brosigonzales.blogspot.com: 09/24/11

September 24, Saturday

Araneta Coliseum

Adamson Lady Falcons vs FEU Lady Tamaraws
Game 1
Best-of-Three Finals Series

During the 1st Quarter, Adamson dominated the game keeping FEU at distance, always having a counter to every Tamaraw surge, thus limiting the Moayta squad to 7 points. The 2nd Quarter saw FEU finally catch up to within 1 by halftime and the 3rd Segment had the Lady Tams ahead, albeit by a point. The last quarter felt like it was was going to be totally dominated by FEU for the same reason that they kept neutralizing every Falcon rally and when time came down to 1:52, they were ahead by 3 [56-53].

The momentum was clearly on FEU's side, they had been making stops in the last few minutes and kept on pushing the ball every single offensive sequence to pressure the AdU defense. 'Twas when FEU's long [overeager]errant passes were picked of by AdU.

These end game turnovers by FEU cost them one particular possesion by AdU wherein Fria Bernardo shot awkwardly from the left [the ball hit the rim {being ever so slightly short} bounced upward then somehow fell in]. FEU still up by 1. Lady Tam Marilourd Borja then drove, attracted a double team, then dished off to a free Vangie Soriano - bungled the solo!. Again, on a succeeding AdU possesion the feisty Bernardo attacked, made a running shot, this time from the right to bank a twinner that sent the Adamson gallery into a frenzy. Adamson up by 1 [57-56].

Down to 11.2 left in the match, FEU now behind by 1, Adamson was fouled and awarded 2 freethrows. Adamson made the first, missed the second but an alert Snow Penaranda snatched the offensive rebound and made the putback, putting her team 4 points ahead, stunning the Lady Tamaraws.

The buzzer sounded with the scoreboard reading FEU-56 - AdU-60.

Coach Emily Vega and Company was now a win away from a 3-peat. The Adamson faithful erupted in wild abandon as the Tamaraw followers could only drop their jaws. [They just blew a 3-pont lead in the last two minutes]

This is the awkward shot by Bernardo

that was a tad short, which bounced up, then somehow fell back in.

Bernardo's second consecutive attempt

was a running jumpshot that she banked in.

Whatta shot !

As if flapping/flexing her Falcon wings

Fearless Falcon Fria B. Flat Out Flaunts it.

She had just single-handedly overhauled FEU's 3-point lead.

Triple -teamed Marilourd Borja sets up team mate Vangie Soriano

for an uncontested point blank shot.

Soriano elevates - and bungles it !

After Penaranda's putback --> Chest Bump !! Bouyaa !!

[This one here, is the butt version]

Snow Penaranda bumping with Joy, de leon, that is.

Fria's Fearless drives and Snow's end game Savy

had just brought the Lady Falcons

a win away from a 3-peat !!!

Lim , Palmera, Sambile and Company now needed
two straight wins over the Defending Champion Falcons,
--- tough but doable.

FEU Baby Tamaraws vs NU Bullpups

Game 1

Best -of-Three Finals Series

What I like about Game 1's is that both teams are even-Steven,

everybody starts from square one.

A BIG one game advantage is the first order of the day.

A Baby Tamaraw, he is not. FEU's one-man-scoring machine, Jerie Pinggoy,

[only had 7 minutes rest] played 38 minutes and led all scorers again with 22.

Tamaraw Jovanie Luz challenges NU big, Paolo Rivero.

Luz shot a decent 4 out of 8 from the field.

FEU's Josuah Palacio displays some nifty moves versus Kevin Villagracia.

This shot didn't go in, though.

I've seen this zombie-like look a thousand times --

[wether it's 20-point blow-out or a 1-point defeat]

A loss is a loss.

This one is of the "Championship-Series-Variety"

Atangan, above, along with Baliton, missed a total of 4 free throws in the last minutes of regulation time. No doubt, it was a "won-game-lost". Ironically, FEU won by 4 points in overtime [71-67]. The Baby Tams, like the Lady Falcons were now just a win away from a UAAP Championship.

--- Later, that afternoon ---

--- Let's Go !! Let's Go Tamaraws, Let's Go !! ---

About an hour before game time, I approached some

FEU fans who gladly posed for me.

They are Mark Reyes, Sydney Tan, Samantha Nuyda, Michael Baldos,

Zyra Sison, Sean Castronuevo and three other guys

[they left as I was chatting with the other six]

--- Go Ateneo, One Big Fight !!! ---

As I had to anxiously rush back to the Gateway basment parking to get something I forgot [game time was nearing and I didn't have any group photo af any Ateneo fans] I noticed a group of young girls chatting near the ticket booth lobby. I immediately approached them for a snap. Turns out they were Ateneo fans, and not only that, one of them, Marian Garciano, [the sister of a footballer friend of mine, Paolo Garciano from DLS Greenhills] ,

was one of the Poveda High Posse.

[I had been photographing Paolo's early grade school and high school

soccer exploits, along with my nepehew, Nace, who grew up playing soccer alongside Paolo at Southridge, for so many years. To this very day, I still have that analogue print of Nace and Paolo during their

FIRST EVER soccer lesson, circa 2001 !]

From that point on, it was breeze taking their photos.

In the above JPEG, is John Cena, Missy Payumo, Nikki Mendoza,

Dani Azanza, Max Mendiola, and

Marian Garciano [extreme right], wearing flip-flops.

Behind are Asi Taulava, Regine Velasquez, Leah Salonga,

Norah Jones, and Margie Moran.

Another Tamaraw Fan.

Ateneo Blue Eagles vs FEU Tamaraws

Game 1

Best-of-Three Finals Series

At the half, both Terrence Romeo and

Kiefer Ravena both had 10 points,

and the score was tied at 33.

I found you very attractive --

that's why I stole these shots.
It's as simple as that.

Rusell Escoto outjumps Kirk Long.

I've seen this die-hard Ateneo fan cheer louder than
some other younger Blue Eagle folowers.

-- Talk about the colorful UAAP demographic ! --

Pia Ducanes is only a few months young, and
she's already been to a UAAP Basketball Finals Game !!
She is the daughter of Pong Ducanes, the UAAP's Chief Statistician.

Meil Garcia, meanwhile, is all of 2 years and 2 months.

She was brought along by Menchi Cerdena.

Meil Garcia's counterpart from Ateneo, Ashton Victorino.
Ashton just turned three last September 10, and he is just 10 months older than Meil. This JPEG is a file photo, though - Ashton was in Hong kong on Sept.24 - he'll be back home in time to attend Game 2.

Come the 2nd Half, the Blue Eagles

got their game going, and

outscored the Tamaraws,

27 to 16, in the 3rd Quarter, prompting Johnny Abarrientos and
Anton Montinola to become more critical on calls
and non-calls favoring Ateneo.

Romeo tried his damn best to keep it close -

and tried to lead his team, but aside from his 8 points,

Aldrech added 4 and Exciminiano and Pogoy added 2 each

to add only 16 to their 33 1st half points.

Ateneo, in the meantime got a healthy 27 points.

Greg had 2 dunks while Nico had one [on a breakaway].

All in all, Salva, Ravena, Slaughter, Monfort and Long combined
for 24 points, complemented by Erram's additional 3.

Kiefer scored his lone three [a clutch basket], on the 4th Quarter,
when the Tamaraws still had a fighting chance.

Salva scored 8 for 8 from the field and 8 for 8 from the charity lane !!
100% field goal and free throw shooting [on a Championship Game at that!]

Bouyaa !!!

At one point, in the 4th, Ateneo led by 20 points, at which period,
most everyone knew that only a REAL miracle could save the Tanaraws.

Ateneo's field goal clip [48% - 1st Half] registered 60% after 2 halves,

while FEU's [46.7% - 1st half] registered 40%.

When all was said and done, the Eagles had 82 points to the Tamaraws' 64.

Game 1 was History.

RR missed ALL his seven 3-pointers, and his 6 points came from

3 out of 8 attempts converted [a sub par 37.5% from last year's MVP].

--- It's Sarap ---
[Taglish for It's A Wrap]
Ateneo courtside reporter Jazz Reyes and Studio 23/ABS-CBN Sports
Floor Director Trisa Carlos trot towards the dugouts.
Just another game at the office.

Game 3 is set for Tuesday, September 27.

Best to check your newspapers for the scheduled time.

Some pahabol post game snaps here.