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Monday, August 8, 2011

UP's Big Upset Over FEU

Aug. 4, Thursday

Mbah's Breakout Game

The end of the 1st Quarter saw a deadlock between UP and FEU, the end of the half saw a 3-point UP lead, and the end of the 3rd saw a 9-point UP lead. Something was not right, I said to myself -- I had the feeling that a major upset was very, very possible, the way the Maroons were executing - with a lot of confidence and a lot of hunger. One could feel that "kaba" I'm sure every Tamaraw fan felt as it was very clear that the momentum was on UP's side. The body language of the Diliman boys, the look of the Morayta boys on the bench, the "kunot" on Coach Flores" forehead -- all pointed to, at least, a cardiac end game, if not a shocking loss for the Tams.

Be prepared to face bruiser Mark Bringas whenever you play FEU.

One shouldn't be intimidated because that's just part of the Tamaraws' game.

Mike Silungan chipped in 16 points while Jelo Montecastro and

Ifeanyi Mbah contributed 14 points each.

Mark Bringas was summarily ejected from the game and metted

a one game suspension for his rough housing tactics.

When UP's "Jett" Manuel is in the zone - he is simply deadly.

This was one of the most impressive putbacks of the match where Manuel outhustled two Tamaraws, contorted his body to avoid a block by Ramos

[who he knew was ready to pounce on his shot], and scored on a scoop shot

on the way down !! This rising star gave UP its biggest boost by converting on 4 of his 5 2-pt. attempts and 9 of his 11 free throws.

He was the top scorer for UP with 20 points.

As they say in Tagalog, "Matira ang Matibay", and after four quarters, it was UP on top by 13 [76-63]. The Fighting Maroons had outshot the Tamaraws; the UP boys registered a 46.6% field goal clip while their victims could only manage 38.7%. Coach Dandan's charges rebounded better and had more second chance points - they also beat the opposition 14 to 4 on

fastbreak points. As Coach stated at the post game interwview,

"We were due for another win".

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Mud On Their Wings

Aug. 3, Wednesday

The Lady Eagles' Second Straight Loss

During Ateneo's 53-32 loss to FEU that afternoon, veteran Sarah Mercado
never got her game going. She made only 1 of her 12 field goal attempts,
and 5 of her 14 free throws. Here, her fastbreak lay up is thwarted by

FEU's Elise Yazon.

Mercado tries to save the ball in this first half sequence.

The Lady Tamaraws got the better of Ateneo rookie Danica Jose. She had to work doubly hard every possession just to get into good scoring position.

Jose managed a total of 9 boards [5 of which were offensive]
but she converted only 3 of her 11 field goal attempts, all from close range.

Gutsy Jennifer Dimaano failed to score from the field but
shot 66% from the stripe to contribute 4 points.

Allana Lim, the Queen Tamaraw, put in 18 markers, 5 points more than
Lady Eagles Mercado and Jose combined. Tamaraw team mate Raiza Palmera

added 15 points. Lim's clutch baskets in the 4th [she scored 8 in that quarter] helped seal the fate of the slumping Lady Eagles.

Even wide open, Sarah just couldn't find her touch.

Sami Bo-ot, here, attempting a three sometime during the first half,

scored Ateneo's lone field goal at the 4th Quarter [a 3-pointer].
In the 4th, the girls in blue and white managed a measly 5 points as compared to their opponents' 19. Ateneo totalled only 9 conversions out of 51 attempts as compared to FEU's 23 conversions out of 66 attempts.

Four days after this heartbreaking loss which gave the Lady Eagles a 2-win, 3-loss record, they bounced back to defeat the Lady Archers [60-53]. Mercado and Jose combined for 33 points. The Ateneans also improved on their field goal % [from an all-time low of 17.6%, during their loss to FEU, to a respectable 29.4% during the La Salle match].

Was it Jose's breakout game ? Yes. She contributed 17 big ones with a 46.7%

field goal clip. Mercado's field goal % wasn't her best yet she complemented Jose's 17 with 16 of her own. [My schedule had me at the Araneta that Sunday afternoon, Aug.7, covering 2 UAAP Men's basketball matches -- The Ateneo Girls Volleyball team had a Shakey's V-League match at the same time too at the Arena in San Juan which I would have loved to cover -- as if !]

I had a brief chat with Coach Quimpo during the Ateneo-UST Men's basketball match at the Araneta, Aug.4, a day after the loss to FEU, and mentioned the diffuculty rookie Danica Jose had, trying to score. Coach commented that there are simply no short cuts [to becoming a good player, that is]. Well, having a breakout game on one's 6th game is a big step.

Congrats Coach. Good Luck to the Lady Eagles !

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The Formidable Lady Falcons

Aug. 3, Wednesday

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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Will To Win

July 31, Sunday

Adamson's the type of team that literally floors it in a game's opening seconds. They'll just try to run you down and gun you down right of - and they have the players to do it - if you're team is not physically and mentally prepared you'll simply lose the game in the first quarter alone.

The NU Bulldogs knew this. Amidst the frenzy of the cocky Adamson gallery, they kept their focus and in the first half alone, despite the sense that Adamson was actually in control all the time, I had a feeling that if the previous FEU-UST thriller kept my fingers on my DSLR shutter button, this just might be an even more nail-biting game. The kind of match where I simply knew I had to keep my lens in focus on where the action was because I sensed anything could AND WOULD happen.

Lo and behold, my instincts were right. Adamson led by 10 [20-10] after the First quarter but in the next three Quarters NU outscored them to eventually win by 7 [63-56].

40% and above -- that had been the stratosphere where the Falcons' field goal% had been consistently maintained. But by halftime it was NU holding on to a higher 44.4% field goal clip [Adamson was a close 41.2%]. Although NU outscored Adamson on the 2nd and 3rd Quarters, the Falcons still lead at the end of the half and at the start of the 4th, albeit by only 3 [46-43].

And again, just like the FEU-UST match the day before, it boiled down to who to a single clutch basket or defensive gem to finally decide the outcome. Who would take that gamble and take the shot, who would cop out and decide to kick out, or who would make that go for broke drive-in or risky assist pass ? Who would be the hero, who would be the scapegoat ??

More importantly for me was that I HAD to be able to capture that game deciding play -- lay-up or 3-pointer, foul or put back, last minute steal or block.

Turns out, with the score tied in the end game, Bulldog Lee Villamor scored on a fade away [the ball actually trickled in!] and was fouled - He missed the bonus but Adamson failed to score on the next sequence and Lee ended up open on the left corner on the next NU possession - and he drilled a three!! Bulldogs up by five !! Falcons had to call time.

Turns out too, I got Villamor's fade away twinner and left corner
Dagger Three.

Here are some select photos from that Helluva Bulldog Victory.

Right of the Falcons played very angry and agressive

but the Bulldogs were ready.

Who let this dog out? Labing -Isa a step ahead of Alvarez.

Brondial had the unenviable task of defending Bobby Parks.

NU played hungry and Austria's boys had to find

every trick in the book if they wanted to escape an upset.

Manyara was totally outhustled by Mbe.

Two Bulldogs against one Falcon.

Legs kicking, arms flailing - - -

bodies falling - - -

faces grimacing. - - -

Makes for exciting images.

More than the test of basketball skills, physical stamina and athleticism was the test of WILLs between the players.

Falcon claws versus Bulldog Teeth.

Iba talaga kapag may galit ang laro.

Yup -- Mad Dogs or Angry Birds -- Take your pick.

Mbe was everywhere.

Mbe went all out for Falcon blood. If the Falcons played like angry, angry birds -- Emmanuel played like a mad, rabid dog -- kung baga sa Tagalog --

"Parang asong ulol". He top scored for NU.

With the game tied, Villamor's fade away twinner bounces around the rim before it finally trickling in [talk about drama]. -- with a foul to boot.

Villamor's Dagger Three.

What more could I have asked for ?

I had a thriller of a game in front of me and a

pretty photographer seated to my right.

P.S.

All JPEGs in this blog, unless indicated otherwise, are

Low Res reduced/compressed files.

Original file sizes range from 6 to 8 MB.

More text to follow.

brosi gonzales

Warriors Woes Continue

July 31, Sunday

After two straight losses at the start of the Season, the Green Archers have rebounded strong and have since chalked up three straight wins [against U.P., N.U., and U.E., last Sunday]. On the other hand Gerry Codinera and Company, have lost ALL their five matches [the 5th loss was vs DLS] [87-63].

Besides Paul Zamar, John Noble, and Lucas Tagarda -- the Red Warriors simply don't have any grizzled players. If my memory serves me right, U.E. has yet to reach the 40s, when it comes to field goal shooting. Ateneo, FEU, Adamson, DLSU all average close to or above 40% field goal shooting.

Warrior Joseph Montelibano down after a thwarted U.E offensive set.

The wind was just temporarily knocked out of him, and he managed to walk himself of the court minutes later.

DLSU's Andrada , #20, now on his third year, blocks this medium jumper by John Noble. Yutien scored only 3 points but got 7 rebounds and dished out 2 assists. Noble contributed 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal,

and 3 blocks.

Twistin' and turnin' Von Chavez challenges Norbert Torres' defense.

This brave warrior converted on this one.

Few and far between. [First half action]

Adrian Santos' quickness earns him two as Andrada looks helplessly.

DLSU exploded with 32 points in the 2nd Quarter while UE manged only 13. UE simply could not counter the Archers' speed and teamwork. From then on it was a won game for de La Salle.

Zamar's veteranship alone couldn't carry the Warriors over the Archers.

That afternoon, he missed all his 3-pt. shots and had a low 22% 2-pt. field goal clip. Even if he were perfect, with the lack of able support from his team mates, 'twould be difficult for UE to make headway.