Quick Fire: Ateneo Blue Eagles grind it out versus FEU Tamaraws in instant classic to book Finals ticket

(Photo Credit: Mico Ongkeko, The GUIDON)

Ateneo Blue Eagles def. FEU Tamaraws 88-84

Notable Players:

Thirdy Ravena, Ateneo (17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists): We can talk about his lack of a clutch gene all we want but we cannot deny the game-long brilliance of Thirdy Ravena. He was aggressive all game long, taking it to the rim without any hesitation. Good things happen to Ateneo when Thirdy is locked in.

Chibueze Ikeh, Ateneo (16 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals): We can joke about him all we want, but when it mattered, Ikeh actually delivered. His aggressiveness in the inside during the overtime period immediately set the tone for the Blue Eagles, as they immediately pounced on FEU's lack of an inside presence. 

Matt Nieto (16 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) and Isaac Go (13 points, 9 rebounds), Ateneo: CLUTCH. BIG SHOTS. These two showed the epitome of having a good heart AND a sound mind.

Jasper Parker, FEU (19 points, 4 rebounds): Absolutely ballsy performance by Parker, picking up the slack for guys like Hubert Cani and Ron Dennison. If only Isaac Go did not bail out Ateneo, we'd be singing praises to Parker like crazy.

Prince Orizu, FEU (10 points, 6 rebounds): He set the tone for FEU during the fourth, attacking the inside with no hesitation to give the Tamaraws momentum. If only he hadn't fouled out, maybe FEU would have won. Either way, Orizu deserves praise.

Quick Analysis:

- Before we get to the numbers and the nitty-gritty of everything, let's give these two teams a round of applause. THIS is how games should be played. No tinge of sketchiness or "luto". Just a ton of heart and good coaching from two great teams. 

- The biggest adjustment the Blue Eagles made in this game is how they consciously attacked the rim more rather than just throwing up three-pointers without any sort of rhythm. The result was dominance off the boards (53 vs. 39 rebs, 18 vs. 6 off rebs) and a ton of second chance opportunities (19 vs. 9 second chance points). Thirdy was his usual brilliant self, but we have to give credit to Ikeh and Isaac's willingness to fight down low.

- One quirk that Coach Tab used a few times in this game: Playing both Ikeh and Isaac at the same time. It was a nightmare for FEU since those two absolutely destroyed them off the boards and protected the rim so well. Don't be surprised if Coach Tab plays those two at the same time to try and shut down (they likely won't but might as well try) Ben Mbala.

- What also didn't help the case of the Tamaraws was their foul trouble from down low. As mentioned, if either Ebona or Orizu managed to stay out of getting fouled out, the story of this game might have been different. FEU's managed to adjust to a more deliberate style, and you need a big man in order to do that. The result was an FEU offense that looked lost during the overtime period, as they had no idea what to run since most of them were already gassed.

- At the same time, FEU's shooting cooled down compared to last game. This was to be expected, but some of the shots which they were taking were just frustrating to watch. Hubert Cani (2/10 FG) had a number of isolation, mid-range step backs that were incredibly unnecessary, while Ron Dennison (2/7 FG) could not make a shot for his life save for some put backs. 

- Ateneo's clutch performance was great and all, but we still have to nitpick. For one: FREE THROWS. They were 16/32 from the free throw line, a very bad number by all means. Those shots are free for a reason. Take them and make them. Coach Tab was probably not pleased with their performance on the line.

- Quick note on Arvin: Lots of people have been saying he did an Aljon Mariano, but I'd like to disagree. Yes, he did choke since the ball slipped. But to accuse him of benta? Come on man. He was matched up versus a slower Isaac Go. That was Chowking Fried Chicken right in front of him. But he suddenly let go of the frying pan because he had too much Vaseline on his hands and it turns out the chicken was still alive. He looked genuinely pissed at his mistake, and he'll definitely bounce back. If Arvin manages to get a tighter handle? We done here.

- Moving forward, this should be a learning experience for FEU. They only have a few players graduating, and with more time with Coach Olsen, the entire team should be better come next season. Be scared. This team peaked at the right time, and they're going to get better.

- For Ateneo, even though they are the number one seed, we can't say that they're favored to win versus La Salle. If anything, they're the underdogs. They got exposed, and they were pushed to the limit versus a gritty FEU team. Things only get tougher from here versus the Green Archers.