Ateneo 81 - La Salle 65
I'll try to keep it short. Everyone watched the game and saw how Ateneo dominated La Salle in every aspect. And I 'm going to work in a few mins, so, might as well write for probably the last Live Game I watch this season. Until we get into the Finals at least.
Standing Room Only.
First off, I would just like to say that I would trade Lower Box or Patron tickets FOR Upper A tickets any day. I had LB tickets yesterday, stayed at the area for about 10mins, and just as the ref was about to throw up the ball for the jump, I stood up and went to Upper B with the rest of my ACIL family. LB is soooo boring. People are not allowed to stay standing. God! How stupid! People pay high to actually sit and watch not scream cheer and jeer. It sickens me. The moment I stepped on the Upper B grounds, I felt home. Seriously. The floor shaking from the energy of the stomping crowd. The screams of curses and "I love you Nonoy's" are what makes watching the game all worth while. Followers watch in Patron and LB, but die-hard watch Upper A and B. So where do you belong?
Note: My ACIL friends are the best people to watch games with. Come join us sometime...I'll show you why.
Saludo.
When Eric Salamat scored a basket, he leisurely walked towards the sidelines and gave Ateneo a salute. This was just an amazing moment, until Joshua, the "Big Douche", Webb, did the same trick only it was also towards the best crowd in the league. I say Screw You dickhead! You ain't got nothin' on us! You got lucky the first game with your good game, but this time, all you proved was that you have the referees behind you. How many times did you taunt the crowd and the players and you didn't even get a warning even as Bringas got his for small words said towards Buenafe(?). Are you protected because you're a Webb? Come on! You're elders have class, you obviously don't. Maybe someday you'll be the star of your team and you'll punish Ateneo with your skills, but in the meantime, I say work on your attitude dumb ass.
To Mr Coach: Please control your boy. He'll get what he deserves someday. Beware, you might regret tolerating his antics. Oh wait, you never were a disciplinarian wen it came to your boys. But you should be. Last year, you had wins to back up your foolishness. This year you've got so much uncontrolled talent, a disgraceful bunch of amateurs, and well, below .500 win-loss card.
A Good Run.
Hopefully what Ateneo showed yesterday will be the type of game that they will consistently parade for the rest of the season. The scoring was balanced and the players moved the ball well (except for a few regular Rabeh plays). Speaking of Rabeh, he's getting his rhythm back, that's always a good sign especially as the rest of the team are picking up as well. Imagine all the players clicking at the same time, whether defensively or offensively. The bigs will need to be consistent and the smalls need to continue breaking the D and shooting the three.
In the mean time, please stop the "M-V-P" chants. Rabeh hasn't played upto par yet; not even close. Unlike Paul Lee of UE or Dylan Ababou of UST, Rabeh has yet to take over a game by his lonesome. He usually has an Eric Salamat who starts the offensive run, or Nonoy and Bacon stepping it up on Defense before he gets with the flow. Paul and Dylan, and even Andy Baroca do their own thing when they want to.
Ateneo is playing team basketball now, that's a good sign.
To Win.
Ateneo has beaten UE and La Salle, so by theory, they've gotten past 2 of the tougher challenges. FEU should be the crucial game. Ateneo needs to break their sprirt like how they did La Salle last year. After beating La Salle twice in the season, the Finals just seemed like formality. Beating FEU, by a good 6-8 points would be good enough to show that they've got their number. But a 10+ point win will be fantastic.
Another important win that Ateneo needs to secure is against UP. They need to show that the first game was simply a miscalculation in their part. They need to go all-out and open an extra-large can of whoooopass. Perfect example, after the first round loss to FEU last season, Ateneo dominated Game 2 from start to finish.
But always, every win is important. NU, Adamson and UST are still humps Ateneo need to get passed.
So, for all the Ateneo supporters and die-hard, a salute to you, for your continued passion for the game and the team. Let our cheers and jeers in EVERY game be of help in keeping the championship trophy right where it belongs. (no, not in GMA)...
Go Ateneo!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Finally.
I am not a professional sports writer so don't be commenting on my technical skills. Most of the stuff written here are from my multiply blog. http://dinopipino.multiply.com
I write when I want to. Spur of the moment I guess? It's mostly about how I feel minutes or even days after a particular game. Ofcourse this blg will focus on team Ateneo so don't be defensive when I wrtie shit about your favorite team.
I write when I want to. Spur of the moment I guess? It's mostly about how I feel minutes or even days after a particular game. Ofcourse this blg will focus on team Ateneo so don't be defensive when I wrtie shit about your favorite team.
Yellow shirts, Blue shirts, Green shi(r)ts...
August 9, 2009
Before I share my 2 cents regarding yesterday's much anticipated Ateneo-La Salle match, a few thank yous are necessary.
Miss GJ (ACIL bacth '99) --- Met her Saturday, contacted me early morning of Sunday and was selling me an Upper A ticket for P150.00. Goodness.. thank you.
Yan Serafico (seatmate) --- Astig ka! Cheer all out..yes, facing the court is much better.
Blue not Yellow.
So there, I got extra lucky yesterday, and found myself one of the 15,707 attendees that included politicians, TV and film personalities and of course, Cory enthusiasts.
Wait....Cory enthusiasts? Really?
A few seats away from where I sat, there was this lola (around 70+), wearing all yellow, head to toe. She never stood up, kept going to the washroom and never cheered. There were lots of elders there too. Non-Atenean nor LaSallian, but Corynians. And this is what makes the "tribute" game seem more like a media extravaganza. And to say that it was also done to promote unity and peace between the two rival universities seemed a bit too idealistic as obviously seen throughout the game.
It was no sea of yellow. The two sides looked like N.U and F.E.U. Kudos to those who kept the "Blue" streak alive. If Ateneo lost, I would have blamed it to the yellow, just like the loss to U.P. The yellow shirts also did not help in distinguishing the losers from the winners, they got lucky, hindi nahalata na dugong ipis sila.
Gang Green. Eeeew.
Whoever said that this was to be an easy win for Ateneo had it coming. It was a battle.Overtime 76-72.
Game 1 is ours. Actually, if you count the wins even from last season, we're at a 5-0 win streak against the greens. But yesterday's game was much more exciting than the other Admu-Dlsu games in the recent past.
The game began with La Salle putting up an intense scoring run led by their young guns. Arvie Bringas who was supposed to play for Ateneo but decided to go to La Salle instead (for academic standards reasons, or lack of it), showed that he was no longer just the power player of old, and that he can play with Ateneo's big men any day. But the thing was like Ryan Buenafe, he kept on trash-talking with the Patron-seated hecklers of Ateneo each time he scored (is this a Baste thing?). Of course this made him an easy target for more tongue lashing from the Ateneo stands.
Another guy that proved so much yesterday was Joshua Webb. (side note: saw him Saturday at the Laser tag arena in Market-Market, sayang di namin nakasabay maglaro... *naughty grin* I thought after Rico Meirhoffer left La Salle and LA Revilla couldn't play any longer that the greens would no longer have assholes on the floor. But Joshua Webb is such an ass damn it. The whole game he kept taunting the crowd (at least Ferdinand learned his lesson from last year) and trash-talking everyone who guarded him. Some would say that he has the right to do so as he scorched Ateneo for 26 points. He jumps over players and drives hard each time which makes him such a threat. But again, he's such an ass. I'm sure everyone saw the rib-kick he game Bacon. If Rico was taken out of the game for 2 technical fouls (arguing with the ref and the infamous "bad" sign) why is a kick on the rib, even without the ball in hand not given a stiffer penalty? It was supposed to be a flagrant foul 2 and merited a throw-out. Is it because he has ADHD? Does that make him any less responsible for his actions? When Nonoy took him on nearing the end of the game, he showed him who's boss; who's president (hehe). First Cardona then Ryan Arana then Rico Meirhoffer and now Joshua Webb?
What sacred me though was that La Salle played with so much skill. Their defense was insane, and they just kept on going all throughout the 45-minute game. They had the ability to score at will, whether it was running the floor or setting-up plays half court. They had their rokies stepping up. Some played like monsters and one looked like a monster in the process. Andrada, the JarjarBinx looking lanky center had 3 blocks, 2 coming from defensive jobs on Mr. MVP himself. If they keep this up for the rest of the season, they'll definitely give us a run for our money. That's if the Ateneo heart won't get in their way.
Blue Streak.
Is it just me, or is Ateneo still lacking the firepower and steadiness that they had last year. The team does not look like a true powerhouse, especially on defense. They allow too many points in the paint, mostly due to getting caught with LaSallian ball fakes. And did you notice the height difference between our guards and theirs? And their big men can shoot, but we forget to rotate when necessary, small men guarding big men who can shoot over our guards even without jumping! We need to fix that, seriously.Rabbeh isn't MVP yet, so stop chanting "MVP" when he's been playing bad. He doesn't seem to be working on his game. All the teams already know tat Rabbeh is either getting the ball in the paint or popping out to the key for the jumper. Same play each time which causes lots of turnovers. And when the ball gets tapped from his hands, he doesn't even go after the ball. That goes for most of Ateneo's players. Only the Baste-Boys dive for the ball along with Nonoy. Mashadong pa-sossy. Rabbeh and Salva need to learn how to dribble-penetrate and dish-out to the shooters. Jai's game is picking up and Salamat and Montfort are steady beyond the arc as well. Bacon is bringing it home, hope he'll be more consistent.
I would like to see the bench players being trained to shoot as well. If Ateneo can turn Vince Burke to a Mick Penisi type of big man, then he'll definitely be crucial. Tiongson needs to take some Cherifer. Sumalinog hit a three, maybe because he's wearing no.17 now.. but I liked how he moved, he's much more confident now. The only problem that bench players need to face is that when hey are put in the game, there seems to be this mentality of the referees to call fouls or dribbling infractions against them. It's like they already assume that these bench warmers do not know how to defend well or move with the ball.
Oh and I can't not comment on Ryan Buenafe's end-game kayabangan that almost cost us the win. He was already getting the crowd pumped-up after being fouled with a few more seconds to go. He was swaggering, which is alright, but as he stepped on the line and missed the two shots, I shouted a whole set of foul language directed at him for being arrogant. What if the lead was not at 4 points, La Salle could have easily gotten the ball and hit a shot as they did in regulation.
End-game Booboo.
Less than a minute left in regulation period Ateneo led by 4. La Salle ran a play that would end up at the hands of an able shooter. Oh, did I mention that on the floor was Webb, Birngas, Bagatsing, Mangahas and Malabes; all were very much capable of draining the, as Boom would say, "trifecta" ( jologs). All Ateneo had to do was make sure LS would either take a long 3, or a hard fought 2. Bringas got the ball, his feet were set (mind you, he's a slow shooter, just like buenafe) and he seemed to have all the time in the world because the one guarding him did not think he'd take it. He made it of course and with 20 sec. left (24 sec clock off), Salamat was fouled and made his two shots.
So yeah, by this time the Blue (and yellow) side was feeling a bit confident. All they had to do was to a.) not foul a heave shot b.) make sure no threes are allowed (foul a 3-point shooter when the feet are already set, but make sure it's before he launches the shot to avoid a lucky 4-point play) c.) if they're going to let La Salle score, then it should be with no more than 5 seconds left, and for a 2-point shot. That's it, that's easy. If they did this, either La Salle can tie it on the free throw line, or would need an extra defensive play to get the ball back.
Of all the players on the floor for La Sale, Bagatsing was the last person I felt would take the shot because the others were more consistent in shooting. But I guess with him having the smallest man on him at that moment in Bacon, maybe he indeed was the best option since there were no defensive rotations from the Ateneo defense. He dribbled towards the three-line and squared off (wrong move no.1--- the feet of the person you are guarding should not be planted, and he should not be able to square-off towards the basket), took a pump fake which caught Bacon flying (wrong move no.2---Bagatsing wouldn't just throw a heave with the defense focused on him, and when you jump, it should not be a diagonal jump) and passed him (wrong move no.3 ---always stay in front of your man, if you're late with your jump then just move in because he'll need to focus on where he will land, it is not a cheat move promise).Even if some say that it was a lucky shot, I say it's a good shot. Bagatsing had his feet planted, squared towards the basket, the mid-air double-pump was necessary to give him power to launch a straight shot since he had to do a kontra-tiempo shot (a shot wherein you have to move a few seconds earlier than your normal shot momentum) so that Bacon couldn't get back on his feet after his first jump, and block him from behind. (Only Nonoy can do that!)
It was like a Derek Fisher shot, no one expected Bagatsing to take it, Bacon gave him the space to avoid fouling too early, and Bagatsing made him pay. Game 1 ATENEOYes, we did win, but this is definitely a sign that La Salle's basketball future is again on the rise. Only a few die-hard remember how weak La Salle was in Ty Tang's rookie year. But Pumaren kept playing him which eventually turned him into a premier guard. I think Black should do the same for the rookies and bench players. Give them playing time. As in regular playing time. But not play them together like when we lost to U.P. Play them a player or two at a time. Then give them extra training for specialties like three-point shooting, defense, hustle work etc. They can't all be all-around, the team needs role players.
The next Ateneo-La Salle match will surely be more exciting and the anticipation rate will be crazy. Businessmen and Media will again try to penetrate what is more than just a basketball game; hopefully it won't ruin the spirit of the sport. To the Ateneo "fans" , please, leave the watching of the games to those who really want to. Scalpers prey on people like you who only care about the hype and not the game. I'd rather watch with a small group of hard-core cheerers rather than a coliseum of posers.
Go Ateneo!
Before I share my 2 cents regarding yesterday's much anticipated Ateneo-La Salle match, a few thank yous are necessary.
Miss GJ (ACIL bacth '99) --- Met her Saturday, contacted me early morning of Sunday and was selling me an Upper A ticket for P150.00. Goodness.. thank you.
Yan Serafico (seatmate) --- Astig ka! Cheer all out..yes, facing the court is much better.
Blue not Yellow.
So there, I got extra lucky yesterday, and found myself one of the 15,707 attendees that included politicians, TV and film personalities and of course, Cory enthusiasts.
Wait....Cory enthusiasts? Really?
A few seats away from where I sat, there was this lola (around 70+), wearing all yellow, head to toe. She never stood up, kept going to the washroom and never cheered. There were lots of elders there too. Non-Atenean nor LaSallian, but Corynians. And this is what makes the "tribute" game seem more like a media extravaganza. And to say that it was also done to promote unity and peace between the two rival universities seemed a bit too idealistic as obviously seen throughout the game.
It was no sea of yellow. The two sides looked like N.U and F.E.U. Kudos to those who kept the "Blue" streak alive. If Ateneo lost, I would have blamed it to the yellow, just like the loss to U.P. The yellow shirts also did not help in distinguishing the losers from the winners, they got lucky, hindi nahalata na dugong ipis sila.
Gang Green. Eeeew.
Whoever said that this was to be an easy win for Ateneo had it coming. It was a battle.Overtime 76-72.
Game 1 is ours. Actually, if you count the wins even from last season, we're at a 5-0 win streak against the greens. But yesterday's game was much more exciting than the other Admu-Dlsu games in the recent past.
The game began with La Salle putting up an intense scoring run led by their young guns. Arvie Bringas who was supposed to play for Ateneo but decided to go to La Salle instead (for academic standards reasons, or lack of it), showed that he was no longer just the power player of old, and that he can play with Ateneo's big men any day. But the thing was like Ryan Buenafe, he kept on trash-talking with the Patron-seated hecklers of Ateneo each time he scored (is this a Baste thing?). Of course this made him an easy target for more tongue lashing from the Ateneo stands.
Another guy that proved so much yesterday was Joshua Webb. (side note: saw him Saturday at the Laser tag arena in Market-Market, sayang di namin nakasabay maglaro... *naughty grin* I thought after Rico Meirhoffer left La Salle and LA Revilla couldn't play any longer that the greens would no longer have assholes on the floor. But Joshua Webb is such an ass damn it. The whole game he kept taunting the crowd (at least Ferdinand learned his lesson from last year) and trash-talking everyone who guarded him. Some would say that he has the right to do so as he scorched Ateneo for 26 points. He jumps over players and drives hard each time which makes him such a threat. But again, he's such an ass. I'm sure everyone saw the rib-kick he game Bacon. If Rico was taken out of the game for 2 technical fouls (arguing with the ref and the infamous "bad" sign) why is a kick on the rib, even without the ball in hand not given a stiffer penalty? It was supposed to be a flagrant foul 2 and merited a throw-out. Is it because he has ADHD? Does that make him any less responsible for his actions? When Nonoy took him on nearing the end of the game, he showed him who's boss; who's president (hehe). First Cardona then Ryan Arana then Rico Meirhoffer and now Joshua Webb?
What sacred me though was that La Salle played with so much skill. Their defense was insane, and they just kept on going all throughout the 45-minute game. They had the ability to score at will, whether it was running the floor or setting-up plays half court. They had their rokies stepping up. Some played like monsters and one looked like a monster in the process. Andrada, the JarjarBinx looking lanky center had 3 blocks, 2 coming from defensive jobs on Mr. MVP himself. If they keep this up for the rest of the season, they'll definitely give us a run for our money. That's if the Ateneo heart won't get in their way.
Blue Streak.
Is it just me, or is Ateneo still lacking the firepower and steadiness that they had last year. The team does not look like a true powerhouse, especially on defense. They allow too many points in the paint, mostly due to getting caught with LaSallian ball fakes. And did you notice the height difference between our guards and theirs? And their big men can shoot, but we forget to rotate when necessary, small men guarding big men who can shoot over our guards even without jumping! We need to fix that, seriously.Rabbeh isn't MVP yet, so stop chanting "MVP" when he's been playing bad. He doesn't seem to be working on his game. All the teams already know tat Rabbeh is either getting the ball in the paint or popping out to the key for the jumper. Same play each time which causes lots of turnovers. And when the ball gets tapped from his hands, he doesn't even go after the ball. That goes for most of Ateneo's players. Only the Baste-Boys dive for the ball along with Nonoy. Mashadong pa-sossy. Rabbeh and Salva need to learn how to dribble-penetrate and dish-out to the shooters. Jai's game is picking up and Salamat and Montfort are steady beyond the arc as well. Bacon is bringing it home, hope he'll be more consistent.
I would like to see the bench players being trained to shoot as well. If Ateneo can turn Vince Burke to a Mick Penisi type of big man, then he'll definitely be crucial. Tiongson needs to take some Cherifer. Sumalinog hit a three, maybe because he's wearing no.17 now.. but I liked how he moved, he's much more confident now. The only problem that bench players need to face is that when hey are put in the game, there seems to be this mentality of the referees to call fouls or dribbling infractions against them. It's like they already assume that these bench warmers do not know how to defend well or move with the ball.
Oh and I can't not comment on Ryan Buenafe's end-game kayabangan that almost cost us the win. He was already getting the crowd pumped-up after being fouled with a few more seconds to go. He was swaggering, which is alright, but as he stepped on the line and missed the two shots, I shouted a whole set of foul language directed at him for being arrogant. What if the lead was not at 4 points, La Salle could have easily gotten the ball and hit a shot as they did in regulation.
End-game Booboo.
Less than a minute left in regulation period Ateneo led by 4. La Salle ran a play that would end up at the hands of an able shooter. Oh, did I mention that on the floor was Webb, Birngas, Bagatsing, Mangahas and Malabes; all were very much capable of draining the, as Boom would say, "trifecta" ( jologs). All Ateneo had to do was make sure LS would either take a long 3, or a hard fought 2. Bringas got the ball, his feet were set (mind you, he's a slow shooter, just like buenafe) and he seemed to have all the time in the world because the one guarding him did not think he'd take it. He made it of course and with 20 sec. left (24 sec clock off), Salamat was fouled and made his two shots.
So yeah, by this time the Blue (and yellow) side was feeling a bit confident. All they had to do was to a.) not foul a heave shot b.) make sure no threes are allowed (foul a 3-point shooter when the feet are already set, but make sure it's before he launches the shot to avoid a lucky 4-point play) c.) if they're going to let La Salle score, then it should be with no more than 5 seconds left, and for a 2-point shot. That's it, that's easy. If they did this, either La Salle can tie it on the free throw line, or would need an extra defensive play to get the ball back.
Of all the players on the floor for La Sale, Bagatsing was the last person I felt would take the shot because the others were more consistent in shooting. But I guess with him having the smallest man on him at that moment in Bacon, maybe he indeed was the best option since there were no defensive rotations from the Ateneo defense. He dribbled towards the three-line and squared off (wrong move no.1--- the feet of the person you are guarding should not be planted, and he should not be able to square-off towards the basket), took a pump fake which caught Bacon flying (wrong move no.2---Bagatsing wouldn't just throw a heave with the defense focused on him, and when you jump, it should not be a diagonal jump) and passed him (wrong move no.3 ---always stay in front of your man, if you're late with your jump then just move in because he'll need to focus on where he will land, it is not a cheat move promise).Even if some say that it was a lucky shot, I say it's a good shot. Bagatsing had his feet planted, squared towards the basket, the mid-air double-pump was necessary to give him power to launch a straight shot since he had to do a kontra-tiempo shot (a shot wherein you have to move a few seconds earlier than your normal shot momentum) so that Bacon couldn't get back on his feet after his first jump, and block him from behind. (Only Nonoy can do that!)
It was like a Derek Fisher shot, no one expected Bagatsing to take it, Bacon gave him the space to avoid fouling too early, and Bagatsing made him pay. Game 1 ATENEOYes, we did win, but this is definitely a sign that La Salle's basketball future is again on the rise. Only a few die-hard remember how weak La Salle was in Ty Tang's rookie year. But Pumaren kept playing him which eventually turned him into a premier guard. I think Black should do the same for the rookies and bench players. Give them playing time. As in regular playing time. But not play them together like when we lost to U.P. Play them a player or two at a time. Then give them extra training for specialties like three-point shooting, defense, hustle work etc. They can't all be all-around, the team needs role players.
The next Ateneo-La Salle match will surely be more exciting and the anticipation rate will be crazy. Businessmen and Media will again try to penetrate what is more than just a basketball game; hopefully it won't ruin the spirit of the sport. To the Ateneo "fans" , please, leave the watching of the games to those who really want to. Scalpers prey on people like you who only care about the hype and not the game. I'd rather watch with a small group of hard-core cheerers rather than a coliseum of posers.
Go Ateneo!
In my last entry, I specifically said that the only satisfaction I will get for an Ateneo win against Adamson was a 15 (or more) - point win.
We did win... but only by 10. Not cool.
We should have murdered the opponent. Ofcourse I don't mean the Baracael type of murder attempt. But 15 plus points would have been a good statement. The only thing good about the game was probably the possibility of fights breaking out...
The crowd was a sad crowd. The Upper B area was empty. But when Finals come...or even in LaSalle-Ateneo games, all the supposed Ateneo "fans" come to watch. How pathetic.
Jai got back his touch. Rabbeh struggled. Long finally hitting long. Eric is the shizzznit. and Bacon... well .bacon.... bacon is... errrrr..... honeycured... so to speak. Let de Chavez play!
Please watch all the games. Like what we saw in the match against UP, there's no such thing as a no-bearing game or an easy win.
We did win... but only by 10. Not cool.
We should have murdered the opponent. Ofcourse I don't mean the Baracael type of murder attempt. But 15 plus points would have been a good statement. The only thing good about the game was probably the possibility of fights breaking out...
The crowd was a sad crowd. The Upper B area was empty. But when Finals come...or even in LaSalle-Ateneo games, all the supposed Ateneo "fans" come to watch. How pathetic.
Jai got back his touch. Rabbeh struggled. Long finally hitting long. Eric is the shizzznit. and Bacon... well .bacon.... bacon is... errrrr..... honeycured... so to speak. Let de Chavez play!
Please watch all the games. Like what we saw in the match against UP, there's no such thing as a no-bearing game or an easy win.
Oh Snap... a "good loss" (Ateneo - UP, round 1)
July 26, 2009
Everyone who has been with me and my fellow Ateneo die-hard know just how involved we get when watching team Ateneo play. We seriously cheer non-stop. We go crazy for every great play and we curse at bad calls and people who just watch, and NOT cheer. So yeah... I for one, don't take losses real well, especially when the team I am cheering for seems to be physically on the court but not actually playing -PLAYing. After winning the UAAP championship, having a roster oozing and overflowing with talent, and recruiting vital cogs in another seemingly amazing run at the title, team Ateneo just hit a great wall with an embarrassing loss. (Oh, let's not forget that they've also won their first three games of the season against 3 teams which has the most promise in reaching this year's Final 4) The only challenge that supposedly lies ahead is meeting La Salle whom, though not performing as well as forecast, have always come out in heat when against Ateneo. So basically, before the loss, Ateneo looked like they were on their way to a return trip to the finals, with icecream on top.
But, like I said, a few hours ago, Ateneo battled a cell-dweller. And lost.
The Cell-Dweller
By definition, a cell-dweller is a team that is not doing quite well in the 8-team league (i.e. bottom 2 or 3 in the win-loss standings). University of the Philippines has been doing bad for some time now. After UP's last UAAP championship during the Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc era (way back), they've failed to reach the promised land for the succeeding years. From the Ogie Gumatay, Paolo Mendoza and Brian Gahol triumvirate, the Mike Bravo - Totti Almeda and JR Reyes (removed) -Jon Tabique (died of cancer?) Red cubs recruitment stage, UP has gone through lack-luster performances year in and year out. In the past 3 seasons, as Ateneo has continued to strengthen its squad with crucial recruits and timely out-of-the-country training sessions, UP has dwindled and has ended up with a 0-14 win-loss card showing in 2007 and 1-14(?) win-loss record last year.
UP was, and currently is, a cell-dweller, the bottom of the food chain, so to speak. They have not won a single match this year, even against the teams who've also been on slumps.
Today Ateneo lost to UP. By 10. No typo here. And the saddest part here is that Ateneo lost without a sign of fight while UP proved to be fighting maroons. Ateneo had an insanely lackluster performance. Overconfidence perhaps? Could it be another case of the David and Goliath story? Could it be that the team saw this game as no bearing? Whatever the reason for the soul-less battle today, I don't fucking care. Do any of you remember this--- http://dinopipino.multiply.com/journal/item/23/Sayang.
Team Ateneo should give their all in each of the games. Killer instinct should be their primary focus. UP may not have such a great history of good games, but this does not mean they should be overlooked in any way. Luck can be present in the game, but the heart to actually battle it out and let it all hang out is another thing. UP had 80% fight and 20% luck, while Ateneo had 10% luck, 60% complacency, 20% confusion, 10% fight ---which includes 7% of wanting to win, and 3% of actually acting on it. It was a recipe for disaster if you ask me. (Oh, and they scored a weak 6 points in the whole of the 3rd Qtr, along with an array of stupid turnovers)
Turnover --- Zero to Hero
What was most disappointing was that the 90's Ateneo teams showed more passion than the "championship" team that showed up earlier. It was a team effort; a team effort of not wanting it that bad. Before Ateneo became such a powerhouse team, they began with having home-grown talents and dreams of making it big. And the teams... yes, you guessed it, were cell-dwellers. The 90's Ateneo teams were the first Ateneo teams I watched, and instantly got me hooked. They didn't have stars. They had a very young Rainier and Brian Sison, a rugged hustle-player in Gabi Cui, an injury prone yet promising/prized rookie in Ryan Pamintuan, an immature tshirt-under-jersey-wearing rookie in Wesley Gonzales, the High School star in Enrico Villanueva, and at the point, the veteran yet unknown L.A. Mumar. They were all young nobodies then, they had yet to prove anything, but showed a lot of promise. Why?; because they played hard. Their opponents knew that they were a young team and made sure that their rookies would get the rude welcoming. But, they just played each game with so much intensity. They took the yell of "get that ball"by heart, and personified "one big fight".
Who would have thought Villanueva and company would win it all four years after? Who would have thought that even with a major setback in BJ Manalo moving to La Salle would open new doors for other players to step-up. They did it, because the stronger bully-teams then overlooked the lowly cell-dwellers. This drove Ateneo to strive. (Yes, a major program change and recruitment prowess IS a sign of wanting it bad) After being underdogs for a long time, Ateneo became giant killers as well and worked their way up to where they are now. The heart that team Ateneo showed in games made them such a great team to admire. The Hail Mary squad as the team is fondly called was coined primarily because of their non-stop fight in the closest and even close-to-impossible game scenarios. But the game earlier was just incredibly played without the "We Believe" motto.
Is it because we believed too much already?
I will not point fingers on who played bad against UP, because it's always a team effort (And that includes the crowd even). We see players as gods nowadays and see wins as obvious outcomes. This is probably the same mindset that the players have with the recent championship and endless win streaks. It is no longer about carving out wins and destiny, but mere maintenance if inevitable greatness and carreer that come from the fame and prestiege of being part of a champion team. They probably are thinking that they've got nothing more to prove; and we fans/ supporters have made them this way.
The Alpha Dog
The loss today is such a wake-up call for team Ateneo to step up their game. This is not the time for the team to think of themselves as unbeatable and as the ALPHA DOG in the league. As proven by the old, and lesser powerful Ateneo teams, any team can grow into greatness. UP, or any of the other teams at that, should never be overlooked because, as it is an awakening for us, it may also be an awakening for them too to discover possibilities of greater "greatness" than just killing the giant. Let us (Ateneo community, because it is after all a team effort) not settle for winning only games that matter, but fighting for each additional digit in the win-column and proving that we are in our place because we took the chisel and are carving our destiny.
Let us not wait for cell-dwellers to be awoken by the miscues of the "Alpha Dog" and adhere to the reality that the ball is round and games are won by the amount of effort a team puts from practice, to jump-ball, and all throughout the 40-minute scramble for endgame supremacy.
The Good Loss
Boom Gonzales mentioned in the closing seconds of the game that -- "It is better for Ateneo to lose now than later in the tournament" --I feel that it is both correct and wrong to express such a mindset. Yes, this might be the same wake-up call for Ateneo like the singular FEU loss last year, but to say that there is such a thing as a "good loss" in a tournament that is all about pride, and bringing home the "bacon", is being a bit too positive about the situation. I say murder the next opponent and bully them into believing that Ateneo is in it to win it. Prepare for each game like Jordan played in Space Jam; Like its for all the marbles; like how you'd swear on your momma's grave.
And maybe, just maybe, the rookies of today would realize that its more that just a stage. Setting the tone for greater years to come starts from the way the team plays now. Benjie might not have been able to do it for the succeeding UP teams, but we'll never know if the current squad will be the wake-up call for UP's greater future.
Ateneo has the tools to win it all again this year, but the question now is do they have the same heart and fight the cell-dwellers have or is it all about being the Alpha Dog for them already?
I guess we'll just have to see how they pick up from this disgraceful performance some call a "good loss".
Everyone who has been with me and my fellow Ateneo die-hard know just how involved we get when watching team Ateneo play. We seriously cheer non-stop. We go crazy for every great play and we curse at bad calls and people who just watch, and NOT cheer. So yeah... I for one, don't take losses real well, especially when the team I am cheering for seems to be physically on the court but not actually playing -PLAYing. After winning the UAAP championship, having a roster oozing and overflowing with talent, and recruiting vital cogs in another seemingly amazing run at the title, team Ateneo just hit a great wall with an embarrassing loss. (Oh, let's not forget that they've also won their first three games of the season against 3 teams which has the most promise in reaching this year's Final 4) The only challenge that supposedly lies ahead is meeting La Salle whom, though not performing as well as forecast, have always come out in heat when against Ateneo. So basically, before the loss, Ateneo looked like they were on their way to a return trip to the finals, with icecream on top.
But, like I said, a few hours ago, Ateneo battled a cell-dweller. And lost.
The Cell-Dweller
By definition, a cell-dweller is a team that is not doing quite well in the 8-team league (i.e. bottom 2 or 3 in the win-loss standings). University of the Philippines has been doing bad for some time now. After UP's last UAAP championship during the Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc era (way back), they've failed to reach the promised land for the succeeding years. From the Ogie Gumatay, Paolo Mendoza and Brian Gahol triumvirate, the Mike Bravo - Totti Almeda and JR Reyes (removed) -Jon Tabique (died of cancer?) Red cubs recruitment stage, UP has gone through lack-luster performances year in and year out. In the past 3 seasons, as Ateneo has continued to strengthen its squad with crucial recruits and timely out-of-the-country training sessions, UP has dwindled and has ended up with a 0-14 win-loss card showing in 2007 and 1-14(?) win-loss record last year.
UP was, and currently is, a cell-dweller, the bottom of the food chain, so to speak. They have not won a single match this year, even against the teams who've also been on slumps.
Today Ateneo lost to UP. By 10. No typo here. And the saddest part here is that Ateneo lost without a sign of fight while UP proved to be fighting maroons. Ateneo had an insanely lackluster performance. Overconfidence perhaps? Could it be another case of the David and Goliath story? Could it be that the team saw this game as no bearing? Whatever the reason for the soul-less battle today, I don't fucking care. Do any of you remember this--- http://dinopipino.multiply.com/journal/item/23/Sayang.
Team Ateneo should give their all in each of the games. Killer instinct should be their primary focus. UP may not have such a great history of good games, but this does not mean they should be overlooked in any way. Luck can be present in the game, but the heart to actually battle it out and let it all hang out is another thing. UP had 80% fight and 20% luck, while Ateneo had 10% luck, 60% complacency, 20% confusion, 10% fight ---which includes 7% of wanting to win, and 3% of actually acting on it. It was a recipe for disaster if you ask me. (Oh, and they scored a weak 6 points in the whole of the 3rd Qtr, along with an array of stupid turnovers)
Turnover --- Zero to Hero
What was most disappointing was that the 90's Ateneo teams showed more passion than the "championship" team that showed up earlier. It was a team effort; a team effort of not wanting it that bad. Before Ateneo became such a powerhouse team, they began with having home-grown talents and dreams of making it big. And the teams... yes, you guessed it, were cell-dwellers. The 90's Ateneo teams were the first Ateneo teams I watched, and instantly got me hooked. They didn't have stars. They had a very young Rainier and Brian Sison, a rugged hustle-player in Gabi Cui, an injury prone yet promising/prized rookie in Ryan Pamintuan, an immature tshirt-under-jersey-wearing rookie in Wesley Gonzales, the High School star in Enrico Villanueva, and at the point, the veteran yet unknown L.A. Mumar. They were all young nobodies then, they had yet to prove anything, but showed a lot of promise. Why?; because they played hard. Their opponents knew that they were a young team and made sure that their rookies would get the rude welcoming. But, they just played each game with so much intensity. They took the yell of "get that ball"by heart, and personified "one big fight".
Who would have thought Villanueva and company would win it all four years after? Who would have thought that even with a major setback in BJ Manalo moving to La Salle would open new doors for other players to step-up. They did it, because the stronger bully-teams then overlooked the lowly cell-dwellers. This drove Ateneo to strive. (Yes, a major program change and recruitment prowess IS a sign of wanting it bad) After being underdogs for a long time, Ateneo became giant killers as well and worked their way up to where they are now. The heart that team Ateneo showed in games made them such a great team to admire. The Hail Mary squad as the team is fondly called was coined primarily because of their non-stop fight in the closest and even close-to-impossible game scenarios. But the game earlier was just incredibly played without the "We Believe" motto.
Is it because we believed too much already?
I will not point fingers on who played bad against UP, because it's always a team effort (And that includes the crowd even). We see players as gods nowadays and see wins as obvious outcomes. This is probably the same mindset that the players have with the recent championship and endless win streaks. It is no longer about carving out wins and destiny, but mere maintenance if inevitable greatness and carreer that come from the fame and prestiege of being part of a champion team. They probably are thinking that they've got nothing more to prove; and we fans/ supporters have made them this way.
The Alpha Dog
The loss today is such a wake-up call for team Ateneo to step up their game. This is not the time for the team to think of themselves as unbeatable and as the ALPHA DOG in the league. As proven by the old, and lesser powerful Ateneo teams, any team can grow into greatness. UP, or any of the other teams at that, should never be overlooked because, as it is an awakening for us, it may also be an awakening for them too to discover possibilities of greater "greatness" than just killing the giant. Let us (Ateneo community, because it is after all a team effort) not settle for winning only games that matter, but fighting for each additional digit in the win-column and proving that we are in our place because we took the chisel and are carving our destiny.
Let us not wait for cell-dwellers to be awoken by the miscues of the "Alpha Dog" and adhere to the reality that the ball is round and games are won by the amount of effort a team puts from practice, to jump-ball, and all throughout the 40-minute scramble for endgame supremacy.
The Good Loss
Boom Gonzales mentioned in the closing seconds of the game that -- "It is better for Ateneo to lose now than later in the tournament" --I feel that it is both correct and wrong to express such a mindset. Yes, this might be the same wake-up call for Ateneo like the singular FEU loss last year, but to say that there is such a thing as a "good loss" in a tournament that is all about pride, and bringing home the "bacon", is being a bit too positive about the situation. I say murder the next opponent and bully them into believing that Ateneo is in it to win it. Prepare for each game like Jordan played in Space Jam; Like its for all the marbles; like how you'd swear on your momma's grave.
And maybe, just maybe, the rookies of today would realize that its more that just a stage. Setting the tone for greater years to come starts from the way the team plays now. Benjie might not have been able to do it for the succeeding UP teams, but we'll never know if the current squad will be the wake-up call for UP's greater future.
Ateneo has the tools to win it all again this year, but the question now is do they have the same heart and fight the cell-dwellers have or is it all about being the Alpha Dog for them already?
I guess we'll just have to see how they pick up from this disgraceful performance some call a "good loss".
Yes, that team, their "great" coach,and that name-less fool.
September 25, 2008
Is it because your crowd left you hanging? The way they just chose to sell their tickets instead of hoping for an upset win? Is it because of the bad calls of the three stooges on court? Or is it because, of all teams to lose to, it just had to be Ateneo...
Read the newspaper today, of course, Rico denies doing anything... but thinking about it, and knowing Rico's antics on court is probably what gave him in. He is extremely talented, I admit, but everyone knows how dirty he plays. Taunting, trash talking and all that jazz (even an occasional elbow here and there). So, even if he did not do the act he was accused of doing, you can't blame everything to the refs. (Sabi nga sa theo, it's about the categorical acts... haha)
"Ateneo plays with value"(Tiu)... yes that is probably why, down the line we get calls going for us. Yes we have our moments of misjudgments like when Nonoy shouts at whoever he allows experience of his MONSTER BLOCK! (this is not an exaggeration, it IS really a monster), or when Buenafe stares down whoever gets in his way after an acrobatic shot, or Salamat's Jordanesque tongue action when he goes for a fast break lay in, and even Jobe's muscle flexing, but, above all these, in the end, we don't go crying over a loss (no pun intended) Last year when we got ousted by this same team, we went home, attended the mass, to what? Not to sulk in sadness for a lost season, but to celebrate the glory of the graduating players, and to acknowledge the efforts of the whole team. The community backed the team up (sans the fair-weathered fans of course) We stick by the "WE BELIEVE" theme of the Hail Mary squad, whether it be a 14-year drought, or even just a few years of title-less glory. We value the team, but most importantly, we value the game.
Sadly for you though, you let your community down in a way that encompasses your defeat. Your display of disgraceful unsportsmanlike behavior of NOT receiving your 1st-Runner up trophy disgusted not just myself, but surely even some of your comrades and supporters; utterly disgraceful. And to defend it by saying that the officiating was masterminded to simply hand over the trophy to Ateneo, wow, big words for someone who deceitfully crafted a 2005 Championship. You just have to always give an excuse; like the one you gave when your little f*cker of a player mischievously pointed finger-formed guns at an opposing player who had just experienced an assault. "Just a kid" ? C'mon, he's in college for crying out loud. You, dear coach, to me at least, are a disgrace. You do not deserve to call yourself a champion coach if you do not have the values that merit being one. I feel sorry for your community (and probably even some of your players) who just have to swallow every little antic you pull year after year.
Hey you, yes you, why won't I call you by your name? Not just because you don't have one, but because you are a NOBODY compared to the class acts of your team. Your university has a rich history of producing greatness. I was never a fan of your team, but I was a big fan of your players. Topping the list are: Cortez who simply played ball, no non-sense like most of the players in the league do now, Ritualo who shot the lights out literally, Aldeguer who deserves credit as a true court-general on and off-court, Tang who ran the game like no body I've ever seen and of course Casio, who continues to play the game with class. You, however, are nothing. The way you paraded yourself yesterday, trying to prove that you've made it big with that stupid-ass dunk of yours. C'mon, seriously? All you give your team is rest for your big guns. So sit your ass down sir. Wait for your turn. And the next time you taunt the BEST CROWD IN THE LEAGUE, make sure to back it up with a win. Or at least a graceful defeat.
Ladies and Gentlemen, to call it a SWEET-SWEEP is an understatement, but a great description nonetheless. Next year will be a different year; we will not know whether it will bring the same joy and honor. But, looking at the team now, I think we're in a pretty good position to (as they'd put it) come Back 2 Back.
In the mean time...let us all sulk…sulk and bask in glory as the 2008 UAAP CHAMPIONS.
GO ATENEO!
Is it because your crowd left you hanging? The way they just chose to sell their tickets instead of hoping for an upset win? Is it because of the bad calls of the three stooges on court? Or is it because, of all teams to lose to, it just had to be Ateneo...
Read the newspaper today, of course, Rico denies doing anything... but thinking about it, and knowing Rico's antics on court is probably what gave him in. He is extremely talented, I admit, but everyone knows how dirty he plays. Taunting, trash talking and all that jazz (even an occasional elbow here and there). So, even if he did not do the act he was accused of doing, you can't blame everything to the refs. (Sabi nga sa theo, it's about the categorical acts... haha)
"Ateneo plays with value"(Tiu)... yes that is probably why, down the line we get calls going for us. Yes we have our moments of misjudgments like when Nonoy shouts at whoever he allows experience of his MONSTER BLOCK! (this is not an exaggeration, it IS really a monster), or when Buenafe stares down whoever gets in his way after an acrobatic shot, or Salamat's Jordanesque tongue action when he goes for a fast break lay in, and even Jobe's muscle flexing, but, above all these, in the end, we don't go crying over a loss (no pun intended) Last year when we got ousted by this same team, we went home, attended the mass, to what? Not to sulk in sadness for a lost season, but to celebrate the glory of the graduating players, and to acknowledge the efforts of the whole team. The community backed the team up (sans the fair-weathered fans of course) We stick by the "WE BELIEVE" theme of the Hail Mary squad, whether it be a 14-year drought, or even just a few years of title-less glory. We value the team, but most importantly, we value the game.
Sadly for you though, you let your community down in a way that encompasses your defeat. Your display of disgraceful unsportsmanlike behavior of NOT receiving your 1st-Runner up trophy disgusted not just myself, but surely even some of your comrades and supporters; utterly disgraceful. And to defend it by saying that the officiating was masterminded to simply hand over the trophy to Ateneo, wow, big words for someone who deceitfully crafted a 2005 Championship. You just have to always give an excuse; like the one you gave when your little f*cker of a player mischievously pointed finger-formed guns at an opposing player who had just experienced an assault. "Just a kid" ? C'mon, he's in college for crying out loud. You, dear coach, to me at least, are a disgrace. You do not deserve to call yourself a champion coach if you do not have the values that merit being one. I feel sorry for your community (and probably even some of your players) who just have to swallow every little antic you pull year after year.
Hey you, yes you, why won't I call you by your name? Not just because you don't have one, but because you are a NOBODY compared to the class acts of your team. Your university has a rich history of producing greatness. I was never a fan of your team, but I was a big fan of your players. Topping the list are: Cortez who simply played ball, no non-sense like most of the players in the league do now, Ritualo who shot the lights out literally, Aldeguer who deserves credit as a true court-general on and off-court, Tang who ran the game like no body I've ever seen and of course Casio, who continues to play the game with class. You, however, are nothing. The way you paraded yourself yesterday, trying to prove that you've made it big with that stupid-ass dunk of yours. C'mon, seriously? All you give your team is rest for your big guns. So sit your ass down sir. Wait for your turn. And the next time you taunt the BEST CROWD IN THE LEAGUE, make sure to back it up with a win. Or at least a graceful defeat.
Ladies and Gentlemen, to call it a SWEET-SWEEP is an understatement, but a great description nonetheless. Next year will be a different year; we will not know whether it will bring the same joy and honor. But, looking at the team now, I think we're in a pretty good position to (as they'd put it) come Back 2 Back.
In the mean time...let us all sulk…sulk and bask in glory as the 2008 UAAP CHAMPIONS.
GO ATENEO!
To the Eaglets of Katip
September 29, 2007
A few mins ago, i had the opportunity to watch the Blue Eaglets in action for the first time. I got so hyped up by the fact that they had lost only once after two rounds of elimination in the UAAP Juniors division. The Juniors team has a great history of winning. In my highschool days, we won 2 out of my 4 years stay. Big thanks to some of my batchmates Jai Reyes, Paolo Dizon, Anton Perez, Jotham Manlapas, Carlo Medina, Miguel Abellada, Mike Fernandez and the rest of the Champion Eaglets for bringing pride to the school just before we graduated in 2005. Highschool basketball is no different from the college ranks. Actually, the battle for pride is even more fierce in highschool since it is in this stage where the emotional aspect of teens are at its peak. Win or Lose was not an option. When your in 4th year, you don't get to say "We'll do better next year,".
Sadly, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets lost to La Salle Zobel in overtime. As in all the Ateneo - La Salle matches this year, it was to-to-toe...a nail-biter! In a nutshell, Ateneo as usual, got to a quick start and led by as much as 6 points. But then La Salle's shooters and athletic bigmen began a rampage that eventually ended the first half with Ateneo ahead by a measly 1 point. It was the same story althroughout till Zobel began humming with the leadership of their clutch guards. Ateneo remained unfazed and attacked viciously led by scoring guard Tiongson and streak-shooting Banal. La Salle just kept on pounding, led by veteran sensation Joshua Webb. The game seemed to be over till prized rookie Kiefer Ravena literally put the Eaglets on his shoulders and brought them to the brink of victory. Leading by 3 with a few seconds left, it seemed that Ateneo would live to play another game. But no. Manguerra(?), Zobel's big man, was given a clear shot at the basket, which he swished with ease as the buzzer sounded. OVERTIME. And the rest is history. The almost perfect season, down the drain. (The game featured sons/relatives of PBA greats such two Capacio's sons of Ely and Glenn, a Ravena son of Bong, Banal son of ex-Ateneo Champion coach Joel, and even the grandson of boxing great Flash Elorde)
Comments: The Eaglets' bigmen are too slow. I don't know why, but why is Ateneo always left with hefty big men who lack athleticism. If La Salle gets Joshua Webb (which is probably most likely since he's from a La Sallian family of Webbs) they will be a force to reckon with for sure. He has major HOPS. He did 20 boards earlier. And above all, he plays with heart. I do hope he pulls off a BJM and transfers to Ateneo.
A good note for Ateneo though is Kiefer Ravena. I've never seen such talent from a freshman guard since BJ Manalo. He's what, 13 years? He can score from outside, and he drives to the basket like there's no tomorrow. Bright future for sure. Imagine him two-three years from now. He'l be a Phenom by then and probably even surpass his father's (Bong Ravena) greatness. He needs to bulk up a bit though, and should be surrounded by talented and athletic players. (He has a 9.5 ppg clip, but he did 20pts in the game a while ago)
So, to the Eaglets of Katip, there's still next year. Your future is in good hands. For the graduating players and students, be proud, get into the Loyola Schools and cheer for the Eagles, besides, we're all in one big team right? Fight for the Blue and White.
Go Ateneo!
PS: Congratulations to the lady Eagles for bagging the Season 70 Women's Championship crown.
A few mins ago, i had the opportunity to watch the Blue Eaglets in action for the first time. I got so hyped up by the fact that they had lost only once after two rounds of elimination in the UAAP Juniors division. The Juniors team has a great history of winning. In my highschool days, we won 2 out of my 4 years stay. Big thanks to some of my batchmates Jai Reyes, Paolo Dizon, Anton Perez, Jotham Manlapas, Carlo Medina, Miguel Abellada, Mike Fernandez and the rest of the Champion Eaglets for bringing pride to the school just before we graduated in 2005. Highschool basketball is no different from the college ranks. Actually, the battle for pride is even more fierce in highschool since it is in this stage where the emotional aspect of teens are at its peak. Win or Lose was not an option. When your in 4th year, you don't get to say "We'll do better next year,".
Sadly, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets lost to La Salle Zobel in overtime. As in all the Ateneo - La Salle matches this year, it was to-to-toe...a nail-biter! In a nutshell, Ateneo as usual, got to a quick start and led by as much as 6 points. But then La Salle's shooters and athletic bigmen began a rampage that eventually ended the first half with Ateneo ahead by a measly 1 point. It was the same story althroughout till Zobel began humming with the leadership of their clutch guards. Ateneo remained unfazed and attacked viciously led by scoring guard Tiongson and streak-shooting Banal. La Salle just kept on pounding, led by veteran sensation Joshua Webb. The game seemed to be over till prized rookie Kiefer Ravena literally put the Eaglets on his shoulders and brought them to the brink of victory. Leading by 3 with a few seconds left, it seemed that Ateneo would live to play another game. But no. Manguerra(?), Zobel's big man, was given a clear shot at the basket, which he swished with ease as the buzzer sounded. OVERTIME. And the rest is history. The almost perfect season, down the drain. (The game featured sons/relatives of PBA greats such two Capacio's sons of Ely and Glenn, a Ravena son of Bong, Banal son of ex-Ateneo Champion coach Joel, and even the grandson of boxing great Flash Elorde)
Comments: The Eaglets' bigmen are too slow. I don't know why, but why is Ateneo always left with hefty big men who lack athleticism. If La Salle gets Joshua Webb (which is probably most likely since he's from a La Sallian family of Webbs) they will be a force to reckon with for sure. He has major HOPS. He did 20 boards earlier. And above all, he plays with heart. I do hope he pulls off a BJM and transfers to Ateneo.
A good note for Ateneo though is Kiefer Ravena. I've never seen such talent from a freshman guard since BJ Manalo. He's what, 13 years? He can score from outside, and he drives to the basket like there's no tomorrow. Bright future for sure. Imagine him two-three years from now. He'l be a Phenom by then and probably even surpass his father's (Bong Ravena) greatness. He needs to bulk up a bit though, and should be surrounded by talented and athletic players. (He has a 9.5 ppg clip, but he did 20pts in the game a while ago)
So, to the Eaglets of Katip, there's still next year. Your future is in good hands. For the graduating players and students, be proud, get into the Loyola Schools and cheer for the Eagles, besides, we're all in one big team right? Fight for the Blue and White.
Go Ateneo!
PS: Congratulations to the lady Eagles for bagging the Season 70 Women's Championship crown.
End of the Road
September 30, 2007
Finally, the season of the BLUE EAGLES ended with 65-60 loss to La Salle. It was my first Ateneo-La Salle loss this year since I didn't get to watch the other losing game live. It was a good game though even if Ateneo did not play as well as I expected them to. It was a Do-Or-Die game, players should give everything they have. All in. Unfortunately, La Salle was thge hungrier team. Congratulations.
Two points:
1.) Ateneo didn't seem to be in tip-top shape yesterday especially in the thrid quarter when they let the lead balloon to as much as 9 points. In a game of this magnitude, it should have been played literally like there's no tomorrow. We had a fighting chance, but were we really fighting? What's done is done, so better luck next year. Chris Tiu, Yuri Escueta, Eric Salamat, Nonoy Baclao and Jai Reyes will again lead the charge with the young cast of tallent which will include rising highschool star Ryan Buenafe. (I sure hope he's as good as the hype he's making) Like in what I mentioned in my last entry, Ateneo has a bright future ahead. Hopefully though they start recruiting more from the Juniors team or at least breed them to be as mentally tough as players from San Beda, San Sebastian or even Xavier. More athleticism would be great, especially with Zion Laterre moving out, and King Eagle Arao also graduating. For Ateneo's supporting cast, work -extra hard, please. For Ateneo's supporters keep believing, don't be like those people ("True-Blues" pa man din, tsktsk) behind us yesterday who left as soon as La Salle started to humm in the dying minutes (I am ashamed to even call you my batchmates. Seriously.)
2.) La Salle had a great game. As usual, the big-time players came through. Cholo Villanueva in particular did most of the damage. (But i still don't like him a bit. He's so arrogant. Kept on trash talking and taunting.) Ty Tang was his usual self, he ran the team like a real veteran court-general. (Unfortunately, i was disgusted at how he acted just as the game ended. My respect for him went down a notch or TEN! Lame really.) The banner La Salle brought out which showed the University standing was really interesting. Kudos for those who thOught of it. I do not know the basis of the rankings though, I sure hope they did, 'cause it would be such a drag if they just used it without even understanding the process. Typical....nevermind. Maybe it should serve as a wake-up call for Ateneo, to perform better. It's what we do right? MAGIS. And besides, who are we pleasing anyway? AMDG..It's all for Him. We don't need to look at rankings and statistics to know what we are capable of. We just do what we do best. All in all, La Salle simply had our number. They won the important games. And for that alone, congrats to them. We will see you next year.
Ateneo is proud of their Student-Athletes. No other school can honestly say that they excel in both academics and sports. For most basketball players, basketball is life. But for the student-athletes of team Ateneo, there is life before, during, after and even without basketball. Beat that!
So, to all Ateneans, here and abroad, stand proud, shout loud, and continue to Fight for the BLUE and WHITE.
GO ATENEO!!!
Finally, the season of the BLUE EAGLES ended with 65-60 loss to La Salle. It was my first Ateneo-La Salle loss this year since I didn't get to watch the other losing game live. It was a good game though even if Ateneo did not play as well as I expected them to. It was a Do-Or-Die game, players should give everything they have. All in. Unfortunately, La Salle was thge hungrier team. Congratulations.
Two points:
1.) Ateneo didn't seem to be in tip-top shape yesterday especially in the thrid quarter when they let the lead balloon to as much as 9 points. In a game of this magnitude, it should have been played literally like there's no tomorrow. We had a fighting chance, but were we really fighting? What's done is done, so better luck next year. Chris Tiu, Yuri Escueta, Eric Salamat, Nonoy Baclao and Jai Reyes will again lead the charge with the young cast of tallent which will include rising highschool star Ryan Buenafe. (I sure hope he's as good as the hype he's making) Like in what I mentioned in my last entry, Ateneo has a bright future ahead. Hopefully though they start recruiting more from the Juniors team or at least breed them to be as mentally tough as players from San Beda, San Sebastian or even Xavier. More athleticism would be great, especially with Zion Laterre moving out, and King Eagle Arao also graduating. For Ateneo's supporting cast, work -extra hard, please. For Ateneo's supporters keep believing, don't be like those people ("True-Blues" pa man din, tsktsk) behind us yesterday who left as soon as La Salle started to humm in the dying minutes (I am ashamed to even call you my batchmates. Seriously.)
2.) La Salle had a great game. As usual, the big-time players came through. Cholo Villanueva in particular did most of the damage. (But i still don't like him a bit. He's so arrogant. Kept on trash talking and taunting.) Ty Tang was his usual self, he ran the team like a real veteran court-general. (Unfortunately, i was disgusted at how he acted just as the game ended. My respect for him went down a notch or TEN! Lame really.) The banner La Salle brought out which showed the University standing was really interesting. Kudos for those who thOught of it. I do not know the basis of the rankings though, I sure hope they did, 'cause it would be such a drag if they just used it without even understanding the process. Typical....nevermind. Maybe it should serve as a wake-up call for Ateneo, to perform better. It's what we do right? MAGIS. And besides, who are we pleasing anyway? AMDG..It's all for Him. We don't need to look at rankings and statistics to know what we are capable of. We just do what we do best. All in all, La Salle simply had our number. They won the important games. And for that alone, congrats to them. We will see you next year.
Ateneo is proud of their Student-Athletes. No other school can honestly say that they excel in both academics and sports. For most basketball players, basketball is life. But for the student-athletes of team Ateneo, there is life before, during, after and even without basketball. Beat that!
So, to all Ateneans, here and abroad, stand proud, shout loud, and continue to Fight for the BLUE and WHITE.
GO ATENEO!!!
Who let the Dogs out?!? Huhuhuhuhu...
September 15, 2007
Ateneo bows to N.U. with an 8-point loss.Gee...
I know how much Ateneo got a boost from the game against LaSalle just recently as it raised Atenean pride to a whole new level. My cousins and I walked out of Araneta with our heads up high as we beat archrival La Salle in dramatic fashion. It was a game for the books. The win gave us the golden chance to get solo second place and the opportunity for 'twice-to-beat' advantage in a playoff against eventual 3rd seed. All we had to do was win our last game. We did not need a dominant win (although it would have been great, and "in your face"). A simple ten, six, even a one point win could have been fine, really. But.... we just had to play it easy and skrew everything up.
In a cruel twist of fate just a few mins ago...we fucking lost. To N.U. A team who has a 5-8 win-loss card as to our 9-4 standing. We were seeded 2nd, and them 6th and out of contention for Final Four. Ofcourse, why shoudn't we take them easily? We beat them in our first meeting right? ........BY A MEASLY 1 POINT!!! Sorry to those die-hard Hail Mary Team fans, of whom I am proudly a part of, but what I witnessed in the game earlier was outrageously irritating. And thus i present to you 4 reasons, I feel, cost us the win.
1. Obviously, we took the f*cking game for granted. Over-confidence perhaps? Yes, it was only N.U., correction, it's N.U.! Though they're having a dismal year with another lost chance to get into the coveted list of four, N.U. remains a competitive team. Their team is composed of primed-up players in Aguilar and Lingao-lingao in the paint, versatile wingman in Asoro, and clutch scoring-guards in Jhanke, Malagueño and streak-shooting Jonathan Fernandez, not to mention a scrappy bunch of role players who can easily light-up the scoreboards at any given day. It just HAD to be today.
2. Shooting woes. Is it me, or did we lose juice on our outside shooting today? During the Ateneo-La Salle game, the Eagles shot the lights-out from all corners of the court. In today's game, even though we had moments of shooting glory here and there, it came in spurts, and probably too late. Junior guard Jai Reyes stepped-up big in the fourth kanto with clutch baskets and timely assists, but why wasn't he given the liscense to take the game winning shot in regulation. Spare me the stat-sheet presentation, but even if Reyes has not been performing as well as we wished him to be (pertaining to his stint in the Juniors), he ramains as an effective scorer for the team when duty calls. Eric Salamat had a chance for the pull-up J as he drove to the basket but opted to pass it to Tiu in the dying seconds. Yes, Chris Tiu is the main man for Ateneo, and his shooting has sky-rocketed in their past few games, But consistency wise and accuracy (today) in question, was that last shot the best option for the Eagles? It was a tied game. A simple drive, draw and drop, I believe would have been much, much more necessary.
3. Turnovers and weak perimeter defense. As i learned in the movie "Coach Carter", discipline and the basics are all you need in winning the game. Getting and keeping the ball is the primary goal of a game such as the one played earlier. N.U. was shooting crazily well from the outside which caused most of Ateneo's troubles in the wake of the 3rd quarter. Maybe Lady-Luck was on the Bulldog's side, but what gave us the idea that we could just allow them to keep scoring like the way they did? Correct me if I'm wrong, they did open the damn quarter with a 9-0 run right? What's more hideously painful is that the same thing happend in overtime, which eventually cost us the win. If the other team is scoring treys, guard the SHOOTERS for crying out loud. J. Fernandez had a field day. Turnovers, as usual killed us from start to finish. In one of the timeouts called by team Blue, Coach Norman Black stressed the point of firm and direct passing "...if you're going to pass the ball, don't just throw it up"---(Something to that effect.)
4. Finally and probably the most haunting cause: we played without heart. If you think this is the same as number one, which technically is bashing the Eagles' lackluster effort, it's not. What I mean by playing without heart here ladies and gentlemen, is the inability to scramble for the each and every possession. "Puso-Puso!!" is a phrase(?) we often use when we see the Eagles dive for loose-balls, and sky for rebounds. Number one focusses on the mind. Number two right here, speaks for itself. (Not all palyers lacked heart though, and to those who "died" for the ball, I applaud you. Unfortunately, basketball is a TEAM sport.) What probably separates us from league-leading U.E. is becuase true to their moniker/ mascot(?), they have been warriors all season long. We should not be just Blue Eagles, we should be the Blue Eagle...The King.
The SCENARIO: A La Salle- Ateneo play-off match will be played to determine who will take the 2nd seat in the standings and will gain twice-to-beat advantage come semis match between 3rd and 2nd.
If we win---Obviously, we get the twice-to-beat edge. And will wait. prepare for a week or two for eventual 3rd.
If we lose--- We will have to face the 4th seed. Fighting for 4th place are FEU and UST, both with 8-6 in the standings. Both teams have beaten us in the first round elimination. If we do win against eventual 4th, we get to face La Salle again, and would have to beat them two times. By then, La Salle would have prepared extra hard for the semi-final match, whether it be Ateneo or whoever.
Just how much of a BIG game was this for Ateneo? For the time being, it could be a season turning one.
I am a proud Ateneo Team supporter, WIN-OR-LOSE it's the school we choose, but the tradition of winning should not be overlooked. Each game should be played like it is the last. With this said, I am sure that if the Blue Eagles focus on taking it a game at a time, they can easily bounce back and finish victorious.
Go Ateneo, One Big Fight!
Ateneo bows to N.U. with an 8-point loss.Gee...
I know how much Ateneo got a boost from the game against LaSalle just recently as it raised Atenean pride to a whole new level. My cousins and I walked out of Araneta with our heads up high as we beat archrival La Salle in dramatic fashion. It was a game for the books. The win gave us the golden chance to get solo second place and the opportunity for 'twice-to-beat' advantage in a playoff against eventual 3rd seed. All we had to do was win our last game. We did not need a dominant win (although it would have been great, and "in your face"). A simple ten, six, even a one point win could have been fine, really. But.... we just had to play it easy and skrew everything up.
In a cruel twist of fate just a few mins ago...we fucking lost. To N.U. A team who has a 5-8 win-loss card as to our 9-4 standing. We were seeded 2nd, and them 6th and out of contention for Final Four. Ofcourse, why shoudn't we take them easily? We beat them in our first meeting right? ........BY A MEASLY 1 POINT!!! Sorry to those die-hard Hail Mary Team fans, of whom I am proudly a part of, but what I witnessed in the game earlier was outrageously irritating. And thus i present to you 4 reasons, I feel, cost us the win.
1. Obviously, we took the f*cking game for granted. Over-confidence perhaps? Yes, it was only N.U., correction, it's N.U.! Though they're having a dismal year with another lost chance to get into the coveted list of four, N.U. remains a competitive team. Their team is composed of primed-up players in Aguilar and Lingao-lingao in the paint, versatile wingman in Asoro, and clutch scoring-guards in Jhanke, Malagueño and streak-shooting Jonathan Fernandez, not to mention a scrappy bunch of role players who can easily light-up the scoreboards at any given day. It just HAD to be today.
2. Shooting woes. Is it me, or did we lose juice on our outside shooting today? During the Ateneo-La Salle game, the Eagles shot the lights-out from all corners of the court. In today's game, even though we had moments of shooting glory here and there, it came in spurts, and probably too late. Junior guard Jai Reyes stepped-up big in the fourth kanto with clutch baskets and timely assists, but why wasn't he given the liscense to take the game winning shot in regulation. Spare me the stat-sheet presentation, but even if Reyes has not been performing as well as we wished him to be (pertaining to his stint in the Juniors), he ramains as an effective scorer for the team when duty calls. Eric Salamat had a chance for the pull-up J as he drove to the basket but opted to pass it to Tiu in the dying seconds. Yes, Chris Tiu is the main man for Ateneo, and his shooting has sky-rocketed in their past few games, But consistency wise and accuracy (today) in question, was that last shot the best option for the Eagles? It was a tied game. A simple drive, draw and drop, I believe would have been much, much more necessary.
3. Turnovers and weak perimeter defense. As i learned in the movie "Coach Carter", discipline and the basics are all you need in winning the game. Getting and keeping the ball is the primary goal of a game such as the one played earlier. N.U. was shooting crazily well from the outside which caused most of Ateneo's troubles in the wake of the 3rd quarter. Maybe Lady-Luck was on the Bulldog's side, but what gave us the idea that we could just allow them to keep scoring like the way they did? Correct me if I'm wrong, they did open the damn quarter with a 9-0 run right? What's more hideously painful is that the same thing happend in overtime, which eventually cost us the win. If the other team is scoring treys, guard the SHOOTERS for crying out loud. J. Fernandez had a field day. Turnovers, as usual killed us from start to finish. In one of the timeouts called by team Blue, Coach Norman Black stressed the point of firm and direct passing "...if you're going to pass the ball, don't just throw it up"---(Something to that effect.)
4. Finally and probably the most haunting cause: we played without heart. If you think this is the same as number one, which technically is bashing the Eagles' lackluster effort, it's not. What I mean by playing without heart here ladies and gentlemen, is the inability to scramble for the each and every possession. "Puso-Puso!!" is a phrase(?) we often use when we see the Eagles dive for loose-balls, and sky for rebounds. Number one focusses on the mind. Number two right here, speaks for itself. (Not all palyers lacked heart though, and to those who "died" for the ball, I applaud you. Unfortunately, basketball is a TEAM sport.) What probably separates us from league-leading U.E. is becuase true to their moniker/ mascot(?), they have been warriors all season long. We should not be just Blue Eagles, we should be the Blue Eagle...The King.
The SCENARIO: A La Salle- Ateneo play-off match will be played to determine who will take the 2nd seat in the standings and will gain twice-to-beat advantage come semis match between 3rd and 2nd.
If we win---Obviously, we get the twice-to-beat edge. And will wait. prepare for a week or two for eventual 3rd.
If we lose--- We will have to face the 4th seed. Fighting for 4th place are FEU and UST, both with 8-6 in the standings. Both teams have beaten us in the first round elimination. If we do win against eventual 4th, we get to face La Salle again, and would have to beat them two times. By then, La Salle would have prepared extra hard for the semi-final match, whether it be Ateneo or whoever.
Just how much of a BIG game was this for Ateneo? For the time being, it could be a season turning one.
I am a proud Ateneo Team supporter, WIN-OR-LOSE it's the school we choose, but the tradition of winning should not be overlooked. Each game should be played like it is the last. With this said, I am sure that if the Blue Eagles focus on taking it a game at a time, they can easily bounce back and finish victorious.
Go Ateneo, One Big Fight!
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