(Photo Credit: Joseph Nebrida, GoArchers.com) DLSU Green Archers def. UST Growling Tigers 94-59 Notable Players Ben Mbala, DLSU (17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 offensive rebounds, 3 blocks) : Wait, there is one simple thing not mentioned in this stats, it was done in HALF the game.  Playing only 19 minutes, Mbala was on track for a record breaking afternoon until Coach Aldin Ayo pulled the plug and decided to dig into his pocket of subs.  But the second quarter 25-8 game deciding run was all La Salle needed Mbala to anchor as the Green Archers took a mammoth 45-24 halftime lead.   Ricci Rivero, DLSU ( 16 points, 7 rebounds 3 offensive rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block) : Ricci Rivero continues his MVP-like playing ways piling up statistical points in a flash.  These impressive stats were amassed in 19 minutes and Rivero completely euro-stepped around UST leaping Tigers who seemed to bite with every pump, shoulder or head fake.  The sophomore ho...

Right before the first round of UAAP Season 77 ended the Adamson Soaring Falcons had hit rock bottom. They were winless through six games, they suffered an embarrassing defeat scoring only 25 points against the eventual champions, and they allowed themselves to be at the receiving end of the bonfire inducing halt to the years-long UP Fighting Maroons’ losing streak. But when it looked like the Falcons were ready to give up on themselves, the alumni and the Adamson community did not. Monday night, right after a fire was lit in the Sunken Garden in UP Diliman, the Soaring Falcons were called to a special practice. Then head coach Kenneth Durmendes didn’t meet them that night, instead it was assistant coach Vince Hizon and team manager Gilbert Cruz who were waiting for them in the gym. “Nobody is happy with what is happening,” said Falcons team manager Gilbert Cruz as he addressed the team that Monday evening. To his right, the Season 77 Soaring Falcons who have gone on a six game...

(Photo Credit: Marie Dobuyan, Tiebreaker Times) UP Fighting Maroons def. FEU Tamaraws 59-56 Notable Players: Paul Desiderio, UP (15 points, 5 rebounds): Paul is reminding us that "shooters shoot". Keep shooting, Paul. Ibrahim Ouattara, UP (10 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks): Ouattara was huge for the Fighting Maroons, thoroughly outplaying Prince Orizu in this match-up of theirs.  Jasper Parker, FEU (13 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists): If not for Desiderio's game winner, we'd be talking about Jasper Parker and how he's starting to get a hang of the UAAP game. Not bad, rook. Arvin Tolentino, FEU (12 points, 6 rebounds): When Arvin gets going, we out of here. Now if only Arvin could replicate that third quarter more consistently.... Quick Analysis: - Man what a defensive slug fest! Both teams played some terrific defense on each other, and the percentages weren't pretty at all (30 percent FG% for both). At the end of the day, all it took w...

(Photo Credit: Janine Torre, The GUIDON) ADMU Blue Eagles def. UE Red Warriors 97-73 Notable Players: Thirdy Ravena, ADMU (17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block): Thirdy had an all around masterful game. He had it going on offense while also locking down UE’s top scoring threat Alvin Pasaol. Jolo Mendoza, ADMU (13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 11 MINUTES): Jolo had real quality minutes for the game. He didn’t miss a shot   in 4 attempts, 3 of those from 3pts. Anton Asistio, ADMU (9 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists): Anton had it going for the first half of the game and had good facilitating through the game Mark Maloles, UE (20 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal):   Mark Maloles was efficient tonight and had his best outing for this season. Mark Olayon, UE (15 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals): Olayon continued his all-around contribution for UE as he steps up on both offense and defense Alvin Pasaol, UE (8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 s...

(Photo Credit: Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports) Adamson Soaring Falcons def. UST Growling Tigers 75-70 Notable Players: Jerrick Ahanmisi, Adamson (21 points, 3/7 3FG): Ahanmisi saved the Soaring Falcons from disaster, hitting key shots in the 4th quarter to seal the deal for Adamson.  Papi Sarr, Adamson (12 points, 14 rebounds): Akomo gave Papi a difficult time in the offensive end, but Papi was solid overall. Reggie Boy Basibas, UST (17 points, 5 rebounds): Basibas provided a ton of energy in the wing position for UST, scoring off fast breaks and strong drives. Steve Akomo, UST (10 points, 17 rebounds, 2/10 FT): If not for his eight missed free throws, we could confidently say that he thoroughly outplayed Papi Sarr. He's great, but his free throw shooting has been bad. Quick Analysis: - Adamson won, but Coach Franz was less than pleased with their victory. Their distribution of shot attempts wasn't good, no thanks to the UST defense giving them a lot of trou...

(Photo Credit: Joaqui Flores, Tiebreaker Times) De La Salle Green Archers def. UE Red Warriors 99-78 Notable Players: Santi Santillian, La Salle (14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks): You can't blame people for giving the Troy Rosario comparison to Santi, it's warranted. He's not as fluid, but his nose for the ball and physical tools scream sure-fire PBA prospect. Justine Baltazar, La Salle (13 points, 6/6 FG): Baltazar there is potential in him becoming more than a big man with the movement he displayed off the ball to get open jumpers. He's long, fairly athletic and his skills are starting to catch-up.  Alvin Pasaol, UE (23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals): Seriously, he managed to score 23 even though Ben was draped all over him. He doesn't just chuck up shots. He takes his time, and waits for the shot to get to him. He had to work for it, but he still managed to score. Major props. Mark Olayon, UE (18 points, 7 assists): Olayon looks to...

(Photo Credit: Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports) Last Sunday morning, my brother told me how excited he was to see UE and UP play against each other. ‘Magandang match-up yang Desiderio at Pasaol,’ he said. Being a UP graduate, I should have responded with some words to show support to my alma mater, right? But for some reason, I  didn't. I can't. I unintentionally spoiled the moment when I replied, ‘ UE mananalo dyan’ . It turned out I was right. UE led the scoreboard almost the entire game. Whenever UP tried to make a comeback, Pasaol and his crew found ways to shut the door for the Maroons. Pasaol torched UP with his all-around performance (32 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and two blocks). Meanwhile, Desiderio had a terrible shooting day with only 8 points across his name (3/18 FG, 0/8 3PT) With the win, the Red Warriors now have three games in the win column — only one game behind UP and NU. As for the Maroons, their aim to reach the Final Four this year continues t...

(Photo Credit: Rafael Zaballero, The LaSallian) DLSU Green Archers def. Adamson Soaring Falcons 80-74 Notable Players Ricci Rivero, La Salle (17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist):  The gunslinger from La Salle Greenhills has flipped the switch in the second round playing Mythical Team basketball.  When the play is broken, give the ball to Ricci.  Shot clock running down and the team needs a quick 2, give the ball to Ricci.  The steadiness Ricci Rivero has provided so far to a struggling La Salle offense by capitalizing on small defensive gaps and driving hard for two.   To add to that phenomenal and entertaining brand of offense are the intangible contributions.  Rivero's ridiculous length on defense effectively shuts down opponents' outside snipers plus the agility to chase down dribble drive rim attacks has made Mayhem a tough defense to crack.     Santi Santillan, La Salle (16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists):  The ...

(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 ...

(Photo Credit: Zach B. Garcia, The GUIDON) Ateneo Blue Eagles def. NU Bulldogs 85-72 Notable Players: Thirdy Ravena, Ateneo (15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks): Best. Local. Player. In. The. UAAP. When it mattered, Thirdy turned it up and he did not look back. He still has work to do though (we'll talk about that more below). Gian Mamuyac, Ateneo (8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, a lot of great defense): I'll let this   feature do the talking.  JJay Alejandro, NU (22 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists): He was hot in the first half, but he lost steam come the latter parts of the game. You can't fault the guy, he tried and he received barely any help from his teammates. Quick Analysis: - Credit to NU for taking away Ateneo's dribble hand-off action which game the Blue Eagles difficulty in finding open looks during the first half. At the same time, JJay Alejandro's aggressive play offensively was key in NU giving Ateneo trouble. - Other tha...

(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...

(Photo Credit: Marie Dobuyan, Tiebreaker Times) Adamson Soaring Falcons def. UE Red Warriors 66-57 Notable Players: Jerrick Ahanmisi, Adamson (14 points, 3 assists, 2 steals): Ahanmisi took full advantage of UE clamping down on Sarr all game long, moving really well without the ball for multiple spot-ups. He scored as much shots as he took, but an aggressive Ahanmisi is always a good thing for Adamson. Papi Sarr, Adamson (12 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists): It may seem like Sarr was limited by UE if you just look at the number of shots he took, but the sheer presence he had down low was enough to make life easier for his teammates. Alvin Pasaol, UE (22 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals): He took 26 shots, but it's goddamn justified. No one in UE wanted to score, so Pasaol went ahead and tried to carry his team. You tried, big boy. Quick Analysis: - This was a completely winnable game for UE. Adamson's offense was bad for the most part (forced a ton of jumpers i...

(Photo Credit: Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports) DLSU Green Archers def. UP Fighting Maroons 85-62 Notable Players Ben Mbala, DLSU (27 points, 14 rebounds, 7 offensive rebounds, 28.33 minutes of hounding Paul Desiderio):  "You don't like me when I am angry" is a phrase patented by the Hulk, that fierce green giant.  When Mbala got angry, he decisively shut down Paul Desiderio from making any buckets on his watch.  Mbala blanked the UP rapid shooter who was only able to cough out two successive triples in the second quarter when La Salle shifted to their 1-2-2 leaving the wings open. Mbala made more strong backdoor cuts that resulted into easy twos or sending him to the line where he made 12 of 14 attempts. Ricci Rivero, DLSU (20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals):  Talk about coming back from scoring coma, Ricci Rivero came into life for the 3rd straight game aptly supporting Mbala in keeping UP's defense honest.  Using that unbelievable wingspan to the max, Ricc...

(Photo Credit: Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports) FEU Tamaraws def. UST Growling Tigers 96-70  Notable Players: Kenneth Tuffin, FEU (14 points, 3/4 3FG): Tuffin continued his hot streak by hitting three bombs from rainbow country to help out the Tamaraws. This kind of production is key for FEU, as it allows Coach Olsen to play Tuffin and Tolentino at the same time with Tuffin playing the SF position. Arvin Tolentino, FEU (13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals): Hey Arvin played some defense! Aside from that, he did a good job of bouncing back for the Tamaraws by producing a lot with the limited minutes he was given. Oliver De Guzman, UST (17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists): With no Jordan Sta. Ana due to injury, Olive De Guzman took on playmaking duties and he did a respectable job. Jeepy Faundo, UST (17 points, 13 rebounds): With no Steve Akomo due to a flu, Jeepy took charge for the Growling Tigers. Quick Analysis: - This game was very timely for FEU. They needed a con...

(Photo Credit: Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports) UE Red Warriors def. NU Bulldogs 90-77 Notable Players: Mark Olayon, UE (17pts 6rebs 8asts 1blk): Olayon continues his stable play by contributing all around damage on the floor and being efficient from the field. Mark Maloles, UE (13pts 6rebs 2asts): Maloles wasn't very efficient from the field making on 33% of his shots but contributed big and even had the best +/- for the game (He's a +15 on the floor) Nick Abanto, UE (13pts 11rebs 1ast 19mins):  Abanto had quality minutes and notched a double-double in just 19 minutes. Alvin Pasaol, UE (11pts 10rebs 1ast 1 stl 19 mins): Despite having a subpar game (shooting 33% and foul-trouble), he still managed to chip-in a double-double. Issa Gaye, NU (20 pts, 13 rebs, 1 stl, 4 blks): As expected, Gaye dominated this game as there was a lack of "bigman" presence to stop him. JayJay Alejandro, NU (16 pts, 8 rebs, 10 asts): Alejandro was 2 rebounds shy of a triple doub...

(Photo Credit: Zach Garcia, The GUIDON) Ateneo Blue Eagles def. Adamson Soaring Falcons 71-59 Notable Players: Thirdy Ravena, Ateneo (15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists): We can argue about his clutch gene all day long, but there's no doubt about it: Thirdy Ravena is the second best player in the league. Bar none. Chibueze Ikeh, Ateneo (7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block): Ikeh was respectable in his match-up versus Sarr, putting up solid number across the board. He still has moments where you're left scratching your head, but you can't deny his improvement.  Papi Sarr, Adamson (15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 turnovers): Adamson ran most of their sets around Sarr, which did not work as well as they hoped for. Sarr got his numbers, but the rest of his team could not get going. Quick Analysis: - Adamson is a team which uses the press to limit possessions rather than to increase them to their favor. They did a good job at doing that (76.08 Pace) versus Ateneo...