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Blue Eagles coach tempers Final Four expectations amid momentum
Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Sergio Veloso is not getting ahead of himself as his team is slowly showing its form in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament......»»
UAAP finals losses in last year of eligibility fuel UP s Cagulangan
It’s been a couple of months since, but graduating UP guard JD Cagulangan continues to hold near the sting of his most recent UAAP finals loss at the hands of the DLSU Green Archers last December......»»
Archers, Blue Eagles rekindle rivalry in crucial clash with playoff implications
As if their fabled rivalry is not already enough, Ateneo and La Salle turn it up a notch when they battle in a big-time duel with deciding playoff implications at stake in the tail end of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament......»»
Unsatisfied Baldwin demands good basketball from Blue Eagles
Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin said he was “not overly satisfied” with their gutsy 77-72 win over archrivals La Salle Green Archers in their UAAP Season 86 showdown Wednesday. .....»»
Blue Eagles seek bounce-back win, rekindle rivalry with Archers
The Ateneo Blue Eagles are aiming to rebound with a victory against archrivals La Salle Green Archers in their UAAP Season 86 showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday......»»
Lastimosa stars as Falcons oust Archers to seal semis duel vs Eagles
Adamson nailed its first Final Four appearance since 2018 and forged a showdown against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Wednesday. The Blue Eagles hold a twice-to-beat advantage......»»
Blue Eagles lock in top seed; Falcons, Archers forge playoff for last semis spot
After squandering a lead as big as 15 points, Ange Kouame converted on a clutch basket to push Ateneo's lead to three, 64-61, with 35.3 ticks left in the game......»»
Lady Archers weather Blue Eagle storm, move on cusp of Final Four
After squandering an 11-point lead, DLSU foreign student athlete Fina Niantcho converted on what would be the game winning basket for La Salle as they pulled ahead by one with 11.9 left in the game......»»
Blue Eagles swoop down on Archers as Maroons punch Final Four ticket
With another patented third quarter where they outscored La Salle, 27-10, the Blue Eagles pounced on a La Salle side playing without an injured Schonny Winston......»»
La Salle ends 7-game losing streak vs Ateneo
In the latest chapter of their storied rivalry, the Archers shot down the Blue Eagles, 83-78, in their first round meeting in the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday......»»
UAAP women s hoops: Lady Archers fend off Blue Eagles, improve to 2-1
In a game where neither team held a sizeable lead, DLSU leaned on Lea Sario's scoring burst to overcome their perennial rivals in the fourth salvo......»»
Retooled Archers out to challenge fancied Ateneo, UP in UAAP cage wars
Out to end a two-year Final Four drought, the Green Archers hope to be at par with the three-time champion Blue Eagles and the loaded Maroons that went on a recruiting offseason spree for the slated season opener after the pandemic......»»
TY Tang didn t quit because Coach Franz didn t let him
TY Tang was a big piece in the puzzle that was coach Franz Pumaren’s last championship for De La Salle University. Together with Jvee Casio and Cholo Villanueva, Tang steered the Green Archets to a pleasant surprise of a title in 2007. As a graduating guard, the pint-sized playmaker was as much a streaky shooter as much as he was a steady playmaker. He then rode that last year all the way to the 12th overall pick in the 2008 PBA Draft and a solid eight-year career, all with Rain or Shine. As it turns out, though, Tang was all ready to give up his basketball dream after he did not have the strongest of starts as La Salle’s point guard. “What strikes me as yung talagang feeling niya he was ready to give up was TY Tang,” Coach Franz shared with fellow coaches Charles Tiu, Paolo Layug, and Anton Altamirano in his appearance on Coaches Unfiltered. He then continued, “We should remember he was playing behind legendary Mike Cortez so every time I pull out Mike, you could just imagine the pressure. A fresh (out of) high school kid and when he makes a mistake, fans can be brutal.” The 5-foot-7 guard was a blue-chip recruit from powerhouse Xavier High School, but of course, following “The Cool Cat” for the championship contender Green Archers was a thankless job. “We sat down, we had a heart-to-heart talk and I told him he can always turn back and just get a degree,” the multi-titled mentor narrated. “But there’s this opportunity also for you to at least prove yourself that you deserve to be in the UAAP.” Answering his mentor’s call, Tang went on to mature and live up to the legacy of Cortez. He was even named by Paul Lee, who played for University of the East during the same timeframe, in his Prospects Five. In the end, TY Tang is an excellent example of the difference a coach with full faith could make. “He’s not that tall and when he started, hindi naman ganun kagaling shumoot, pero nagtrabaho, nagtiwala lang,” Coach Franz said. He then continued, “‘Di ba? Who would ever think TY will make it to the PBA?” —— Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
2020 king of recruiting crown remains on UP’s head
Who was our King of Recruiting in 2018? Find out here. Who was our King of Recruiting in 2019? Find out here. --- From 2007 to 2015, the University of the Philippines only had 13 wins to show in 126 games total. That time is self-deprecatingly called in Diliman as the dark days. Due to that disappointing standing, the Fighting Maroons had the toughest time bringing in recruits. And due to that lack of pieces to the puzzles, they lost even more. Safe to say, State U was stuck in a vicious cycle in the dark days. That’s not to say they didn’t have blue-chip recruits back then as in their time, all of Woody Co, Mark Juruena, Mike Gamboa, Kyles Lao, Jett Manuel, and Mikee Reyes were among the best high school players. Only, a blue-chip recruit or two does not make a team. Fast forward to now and oh, how things have changed. Last year, UP was hailed as ABS-CBN’s King of Recruiting alongside University of the East. “On the strength of the transfers of Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero, the Fighting Maroons… are worthy of the title,” it said then. And the season before that, the maroon and green was also up there with the best of them in terms of recruitment, having brought in the likes of eventual Season MVP Bright Akhuetie, Will Gozum, and Jaydee Tungcab. Indeed, there was nowhere to go but up. That has only continued this year as UP has left no doubt that it is now a force to reckon with in terms of recruitment. Early on, they already had a solid haul in Joel Cagulangan, once the best point guard in high school, and tireless workhorse Malick Diouf. And then, the shock of shocks. As it turned out, Nazareth School of National University stalwarts Carl Tamayo and Gerry Abadiano were going to be Fighting Maroons. Meaning, for the first time in recent history, the most promising prospect coming out of high school is headed to Diliman. Not only that, State U also answered its biggest question heading into next season – the question at point guard, filling in for Jun Manzo. But as it turned out, they weren’t done just yet - no, our friends, they weren’t done just yet. Tamayo and Abadiano’s departure from National U was shocking, without a doubt, but CJ Cansino’s exit from University of Sto. Tomas was even more so. Cansino, against his will, decided to move on from his alma mater since 2015 due to personal reasons. Fortunately for him, he landed on his feet. Now, the Fighting Maroons have ready-made replacement for Rivero as well as a leader in the shades of Paul Desiderio for UAAP 84. And that, our friends, is why we have no choice but to put the 2020 King of Recruiting crown on UP’s head once more. Tamayo and Abadiano are the bluest of blue-chip recruits this year and Cagulangan, Cansino, and Diouf are among the most talented transferees, but also joining them in the maroon and green will be scoring machine RC Calimag from La Salle Green Hills, burly big Miguel Tan from Xavier High School, Filipino-American playmaker Sam Dowd, Filipino-Australian tower Ethan Kirkness, physical forward Jancork Cabahug from University of Visayas, and versatile wing CJ Catapusan from Adamson University. The former Bullpups are guaranteed ato be contributors even as rookies while Calimag, Tan, and Dowd are going to shore up a bench that had just lost Gomez de Liano brothers Javi and Juan. Of course, Diouf, Kirkness, Cansino, Cabahug, and Cagulangan are still serving residency, but when they will be eligible, they will get a shot at a squad that will look brand new. All of Bright Akhuetie, J-Boy Gob, David Murrell, Noah Webb, and Rivero are graduating players while Paras is only guaranteed to play one more year. That means that after Season 83, the Fighting Maroons may very well have to fill six spots. That means that UP is not only beefing up for UAAP 83, it is also securing its future. If not for the shock of shocks, though, the crown would have been claimed by De La Salle University which sent a statement that it is back and better than ever. Justine Baltazar and Aljun Melecio may be playing their fifth and final years in college, but the green and white’s future has only brightened following this prolonged preseason. First and foremost, Kevin Quiambao, the third leg in that National U tripod of talent out of high school, has the capability and confidence to follow in the footsteps of Baltazar. Hopefully, he will be eligible for Season 83, but if not, what’s certain is he will be playing in UAAP 84. Alongside him as pieces for the future are super scorers CJ Austria and Emman Galman, all-around swingman Joshua Ramirez, and Filipino-Americans Jeromy Hughes, Kameron Vales, and Philips bros. Benjamin and Michael. Among all those, Jonnel Policarpio, likened to a young Arwind Santos, has the highest upside, but the Fil-Ams have much potential as well. And don’t forget that Evan Nelle, the primetime playmaker from San Beda University, is just getting primed and prepped to take the reins when Melecio leaves. Of course, the caveat here is that we are all in uncharted territory due to the continuing COVID-19 crisis. And in that light, the next season of the UAAP remains far away and a lot could still happen until then. While majority of the local blue-chip recruits have already committed, talents from abroad and transferees from other schools could still come and change the game. With that being said, there remains no doubt that UP and La Salle have made the biggest noise in the offseason. However, it’s not actually the Fighting Maroons or the Green Archers who got the lion’s share of the best graduating players in the 2020 NBTC 24. Yes, that honor belongs to Lyceum of the Philippines University which is finally reaping the rewards of its rising Jrs. program with NCAA 95 Jrs. MVP John Barba and Batang Gilas playmaker Mac Guadana being promoted as full-fledged Pirates. Guadana could do it all and looks like the next great guard in the Grand Old League while fearless slasher is Barba is a perfect complement to him. Add another fiery guard in John Bravo and sweet-shooting big man Carlo Abadeza and LPU has restocked its coffers after losing Marcelino twins Jaycee and Jayvee and Cameroonian powerhouse Mike Nzeusseu. In all though, the 2020 NBTC 24 was dominated by UP… and San Beda. Of the annual rankings’ 15 graduating players, four would be Fighting Maroons and another four would be Red Lions. Yes, San Beda’s grassroots program is back on track with its Jrs. championship core all remaining in red and white. Rhayyan Amsali, ranked no. 1 in the 2020 NBTC 24, is the most college-ready high school player while Justine Sanchez is a long-limbed forward who could turn out to be the next Calvin Oftana, you know, the NCAA 95 MVP. Yukien Andrada, meanwhile, is only continuing to develop his two-way game and Tony Ynot is a 3-and-D weapon who had even left an impression on Jalen Green. And hey, as somebody said, don’t sleep on the UAAP’s three-time defending champions. Ateneo may already be missing Isaac Go, Thirdy Ravena, Adrian Wong, and Nieto twins Mike and Matt and they may not be making noise as of late, but they are still welcoming Dave Ildefonso and Dwight Ramos with open arms. Ildefonso will only be good to go come UAAP 84, but Ramos is already being seen by head coach Tab Baldwin as a difference-maker for the Blue Eagles in Season 83. Eli, Dwight’s younger brother, is also in the mix to backstop SJ Belangel and Tyler Tio. Note also that former blue-chip recruit Inand Fornilos may very well finally get his shot while both Jolo Mendoza and Raffy Verano are also back. Ateneo’s foe in the Finals last year also reloaded quite a bit as for the third year in a row, UST will be sending the Tiger Cubs’ best player to the Srs. squad. Following in the footsteps of Cansino and Mark Nonoy, post player Bismarck Lina will be a Growling Tiger next season. Alongside him to fortify the frontcourt are Christian Manaytay, Bryan Samudio, and Bryan Santos while bolstering the backcourt are Joshua Fontanilla and Paul Manalang. Speaking of fortifying the frontcourt, Far Eastern University is the team that got the biggest boost in terms of size. With 6-foot-7 Nigerian Emman Ojoula’s residency over and done with, the go-go guards of the Tamaraws have yet another weapon to burn opponents with. CESAFI MVP Kevin Guibao and transferee Simone Sandagon are no slouches either while Cholo Anonuevo has a roster spot waiting for him if and when he decides to come home after trying his luck in the US. RJ Abarrientos no longer appears here as he was already in FEU’s list last year. These are the new faces to see for the other teams: CSB Blazers LETRAN Knights JRU Heavy Bombers MAPUA Cardinals ADAMSON Soaring Falcons UE Red Warriors --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Always About the People
“Solid!” That was the only reaction, or lack thereof, that I could muster after that first breakaway slam of Kiefer Ravena’s UAAP collegiate basketball career over the outstretched arms of UST’s foreign center, Karim Abdul. Moments before, you could see Kiefer was going to go hard, as it was a one-on-one breakaway and he had the speed advantage over Abdul, who was hot on his heels. Little did I know that he was going to go for that highlight that would announce his entry into college basketball. That reaction, that loss for words, can pretty much sum up my past 10 years of covering college basketball for ABS-CBN Sports. They first asked me to write about my most memorable UAAP game coverage; but I must confess, I was never really good at remembering exact details of games, unlike some of my fellow sportscasters, or even coaches I know, who remember almost detail for detail, or play by play. My memories come in highlights, or sometimes even just flashes of good or memorable plays. I remember a 6’8”, 18-year old Ben Mbala, whom we first saw a glimpse of while Anton Roxas and I were covering the CESAFI league in the hot and humid Cebu Coliseum, sometime around 2012. He was playing for the Southwestern University Cobras, wasn’t as built and polished as when he was with DLSU, but you could already see the raw talent and athleticism. Fast forward a few years, I remember well how he took the UAAP by storm, with his monster dunks, and how he piloted La Salle to a championship while winning league MVP in Season 79. I remember the heralded rookie season of Kiefer Ravena in the men’s division, after a storied juniors career. Kiefer won Rookie of the Year honors and helped lead Ateneo to two more titles to round up their 5-peat, before it was Jeron Teng’s turn to lead the Green Archers to a championship over his elder brother Jeric and the UST Growling Tigers. I remember Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and his back-to-back MVP seasons. He was arguably the most complete college player during that time. It was painful to see his team fall short especially during his second MVP year. The Bulldogs made history the year after though, with Alfred Aroga, Troy Rosario, and Gelo Alolino now at the helm, winning the school’s first ever championship after more than forty years. I would argue that the past decade saw some of the brightest UAAP college basketball stars, both local and foreign, take to the hard court. It would almost be unfair to start naming them because I’ll surely end up leaving some names worthy enough to be mentioned. But we all remember Greg Slaughter, Ryan Buenafe, RR Garcia, Terence Romeo, Mac Belo, RR Pogoy, Roi Sumang, Charles Mamie, Alex Nuyles, Jericho Cruz, Papi Sarr, Jeron Teng, Jason Perkins, Aljun Melecio, Kiefer and Thirdy, Bobby Ray, Alfred Aroga, Kevin Ferrer, Karim Abul, Jeric Teng, Ange Kuoame, Matt and Mike Nieto, Paul Desiderio, Juan GDL, and the list goes on and on… all of them making their mark in the UAAP the past ten years. Aside from the highlights, there were the more mundane, behind-the-scenes memories, especially covering out-of-town games when we used to do the CESAFI and the PCCL. That was basketball coverage at its purest. There was a time we traveled to Lanao Del Sur to cover the Mindanao regional selection of the PCCL. Lanao was about another two to three hour drive from Cagayan de Oro along a dark highway with trees and mountains all around; and where there was only one mall in the entire town. Or when we traveled by van to La Union to cover the north regional selection of the PCCL… or even staying a whole week at the Cebu Grand Hotel, for the VisMin regional selection. Coverages then were bare bones: no real-time stats or live graphics, and I would even sometimes have to tally the points and rebounds of each player in-game on my notebook just so that I’d have some semblance of stats to mention on the coverage. Still, those games were so much fun because the players, getting their first shot at national TV coverage, would leave everything out on the floor. In a year or so, both the UAAP and the NCAA will announce their respective new homes, and new broadcast teams will have the privilege of covering the best collegiate basketball players in the country. That’s how the ball bounces. I’m a firm believer that in life there are seasons, and a perfect time for everything. I’m just thankful for the opportunities thrown my way. If you were to ask me why the coverage of the UAAP helped build the league into what it is today, my answer would be simple: it was always about the people. At the end of the day, what makes the UAAP and its coverage great are the stories of the people that play, coach, officiate, cover, and run the games. It’s not really about the championships or the awards, but rather the challenges, hardships, and journeys of each of the individuals that brought them there. And it is also about the directors, producers, cameramen, reporters and make-up artists that make sure that the audience sees what is supposed to be seen – the winning basket, a fan’s priceless reaction, the agony in defeat, and the glory of victory. It’s what Boom Gonzalez or Mico Halili would always say, that our job as anchors and analysts is to tell the people watching at home the story of what is happening in the game in the best way possible. I just want to tip my hat to all the people that allowed us to do our jobs the best way possible. From our directors, producers, cameramen, floor directors, fellow panelists, courtside reporters, league officials, statisticians, make-up artists, and all those people behind the scenes whom we worked with, know that we were able to give our best because of you; and the UAAP coverage will not be what it is if not for all of your hard work and dedication. It was, is, and will always be about the people. Marco Benitez was the team captain for the Ateneo Blue Eagles when they won the UAAP Season 65 men's seniors basketball title in 2002. Marco eventually covered collegiate basketball as analyst for ABS-CBN Sports starting in 2010. He is presently the President of the Philippine Women's University (PWU)......»»
WHAT IF... La Salle didn t lose to Ateneo to sweep UAAP 79
History lesson: De La Salle University's Ben Mbala and Jeron Teng-led team was one of the most dominant in the history of UAAP Men's Basketball. The Green Archers lost just one game en route to the championship. More impressive, though, was how they did it. La Salle posted a 17.2 average margin of victory throughout the tournament. They had the Season MVP leading their lineup as Mbala averaged a double-double of 20.6 points on 54 percent shooting from the field and 16.2 rebounds on top of 2.4 blocks, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 assists. Right there with him was Teng who put up per game counts of 16.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for a spot on the Mythical Team. Flanking them were then Rookie of the Year Aljun Melecio, "Man of Steal" Kib Montalbo, Andrei Caracut, Jason Perkins, Thomas Torres, and Abu Tratter. And oh, future stars Justine Baltazar and Ricci Rivero were, more or less, benchwarmers for this team. At at the controls of this juggernaut? Youthful mentor Aldin Ayo who had just taken the collegiate ranks by storm as he guided Colegio de San Juan de Letran to a Cinderella championship at the expense of archrival San Beda University the year before. When all is said and done, could those Green Archers have been more impressive? Well, they could have swept the season. Only, their fiercest foes denied them that. Near the end of the elimination round, Ateneo de Manila University upended the Taft-based team, 83-71. That was the green and white's first loss of the season. And it would end up as their only loss of the season as they dispatched Adamson University in the Final Four and then ran roughshod over the very same Blue Eagles in the Finals. Yes, there was one and only one blemish on the face of La Salle in Season 79 - a blemish coming from an Ateneo side they had gotten the better of three times out of four. If those Green Archers didn't have that blemish, would that change anything? Wethinks, yes. If so, Mbala, Teng, and company would have been the first-ever team to sweep both the elimination and championship rounds. If so, they would be the ones to make history - and not the Blue Eagles of Isaac Go, Thirdy Ravena, and Nieto twins Mike and Matt. And if so, La Salle would have done something that would be next to impossible to replicate - a squad to sweep the season that has the Season MVP and the Rookie of the Year. Now tell us, would that turn the tides of the argument for the best team ever in their favor? History. 16-0. Championship. Season MVP. Rookie of the Year. Around 17 points of an average margin of victory. It would be tough to think about another team competing with that. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Arwind Santos, Enrico Villanueva make cut for coach Franz s UAAP First 5
Franz Pumaren has been calling the shots for Adamson University from 2016 to present. Before this, the multi-titled was at the helm of De La Salle University from 1998 to 2009. Through all of that, he has had a hand in the discovery and the development of young talent for his teams as well as the game planning for the opposing rising stars. Among all of those, who are the best of the best for him? Here is Franz Pumaren UAAP First 5, as he told ABS-CBN Sports: MIKE CORTEZ Cortez set the standard for La Salle's point guards during his time in green and white. Not only cool, but calm and collected as well, he was a big piece behind the Green Archers' two titles in the early 2000s. Many more primetime playmakers and their patented moves have followed suit in Taft Avenue, but Mike Cortez slicing and dicing through the lane for a fantastic finish remains up there with the best of them. RENREN RITUALO No. 4 is a jersey number that may not be used in La Salle. That's because that jersey number is right up there rafters in the Enrique M. Razon Sports Center and is owned by one man and one man only - Ritualo. After shooting the Green Archers to their four-peat, "The Rainman" is, without a doubt, a lifetime legend in Taft Avenue. ARWIND SANTOS The early-to-mid-2000s in the UAAP saw Far Eastern University come back with a vengeance for its throne. The driving force behind that? Santos who took the league by storm with his all-around impact. Behind the back-to-back MVP, the Tamaraws proved to be a thorn on the side of coach Franz and La Salle as the former took home two titles at the latter's expense. ENRICO VILLANUEVA Ateneo de Manila University, at long last, came alive once more in the early 2000s. On the back of homegrown talent Villanueva, the Blue Eagles spread their wings into contention and even swooped onto the mountaintop in 2002. Not only did the UAAP 65 MVP carry the blue and white back to the promised land, he was also a key reason in the much-welcome revival of the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry. DON ALLADO In the same way Cortez set the standard for La Salle's point guards, so did Allado do for their big men. A post presence who can muscle his way inside, the 6-foot-6 also had respectable range - something surprising in that era of basketball. Not only that, the two-time MVP was a ravenous rebounder as well and a tried and true leader in the Green Archers' four-peat. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo. .....»»
Tenorio wanted to be a Growling Tiger... but UST didn t recruit him
After his time as a San Beda Red Cub, LA Tenorio went on to become a legendary Blue Eagle in the UAAP during the early 2000s. Before Tenorio found his way to the Ateneo though, a number of schools recruited him to play for their respective varsity teams. There was one school that LA particularly liked but said school didn't recruit him, so Tenorio simply didn't go. "Most of the schools, kinausap din talaga ako. Isa lang ang hindi talagang naka-recruit sa akin na gusto ko pang puntahan, which is UST," LA said on 2OT. "Honestly... kung ni-recruit ako ng UST noon, malamang nasa UST ako. Hindi ako ni-recruit eh. Kasi hindi sila nangangailanngan that time, kasi buo sila," he added. Tenorio said he grew fond of UST when the Growling Tigers were locked in an intense rivalry with the De La Salle Green Archers that started from the mid-1990s and spilled all the way to the early 2000s. In that time, both teams won 4-peat championships in the UAAP. While the Growling Tigers never made an offer to LA, Tenorio's UAAP career was still a success for another school as he starred for Ateneo, eventually winning a championship with the Blue Eagles in 2002. "UST-La Salle rivalry di ba? Kay gusto ko dun, sila napapanood ko. Kaya lang di naman ako ni-recruit ni coach Aric [Del Rosario]," LA said. "But again, malaking blessing din yung napunta ako sa Ateneo," Tenorio added. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Downing Mbala-led La Salle jewel in new-age Ateneo s crown, so says Kiefer
Ateneo de Manila University has been the king of UAAP Men's Basketball for the last three years. The Blue Eagles' most recent championship even had them making history as the first team to sweep the season - both elimination and championship rounds. Three-time Finals MVP Thirdy Ravena, though, is not necessarily keen on saying that title was their most impressive. Asked in his appearance on The Prospects Pod which team in the three-peat was the best of the bunch, he paused for quite a while before answering, "Ang hirap kasi eh." Not long after, host Kiefer, Thirdy's older brother, chimed in with his mind on the matter. "In my opinion, the team that beat the Mbala DLSU was the strongest," he said. The elder Ravena was referring to the Ateneo's Season 80 squad that dethroned De La Salle University led by back-to-back Season MVP Ben Mbala. After losing to the Green Archers the year before, the Blue Eagles came back with a vengeance and bested their archrivals in the three-game Finals. "That was the biggest test for them eh," Kiefer said. "The previous year, they lost to almost the same team and they faced them again. Then they did what people said was an impossible task - beat Mbala-led DLSU so for me it was that team (that was the strongest)." Thirdy could only acknowledge that manong had a point. At the same time, however, he reminded everybody about a particular perfect season that had just happened. As he put it, "May point nga si manong, pero ang hirap din (i-discredit) yung 16-0 eh. Just the fact na wala ngang school na nakagawa nun so ang hirap din sabihin." Indeed, it remains up for debate which between the two teams was more impressive. What's for sure, though, is that the debate lies on those two teams. Asked by a host, "So it's either the first or the third?" The Japan-bound pride of the blue and white replied, "Oo eh." --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
WHAT IF… Ateneo didn t lose to La Salle for an elims sweep in UAAP 80
History lesson: Ateneo de Manila University is the first-ever team to sweep the season - both elimination and championship rounds. Winning each and every one of its 16 games in the eliminations and then winning back-to-back games in the UAAP 82 Finals, the Blue Eagles were perfect en route to being hailed as king for the third year in a row. It was a momentous milestone that let all of Isaac Go, Thirdy Ravena, Adrian Wong, and Nieto twins Mike and Matt to move on from their collegiate careers on the highest of highs. Only, they could have actually made history two years prior. In Season 80, the blue and white won 13 games in a row to start the season. And then, in the last game in the elims, they were thwarted by archrival De La Salle University, 76-79. And so, Ateneo fell short of an elims sweep and an automatic advance into the Finals. They were then upset in the first game of the Final Four by Far Eastern University before taking care of business in the do-or-die match. In the championship round, they went toe-to-toe with the Green Archers and ultimately prevailed - winning the first of their three-peat. However, how would the story have gone if and only if the Blue Eagles got an elims sweep? If so, they would have jumped straight into the Finals, therefore jumping over the Tamaraws who had always given them a tough time. If so, a stepladder playoff would have taken place, with Ron Dennison, Arvin Tolentino, and fourth-seeded FEU charging through third-seeded Adamson University led by Jerrick Ahanmisi and Sean Manganti. If so, in the next rung, back-to-back Season MVP Ben Mbala and La Salle would have made quick work of the Tamaraws. If so, it would still be Ateneo-La Salle in the championship round for the second straight season. Still, if so, the Blue Eagles' record would have been perfect at that point. Then in Game 1, well-rested Ravena and company would then impose their will on their archrivals for a convincing victory. Mbala and Ricci Rivero would not quit just yet, however, and energize La Salle to a well-earned win in Game 2. Game 3 would then, pretty much, play out the way it played out in real life - a close contest that had Isaac Go hitting the win-sealing three. In the end, Blue Eagle, the king, still. And in the end, they still don't get a perfect season. Worse, however, is the fact that the story would have been a lot less interesting. Without having been challenged by FEU in the Final Four, Ateneo would not have witnessed the beginning of Go's rise Remember, it was the 6-foot-9 big man who fired a triple to send the do-or-die match into overtime. Then in the extra period, Go made good on an impossible short stab just as he was falling to the floor to ice the game. Put simply, a world without those shots is not a world worth living in. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»