The games of the UAAP Basketball Final Four are just two days away. Will the FEU colors fly on first try? Or will the Warriors make us weary?

Worried about Warriors

We should be scared. Really, really scared.

UE is on a tear. Sports pundits will tightrope the fact that the team is on a six-game winning run. Half of the experts will say, “They can’t be stopped, they’re on a roll!” The other half however will say, “Well, they’re due for a loss. What better team to give them that loss than the second-ranked team in the tournament?”

No matter how much I hope for the latter, I have a feeling that UE will still be riding their momentum. I cannot imagine Paul Lee, Pari Llagas and Elmer Espiritu letting down now. They can smell it. They know they CAN beat our Tamaraws. Hey, aside from the defending champion, this is the only team that beat FEU this year!

Why is UE suddenly championship caliber? Well, first of all, their three best players—Lee, Llagas and Espiritu—have settled down. And, also, Zamar’s fiery hustle as a combo guard who can either start or get off the bench has really helped their cause. Add to that Val Acuna finding his range and Raphy Reyes emerging as a pesky defender.

My hope, however, is that FEU will beat UE in a close ballgame. Just so the team can take some kind of momentum going into the finals, aside from the obvious exaction of vengeance they want to inflict on Ateneo for beating them twice in the elims.

No INC? No biggie

Even without the involvement of the Iglesia Ni Chris Tiu (INC), this team is as formidable as billed at the start of the season, winning 13 games and losing only once—to a UP team lifted by Woody Co (I really hope that this guy goes into the charcoal or lumber business. He should call it “Woody Wood Company,” going by the brand name “Woody Co.”).

Ateneo will dispatch of the Tigers. Easily. I doubt that the Dylan Ababou’s MVP award would buoy their spirits. Maybe, for one or two quarters. But the Eagles are tenacious. Put down Al Hussaini, and Salamat will come through. Nonoy Baclao—who is seriously thinking of changing his nickname by adding another Y to make it Noynoy as a tribute to the presidentiable (just kidding)—has been hurting. But he still does the job. It’s like the guy took defensive lessons from Dikembe Mutombo—HE NEVER LEAVES HIS FEET! (Kids, that’s how you block shots—timing. It’s not about how high you jump.) Not only that, Jai Reyes, who has really emerged as a clutch performer can’t seem to miss dagger threes when they count most. Remember the two triples the small guy ripped through the net versus the Tamaraws in the last game of elims? Argh! Considering Salva and Buenafe have not really found consistency this year, this team has been consistent at WINNING. And one wonders: If Salva and Buenafe perform as hyped, it will be hard time on planet earth for whoever they’re facing in the next few games.

Can you really imagine Dylan Ababou, Khasim Mirza and rookie Jeric Teng beating the Eagles—TWICE? With a better pointguard, the team could be dangerous. But the reason this team lapses into turnovers is the inability of its guards to penetrate and be a threat. That is why players like Ababou, Mirza and Teng have to overextend themselves by going on too many one-on-ones. You can’t say the same about UE (I know they won’t be pitted against each other, just comparing). The Warriors have better ballhandlers who are actual decision makers. Although Paul Lee plays at the forward spot, I see him as a guard. Have you seen how precise his alley-hoop passes to Espiritu have been in the second round? While the first two times I saw it made me jump out of my sofa, it has been the same old two-handed flush over and over again. Until Espiritu catches the ball with his back to the basket, turn in midair with the ball in hand, and then slam it emphatically while going down, I won’t be jumping off my sofa. … Unless it’s the winning basket of a final four game. Hehehe…

Back to (our) school

I have seen at least 10 games of the FEU Tamaraws. I am constantly weary which of our team would show up. Would it be the sharp one or the sloppy one?

Had the team appeared in the finals last year, I’d have no problem picking them unscathed for the title this year. Unfortunately, the team is afflicted with the Ginebra personality—especially those Marlou Aquino-led teams of the mid- to late-90s. So that the younger generation would understand what that means, here is the gist: Talented as the team is, they tend to think that they can turn on the switch ANYTIME. They think they can let the other team beat them up for the first few quarters and then come back in the end. Drama is good for a telenovela, but for a sports team, it’s recipe for disaster.

They’re badly missing the services of Pipo Noundou. Reil Cervantes has been giving it his all, but they really need that third big man who can be a threat—inside and in the nearby perimeter. You can depend on Aldrech Ramos all day long. He’ll give you a double-double guaranteed. Remember, this is the only guy who averaged more than 10 points and 10 rebounds the whole tournament. I do think, however, that this guy SHOULD BE AN 18-POINT SCORER. He just needs plays called for him. Or isn’t that allowed in Glen Capacio’s system for Aldrech to demand the ball? In their game against the Eagles, I don’t remember him resting. And the really amazing thing about it is that he never wavered. You don’t see him gasp for air. Like what I have been telling friends, have this guy get cuts and muscle definition like Arwind Santos, and this guy would be pro-ready. In my observation, the wingmen and the guards have monopoly of the ball. When Sanga gets it, coming from a screen, nine chances out of ten he’ll go for the shot. Granted he’s been hitting his threes lately, but I hope some of those shots be given to the big men instead.

Can somebody please tell JR Cawaling that it was Mac-mac Baracael who got stabbed not him, and that it happened last year not this year? Why is he playing like a guy who just got knifed? In the Ateneo game, he had two crucial turnovers—coming from the same flashy wrap-around pass move that’s not fooling anybody! I have been waiting for the real JR Cawaling to show up for 14 games. Hopefully, he gets cleared of his temporary amnesia (or is it his overactive empathy disorder that jumbled his wires into believing he WAS THE ONE WHO GOT STABBED) when they play this weekend against the Warriors.

Tighter is better

I am a bit baffled by the makeup of this team. It’s like they think—of course due to that Ginebra mentality—that Andy Barroca can save them ANYTIME. The problem is, just like in the last game against Ateneo, he is human. He didn’t pull through. I applaud Glen Capacio for benching the guy in the third quarter in a game we were leading by double digits so that he can stay fresh for the fourth. One caveat though of that is, since Barroca hasn’t really been shooting the lights out that afternoon, he never found his groove staying on the bench that long. Baka natuyuan na ng pawis si Andy. And believe me, as a guy who plays the game, I know how much that cramps one’s style.

It’s a good thing that RR Garcia has been taking the necessary beatings this early. He’ll be running the team in the future together with Pipo. This is valuable experience he’s getting. But, I hope it’s not for the detriment of the team—this year.

I hope Coach Capacio can shave off his player rotation.

If and when Noundou comes back healthy, it should only be a three-big man rotation. Pipo, Aldrech and Reil can do the banging.

In the backcourt, I also want to see a more solid three-man rotation on the two positions. Jens Knuttel, RR Garcia and Andy Barroca can run this team. Start with RR and Andy, then substitute one with Knuttel doing pointguard chores, with the remaining starting guard sliding onto the 2-guard position. Both RR and Andy can shoot the lights out from the outside.

Start Cawaling and have Sanga come off the bench for that much-needed surprise sniping. I am pretty sure that these two can handle the 3 position. Have Sanga play some guard, too, if the two-pointguard combination doesn’t work from time to time.

ONLY Tanuan will be my wildcard. That’s a solid 8-9-player rotation. Come on, it’s time we get tight! There are, what, a maximum of five games left. The Tamaraws should be all business.

Picks, tics and kicks

I am sure FEU loyals will kick my ass for stating my predictions. Here they are:

Ateneo beats UST by at least 10 points to get to the finals. Rabeh would be asking Coach Norman where to find nice slacks for BIGGIE-SIZED GUYS at the start of the fourth quarter while Chua plays in his place. And, yes, we might see an appearance by Toni Gonzaga’s little bro, Tonino. (Wait, is he still in the lineup?)

FEU will get beaten by the Warriors, in a close first game. It will surely fire up those identity questions when it happens. And, yes, in the gap leading to the second FEU-UE game, the media will be asking Ateneo players, coaches, staff, alumni, including Noynoy Aquino, who they prefer to go up against in the finals. I bet Noynoy would have a standard answer: “Kung sino ang deserving.”

Before I get ahead of myself and go all the way to the finals, let’s wait and see. Panoorin ninyo na lang ang games sa weekend (I can’t, I have work! DAMN!).

DISCLAIMER!!!

DON’T GET ME WRONG. I want FEU to win and win right away. But under the circumstances, objectively speaking, we’re in trouble in the first game. Hopefully, if my prediction becomes true, it fires the Tamaraws up to dispatch of the Warriors CONVINCINGLY in the next game. If my prediction falls flat, WELL, THAT’S ALL FOR THE BETTER THEN. Prove me wrong, guys.

 

September 18th, 2009 by A Les Lupisan A Les Lupisan is a creative writer + director. He is an alumnus of the Advocate + a graduate of AB Mass Communication, batch 2002. He is an artist, a musician, a writer, but aren't we all?