat line:

Ahanmisi: 28 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal vs 2 turnovers.

Manalang: 16 points, 1 rebound, 9 assists, 1 steal vs 4 turnovers.

You’d think that Ahanmisi had a lucky debut. Er, no. Did you watch the pre-season? He started slow and finished strong hitting at a 35% accuracy rate from trey-land. Against UP, he drilled 6/7. 

I was impressed with the use of the bench that underscored their depth. I love how Dawn Ochea has really developed as a player in the past two seasons. Good moves in the paint. Sean Maganti looked lacking in confidence early in the game.When he glided into the basket, that meant he had his confidence going. And that baseline dunk? That last dude to impressively jam from that baseline was JC Intal also versus UP during the 2006 season.

I like the contributions of Jimboy Pasturan, Harold Ng, and Simon Camacho. Especially Camacho on defense. As soon as he came in, he rejects someone’s shot. That is making an impact.

In spite of this huge win, what do they need to work on? Defense.

Last season, Adamson was the worst defensive team surrendering nearly 79 points a game. During the summer, they still gave up 79 an outing. This match, they gave up 85. That is not a Franz Pumaren-team. His teams are always stingy on D surrendering points in the low 70s. But that’s something they are working on.

Furthermore, they only played token full court pressure. I thought that at the 8:08 mark of the third period, they threw their best full court pressure D at UP that seemed surprised. 

Still a long ways to go but a huge morale boosting win over a quality opponent that tells them they are on the right track.

40 Years Later with the first PBA Rookie of the Year

This appears in the Monday, September 5, 2016 edition of the Business Mirror.

40 Years Later with the first PBA Rookie of the Year

by rick olivares

It has been 40 years since Virgilio “Gil" Cortez won the first ever Philippine Basketball Association Rookie of the Year Award, and he says even after all this time, it is both sweet and bittersweet at once.

In 1976, after a spell with Manila Bank’s MICAA squad and with the national team, Cortez joined the Toyota Comets in the PBA’s sophomore season. Toyota was denied a Grand Slam by rival Crispa in 1975 when the Redmanizers took the last conference. The Comets looked to bounce back mightily the next season. Toyota had a veteran team while Crispa featured a lot of younger players who had come up in the early 70s. That didn’t mean they were going to be easy pickings as they were stocked with long range shooters, the type who could stretch defenses because of their unerring accuracy. 

Cortez was one of the few young players on what was a veteran-laden Toyota squad. The lanky 6’4” forward-center made his presence felt, regularly scoring in double digits while sometimes asked to guard the opposing team’s top scorer. And with Crispa, that meant the likes of Atoy Co.

Unfortunately for Cortez and Toyota, Crispa was a juggernaut in 1976 as they won the fledging pro league’s first ever Grand Slam each time dispatching the Comets in the title series. The only consolation for Cortez was that he was named Rookie of the Year. 

During the finals of the third conference, the prestigious All-Filipino tournament, Toyota looked to pull the rug from under Crispa, reprising in twist the ending to the maiden season of the PBA where the Redmanizers prevent Toyota from winning the Grand Slam. Toyota took what seemed to be a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. The last win never came as Crispa won the last three matches to officially cement their dynasty.

Cortez, like his other teammates, was devastated. Over a late lunch at Estancia in Pasig, the former ROY bared his soul. “It took me two months, maybe more to get over that loss. There were moments in between where I didn’t want to play basketball anymore. That was such a gut-wrenching loss for the team. I wanted to win a championship so bad; not for myself but for the team. Just one more win…..” he said with his voice trailing off.

Cortez hurt his knee in that All-Filipino finals. At one point, all his teammates saves four others had fouled out. Cortez on one leg, returned to the game. “I just played center, tried to rebound and block shots but otherwise couldn’t run. Crispa knew that and that hurt us all the more in the end,” he recounted of that fateful third conference. 

The Pampanga-born and bred Cortez knew that he had joined a glamour team in Toyota. After coming out of Holy Angel University in his hometown, Cortez was supposed to join the Ateneo Blue Eagles under head coach Baby Dalupan. But the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry so Cortez instead found himself turning semi-pro with Manila Bank’s MICAA squad. He was then wooed away to suit up for Toyota.

Despite being one of the younger players, he showed uncommon courage even driving on Robert Jaworski during practice. “I showed no fear as a rookie,” said Cortez. “Or at least, I tried to. If you showed it, the veterans would be all over you. I guess it paid off because I got considerable playing time.”

Unfortunately, his stint with Toyota lasted only a year and a half. Midway through the 1977 season, he transferred to Mariwasa Honda in 1978 then was one of the first players for Gilbey’s Gin (what would be the Ginebra franchise) the next season. He ended his career by playing two seasons for the U-Tex Wranglers.

He would later win his one and only PBA title and that was with U-Tex in 1980 and ironically, over Toyota in that infamous match that the Super Corollas lost despite leading by four points with 16 seconds left. “Like I said, bittersweet,” pronounced Cortez. “On one hand, I was happy to have finally won a championship. On the other hand, it was against my old team including some teammates who I formed lasting friendships to this day.”

Unable to reprise his deadly rookie form after that knee injury, Cortez called it a day after a five-year pro career. He hied off to the United States to figure out the direction his life would take. Still unsure, he flew back to the Philippines where he took up coaching first at the nascent Milo Best Center then with De La Salle Zobel and the International School of Manila. He later had a hand in forming the Pampanga Dragons of the Metropolitan Basketball Association, a team that won a title in its maiden conference. “I think I realized at this point that I would rather form teams than coach,” said Cortez. “As coach, I had difficulty sleeping after a loss. I told myself, ‘it’s not for you, boy.' So I decided I’d rather be the person who is in the background who will put a good team together. I am comfortable with that unlike some who want to take on the dual role. I am a person who believes in good organization."

Cortez worked his magic with Harbour Centre in the PBL then with the Smart Pampanga Buddies in the Liga Pilipinas.

Today, Cortez is busy with a lot of things. Chief among them is his being the Regional Director for Region 3 and member of the Board of Trustees of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas while serving as the chairman and founder of the United Central Luzon Athletic Association (UCLAA) that tips off in a few days’ time. “The passion for sports has stayed with me after all these years,” he noted. 

As does his attachment to his old Toyota team. “Those were good days,” he marvels with his eyes gleaming perhaps recalling those carefree days of a bygone age. “It would have been nice to win a championship to go with that ROY Award. That would have been sweet. But it didn’t happen. On the other hand, it drove me to become better maybe not at the pro game but in everything else in life."

With a shout, with a song, we will help these Ateneo Blue Eagles along....

With a shout, with a song, we will help these Blue Eagles along

a call to action by rick olivares

On Sunday, the Ateneo Blue Eagles will play their first game of the new UAAP season. 

It isn’t the team that was projected from a year ago, two years ago, maybe even three. However, there it is. 

Let me tell you to rally around this team like you’ve never done before.

It’s been culled, battered, and well, batted adversity in different iterations that is unfortunately all off the court. Yes, those are those nasty curve balls that life seems to throw at you when you’re expecting a fastball down the middle. 

There’s the saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and maybe that can be applied to this batch of Blue Eagles. Think about this…. despite everyone they’ve lost for whatever real or bullshit reason, they finished third in the pre-season summer league. And that…. is pretty impressive. 

Moreover for the true blue this is a team that is a throwback with more than half the squad coming up from the juniors ranks. When was the last time that happened? With the 2002 UAAP champion team. 

But make no distinction. Wherever these kids came from, they are wearing our colors. They need our support and cheers. And so will our coaches.

We’ve got two coaches who will tap into a wellspring of knowledge — Tab Baldwin with the experience of his globe-trotting and ability to turn programs around and Sandy Arespacochaga who gave every ounce of his being when he donned the blue and white and still did while moving to the sidelines. Both will be passing it on to those hungry Eagles.

We aren’t the favored team here. Our ancient foes from Taft are. 

There was a time — at least during my time — when we knew nothing but championships. Many others knew only the big empty feeling of the title-less years. Of course, those of recent vintage experienced a five-peat.

The days of us being seeded as a contender, well, they are over; at least for the nonce. You know the worm has turned when National University is not considered a dark horse contender but is an actual and perennial contender while it is the Blue Eagles who are lumped in that sentences for "this year's dark horse squad" blah blah blah.

Look at the Blue Eaglets…. time was the finals was like a birthright. Now, we’re struggling to make it in the face of renewed recruitment and manpower build-ups of others.

But that’s good. It’s all good. That’s the result of raising the bar. And we raised that bar. And now it is about how we cope, adjust, and well, give it that one big fight.

We may not be the favored team this season. But nothing will have changed. Everyone will be looking to knock our heads off. Actually, I kind of enjoy that. In fact, when they cheer “Beat Ateneo” I fricking love it every single time. At least they have us in their cheers. And isn’t it so much better when that cheer dies as a squawk in their throats?

We may not be favored to win it but we sure will give it that old college try.

As the old cheer goes, “With a shout, with a song, we will help the boys along under banners of white and fair blue…"

UAAP Season 79 Preview: The UP Fighting Maroons need to win small battles to win the big one

This appears in philstar.com

UAAP Season 79 Preview: The UP Fighting Maroons need to win small battles to win the big one

by rick olivares

During the press conference for the upcoming UAAP season, all eight member school's men’s basketball coaches were asked what team they thought was a dark horse contender.

New University of the Philippines head coach Bo Perasol quipped, “UP.”

It was a humorous touch to an affair where everyone played nice although there were veiled comments (see DLSU coach’s Aldin Ayo’s words about their opening day match against FEU). If you went to Diliman for your schooling, you hope that you do have something to laugh about in the annual rite of “there’s always next year” that is now this year.

The Fighting Maroons had an up and down pre-season. They started off well winning a few games here and there but when others adjusted to what they were trying to do they got knocked back down to earth. “I’m sick and tired of losing,” said center Andrew Harris who finally rounded out into his own in the pre-season where he proved to be a force in the lane.

Perasol will have to count on Harris a lot since his other slotman, Jerson Prado isn’t fully in shape after suffered a season-ending knee injury last year. Harris showed that he can be counted on both ends of the court. His energy is infectious. He just has to rein it in because he picks up fouls in a hurry. Compounding their woes as a team is their Cameroonian reinforcement Lionel Tekaoudjou is said to be unavailable after someone did not attend to his paperwork (this early someone has already dropped the ball). Paolo Romero and Gelo Vito should help out. 

The Fighting Maroons still have that core of Jett Manuel, Dave Moralde, Paul Desiderio, Diego Dario, and Kyles Lao who were their primary scorers from seasons past. Sophomore forward Noah Webb came along nicely in the pre-season and will no doubt be someone Perasol can count on. 

What they need to build on is moving that ball around. Last season leading all the way into this pre-season, they were last in assists, once more underscoring the need to play team ball. You have too many people with scoring mentalities yet there is only one ball to share amongst them. They need to pass and play as a team.

Another facet that UP can build on is their defense. They placed third in the pre-season UAAP team rankings in the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup. Perasol liked to say what this team can do is win small victories, rebound battles, field goal percentage etc here and there en route to this season.

They can score and they can play defense. The key here is their staying power. They tend to start well but oft fade in the latter stages of them game. As in years past, this team liked to play small ball. The problem was it didn’t get them too far. 

If they can do that and stay within striking distance, they’ll compete. And give their faithful something to cheer about. If not, there’s always next year.

Some outstanding performances from Friday, September 2, 2016's NAASCU games

City University of Pasay 6'4" center Jay Solero who finished with 14 points, 18 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocked shots in a losing effort against the AMA Computer College Titans, 84-76.

Check out these back-to-back buckets by Solero who hails from Pasay City.

Colegio De San Lorenzo Phoenix's Jon Jon Gabriel stands 6'7" and can be ungainly at times, but he has potential. The Pheonix's big man finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 block shots versus 5 turnovers in his team's 82-75 losing effort versus the Rizal Technological University Blue Thunder.

These murderous (St. Clare College) Saints that destroyed the Fatima Phoenix

First quarter timeout: Jino Manansala rails at his boys for running away from their game plan which was to take it to the rack (they mostly settled for outside shots).

This appears on philstar.com

These murderous Saints

by rick olivares

The St. Clare College Saints are only “saints” by nickname. On the basketball court, they’re assassins. Murderous cagers who have an appetite for demolition.

SCC rolled to their fourth successive win in the 16th season of NAASCU with a 71-54 win over the Our Lady of Fatima University Phoenix at the Rizal Technological University gym in Mandaluyong this Friday, September 2. It was a huge win as both squads headed into their Friday encounter with a pair of 3-0 slates.

After that win, quite a few NAASCU follows wondered if there was any other team that can stop this team? Enderun College? They could except that Fatima took them down as well. Philippine Christian University? We’ll have to wait for that match-up.

Previously, the Saints dispatched the AMA Computer College Titans, 82-67, during the season opener last August 25. They followed that up with a 85-62 demolition of the Philippine Merchant Marine School Mariners and an 88-65 mauling of the City University of Pasay Eagles. They are holding opponents down to 25% field goal shooting’ possibly tops in the league.

“You can say that we are hungry for a title,” said St. Clare College head coach Jino Manansala whose squad has been denied three years running for the NAASCU championship by Centro Escolar University in the title game. “We think it is our time to shine."

Power forward Aris Dionisio and shooting guard Rojay Santos carried the scoring cudgels for Manansala’s squad with 18 and 14 points respectively. This was the first match where the prolific Saints who usually find at least four players scoring in double digits somewhat stymied. It did underscore the bench depth and talent of the SCC team that is hungry for a championship.

As talented as this squad is, it is the 6’4” Dionisio who is really making waves. The Bustos, Bulacan native is averaging 16.0 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 2.5 steals, and 4.0 block shots versus 1.2 turnovers. This despite not having any plays called for him. He just scraps and hustle for those loose balls and makes excellent cuts to the basket. He’s also got a good nose for the ball and works hard when on the floor. “He has a good attitude that makes him very coachable,” described Manansala who learned the ropes from his father, former PBA player Jimmy Manansala and from Aric Del Rosario, his coach with UST when he played towards the end of the 1990s. “And he works hard. Doesn’t complain; not even with the minutes he gets.”

That he puts up those numbers in about 20 minutes of play per outing makes it even more impressive.

It is said that National University is keen to pick up the lanky forward. Coach Jino says that he previously sent two players NU’s way but this time will not do so as he will opt to build his power base in NAASCU and help his players get into the D-League and hopefully, the PBA.

Other Saints performing well include point guard Rafael Rebugio who once played for the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers in the NCAA before jumping ship. The shifty guard is averaging 11.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.75 assists, and 1.2 steals against 2.7 turnovers. Against the Phoenix, Rebugio, who hails from Hulo, Mandaluyong, had a crowd-pleasing wrap around lay-up versus Fatima’s six-foot seven center Chris Essomba.

Shooting guard Michael De Leon is also chipping in 10.0 points per outing. 

“Everyone in my team must be ready to play,” said Manansala. “I give chances to everyone. While we have players who we will depend on to score, everyone has a role to play. Given the opportunity, they too will score.”

Next up for these rampaging Saints are the Rizal Technological University Blue Thunder coached by John Edel Cardel. The former DLSU Green Archers’ squad defeated the Colegio De San Lorenzo Griffins, 82-75, behind the terrific play of its backcourt of Storm Riva and Cyrus Tabi who combined for 37 points, nine rebounds, eight rebounds, and five steals.

Both squads battle this coming Monday, September 5, at 10am at the Makati Coliseum.

My thoughts about the Meralco-SMB match

This appears on abs-cbnnews.com

My thoughts about the Meralco-SMB match

by rick olivares

It was a tough loss for the Meralco Bolts last night; a 110-106 defeat to the San Miguel Beermen.

All evening, the Bolts played catch up to the defending Governors’ Cup champions.

After SMB looked to blow them out early in the first period, Meralco came back to within a point, 25-24. A poor finishing kick to the second quarter saw SMB take an 11-point advantage, 55-44. That proved to be tough to overhaul as the Beermen repeatedly repelled the fight backs. 

I thought in the first half, SMB made use of its size as June Mar Fajardo was nigh unstoppable (15 points and seven rebounds) inside. The Beermen got 22 inside points to Meralco’s 18 Their outside shooting also found the range as they knocked down 7 of 13 attempts.

I wondered why Rabeh Al-Hussaini wasn’t used to battle Fajardo inside. Ditto with Justin Chua. Bryan Faundo who has been excellent at the four spot for Meralco got into early foul trouble. Along with Kelly Nabong and Reynel Hugnatan who all payed the four and combined for 26 points and 12 rebounds they were all right but had trouble handling not only Fajardo but also import Mike Singletary who finished with 21 points and 20 rebounds. 

The third period saw Meralco change its tactics as they went to work inside setting up Allen Durham (34 points, 11 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block shot versus 5 turnovers) or having Chris Newsome attack the interior. That had moderate success and it took a patented Jimmy Alapag explosion to spearhead the comeback.

The Bolts’ captain drilled three triples and scored on a dazzling lay-up that was accomplished by guile saw then notch the count at 79-all. However, SMB’s replacement import Mike Singletary hit a deadeye jumper to restore the Beermen’s lead. Cliff Hodge showed how unlucky Meralco was when he was a split second late in tipping in a shot that could have evened up matters by the third period’s end but it was not counted.

Meralco did knot the count at 82-all, early in the fourth and final quarter where they traded baskets and stops. Trailing by two after a Newsome triple, 101-99 with two minutes to play, SMB’s clutch shooter Alex Cabagnot went to work. He drilled in a triple 12 seconds after Newsome’s shot to hang everyone’s head on the Meralco bench. They got a stop and it looked like the Bolts would return the favor when Cabagnot hit a jumper with four seconds left on the shot clock. All of a sudden it was 106-99 with 1:05 left. 

The Bolts still had a chance after a Jared Dillinger trey (he looked uncomfortable wearing a protectionary mask that he took it off in the second half) to make it 108-106 JD had a near steal off an inbound but he hit his foot causing him to lose his balance as he tumbled out of bounds. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt. Time wasn’t on Meralco’s side as SMB closed out the match with two free throws for the win.

Meralco did better inside the lane in the second half turning a 31-26 deficit in the battle of the boards to their favor, 53-51. The Bolts ruling the boards meant more points in the paint (48-46 on 46% shooting), 13-11 in second chance points, and 18-17 in fastbreak points.

They also had more assists 26-23. What hurt Meralco was their giving up or being whistled for too many fouls that SMB went to the line a whopping 44 times while the Bolts only went to the stripe 14 times converting nine. 

The Bolts also did a better job of defending the three-point shots as SMB hit only two in the second half. Cabagnot’s killer trey with 1:48 (from the left corner pocket) and his succeeding bail-out shot were the points that hurt the most.

It’s a tough loss because it dropped Meralco to 5-4 while SMB went to 6-2.

Now they face Star this Sunday is a must-win match.

The Bolts have made great strides in the past two conferences where they have been more competitive. I think they have the size but not the output they want which is why they rely on players like Arinze Onuako and Allen Durham to make up for the deficiencies in the slot. Hopefully, the locals will continue to show their wares while others will be given a chance.

UAAP Season 79 Preview: Is the third time the charm for Derrick Pumaren's UE Red Warriors? by rick olivares

This appears on philstar.com

UAAP Season 79 Preview: Is the third time the charm for Derrick Pumaren's UE Red Warriors?

by rick olivares

Two years ago, Derrick Pumaren arrived in his alma mater of UE with the summer tournaments just about to start. His Red Warriors struggled to grasp the system he implemented and although they went on an inspired second round run that year, they fell short. Last year, they struggled with the untimely loss of their African centers. The Red Warriors showed glimpses of that full court press but they oft got killed in the endgame and they tumbled to sixth place, the same spot in the defensive rankings. Now, with a team finally and seemingly fully grasped of what “Manong” or what the coach is fondly nicknamed, are they poised for a better finish?

Let’s get this out of the way, if this were an all-Filipino tournament, these Red Warriors will make the finals. What makes me say that?

For one, they are deep and talented. They’ve got the veterans, workhorses, and a mean streak in them. 

The veterans in this team — Ronnie De Leon, Edgar Charcos, Renz Palma, Mark Olayon, and Paul Varilla tasted off-season success with their former coach. They came close, oh so painfully close in the UAAP but missed the bus ride to the Final Four. “Konti na lang,” says De Leon using his fingers to indicate the mere inches his team came close. 

De Leon has gotten better every year adding a super medium range jumper. The onus is on him and his other fellow batchmates to raise the level of play even higher.

Case in point: Renz Palma and this year’s team captain, Paul Varilla. Both are gifted athletically. I’ve previously said that Palma could be UE’s version of Ed Daquiaog or even CJ Perez because of his ability to get to the rim, stuff the stat sheet in every category, find the open man, and make things happen. What he needs is consistency. It is the same with Varilla who has a tendency to disappear when his team needs him the most which is why Pumaren has opted for his younger players to step into the breach.

During the summer, Varilla showed flashes of consistency and big time contributions. He must now show it on the big stage. Even his future demands it because if you plan on a pro career, you gotta stick that medium range jumper with consistency. Go see how players like Bryan Faundo, Kelly Nabong, and Reynel Hugnatan have found their place in the league. Except that Varilla is a small forward so he can drive to the hoop better.

Last year, Pumaren brought in Clark Derige who was the player you never knew but suddenly knew for his immediate impact. This year’s model is the tough pitbull who goes by the name of Alvin Pasaol. Under-sized but he sure can grab those rebounds and battle inside better than many centers much taller than him. Plus, he’s got an outside shot. 

Forward Ralph Penuela had an okay pre-season two years ago but was promptly buried on the bench for UAAP Season 78. This past pre-season, he had an even better pre-season. Can he be consistent enough to get minutes and contribute?

And there’s Edson Batiller, Pumaren’s first recruit out of the Holy Trinity College of General Santos City (he was discovered during the Filoil tourney three years ago). He was the man last year and opposing defenses have geared themselves into stopping him. With a tougher frontline with De Leon, Pasaol, Derige, and Nick Abanto, he will have the space to operate.

And this leads me back to my original question, what makes me say that they could really compete? I think I have just answered that… this is a team that plays tough defense, they have the players who can score, they are tenacious off the boards, and they are hungry.. They hit a huge road block when they go up against the Ben Mbalas and Papi Sarrs of this league.

Now it’s also on the coaching staff to devise a way to counter that because in the pre-season, that was their one glaring weakness. 

Bo is back in UP (Town)

This appears on rappler.com

Bo is back in UP (Town)

by rick olivares

When Dolreich “Bo” Perasol was captain of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, he wasn’t the most talented player on that squad. That honor went to Paul Du.

What Perasol was — well, he was the most tenacious. He gave every ounce and fiber of his being to what he was asked to do by his coaches. He played some stingy defense that he oft was irritating to opposing teams. He scrapped for those rebounds and threw his body on the floor to recover loose balls. He was led the team in floor burns and intangibles, the types that no one keeps stats. Nevertheless, he was named team captain. 

On a non-related note, Perasol wore #16 not because he chose it but because, “It was the only number left. It was a bonus that Alvin Patrimonio wore that number for Purefoods!”

In his return to Diliman 22 years after he graduated, Perasol is back in UP, this time as the Fighting Maroons’ head coach. And he hopes that his work ethic will rub off on this team even if his current form is far from what he was like decades ago. He laughs, “I think for me at my age, it is the will that matters."

During the last Filoil Flying V tournament, his team was ranked fifth in defense and third best among UAAP schools participating in the competition. “That is where we want to build our mark,” he says with his eyes lighting up. After all, this where he made his mark. 

“My happiness is that it is good to be home,” he reflects on being back to his old stomping grounds. “It is an opportunity for me to help my alma mater. Whatever I can help is giving back."

The Maroons had an up and down pre-season, teasing their potential. Even in this age where La Salle is expected to romp to the UAAP crown, there is still excitement as most schools have young squads and are building for the future. UP is no exception. “I am excited to see the fruit of our sacrifices of the past five months,” shares the coach who doesn’t look stressed at all. “I am sure it will not be flawless but as long as we improve on the building blocks it will be good. And do not think there is no pressure because the recent history has shown that we are like a musical chairs for coaches.”

In the months since the end of the summer tourneys, Perasol and his coaching staff have worked on improving the Maroons’ skill level. "We cannot be bigger or more talented than the others. But with the time and opportunities we have we are much improved in all aspects. The goal is to outwork the opposing teams. Or at least try to."

“We do not have the height so we will count a lot on Andrew Harris who has improved a lot. Jerson Prado is back but is still in the recovery period. Probably he will find his stride in the second half of the season. So Andrew will be a key player for us. The others can rebound like Paul Desiderio who is a very good rebounder for his size. Again, it’s all about work and working hard.”

And that has always been Perasol’s trademark.