The Blue Eagles: After the 1st Round

5 August 2008

Amazing how things fall into place - after Ateneo absorbed its first defeat at the hands of an inspired FEU team, they dropped into a triple tie for first with DLSU and FEU at 5-1. But in last weekend's games, La Salle fell to UE and FEU got blindsided by NU, while Ateneo got back on track by beating UST. So as the first round ended, Ateneo was solo 1st place at 6-1 with FEU and DLSU breathing down their necks at 5-2 apiece.

The first round involved a lot of experimentation for Coach Norman Black and his assistants, what with four rookies blending in, and the 6 wins were a welcome bonus; most pundits picked Ateneo to finish 4th or 5th.

Ryan Buenafe was as good as the hype, diversifying the Ateneo offense with his ability to get to the rim, finish, and draw fouls. The Eagles already had Eric Salamat to do that for them but Salamat was smaller and shiftier. Buenafe was a lot bigger and his attack style was that of a bulldozer providing a change of pace from the finesse of Salamat. No UAAP team could contend with this two headed slashing duo, either the opponents big men were too lean for Buenafe, or too slow for Salamat. The playing time given to Buenafe was another testament to Black's confidence in the freshman's abilities although defensively and on the boards, there was still a lot of room to grow. Nico Salva showed brief displays of brilliance but is probably a year away from making any solid and consistent contribution. Justin Chua and Vince Burke rode the pine for most of the first round and will likely log insignificant minutes for Season 71 as they continue watching and learning.

This year's version of the big three (Rabeh Al Hussaini, Chris Tiu and Nonoy Baclao) showed everyone that they can stand toe to toe with the stars of Eagles past. The 3 are underrated individually, but have proven without a doubt that they can excel while working within the system and the team concept. Al Hussaini was the biggest revelation, arguably surpassing even Ford Arao's amazing transformation into a legit center last year in terms of impact and actual statistics. Adding a reliable low post game anchored on a jump hook to take advantage of his 6-6 frame, Al Hussaini has become a major option in the Ateneo offense. His inside scoring has drawn double teams freeing up teammates and loosening up defenses. He finished the first round a close second to UST big man Jervy Cruz in statistical points, a far cry from his inconsistent showings in previous years. Baclao has been a monster on defense, continuing his spectacular 2nd round last year. He has somehow learned to adjust to the referees and isn't as foul prone as last year. He has controlled the lane and has struck fear into opposing big men and slashers alike, anchoring the defense and erasing teammates mistakes. His offense is mainly putbacks and midrange jumpers off pick and rolls but he earns his minutes as the best defensive player in the league anyway. Chris Tiu is undoubtedly the King Eagle this year, not necessarily stats-wise although he did finish 3rd in the MVP stats race behind Cruz and Al Hussaini, but leadership wise and the ability to fill in the gaps and contribute where the team seems to be deficient. He does not need to score 20 a game to be effective, but the threat he poses makes teams alter their game plans, much like UST did when they played a zone whenever Tiu sat and let the Eagles fire away from long range. Tiu has picked his spots to score and has focused his energies in rebounding, probing defenses and stabilizing the team. His stat line against the Tigers reflected his all around brilliance - 14 pts, 9 rbs, 7 asts, 3 stls.

The other players all had their moments, even as the rotation firmed up and Black began to get a better feel of who to rely on for extended periods. Jai Reyes and Yuri Escueta were entrenched at the point, before Escueta was sidelined briefly with a knee injury. This offense-defense tandem at the point guard spot works well for the team and the duo's experience will prove vital in crucial stages down the road. Bacon Austria and Kirk Long also saw considerable time at the point and swing positions. Long could not find a groove in round 1 but he is too talented to remain in a funk for the whole season. Austria needs to become a threat offensively to complement his court sense and excellent instincts. Jobe Nkemakolam started strong but tapered off by the last few games of the first round, and the lack of aggressiveness resulted in a drop in minutes. He remains vital to the rotation as long as he keeps his head and focus.

Overall, the Eagles have been winning with a clamp down brand of defense, holding opponents to scoreless stretches to break away as Adamson and UST found out. This was first evident during the last quarter of the Nike Final against UE in the preseason, where they exhibited a desire and determination to shut down the opponent's offense. They have shown this in all their wins in the regular season and most especially against UE again, where they matched UE's speed and quickness for the full 40 minutes and applied relentless pressure, something they did not show last season. If they can continue to focus and play defense the way they have been doing, this might just be another championship team in the making.

Complete 2nd Round Schedule Here

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