On The Edge.

by Migs

Round 2 of UAAP Season 71 is nearly over, and, after a weekend which featured a couple of nailbiters, we have, set in stone, our Final Four.

The names have been tatooed in history, yes, but where everyone is set to lie before the teams wage war against one another has yet to have been determined.

Here are some random thoughts I have on what's set to be a rollercoaster ride of a Final Four (along with some other miscellaneous UAAP quips too).

*Ateneo has its claws firmly set on the top spot in the UAAP, while the UE Red Warriors, a team that has been maligned for their lack of composure down the stretch as much as they have been lauded for having one of the league's most potent offenses, barely eeked into the Final Four with a 2 point win over scrappy UST last Sunday at the Philsports Arena (Tigers' courtside rose Diane Querrer's demeanor during team huddles was telling of just how skewed UST's intensity was during the game; whenever your courtside reporter exhibits more consistent intensity than your on-court ruffians, well, something isn't right in paradise, for sure). In years past, Ateneo and UE have tussled in the Final Four, with the Eagles coming out as the victors time and time again. This year, the currently 12-1 boys from Loyola Heights have one word boldly emblazoned on their calling card- DEFENSE. With gunners like Kirk Long, Chris Tiu, and Eric Salamat having shooting games as erratic as rain on a tropical island, the Blue Eagles have turned to their league leading team defense to get them out of tough scrapes (not to mention Rabeh Al Hussaini's superb post play and, well, timely shooting and end game poise from Chris Tiu). Couple that with UE's penchant for going hot-cold in a hurry, and what you're bound to get is a competitive game that, invariably, will go to the team that knows how to settle down when the fireworks starting cracking and amp things up when opportunities to exploit the lack of intensity in one's opponent arise.

All things considered, book Ateneo a ticket to the 2008 UAAP Finals. I say Ateneo will manage to beat pesky UE in 2 thrilling matches.

*With the elimination of the UST Growling Tigers from Final Four contention, it may be safe to surmise that the UAAP MVP race has come down to three players- Ateneans Rabeh Al Hussaini and Chris Tiu, and La Sallean JVee Casio. In terms of statistical points, Al Hussaini would seem to have the edge of the former Rookie of the Year clad in green and white and the sweet shooting prodigy who has seemed to succeed in just about everything he's been involved in in life. If I were a betting man, I'd put my dough on Rabeh, but if I were to see things from the perspective of a hoops analyst, I'd say that Chris Tiu deserves the MVP award for Season 71.

Why you ask?

Well, as much as Rabeh is Ateneo's best pencil and paper player, Chris is undoubtedly the heart and soul of the Blue and White. He settles down his compatriots during tense situations, and seems to come up big when the stakes are highest. Don't get me wrong- this boy's no Robert Horry. He doesn't just play big during a ballgame's waining moments. He consistently plays smart and hard for 40 minutes. He nails big jumpers, draws fouls (which almost always translates to two points as Tiu is one of the league's best from the 15th parallel), nabs rebounds (he's averaged better than 5 rebounds over the course of Season 71, a rather impressive number for a player who plays guard, who roams the perimeter a lot, and isn't the tallest or most athletic cager on the floor, often times), and is capable of almost single handedly reviving a fire in his teammates through his vocal type of leadership and commitment to making heady plays in lieu of being a catalyst for knee-jerk plays that usually end up in coaches' blood pressures going up the wazoo. Casio is a spitfire who is synonymous to instance offense and poise down the stretch, but I think that he still doesn't do as much as Tiu does for Ateneo on both ends of the floor. Rabeh, as dominant as he's been this year, is a bit of an overrated defender, and is more of power rebounder and scorer more than being a "total package" type of baller.

I therefore conclude that Chris Tiu should be UAAP MVP for Season 71.

And no, I am not a crazed fangirl or member of the third sex. I'm just a guy calling things as I see them.

*If I could have a dime for every errant jump shot Edwin Asoro threw up this season, I'd be fairly wealthy. Similarly, had he not tossed up so many ill-advised perimeter bombs, than maybe NU would be in the Final Four. What's Coach Manny Dandan to do?

*Yes, guys like Chris Tiu, JVee Casio, and Rico Maierhoffer may dominate sports headlines, but one unheralded cager might just end up having the last laugh. If FEU guard Mark Barroca continues his Chauncey Billups-esque play, then we could witness an FEU renaissance sooner than later. Throw in burgeoning big man Aldrich Ramos, a healthy Mac Baracael, sweet shooting JR Cawaling, and solild play from role players like Jens Knuttel and Marlon Adolfo and what you get is a team on the rise, if not at the tail end of this year's UAAP, most definitely, in 2009.

*FEU and La Salle are all set to go head to head for a spot in the UAAP finals. The only thing that has yet to have been determined is who will possess the twice to beat advantage once the Final Four begins. If FEU owns the twice to beat plum, I would have to pick them to face Ateneo in the big dance. If La Salle owns twice to beat, well, I say that La Salle goes on to the finals, which, in turn, should make every single establishment in the vicinity of Araneta Coliseum, along with those who run Araneta Coliseum itself, very, very happy.

In the finals, I have a feeling that Ateneo will have enough to turn back La Salle or FEU. No one on either of the lower seeded squads can shadow Rabeh Al Hussaini, and Ateneo's bench seems gritty and deep enough to be supressed consistently. I say that only solid perimeter defense, coupled with torrid shooting and disciplined switching from the post to the perimeter will give either DLSU or FEU a chance.

Blue Eagle the King? I say yes to that. Give it three closely contested ballgames.

*"Unofficial" UAAP plums:

-Most Improved Player: Rabeh Al Hussaini, Ateneo- Need I say more?

Runner Up--> Mark Barroca, FEU

-Biggest Underachiever: Michael Galinato, Adamson- If this guy only got more touches, and were more agressive down low, then maybe, just maybe, Adamson wouldn't be in the cellar, and Coach Leo Austria wouldn't be so villified for being the Falcons' messiah just because his boys might actually do something to help the team reap some success for a change.

Runners Up--> Edwin Asoro, NU, Mark Agustin, Adamson, Kirk Long, Ateneo

-Chick Magnet of the Year: Jens Knuttel, FEU- Hey, Chris Tiu can't win it every year, can he?

Runners Up--> JR Cawaling, FEU, James Martinez, UE, Marcie Arellano, UE

-Mr. Pure Energy: Josh Webb, DLSU- Just like his middle name ("Spider"; yes, that is his real, given, middle name), the son of Senator Freddie Webb and the younger brother of former DLSU point guard Jason Webb has put his hops, and eager beaver facial expressions, to good use this season, as he has helped bolster a formidable Archer bench that has played a major role in La Salle being on the cusp of a twice to beat edge entering the latter stages of Round 2.

Runner Up--> Eric Salamat, Ateneo

-Best Courtside Reporter: Trish Roque, UP- Kamae and Portia for Ateneo tend to be a bit "over the top". Sharon Yu too. Diane Querrer is good but lacks camera presence and spunk. Aaron Atayde, Alexis Go, and Rizza Diaz tend to hesitate when they speak on camera.

Kudos to Trish Roque for always having a "balanced" grin on her face and for having impeccable diction and informative updates every time Boom or TJ call upon her for some on-air chatter. Congratulations, UP, you have indeed taken steps forward this year, both on and off the court.

Runner Up--> Diane Querrer, UST

-Mr. "Where've You Gone?": Kirk Long, Ateneo- Talk about a "sophomore jinx". Last season, this kid was in the Ateneo starting lineup and was knocking down big shot after big shot (just ask UST). This year, he can't shoot a golf ball into a pail and is getting himself pinned down on the Eagles bench in favor of Eric Salamat and rookie sensation Ryan Buenafe.

Runner Up--> Kasim Mirza, UST

-"Huh?" Award: James Martinez, UE- He left his game shorts at home during a game against mighty DLSU. Because of this, he wasn't able to play until the tail end of the 3rd quarter. The Red Warriors went on to lose that match against the boys from Taft.

Talk about a weird turn of events.

Runner Up--> The UE Red Warriors (For Nearly Blowing a 24 Point Fourth Quarter Lead To UST on August 31, 2008)

-"Duh" Award: Paul Gonzalgo, Adamson- Many apologies to his dad, former PBA cager Dante Gonzalgo, but if Paul chucked up fewer threes over the course of 40 minutes, then maybe Leo Austria wouldn't have to get so worked up, and guys like Colina and Galinato might actually get to establish the presences inside more (to the betterment of the team). This guy has tossed up way too many threes than he should over the past season. I'm all for giving the fellow with the hot hand the rock, but what gives when the man with the hot hand begins to cool off and yet continues to launch errant perimeter shots?

Adamson fans, does this all sound familiar? Does the name Patrick Cabahug and his ball-hogging ways (just to be perfectly blunt), come to mind?

Runner Up--> Clark Bautista, UST (Brother, if only you hadn't tried to throw up a three with 24 seconds left against a rattled UE squad at the Philsports Arena last August 31st...if only. You might have actually helped your Tigers win that game, or at least, maybe overtime would have happened. Jervy Cruz was on the floor at the time. A drop pass for an easy deuce would have been nice, but no, it didn't happen. Talk about a muffed chance.)


*"Official" UAAP Awards:

MVP- Chris Tiu, Ateneo
Rookie of the Year- Ryan Buenafe, Ateneo
The Court Colonel Thing (For Point Guards)- Marcie Arellano, UE
Defensive Player of the Year- Aldrech Ramos, FEU

Mythical Five:

C- Rabeh Al Hussaini, Ateneo
PF- Jervy Cruz, UST
SF- James Mangahas, DLSU
SG- Chris Tiu, Ateneo
PG- JVee Casio, DLSU


Okay, I've said just about all I can say about the Final Four (and beyond) for the moment. Now, can anyone spare this old boy some game tickets?

I'm kidding, of course, but jokes are half meant. I need to, after all, "watch" the games to be able to write about them, through and through, effectively.

Let's enjoy the next few UAAP weeks, everyone. Every bout's a must win. Every bout's got color and shape totally unique from the ones before it. All in all, we're set to write a couple of more pages in the annals of Philippine Basketball History.

Lord knows everyone wants to do that effectively, and with style.

*Work to well be nourished, finish with undeniable beauty. Flourish!*

Cheers, people.

MC

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