Skip to main content

Quick Fire: Ateneo Blue Eagles beat FEU Tamaraws in physical affair

Image
By

(Photo Credit: Danica T. Bibera, The GUIDON)
Ateneo Blue Eagles def. FEU Tamaraws 70-59

Notable Players:

Matt Nieto, Ateneo (14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals): Matt was a steady force for Ateneo all throughout, as he managed to keep his cool versus the physical Tamaraws. Considering he did make two clutch free throws versus La Salle, a little physicality shouldn't hurt right?

Raffy Verano, Ateneo (14 points, 2 steals): Raffy is one physical guy, so seeing him thrive in such an environment should come as no surprise. He isn't a go-to guy, but he's an effective piece teams would want.

Ron Dennison, FEU (12 points, 8 rebounds): Ron Dennison three-point pamatay sunogs forever. He's been the most steady player for FEU this season, and it showed in this game.

Arvin Tolentino, FEU (11 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists): It wasn't the revenge game people expected from him, but it was solid nonetheless. Once he tightens up his handle even more, he'll be unstoppable off the drive. He put Ikeh in a blender multiple times last night.

Quick Analysis:

- This was a type of game Ateneo should have lost. It was physical, and their offense had little flow to it. Ateneo had difficulty running pick and rolls, and FEU did a good job of defending the hand-off action the Blue Eagles love to run from the perimeter to start their motion. But, somehow, Ateneo managed to grind it out and get the victory.

- This game showed exactly why defense matters so much in basketball games. When your offense is not going anywhere, what do you do to try and keep pace? The Blue Eagles played some terrific defense as well, not letting the physicality of the game get in their heads. To end, they managed to have one more run in them to close out the Tamaraws.

- FEU will give whoever they face in the Final Four a difficult time, but we should be really scared of the Tamaraws come next season. Only a handful of players are graduating for FEU this season, and their key guys like Arvin, Hubert Cani and Barkley Ebona will still be there next year. Watch out.

- The Final Four is going to be fun, no matter who gets matched up with who. Ateneo, La Salle, FEU and Adamson are all quality teams who have a great shot at beating each other.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Troy Mallillin is a Blue Eagle. Now what?

By
(Photo Credit: Janine Torre, The GUIDON) Against the JRU Heavy Bombers, Troy Mallillin finally made his much awaited debut as a Blue Eagle. Just seeing him in uniform was already enough for fans of the Blue Eagles to go wild. Seeing a NCAA Juniors MVP wear an Ateneo jersey feels weird, for any fan. Seeing a former La Salle Greenhills player wear the blue and white? It's like an Ateneo High School boy wearing a La Salle jersey. Oh.. wait... Obviously, any Atenean is brimming with excitement right now after managing to secure (or is it really secure?) the services of the former NCAA Juniors MVP. But what else are the other implications of Troy Mallillin taking his talents to Katipunan? Let's break it down: In the short term Right now, don't expect Troy to get a lot of minutes. As mentioned before , Ateneo is filled with a number of forwards in Mike Nieto, Vince Tolentino and Raffy Verano. Shaun Ildefonso is no longer in that fray of forwards after taking his talen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Scouting the Opposition: Is Jonas Tibayan ready for the college game?

By
(Photo Credit: FIBA) Basic Information Name: Jonas Tibayan Age: 18 School/Team: CKSC Blue Dragons Years of eligibility left: 0 (Graduating)  Committed to: NU Bulldogs Height: 6'3" Position: Power Forward Projected Position: Combo Forward Quick Hits Strengths: - Strong body - High Basketball IQ - Very coachable - Is a great team player Weaknesses: - Limited upside - Still relatively raw - No clear position yet in collegiate basketball Only a select few people are given the opportunity to play for the National Youth Team. It's a honor anyone would grab in an instant. To be named a Batang Gilas standout is something special. But to be named a Gilas Cadet member at the tender age of 17? It's something else. At first glance, it means that you're a player who's more than ready to make it to the big leagues. You're not just expected to do well in the collegiate level. Some expect you to go ahead and dominate in an instant. Jonas Tibayan...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dipsy-doos, blocked shots and a ton of protein shakes: On Gian Mamuyac and his growth

By
(Photo Credit: Leo Lopez, Fabilioh) Ten players stood inside the Blue Eagle Gym on a rainy Saturday afternoon, but fans in attendance were eagerly waiting for the explosion of one man. Jolo Mendoza was being hyped up as the next Kiefer Ravena. In a second-round match-up versus a young Adamson Baby Falcons team, the table was set for an eruption by the Season 77 Finals MVP.   The wait was excruciating. Jolo was seemingly picking his spots, choosing to pass the ball instead of pulling up unconsciously. The fans were starting to get bored. They wanted the scoring barrage they paid a ticket for. All of a sudden, a tall, lanky kid with frizzy hair galloped coast to coast, flew up high and attempted a dipsy-doo lay-up with ease. The referee blew his whistle to signal a foul. Fans jumped up, with their faces saying "OH SHIT WHO IS THAT GUY?", while the coaching staff of the Blue Eaglets' face screamed, " Bakit di mo na lang diniretso Mamu!!!!"  We all know G...
Post a Comment
Read more