SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – After two grueling rounds of eliminations, 4 teams remain.
In what is expected to be another tight and unpredictable Final Four, the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles, the FEU Tamaraws, the De Le Salle Green Archers, and the National University Bulldogs will duke it out to claim the right to set foot on the Finals stage of UAAP Season 77.
Ateneo and FEU each have a twice-to-beat advantage as part of being the top two teams in the standings. Defending champions La Salle as well as NU will have their hands full down a tougher path to the Finals as they try to upset the top two teams.
In this Final Four Preview, we zero in on the semis series between the Blue Eagles and the Bulldogs in what promises to be a battle of extremes as the league’s best offense meets the league’s best defense.
The series begins on Wednesday, September 24 at 3:30 pm.
How did they get here?
Ateneo
The 5-time champions are it again. After winning a historic 5th consecutive title in Season 75, the Blue Eagles figured in a woeful Season 76, which they buried in distant memory right away with this year’s splendid showing.
Unlike last year – where they started the season wobbly at 0-3 and never really found their legs throughout, eventually missing the Final Four for the first time in 14 years – Ateneo went streaking to start this comeback season at 3-0 before no less than the Bulldogs halted their streak in a character win.
That loss was the only dent to the Eagles’ record as they finished the first round with a 6-1 record.
In the second round Ateneo yielded two games to rivals La Salle and Final Four opponent NU, which put on a dominant, championship-caliber performance that kept Ateneo down by double digits for the most part.
Throughout the eliminations, Ateneo, however, won in a varying number of ways – from a couple of overtime thrillers to several game-winners and comebacks. Right now, it appears the Eagles’ team character is in a good place.
They operated under the radar during the preseason, not even joining the FilOil Preseason tourney and flying abroad to train. They weren’t even at the UAAP press conference before the start of the season. But by the end of the eliminations, Ateneo was back where they usually were – at the top.
NU
The Bulldogs had to recalibrate heading into Season 76. Nowadays, Ray Parks sits courtside cheering for NU and is no longer suiting up and bailing them out in sticky situations. They also lost Cameroonian center Emmanuel Mbe.
More than re-adjusting player roles and the lineup, the real challange for head coach Eric Altamirano was conditioning the mind of his team to think collectively. Before the start of the season Altamirano preached team effort, defense, and putting up a collective effort with every single person on the bench contributing in some way.
And that’s exactly what got them here. Despite a rocky road which saw them grab a 5-2 slate to end the first round before going 4-3 in the second round, and having to scratch and claw their way past a gritty UE squad, NU made it to the Final Four.
Last year, they had a different vantage point, looking down everybody from the top spot of the standings. But even then, they couldn’t snap their 44-year Finals drought.
In a reversal of roles, NU hopes to pull off what the UST Growling Tigers did to them last season, aiming to usurp the top-seeded Ateneo despite the twice-to-beat disadvantage.
It’s a monumental task for the Bulldogs looking to get over the hump and forget about the what-ifs of yester-years.
What’s at stake?
For Ateneo, what’s at stake is proving they are still the dominant force in the UAAP. It’s proving they can recover from post-historic championship struggles and reclaim their place as champions.
More specifically, marching onto the Finals will also significantly improve the Ateneo community’s trust in relatively new coach Bo Perasol. He inherited a champion team from coach Norman Black, one that lost vital cogs to graduation. He inherited a legacy, a dynasty, and a winning tradition. The torch was passed to him, and he is tasked to run with it and keep the fire ablaze.
The same can be said for King Eagle Kiefer Ravena. Sure, he was there for two of Ateneo’s 5 titles and was instrumental to the team’s successes then, but this time around he plays a much different role. Ravena has proven he’s a reliable superstar that can find ways to win no matter what. If he can take his team to the Finals this season, he further proves he’s a true leader.
For NU, on the other hand, winning this Final Four series, simply put, means history. They make their first Finals appearance since 1970 and will have a prime chance at winning their first UAAP men’s basketball title since 1954.
It also means breaking through the barrier. They’ve been a contender in recent years yet they haven’t gone all the way. Making the Finals also vindicates the work Altamirano has done rebuilding the Bulldogs, turning them from cellar-dwellers to high-level competitors. This is also a chance for them to exorcise the ghosts from last year’s Final Four and prove they’re more mature and ready to win it all.
Finally, pulling off a major upset against Ateneo validates the very foundation of this NU team, which is teamwork above all else.
Keys to victory:
Ateneo is the top offensive team in the league right now, averaging 76 points a game. As a result of that, the season’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year are Eagles, Ravena and Arvin Tolentino, respectively.
For the Eagles to win, they will need to be as explosive as ever. Ravena will have to be on superhero mode once again and his teammates must provide the necessary contribution. At best, guys like Chris Newsome, Von Pessumal, Tolentino, Alfonso Gotladera and Nico Elorde can carry the load equally with Ravena throughout the game before Ravena can fly in to deliver the finishing kick.
Though significant bench support would make the job easier for Ateneo. Right now, they’re second to the last in the league in bench points with an average of 18.1 points.
Though Ravena has found some difficulty operating against NU’s defense. In the first round he was limited to a paltry 3-of-20 field goal shooting. He had 17 points against NU for each of their elimination round meetings, which is less than his 21.2 average. Ateneo will have to find ways to make it easier for Ravena to find his shots.
In contrast, National University is the top defensive team in the league, allowing their opponents an average of only 57 points per game. Altamirano said defense was what got his team here and that’s exactly what they will rely on against Ateneo. That’s not a bad plan considering they’re 2-0 against the Eagles this season and they’ve limited them to just 63 points in those two victories – way less than the Eagles’ comfortable scoring average, and only 6 points more than points NU allows.
But to win, NU will need one of those few games where their offense is jiving with their defense as well.
Additionally, the Bulldogs must exploit its no-superstar roster to their full advantage. This means anybody can step up and explode at any given point of the game. Unpredictability is their ally.
Personally, I also think Troy Rosario is an X-factor for NU in this series. He’s just naturally one of those guys that’s difficult to match-up with and even harder to stop. He has been a problem for Ateneo in their last two meetings, doing it all for NU in every department.
For both teams, controlling the pace will be key. Both have great trouble making things work and adjusting if it doesn’t run by their own comfortable paces.
Prediction:
My bold prediction is Ateneo, propelled by Ravena’s clutch heroics, will push past the Bulldogs though not so easily. They may lose their first game before they get it done in the second game.
– Rappler.com
Read Rappler’s preview for the De La Salle versus FEU Final Four series here:
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