ONE of my sportswriting heroes Rick Olivares called it first: there has been a rivalry brewing the last few years in college basketball. Loyola's high-flying Blue Eagles vs Morayta's fearsome Tamaraws. While not as ballyhooed as the former's age old rivalry from Taft Avenue, Ateneo vs FEU has been there the last few years. I remember Leo Avenido and company denying Rico Villanueva's Eagles a trip to the finals in 2000, Gerard Jones and Cesar Catli punishing the Rich Alvarez and Wesley Gonzales led Eagles in the 2003 finals from inside and out, then there was LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar joining forces to overcome Arwind Santos' Tams in 2005, JC Intal's dagger in the hearts of Jonas Villanueva's squad in 2006 to deny them entrance to the Final 4, and don't get me started on the 33 point, 21 rebound game of Rabeh Al Hussaini in a loss to Mark Barroca's Tams. Each of these games, classics, I tell ya.
And so here we are again, Ateneo vs FEU for collegiate basketball's premiere prize. Last year FEU decimated the league with UAAP MVP RR Garcia and bruising big Reil Cervantes, Aldrech Ramos, and top rook Terrence Romeo, while Ateneo relied on the teamwork and execution of rising stars Nico Salva, Justin Chua, Kirk Long, and eventual finals MVP Ryan Buenafe. The Eagles put on a clinic on the court, sweeping Morayta's goliaths with championship savvy. This time around, it's Ateneo with the regular season romp and FEU rounding out into form deep in the season. Who shall seize basketball immortality?
CENTER: Ateneo has a mix of bigs who can provide power (Slaughter), savvy (Chua), toughness (Golla), and defense (Erram). That, and the best big man coach in the land. Coach Norman Black's staple in his gameplan has always been that tough, strapping big to anchor the paint the best way he knows how. While each center has specialties and weaknesses, Coach Norman has the luxury of swapping bigs, depending on what skill set the game requires.
FEU will have the comebacking Pipo Noundou to help out the athletic Russell Escoto, 6'10" Chris Sentcheu, and Clarence Foronda. Aldrech Ramos will also play center when needed. While Coach Bert Flores' bigs aren't exactly Mythical Five members, they are long, athletic, and utterly dedicated to do the dirty work required to free up their guards, where most of the offensive production comes from.
It will be a tall order to stop Ateneo's bigs, but if focused and if they attack with energy, FEU has a chance to dominate the paint for good stretches.
Still, advantage ATENEO.
FORWARDS: Kobe Bryant-trained fanboy Nico Salva has been balling absolutely out of his mind. Save for a couple games when he went cold, Ateneo's Venomenon has been playing at an All-Star veteran level, draining jumpers, scoring in the paint, slashing to the hoop, consistently up the leaderboard with star rooks Slaughter and Keifer Ravena. Kirk Long, as always, reliable on both ends on the floor, locking up opposing scorers and turning on the jets for fastbreak layups. Bash brothers Bacon Austria and Zags Gonzaga plus Oping Sumalinog have also shown sparks of what they can do on occasion.
FEU's plethora of forwards, like their centers, do very well as a frontcourt unit. All stand at 6'4" to 6'6" and play tough, hardnosed basketball. Aldrech Ramos anchors this frontcourt unit well, and Carl Bryan Cruz, Mark Bringas, defensive ace Ping Exciminiano and the comebacking JR Cawaling always play with a lot of hustle.
While Salva and Long are brilliant, the bench forwards have yet to show that they can truly pick up the slack when the starting forwards sit down. Von Pessumal and Gwynne Capacio show promise, and will be great players in the future, but they're still raw. FEU's forwards are veteran bruisers, and with Cawaling coming back, the Tams have a threat from deep if he catches fire. Here's where the Eagles will miss Buenafe and his skill set and high hoops IQ to relieve pressure from Long and Salva. The starters have to truly turn it up in the Finals for the Eagles to pull away.
Slight advantage, ATENEO.
GUARDS: Let's get this out of the way: Keifer Ravena, the Phenom, the Blue Mamba, whatever basketball messiah monicker you wanna call him, is FOR REAL. This kid is a basketball dynamo who will be the next big thing in Pinoy hoops. His point guard Emman Monfort has been extremely reliable as Coach Norman's floor general, running the Blue Eagle offense while disrupting passing lanes on the other end. Juami Tiongson is steady at the point, with Zags ready to provide intensity off the pine.
But FEU boasts of the best backcourt in the league with RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo. Add spitfire Mike Tolomia off the bench and Coach Bert Flores boasts of a three-pronged guard attack that is a nightmare for opposing defenses. He has used all three on the court often and with great success; quick, aggressive, and all armed with 3-point range. JR Cawaling, 6'4" and all, if he puts his head on the game, can be a threat at the 2 with his range and height. Exciminiano alsom plays some guard especially when FEU faces explosive backcourt scorers.
Despite Keifer's talent and Monfort's veteran smarts, Tiongson, Gonzaga, and at times playing guard Austria have to provide more help. The Eagles' 3-point shooting has been virtually non-existent as exposed in that loss vs Adamson. They will be facing a young and hungry guard corps eager for revenge after getting shut down in last year's finals.
Advantage, FEU.
How both coaches shuffle personnel will be crucial. Will Coach Bert Flores go big to match up with Ateneo's size? Which guard combo will Coach Norman Black go with to counter FEU's guard attack?
I expect the series to go down in 3 games. Tough call because both teams have their strengths and glaring weaknesses. Both coaches have their work cut out for them in order to compensate for their weaknesses. If Ateneo somehow finds its touch from deep, it'll be over easy. If FEU's bigs find the energy to defend the paint, expect the Tams to win it all. But in my opinion, Ateneo's defense and halfcourt execution will carry them through. I predict an Eagles win 2-1 for the 4peat.
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