The beat of the drums start to fill the ears of basketball fans, while Philippine Basketball Twitter is at its peak from 2pm up to 8pm. Students from different schools debate on who the best team is in the league. Players start to jaw at each other in order to get an edge on the basketball court. Of course, there's the sound of the alumni, with their finger pointed towards the referee as they shout "HOY REF, FOUL?!?!?!"
It's been a while, UAAP. We missed you. It's that time of the year again.
To jump start the coverage for this season, we'll be previewing the eight teams by discussing a question that's of utmost importance for each one. This can be something that matters in the long-term or in the short-term. As long as it's something that can be a topic of discussion, we'll talk about it on this space.
For the final installment of this series, we talk about the two teams projected by most to make it back to the Finals. They're polar opposites in terms of how they approach their programs, but the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the De La Salle Green Archers are both hungry for glory once more.
For the final installment of this series, we talk about the two teams projected by most to make it back to the Finals. They're polar opposites in terms of how they approach their programs, but the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the De La Salle Green Archers are both hungry for glory once more.
Ateneo Blue Eagles: Can their homegrown pieces do enough to bring them a title?
Record last season: 10-4
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| (Photo Credit: Businessworld Online) |
Last season, most fans gave a Final 4 slot as the ceiling of the Blue Eagles. No one expected them to contend for a title, and that expectation was warranted. After all, they lost seven of their core players because of academic reasons. Those seven were projected to do the heavy lifting for Ateneo that season, with talent enough to match even the mighty Green Archers. Then poof, unlike Koko Krunch, all that potential vanished.
Ateneo was forced then to adjust. They filled in their roster with Team B reserves, players who were far from ready to contribute heavily in the UAAP level. But, beyond all odds, the Blue Eagles managed to finish last year second, beating the FEU Tamaraws in a thrilling Final Four before bowing versus La Salle in the Finals.
The Blue Eagles caught the public by surprise with their performance. They were projected to fall, but instead, they rose and showed where good execution and teamwork can bring you. Their ability to out-execute teams managed to cover their lack of talent, but the question now is, can this continue this season?
For so long, Ateneo has banked on a solid recruiting program. The 5-peat would not have been possible without players like Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nico Salva, Eric Salamat, Ryan Buenafe and Greg Slaughter carrying the load for Ateneo.
That’s far from what Ateneo is bringing in this season. They rely now on their homegrown program, boasting of players from the Blue Eaglets program. More than half of the roster is made up of homegrown players, and quite frankly, fans are still getting used to all these AHS players leading the charge for Ateneo.
Before, the core players would be composed of recruits. That was the entire mentality behind recruiting players like Arvin Tolentino and CJ Perez. But with them gone, guys like Thirdy Ravena and Aaron Black are expected to do the heavy lifting for the team with their versatility and outside sniping respectively.
The Nieto Twins are also expected to contribute, with Matt providing ample playmaking and Mike taking full advantage of Coach Tab’s offense with efficient play. Jolo Mendoza and Anton Asistio will also surely provide a spark off the bench with their ability to start runs with their shooting, while fans continue to hope Kris Porter manages to figure it out this season. Oh, and, watch out for former Team B studs Gian Mamuyac and BJ Andrade to contribute with their energy and effort on the defensive end.
These players all provide lots of things, but they are nowhere near the level of La Salle in terms of sheer talent. Highly-touted recruits Tyler Tio and Troy Mallillin will also contribute, but Ateneo is definitely banking on its homegrown talent to bring them to a title. The question now is, will it be enough to dethrone La Salle? Only time will tell.
DLSU Green Archers: With the departure of reliable veteran talent, is La Salle still a lock to win the title?
Record last season: 13-1
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| (Photo Credit: Tristan Tamayo, Inquirer.net) |
La Salle was expected to sweep last season’s festivities until Ateneo decided to play spoiler. No matter, as Jeron Teng and the rest of their powerhouse squad managed to muster enough strength to still manage to win the title many expected them to come out with in the first place.
This season, however, the Green Archers no longer have veterans like Jeron, Thomas Torres and Julian Sargent to lead them. Jeron essentially carried them to the title by saving their offense every time it started to bog down, while Sargent and Torres were reliable options on both ends of the floor.
This has then led to some people worrying that a title may not be a lock unlike last year. No matter how much talent La Salle managed to secure with their recruits, replacing someone like Jeron Teng is close to impossible. His ability to create with his slashing was unparalleled last season, and it was a big part of La Salle’s half-court offense. At the same time, his silent leadership and clutch play are huge losses as well, especially for a La Salle team filled with young upstarts.
Don’t mistake this for La Salle not being title contenders anymore. They’re still the projected number one team for this season, and for good reason. After all, they still have Ben Mbala to lead the charge. That name should make teams think in an instant about whether or not they should underestimate La Salle.
Other than just Ben, their entire rotation remains intact. Kib Montalbo is expected to be the leader of this team as he is arguably the backbone of La Salle’s mayhem attack. Ricci Rivero is seen as the heir apparent to Jeron Teng, showing flashes of greatness using his unique blend of grace, athleticism, and power. We also can’t forget about Rookie of the Year Aljun Melecio, who could very well be the team’s go-to-guy in the clutch because of his ability to create buckets in an instant.
Other, less known names should also be taken note of. Justine Baltazar is expected to be one of the main bigs of the team because of how well he uses his length on both ends of the floor. Santi Santillian has also shown the ability to be a versatile forward, giving the Archers a different dimension to their attack. Of course, Prince Rivero and Andrei Caracut will undoubtedly come up big for the team when need be.
No doubt about it, La Salle has a lot of depth. The question is, can their depth translate to wins? The names on paper for the Green Archers aren’t as established compared to who they had last season. More talented? Maybe. But more established, and can give you a sense of security as a fan? Far from it. There’s potential, but it hasn’t been unleashed just yet. It’s ultimately up to the team and the coaching staff whether or not they’ll be able to win the championship and continue to show why they remain the team to beat in the UAAP.
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