Method vs. Mayhem Chapter III: The UAAP Season 80 Finals Preview

(Photo Credit: Mico Ongkeko, The GUIDON)

Six teams have been eliminated, and now only two remain. On one side are the Ateneo Blue Eagles, whose system predicated on discipline and ball movement brought them 13 straight wins. They fell against their rivals to deny them of a sweep and an automatic finals slot, and were pushed to the brink of elimination against FEU. On the other side are the defending champions De La Salle Green Archers with their mayhem defense, swept the second round and won against Adamson despite being down by 15. These two teams took different roads going to the Finals, but none of those matter now. All victories (and more importantly losses) are now learning experiences.

Going into the much awaited scalpers' buffet, student party, and socialite extravaganza, here are some questions for the protagonists heading into the finals.

ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY (1)

ELIMINATION ROUND RECORD: 13-1

1. Will the big men stay out of foul trouble long enough to be a factor in this game?

In the second round matchup of the Ateneo and La Salle, Ateneo's big men were in foul trouble early on, destroying whatever rotation Coach Tab Baldwin had planned. Chibueze Ikeh was largely ineffective on both ends as he was nursing four fouls, playing only 13 minutes with 4 points, 5 rebounds, and a +/- of -10. Isaac Go filled in the gaps with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Ikeh and Go would contribute to Ateneo's finals clinching win against the Tamaraws, where they had 16 and 13 respectively, along with some timely baskets in overtime (Ikeh with the first basket for the lead, and Go with that DID-YOU-SEE-THAT kneeling shot to put the game away). These two big men are also vital cogs in the ball movement of Ateneo, with their sets usually starting with a handoff from the big man, and setting screens to free up slashers and shooters. They can also roll to the basket for an easy two, or pop and shoot a 3. They also have the ability to thread the needle with their passing (see Isaac's dish to Matt game 2 of the Final 4 and Ikeh feeding Thirdy for that tomahawk against UST). Their assists and three point shooting are absolutely crucial because it can force Ben Mbala to go way out and free up the lane for the easy drive. If Ateneo wants a chance to take game 1, these big guys would need to step up.

2. Will Ateneo try to contain Ben Mbala, or will they focus more on the other four on the court?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to defending the La Salle offense. The first one is to let Ben Mbala go HAM on you while shutting down everyone else, and the second one is to try and contain (because who can stop Big Ben, really?) him inside and let the others shoot their way out of a predicament. In the first round matchup, Mbala was held down to a “mere” 18 points and 13 rebounds. He got his first basket with 5:38 left in the second quarter. The Blue Eagles gave him difficult looks at the basket through a combination of one-on-one and weakside help defense. In the second round, he was back to MVP Ben and went on a rampage in scoring, amassing 28 points. The Blue Eagles are disciplined enough that they can throw a double team on Mbala, and the help defender can recover on time if Mbala finds the open man. Look for Ateneo to use Ikeh and Go at the same time in some sets just to give the reigning 2-time MVP a hard time.

3. Will the shooting guards snap out of their slump to contribute?

Since day 1 of Season 80, Anton Asistio has been the team's resident gunner. There are a lot of plays designed for him to get open and shoot, along with his ability to defend the opposing team's shooting guard. He has however been in some kind of slump, with his shots not falling and being a step slower on defense. Primary reliever Aaron Black is not that much different either. While he is a good defender, Ateneo needs all their guns loaded against a potent La Salle team. An option Coach Tab can go to is to play Jolo at the off-guard alongside Matt, instead of making him Matt's reliever at the point. Jolo is a natural scorer, knows how to use the picks set for him to free him up for the shot. He seems to have that Microwave badge, converting on shots once he enters the court. While Ateneo would be giving up a bit of size and defense, he would be a great option if the offense bogs down.

Honorable Mention:

Who will be Ateneo's guy down the stretch?- For all the benefits of a superstarless offense, they need a go-to guy they can feed the ball to in crucial stretches. Thirdy needs to live up to the Ravena name in the clutch if they are to avoid another late-game scoring drought like the second round meeting of Ateneo and La Salle

How will Ateneo resolve their free throw problems? 50% (16/32) from the stripe is not a pretty thing to look at, and they really have to practice their free throws, as these are needed specially in tight situations.

DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY (2)

ELIMINATION ROUND RECORD-12-2

1. Will the La Salle offense be the Ben Mbala show?

Two-time MVP Ben Mbala is a MyPlayer straight out of NBA 2K. He can body anyone up in the post, take you dancing face up, finish strong or gracefully, find the open man, defend all positions, and still have the energy to play mind games against his opponents. One can even ask; What in the blue hell is he still doing in the UAAP?! It is no secret that he will be the primary option on offense, because he can get you that instant offense when the game is on the line. Playing against Ateneo is a whole other story. In the second round game against Ateneo, he had a stat line that would make even LeBron James jealous (28 pts 10/19 FG%, 19 rebs, 6 stls, 6 blks). Still, the Green Archers found themselves down by 12 late in the 3^rd quarter. It took them Ateneo going scoreless in the last 2:24 of the game, as well as 21 points from Ricci Rivero (sealing the game with free throws) to eke out a 79-76 win. Clearly, Ben Mbala cannot do it alone. He needs help from the usual suspects (Ricci Rivero, Santi Santillan, and Aljun Melecio) when the Blue Eagle defense decides to shackle him all game long. His replacement Abu Tratter should also be on point, and not his head-scratching Shaqtin' a Fool self because Ikeh and Go are coming off great games, and have tons of confidence coming in.

2. Will La Salle dictate the pace in this game?

When it comes to pace, Ateneo and La Salle are polar opposites. Ateneo plays a slow and methodical game (8^th in the league at an 81.69 ave.), while La Salle likes it fast-paced (2^nd in the league at 88.72). La Salle's fast pace has them leading the league in 2point FG% (52.4) on open looks due to teams double teaming Mbala. UP practically showed the blueprint (pun intended?) on how to beat Ateneo; by pulling them out of their system. In Ateneo's 2 losses, their transition defense is left to be desired. If La Salle goes full Mayhem for 40 minutes, they have a chance in defeating their rivals. It is not an assurance however, as Tab Baldwin has successfully countered the Mayhem, sometimes with just one person in the backcourt. The Green Archers have to crank up the tempo of the game, keep the ball moving, and capitalize on mismatches in order to stamp their brand of basketball in this game.

3. Will Coach Aldin Ayo go squirrel hunting with a bazooka?

Squirrel hunting with a bazooka is a term coined by Rafe Bartholomew in his book “Pacific Rims” to describe Alaska's then-import Roe Ellis defending Talk and Text's Mac Cardona. This defensive scheme is nothing new, as Joel Banal has also used this in 2002 where Rich Alvarez was matched up against Mike Cortez. This season, Aldin Ayo has unleashed Ben Mbala on Paul Desiderio, Alvin Pasaol, and Thirdy Ravena. This is a big gamble since the range of these three extend behind the three point line, which means it will draw Mbala out and leave a donut hole in the middle. Kib Montalbo (sup Maverick Ahanmisi) will do his best to trade faces with Matt Nieto, but the small forward battle of Ravena and Rivero will be a big problem. You see, Ricci is skilled and versatile offensively, defensively he can check just about every wing in the UAAP. Thirdy Ravena however is in a league of his own. The MVP runner-up has the moves that can make Ricci the poster boy for Manang's Chicken over at Taft Avenue, so a defensive beast must be on Thirdy at all times. Should Aldin Ayo decide to squirrel hunt with a bazooka, he should make sure that Tratter and Baltazar are on the floor to cover the middle.

Honorable Mention:

Will Aljun Melecio prove to be a factor this game?- Ever since Aljun Melecio has recovered from his bout with Dengue, he has yet to find his touch that made him last year's Rookie of the year. Will he be able to find his touch in time for game 1?

Does La Salle have anything new to show for the Finals?- The Mayhem system has been tried and tested, but when you are against an international coach who specializes in breaking down a team's system, you really have to bring something new to the table. Aldin Ayo and the rest of the Green Archers were spotted in both Final Four games of Ateneo, scouting their potential opponents. Will we be able to see new schemes from this champion squad?

It's Method vs. Mayhem Chapter III.

Strap yourselves in folks, this is gonna be a bumpy ride.