Ateneo 3-0 in UAAP Season 71
13 July 2008After a week and 3 games, the Ateneo Blue Eagles find themselves perched atop the standings and remain the lone undefeated team. Even better, two of those wins have come against preseason favorites La Salle and UE. Should the Blue faithful rejoice or worry that the team is peaking too soon?
I doubt that they are anywhere near peak form now, what with four rookies still adjusting to the UAAP style of play and Norman Black still looking for a more permanent rotation. What their 3 wins have shown, though, is that the team is fully loaded at all spots, and seem to have the weapons for whatever the opponents may throw at them.
Pleasantly surprising is the ferociousness on the boards of the big men on both ends, they have met the challenges of Rico Maierhoffer, Mike Galinato and the UE troika of Elmer Espiritu, Hans Thiele and Pari Llagas and have decisively come out on top. Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao and Jobe Nkemakolam are firmly entrenched with Nico Salva and Mike Baldos providing spot relief.
Point guard play by Jai Reyes and Yuri Escueta has also been commendable in terms of tempo control and ability to break the press. Kirk Long may see his time as a point guard end soon to shift back to his more natural swing position. As it is, Bacon Austria has shown better point guard instincts and has stabilized the team while on the court.
This team's heart and soul can be found at the swing positions. Chris Tiu has delivered period. Ryan Buenafe has been as good as advertised and Eric Salamat has sparked the team to a higher gear each time he enters.
Defensively, the Blue Eagles have been nothing short of awesome. The UE game was a sight to behold from start to finish as the Eagles defended both inside and outside with purpose and intensity, save for a couple of Zamar and Martinez threes.
As the rotation becomes clearer and more permanent and each player gets more comfortable with his role, expect Ateneo to turn it up even more. Keeping the boys mentally sharp until the goal is met will be the coaching staff's biggest challenges as everything else seems to be in place for a championship run.
Here's a short clip on some of the most exciting finishes from past seasons to whet your appetite (click on view in high quality for a better viewing experience)
For a more indepth preview of this season's lineup:
Preview part 1 and Preview Part 2
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