Just got back from Araneta to watch an Ateneo-VL Salle game live ..... since I wasn't able to get a ticket last July 24.

Ateneo was entering the game with a spotless record while VL Salle was 3-3. By all reckoning, this would be a blow-up.

But this is the junior edition of THE rivalry and in such games, throw stats out of the window. VL Salle led ... throughout the first half ... even up by as much as 8 points. The Eaglets were tight. We know because Coach Jarin was yelling at all of his wards non-stop.

However, the Eaglets engineered a comeback. By the end of the half, the Archers were ahead just by two points.

The Eaglets this year are anchored by a "big three" - Ravena, Pessumal and Romero. Add to these freshman Javelosa and senior Dumrique and you have the basic team responsible for leaving the opponents in their dust in the first round.

The third quarter .... and Ateneo zoomed ahead by as much as 14. Game over. The lead see-sawed between 9-14 points the rest of the way. Final score was 71-57.

In this season, one has to watch the Blue Eaglets because of an oddity ..... a 12-year old cheerleader who's in first year high school.

I was invited to sit with some parents and in analyzing why the Eaglets surrendered a deficit and only heated up in the second half, we attributed it to one cause ..... air-conditioning! When the game started, the aircon was off (or maybe was just turned on) and it was hot and humid. The Eaglets were missing their shots, even their foul shots. By the third quarter, the court was cooler and voila, the full court press plus points off turnovers dramatically reversed the tide.

I asked around. The consensus seems to be of a strong chance for a sweep. The only real road-blocks are UST (because they have a player, Ferrer, who plays all positions) ..... and VL Salle because, well, anything happens when the blue and green meet.

So there you have it ..... 7-0. The journey continues .... and will it be a perfect season?

A cursory research of the UAAP junior championships shows:

- that Adamson had an awesome 6-peat
- that the Ateneo has already achieved a 4-peat
- that Ateneo has already notched a 3-peat
- that Ateneo has a record of 11 consecutive seasons in the finals
- that Ateneo has the most championships (16)

1978-1979 1st
1979-1980 1st
1980-1981 1st
1981-1982 ---
1982-1983 ---
1983-1984 1st
1984-1985 1st
1985-1986 1st
1986-1987 1st
1987-1988 3rd
1988-1989 3rd
1989-1990 2nd
1990-1991 2nd
1991-1992 2nd
1992-1993 2nd
1993-1994 3rd
1994-1995 2nd
1995-1996 1st
1996-1997 2nd
1997-1998 1st
1998-1999 2nd
1999-2000 1st
2000-2001 1st
2001-2002 2nd
2002-2003 2nd
2003-2004 1st
2004-2005 1st
2005-2006 3rd
2006-2007 1st
2007-2008 2nd
2008-2009 1st
2009-2010 1st

By all accounts, a sterling record of basketball excellence .... a proud tradition.

The season 73 line-up .....

Gerard S. Austria 3rd
Mark Lawrence Z. Gamboa 2nd
Izak Kiefer L, Lim 3rd
Jay Jericho R. Sacluti 4th
Jose Markus Mercado 4th
Emilio Martin M. Puno 2nd
Michael Jay Javelosa 1st
Lambert V. Tenorio 3rd
Charles Alek P. Dumrique 4th
Leandro Jose Resurreccion IV 4th
Kiefer Isaac C. Ravena 4th
Paolo Luis J. Romero 4th
Jose Gabriel Gadia 3rd
Janus Kyle Cristian L. Suarez 3rd
Von Rolfe V. Pessumal 4th
Karol Lolek V. Vitangcol 2nd

There is a paucity of articles covering the juniors. I asked an assistant to "cut and paste" for the record .....

Eaglets win over Tiger Cubs, 76-72, in game #1 of UAAP 73 basketball (Eaglets Bulletin #1)

In their very first basketball game in Season 73 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Ateneo de Manila High School's Eaglets won narrowly over the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs, 76-72. The game took place in the morning of July 13 at the Arena in San Juan, beginning at 10:30 a.m. and ending at 12:30 p.m.

Throughout the first quarter, the Tiger Cubs led, sometimes by as much as seven points. The Eaglets finally overtook them in the second quarter, enjoying a nine-point lead at half-time, 38-29.

With 17 seconds left in the fourth quarter, however, UST rallied and narrowed Ateneo's lead to only one point. Playing above are video highlights from the nerve-wracking game.
The Eaglets are back-to-back defending champions in UAAP 73.

ADMU 76
Ravena 23, Pessumal 13, Mercado 9, Romero 8, Sacluti 6, Dumrique 4, Puno 3, Lim 3, Tenorio 3, Suarez 2, Javelosa 2, Vitangcol 0, Gamboa 0, Gadia 0, Austria 0

UST 72
Sarcia 18, Ferrer 18, Corre 15, Cabauatan 14, Gooh 4, Ilarde 2, Mison 1, Salas 0, Latoreno 0

**************

Blue Eaglets clobber UE Junior Red Warriors, 90-61 (Eaglets Bulletin #2)

In their second game in UAAP Season 73, the Ateneo de Manila High School Blue Eaglets defeated the University of the East Junior Red Warriors, 90-61, last Saturday, July 17. The game against UE began at 10:30 am and ended at 12:30 pm.

The victory marks the second one in a row for the Eaglets, who also won against the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs in their first game of the season last July 13. Both games thus far in UAAP Season 73 have been held in The Arena in San Juan.

The Eaglets are back to back defending champions in the UAAP Juniors Basketball championship, and are aiming for a three-peat this season. They are coached by Jamike Jarin.

**************

Eaglets win over Baby Tamaraws, 82-56 (Eaglets Bulletin #3)

The Ateneo de Manila High School's UAAP juniors basketball team won their third game in a row in round one of the ongoing UAAP 73 championship. The Eaglets won over the FEU-FERN Baby Tamaraws, 82-56, in the game held last Tuesday, July 20 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. The Eaglets led all the way, as can be seen in the video highlights playing above.

Ateneo 82
Ravena 20, Dumrique 11, Sacluti 8, Romero 8, Pessumal 8, Lim 6, Gadia 6, Tenorio 6, Puno 3, Vitangcol 2, Javelosa 2, Gamboa 2

FEU 56
Fabian 12, Sia 8, Tanoy 6, Pearson 6, Dimdam 6, Custodio 5, Carino 5, Pangalanan 2, Palacio 2, Lumahan 2, Estacio 2

**************

Eaglets win over Baby Falcons, 78-61 (Eaglets Bulletin #4)

The Ateneo de Manila High School's Eaglets continued their winning streak in round one of the UAAP 73 juniors basketball season, winning over the Adamson Baby Falcons, 78-61, last Saturday, July 24 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. Thus far, the Eaglets have not lost a game in round one, with a win-loss slate of 4-0.

Adamson, however, proved a worthy foe in the game that had four deadlocks and saw six lead changes. Playing above are video highlights from the thrilling game, in which Von Pessumal scored the most points for the Eaglets.

Ateneo 78- Pessumal 23, Romero 12, Ravena 11, Dumrique 10, Sacluti 4, Lim 4, Suarez 2, Puno 2, Mercado 2, Javelosa 2, Austria 2, Tenorio 2, Vitangcol 1, Gamboa 1

***************

Ateneo Eaglets beat NU Bullpups, 82-64 (Eaglets Bulletin #5)
date posted: 2010-07-27 12:37:30

The Ateneo de Manila High School Blue Eaglets successfully maintained their winning streak in round one of UAAP 73 Juniors Basketball, defeating the National University Bullpups 82-64. Until yesterday's game, the NU Bullpups had been undefeated as well, just like the AHS Eaglets. The Eaglets' win-loss card stands at 5-0 todate. The game against NU was held at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan in the morning of July 27, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 10:30 a.m.

Kiefer Ravena reportedly scored the most points for Ateneo, with 17 baskets.

****************

Ateneo Eaglets clobber UP Junior Maroons, 101-45 (Eaglets Bulletin #6)
date posted: 2010-08-02 07:37:31


The Ateneo de Manila High School's Blue Eaglets won against the University of the Philippines' Junior Maroons in round one of the UAAP Season 73 Junior Basketball games held last Saturday, July 31, at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. The final score was 101-45 with the Eaglets winning by an amazing 56 points. The win marks the Eaglets sixth consecutive win in round one of the UAAP Juniors Basketball season. Their win-loss card stands at 6-0 todate.

The Eaglets will next play against their arch-rivals from De La Salle Zobel this Thursday, August 5, 9:00 a.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

Box scores:

Ateneo 101- Ravena 21, Gadia 12, Pessumal 11, Romero 10, Gamboa 8, Suarez 7, Puno 7, Mercado 6, Vitangcol 3, Lim 3, Javelosa 3, Sacluti 2, Ressureccion 2, Austria 2, Tenorio 2, Dumrique 2

UP 45- Ancheta 15, Cinco 12, Lina 5, General 4, Abenojar 3, Villaluna 2, Rodriguez 2, Gregorio 2

Ateneo Eaglets beat DLSZ Junior Archers (71-57) and sweep round one of UAAP 73! (ADMU webpage includes video highlights of the game)

Source: <http://www.ateneo.edu/index.php?p=120&type=2&sec=27&aid=8737>

The Ateneo de Manila High School's Blue Eaglets have swept round one of the ongoing UAAP 73 Juniors basketball competition, winning all seven of their games. The last school to buckle under the Eaglets' might was arch-rival De La Salle Zobel, whose Junior Archers the blue-and-white defeated 71-57 in the morning of Thursday, August 5 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao. Playing above are video highlights from the exciting game.

The cagers from Katipunan played badly in the first half, when La Salle led by as much as seven points in the first quarter. By halftime, the Eaglets were down by two points, when the score was 34-32 in DLSZ's favor. The Eaglets suddenly rallied in the third quarter on the strength of some amazing plays by Paolo Romero, Von Pessumal, and Kiefer Ravena. From being down by two at the start of the second half, the Eaglets were suddenly ahead by 16 points with five minutes left in the third quarter, 50-34. Ravena cemented the Eaglets' victory with his stunning performance in the fourth quarter.

Ateneo 71- Ravena 18, Romero 14, Pessumal 8, Mercado 6, Dumrique 6, Javelosa 5, Gamboa 4, Gadia 4, Tenorio 4, Sacluti 2, Vitangcol 0, Suarez 0, Ressureccion 0, Puno 0, Lim 0, Austria 0

DLSZ 57- Capacio 10, Calugcug 10, Torres Alexander 9, Reyes 7, Subido 5, Tempongko 4, Torres Nico 4, Roxas 4, Sajulga 2, Monteiro 2

Blue Eaglets press Junior Archers to oblivion for first round sweep

by Rick Olivares, August 05, 2010

Source: <http://ateneoalumniassociation.org/newsitem?nid=285>

After the De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers’ Joseph Tempongko laid the ball in over Ateneo counterpart Von Pessumal to give the green and white a 23-18 l
lead in the second quarter, Blue Eaglets head coach Jamike Jarin called for time.

He railed at his senior forward’s lack of focus and for allowing an unchallenged layup.

The Junior Archers had come to play as they filled the lanes, bodied up their men, and had hands on the Ateneans’ faces.

The back-to-back Juniors champs crawled back to a two-point deficit 34-32 at halftime and one could sense the storm to come from Ateneo.

“I will tell you when I am happy, when I am sad, when I am angry and right now I will tell you that we are not playing our system,” thundered Jarin, who has been at the helm of the Ateneo juniors squad for 13 years now.

Six minutes after the resumption of play, the Blue Eaglets had not only seized the lead but also the momentum. And perhaps more importantly, they had crushed their rivals’ confidence.

Their 1-3-1 full court press choked the life of the Junior Archers’ offense. In that six minute span, they only had two field goal attempts. And before Jonathan Calugcug got an easy basket after a wrong tap by an Atenean, the Blue Eaglets had gone on a 20-0 tear (including Keifer Ravena’s two free throws to close the scoring of the first half) at the score was 50-34.

After Calugcug’s layup, La Salle score four more points, but Eaglet Marky Mercado got the Ateneans back on track with a huge triple from the right corner pocket 53-40 for the boys in blue.

Even with the Archers threatening to come back, Jarin had faith in his squad as he inserted his second and third unit that matched the production of La Salle’s starting five – each side scored six points to end the third.

In the final quarter, Ateneo’s starting unit of Keifer Ravena, Von Pessumal, Paolo Romero, Chuckie Dumrique, and Jay Javelosa finally put away the pesky Juniors Archers 71-57 for a first round sweep (7-0) while La Salle Zobel tumbled to a 3-4 record.

After the match, inside the victorious Ateneo locker room, the coaching staff and the players gave credit to Lambert Tenorio, Mark Gamboa, and Jay Javelosa for their consistency throughout the first round and for coming through during the hard-fought game.

Jarin isn’t overly excited about his team’s gaudy standing. “Been there. Done that. We have not accomplished anything.” He said silently but not in a mocking manner. “The objective is to win the championship. We are still at least one round away. Every year we lose players so we have to make sure that the new faces are plugged into the system where we play 94-feet of defense. Anyone can shoot or dribble the ball, but not everyone can play defense. That is what we are all about.”

The team broke the huddle with their mantra: “Sipag!!!”

Now their next task was to get back to school and their classes.

..... from admu.edu.ph ....

Here is the UAAP 73 Juniors Basketball Schedule of the Eaglets, Round Two, as of August 5, 2010.
Note: All games will take place in the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. Schedules may change without prior notice.

August 10 5:00 pm Tue AdMU vs UST
August 14 2:45 pm Sat AdMU vs UE
August 17 5:00 pm Tue AdMU vs Adamson
August 21 11:30 am Sat AdMU vs UPIS

August 24 5:00 pm Tue AdMU vs DLSZ
August 28 1:30 pm Sat AdMU vs FEU
August 31 2:45 pm Tue AdMU vs NU

Please support the Ateneo de Manila High School Blue Eaglets in their bid for a historic three-peat!

Because the Arena is near the house, I was able to watch the first game of the second round: Ateneo vs. UST. It's the assessment of some pundits that UST poses the nearest threat to the three-peat. In the first round, Ateneo triumphed only by 4 points.

Ateneo led all the way .... by comfortable leads of 12-14 points behind a sustained defensive effort anchored on Austria shadowing the Tiger Cubs' star player, 6'4" Ferrer. But UST was tenacious and kept charging back. The Eaglets however could barely rest Kiefer Ravena because his absence seemed to augur another rally by the opponents.

In the final quarter, UST clawed back, tied the score and even grabbed the lead by three in the last three minutes of the game. Then Romero got an inside basket and after that, the Phenom did his thing ..... got a steal and a break-away lay-up, hit key baskets and even a crucial offensive rebound off missed foul shots by Javelosa. The sparse crowd heaved a collective sigh of relief when the buzzer sounded with Ateneo leading 60-57.

It was a thrilling win which underscored this teams's dependence on the star-abilities of just one player. Pessumal and Romero provided support but not on a sustained basis .... UST is a worthy opponent.

But a win is a win .... specially because it added to a still perfect season.

Eaglets soar to 9-0
Written by: UAAP News Admin
8/15/2010 12:23 PM
By Anthony Divinagracia

******

Defending champion Ateneo de Manila University and National University meanwhile solidified their hold of the first and second spots with a pair of blowouts against University of the East (101-60) and University of the Philippines Integrated School (78-50), respectively.

The Eaglets remain on top of the standings with an immaculate 9-0 record while the Bullpups climbed to 7-2.
The Scores:

2nd game

ADMU 101 – Ravena 21, Pessumal 18, Tenorio 17, Ressureccion 8, Romero 7, Sacluti 6, Javelosa 6, Puno 5, Gamboa 4, Suarez 3, Mercado 3, Lim 3, Vitangcol 0, Austria 0.

UE 60 – Gutierrez 16, Bernabe 13, Santiago 12, Magpantay 5, Martin 3, De Leon 3, Pajarillaga 2, Lapada 2, Coligado 2, Viajar 1, Ablaza 1, Liwag 0, Duray 0, Rodriguez 0.

Quarter scores: 21-12, 51-26, 79-38, 101-60.

ADMU 9 0
NU 7 2
DLSU 5 4
FEU 5 4
UST 5 4
AdU 4 5
UE 1 8
UP 0 9

Whoa, the UP juniors and seniors team with a combined 0-17 record?!?!

If both finish winless, then that is a first in the UAAP.....isn't it?

Frankly, don't know the stats on this. If both teams do end up with a perfect record, shouldn't they hold a bonfire and instead of planks (with names on them) they should burn the responsible officials themselves.

In my batch, many who left the Ateneo (for various reasons) transferred to UP. I was told that in UP, basketball does not have much of a tradition and people kuno are more engaged in demos/activism and (jokingly) in frats.

The Iskolars however cannot say this anymore. Recently, time, money and effort have been poured in the basketball team. Prior to Ateneo-UP round 2, they even cloistered the team for two days for motivational purposes. (And this is just a mid-season game!) The result - tambak na naman.

I was told (and many may know much more than me) that politics is terrible in managing the team. Joe Lipa was given a bum's rush and support is conditional to kowtowing to the sponsors. So some major revamp in management seems necessary.

Did you guys notice that NU, perennial doormat, is now no 2 in the juniors? "New management" seems to know what they're doing ....

Semi-Fearless Forecast: The UP seniors team will win at least 2 games with 4 as max in the second round.....with one against a current top 4 team.....obviously not Ateneo, hehehe.

10-0 na ang Blue Eaglets......and according to Rick Olivares, Kiefer had a triple-double.

Ateneo Blue Eaglets Game #10 The Big Fat Kill
The Big Fat Kill
Ateneo 79 vs. Adamson 66
by rick olivares

A 9-0 record sounds great. There’s a hint of perfection. And there’s a feeling that the blue and white juggernaut will not stop until it has annexed the crown for a third straight year.

What being undefeated does not say that it can offer a false sense of security that everything will fall one’s way. Like dominoes. Or foils to the eventual coronation.

Against the Adamson Baby Falcons, as it was in the first round, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets struggled. It wasn’t so much that they were being stopped cold. It was as if they wanted to land the knockout punch early through an avalanche of points while their patented 94-feet of defense took a backseat. In the meantime, Adamson center Joseph Manlangit was having his way in the lane that Blue Eaglets head coach Jamike Jarin was burning holes into his centers with heat vision eyes.

Jarin read his team the riot act at the half. “Ayaw niyo magtrabaho? Yung gusto magtrabaho ang maglalaro.”

Consistency was a Jekyll and Hyde act. They got up for the big games while a sense of complacency would descend upon them when they played the lower seeded teams. They’d coast or play awful for a quarter or a half where foes would battle them point for point. It was as if the opponents were being softened up for the big fat kill for come the second half, the Blue Eaglets would ratchet up the defense several levels higher and leave them eating the dust in their wake.

While Kiefer Ravena gets the lion’s share of attention (and rightly so since the kid is phenomenal), Ateneo’s success hinges upon the contributions of the entire team and some key components in particular. That’s forward Von Pessumal and center Paolo Romero.

Several games ago, during a similar horrid first half, Jarin asked Romero who was the toughest player he had to guard. “Kyle Neypes,” answered the kid they call “Ro.”

“And where is Neypes now?” asked Jarin.

“NU.”

“NU.” Repeated the coach for effect. “NU. So if the toughest player you had to guard is no longer here, what does that make you?”

Romero remained quiet.

“That makes you the best center in the league right now.”

Against Adamson, Manlangit, while no slouch, was looking all-league with 11 points and 5 rebounds in the first 20 minutes as he repeatedly slid inside the lane and launched shots with impunity. Even more jarring was the fact that the Baby Falcons were running Ateneo’s plays against them further enraging Jarin who thought that his players were being selfish and lackadaisical on defense.

A fire had been lit.

And the next time Manlangit scored there were only 21 seconds left and the Blue Eaglets were up 79-66 that was actually the final score. Plus, he only had three more caroms.

From a 44-43 lead at the half, they outscored the Baby Falcons 35-23 the rest of the way. The Blue Eaglets hit 54% of their shots, grabbed 47-34 rebounds, and had more assists 22-15. Their 23-point explosion in the 3rd quarter rendered the outcome moot and academic as the lead went as high as 21 following a Chuckie Dumrique free throw with three minutes left to give Ateneo a 60-49 lead.

Pessumal scored 16, Romero 12, and Jay Sacluti chipped in 10 markers and two rebounds in nine quality minutes of action.

Ravena was spectacular as he notched the first triple double of the season with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists (and one steal and four turnovers to boot). During the second quarter as Ateneo’s pressure defense forced Adamson to cough up the ball, Ravena picked off a pass and raced quickly down. With the Baby Falcons unsure how to impede his path, the senior point guard stepped on the accelerator and swooped in for a flush that had everyone on the bench and in the stands jumping up and down. After the game and right before the team said its closing prayer, Jarin had to complement the slam: “Nice dunk, Kief!” he offered.

The team was now at a rosy 10-0. And as great as it sounded, there was only one thing that looked better. “Six more games,” reminded Jarin. “Six more games.”

Ateneo 79 – Ravena 22, Pessumal 16, Romero 12, Sacluti 10, Javelosa 8, Suarez 3, Vitangcol 2, Ressureccion 2, Lim 2, Puno 1, Dumrique 1, Mercado 0, Gamboa 0, Gadia 0, Austria 0, Tenorio 0

Adamson 66 – Manlangit 13, Mendoza 13, Saludo 11, Quinlog 10, Llauderes 6, Umengan 3, Hermoso 3, Villondo 2, Margallo 2, Domingo 2, Polican 1, Taguimacon 0, Soriano 0

is there a possibility that keifer might transfer to the green side, like bj?

Sure there's always a possibility as long as he isn't in college yet but is it likely? Highly doubtful. I actually creditg BJ as being the catalyst for the vast improvement of the Ateneo basketball program. It was literally a slap in the face for Ateneo. Since then we have seen how our program has improved by leaps & bounds. Kiefer has already been locked in through college & the boy himself has been thoroughly enjoying his stay in Loyola, & beating the shit out of his green foes. The trend is most likely to continue in the next 5 years.

It doesn't prevent our green friends from dreaming though....& trying

Yup, they and others will try.

I agree that the BJ case was an affront to the Ateneo. Napakasakit Kuya Eddie. Of course, we're able to look back at it with equanimity .... things turned out all right for us. But did it for BJ? I heard that he had a falling out with Taft .... he tried to come back to Loyola Heights ... but "you can't come home again."

As I made kuwento, I was able to sit with some parents of the current Eaglets. Mozzie Ravena with her camera was sitting behind. I was able to gather that Von Pessumal will surely apply for the ACET .... but when I tried to pry any tsismis about Kiefer, I was told that everything's still up in the air.

Very briefly, if I were to make a pitch to Kiefer (like the NBA teams did to Lebron James,) I would make the following points: (1) education. This stays with you the rest of your life, luck or injury notwithstanding. Eagles graduate by and large. (2) prestige. Eagles have a clean image. (3) the best basketball program nowadays. The results speak volumes. There are no skeletons in the closet, unlike some programs. (4) a championship contending team (next year) even by the pundits' estimation. Bonfires are memorable. (5) visibility. Playing post-eliminations, one gets to be in the limelight. (6) fan and alumni support. Self explanatory.

A reasonable player (and his parents) I think will be swayed by these compelling arguments.

Flies in the ointment though: cash, cars, condos. But for such a young life full of so much promise, this dark path is laden with karmic repercussions.

Barring a US option, I think the Phenom is ours.

A fellow Katipunero told me that Kiefer is being recruited by Baylor University, a Division I NCAA program and, if memory serves, the alma mater of Ginebra's Carlos Briggs. Any truth to this?

Mga Kapatid na Katipunero,

I had lunch with one of my brothers today who enjoys reading our conversations. He said that discussions on this and the Mark Tallo thread should be reserved for post - September, during the nine bleak months when there are no UAAP games to focus on and talk about. For now, let us keep our eyes fixed on the threepeat of the seniors and the drive for perfection of the juniors teams.

However if I may pursue the topic one more time. I think BJ Manalo's bad experience in Taft has also served as warning to others similarly tempted to go where bibigyan ka nga ng kotse, hirap naman ng parking.

current standings ....

ADMU 10 0
NU 7 3
DLSU 6 4
FEU 6 4
UST 6 4
AdU 4 6
UE 1 9
UP 0 10

perfect records: Ateneo and UP ..... and the Eaglets are 3 games ahead of the rest of the field ....

If this is truth and not rumor, then by all means we should not deny Kiefer of such an opportunity.....that is if he himself wants to pursue it.

I agree. Pero sayang naman if he leaves. Pera na naging bato pa.

Letting Kiefer go to an established US college basketball program definitely beats him being pirated back to DLSU any day of the week.

And the transfer of technology will definitely do wonders not only for the kid but for Philippine basketball in general.

Hmmm. Not completely sure I fully agree. The Japeth Aguilar experiment hasn't panned out that well --- yet. I previously got word that Slaughter was outplaying him over at Gilas.

I'll stick to my guns and stay selfish when it comes to Kiefer. He belongs in Loyola and nowhere else.

Update: Blue Eaglets toy with Baby Maroons, 129-43. The Hail Mary Five are now at 11-0.

One Big Fight!

.... can't find the individual scores; did any of the Eaglets threaten the highest scoring record?

***************

Ateneo Eaglets demolish UP Junior Maroons, 129-43, notch 11th straight win
date posted: 2010-08-23 06:14:47
by Erwin Cabbab of Ateneo Sports Shooters

Last Saturday, August 21, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets continued their domination over their Katipunan neighbors as they won their 11th game in UAAP Season 73 with the demolition of the UP Junior Maroons, 129-43, at The Arena in San Juan. It was one of those games that Ateneo was expected to win. And as the regulars in game face's Blue Eagle's Nest would say, "First quarter pa lang, tapos na 'to." And that's just what the Eaglets did.

The first quarter was played with Ateneo answering UP's baskets with massive scoring runs. The Junior Maroons opened the game with a three-pointer which the Eaglets answered back immediately with a 10-0 blast. Then a layup for UP brought them closer, 10-5, in favor of the AHS. However that was the last that UP scored for the quarter. Ateneo went on a blinding 20-0 run anchored on the Eaglets' defensive pressure. The quarter ended with AdMU 30, UP 5. This was done with Ateneo's main offensive threats, Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal and Paolo Romero taking turns leading the team on the floor.

The 2nd quarter proved to be the Junior Maroons' best quarter as they scored 16 points. However, this hardly made a dent on the Ateneo offense as the Eaglets answered back with 31. The quarter was highlighted by a fast break play between Kiefer and Von where the two ran the length of the court without dribbling the ball. This gave them a 30-point lead midway through the quarter. The first half ended with a Kiefer Lim three-pointer and Ateneo up 61-21.

In the third quarter, Coach Jamike let loose maybe his strongest five with Kiefer, Von and Paolo backed up by freshman Jay Javelosa and senior Chuck Dumrique. The five opened the quarter with an 11-0 run that was only ended by a three-pointer by UP's Ancheta. This, however, was quickly answered back by Ateneo with another 12-0 blast. With Ateneo comfortably ahead 84-24 and with four minutes left in the quarter, Coach Jamike sent in his 2nd five consisting of Lambert Tenorio, Bolek Vitangcol, Marky Mercado, Jay Sacluti and Mio Puno. This 2nd five continued to wreak havoc on the court as they produced another 11 points for Ateneo compared to UP's six-point output. The 3rd quarter ended with Ateneo more than doubling UP's output, 95-30.

The final quarter started with Ateneo fielding in their 2nd, 2nd team (as they all performed as well as the previous five), composed of Jan Resurreccion, Josh Gadia, Gerard Austria, Kiefer Lim and Mark Gamboa. The quintet finally brought the Ateneo into the century mark with a three-pointer by Josh Gadia two minutes into the quarter. At this point, Ateneo shuffled its players around, experimenting with different team compositions. Despite the changes in the lineup, Ateneo continued to play pressure defense and scored on multiple turnovers by the UP Junior Maroons. The game finally ended with Ateneo enjoying an 86-point lead, 129-43.

(Editor's note: another bit of trivia from the game against UPIS is that Blue Eaglets team captain Kiefer Ravena scored 10 for 10 two-pointers)

The Eaglets are now 11-0. The only other team in the entire league with a spotless record is the Adamson Lady Falcons. The Eaglets are now in the final stretch of the second round. They have three more teams- DLSZ, FEU and NU- to play to complete their sweep. They may have beaten these teams with double digit leads, but expect them to have already adjusted their games to match the Blue Eaglets' brand of basketball. However, I am sure Coach Jamike and his Blue Eaglets are more than ready to take on the challenges of these teams.

Go Blue Eaglets! One Big Fight!

addendum: ADMU-UPIS Scores:

3rd game

ADMU 129 – Ravena 27, Suarez 13, Vitangcol 10, Pessumal 10, Gadia 9, Tenorio 9, Austria 8, Romero 8, Sacluti 6, Resurreccion 6, Javelosa 6, Mercado 4, Gamboa 4, Dumrique 4, Lim 3, Puno 2.

UPIS 43 – Ancheta 13, Cinco 11, Nacpil 7, Quejada 6, Abenojar 4, Lopez 2, Rodriguez 0, Mercado 0, Chua 0, Lina 0, Gregorio 0.

Quarter scores: 30-5, 51-21, 95-30, 129-43.

Standings:

ADMU 11 0
NU 8 3
DLSU 7 4
UST 7 4
FEU 6 5
AdU 4 7
UE 1 10
UP 0 11

What happened to game vs DLSZ yesterday? Nothing in newspapers. Nothing in forums yet.

Nothing to do .... Arena nearby .... no ticket problem .... so I watch another Ateneo-VL Salle game, fully expecting another tambakan. Caught the 4th quarter of the NU-FEU game which was close but NU pulled away at the last three minutes thanks to the very predictable plays of the junior Tamaraws. I noted that Junel Baculi of NU was closely monitoring the game and was being involved in the huddles. So NU retains second place.

The Blue Eaglets in their indigo blue uniforms looked relax as they warmed up; I guess being perfect does that to you. The green stands were empty save for their pep squad; the sixth man was present, not overwhelming but clearly visible. I noted "third parties" who were not in blue and who were not academic types but who were watching. The Phenom has his off-Katipunan admirers.

The game started sluggishly for the Eaglets. The opponent's strategy was clear - put a guard on Kiefer and zone up the other 4. Kiefer was reticent in the beginning. Still, when he did touch the ball, he produced or was fouled. But Ateneo only scored 9 points in the quarter (which Ateneo trailed) and only 12 points in the second, although Ateneo led at the half 21-19.

In the third, the Phenom went to work. He did his usual boring stuff ..... driving to the basket, dishing out assists, getting to the foul line, drawing charging fouls, breaking the game wide open. From then on, the lead ballooned and did not fall below double digits the rest of the way. Final score was 62-50.

I've of course watched Kobe Bryant operate and Kiefer reminds me of his game. Kobe tries to get his teammates involved, picking his spots, waiting for the game to come to him. Then he takes over and as his teammates get into the flow with him, he draws back a little. Chalk up another victory.

Coach Jamike was content to play the same tempo as VL Salle. This accounts for the low-scores. I thought the Green coach (don't really know who he is) erred in not maximizing their no. 9 Reyes. He was hitting from all angles on both halves, yet the ball was not getting to him often enough. I was impressed with this guy .... tall, lanky and with composure but again, not enough opportunities.

So another tambak for the Archers. Baka mapikon lalo sila .... in this instance, while we were singing the alma mater song, they were busy looking over the stats and holding a huddle but they did not turn their backs and well, not that we care anyway.

If the Eagles are likened to a train right on track, the Eaglets are a bullet train obliterating everything in its path. I figure that this kind of seasons don't come too often ..... check that; with the Eaglets, it seems every season is this dominating way ..... and if I can find the time to enjoy it, I should. Phenoms don't come very often.

Here's the story. Their coach is Boris Aldeguer.



Unstoppable Eaglets Grab 12th Straight
by Kristina Noelle Villanueva, August 25, 2010




After succumbing to archrival Ateneo in their first meeting, La Salle hoped to exact revenge on the Blue Eaglets. But the Katipunan-based squad, who are gearing for their 12th straight victory, would not allow just that as they overpowered the Junior Archers, 62-50, in the main game of a four-game bill of the 73rd UAAP juniors basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan today.


But it wasn't a walk in the park for the Eaglets as De La Salle buckled up on defense early, ending the first period with a 15-9 advantage. The Junior Archers sustained their top form in the second quarter where they raced to leads of as many as eight points, until RP Under-18 standout and MVP contender Kiefer Ravena poured in six points in a blistering 10-to-nothing run by the Eaglets, allowing them to gain their first lead of the ballgame at 21-19 with 10.6 seconds left in the frame.


"La Salle played great defense against us while the whole time we were playing passively," said Ravena. "I just told my teammates that in the second half, we'd play zero-zero. We start from a zero standpoint, then we'll play our game. We know our capabilities as a team at kung maglalaro tayo ng ganito lang, hindi magandang tignan."


The Eaglets gained momentum in the third canto, posting a five-point buffer, 28-23, on back-to-back baskets by Von Pessumal and Chuckie Dumrique.


Ateneo held on to their slim five-point advantage but had to thwart a pesky La Salle side that threatened within two, 34-32, on back-to-back baskets by Joseph Tempongko who twice squeezed through the tight defense of the Eaglets to knock in his twin baskets from below the post with 4:51 in the clock.


The Junior Archers, however, committed five turnovers in a three-minute stretch, which turned out to be a crucial turning point for Ateneo, as they used this to their advantage on the way to building a 10-point lead, 42-32, heading into the final period.


The Katipunan-based squad clamped tightly on their defense in the fourth, as they worked on their offense en route to building an 18-point bulge, 57-39, with 5:27 remaining. The Junior Archers, however, were far from giving up as Gabriel Reyes and rookie Renzo Subido fired back-to-back treys, slashing the Eaglets' advantage down to 12, 62-50, with 1:49 left in the clock. But Ateneo dominated the boards down the stretch, allowing the Ayala-based five for only three ball possessions which they failed to convert, sending the Eaglets to yet another win - two games shy from their goal of a 14-0 sweep at the end of the second round.


"It was difficult. La Salle gave us a good fight," said Ravena. "I think La Salle was playing in a nothing-to-lose situation. Everybody wants to beat us. We have targets on our backs. They don't want us to sweep the eliminations. Luckily, we had some breaks in the game and nung last half, fortunately, nakabangon kami."


"Credit goes to La Salle and to coach Boris (Aldeguer). They always play good against us. Whenever they play us, they play with a lot of energy," said Ateneo head coach Jamike Jarin. "They stuck to their game plan while we didn't play good defense. We also had problems with our offense. It's good that we picked up and we were able to gain momentum in the second half. We have a deeper bench, we have sixteen players. I know eventually we'll catch up with them."


Ravena rallied Ateneo with his 19 points on top of five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Fellow RP youth mainstay Paolo Romero ended with a double-double output of 11 points and 13 boards while Von Pessumal was held to only nine points behind the tight defense of his stopper Gabriel Reyes.


"I know that I need to step up, knowing our situation," said Ravena. "We are heading into the Final Four and it's a good thing that everything's coming out well."


Gabriel Reyes singlehandedly carried La Salle with his double-double output of 25 markers and 10 caroms as the Junior Archers slid to the fourth spot with their 7-5 record.


The Scores:


ADMU 62 - Ravena 19, Romero 11, Pessumal 9, Mercado 6, Dumrique 6, Suarez 4, Tenorio 3, Sacluti 2, Javelosa 2, Vitangcol 0, Resurreccion 0, Puno 0, Lim 0, Gamboa 0, Gadia 0, Austria 0


DLSZ 50 - Reyes 25, Tempongko 9, Torres A. 7, Subido 5, Torres N. 4, Roxas 0, Capacio 0, Calugcug 0

^it wasn't coach boris calling the shots for zoobel in tuesday's game, but coach oliver (don't know his last name). defensive specialist per joescoundrel, and a trusted assistant of coach boris. was head coach of the zoobel teams for their grade school (i.e., SBP and pasarelle) varsity programs.

his box-and-1 strategy on kiefer worked well during the 1st quarter, and kiefer wasn't much of a factor for pretty much the whole 1st half. but when our boys threw the halfcourt traps on them late in the 2nd quarter, and scored heavily on TOs c/o chuckie dumrique and von pessumal, things changed drastically. i was expecting a blowout, but pesky outside shooting by their players reyes and subido kept the eaglets' lead low (by eaglet standards, with the biggest stretch at 18 points), though it was clear the eaglets had this game by the middle of the 3rd.

ADMU 12 0
NU 9 3
DLSU 8 4
UST 7 5
FEU 6 6
AdU 5 7
UE 1 11
UP 0 12

Ateneo - FEU this PM at the Arena. Aircon is now much better .... and FEU is a tough opponent who has aspirations. It should be a good game which will showcase the Eaglets' superiority.

Animo 'Teneo!

Ateneo breezed past FEU 78-54.

Highlights of the game:
- Ateneo led by 9 at the half, built a 20 point lead that would not be seriously threatened.
- the Phenom had a break-away dunk
- our Resurrecion sustained a knee injury that hopefully is not serious
- lucky 13 is booked
- just another day at the office

This team is merrily rolling along towards the three-peat. One last game before the finals is ensured. Ho-hum.

Watched a Juniors for the first time this year.

Ibang klase talaga si Ravena. The last time I saw something like that was when Joshua Webb stole the juniors championship three years ago. Ma-angas lang nga talaga. He is so comfortable and in control it is like he is playing a different game altogether. Let us hope he can bring his game to the seniors next year.

Pessumal is also very good. If he puts on 20 pounds, laking asset din niya.

August 31 2:45 pm Tue AdMU vs NU

Tomorrow, perfection (in the eliminations) may be achieved against the second-place NU squad. The Blue Eaglets are already assured of first but what's at stake is an automatic finals berth.

Here's a chance to marvel at the Phenom in action. Perfection is rare and therefore, awesome.

***********

The Pursuit of Perfection
Ateneo 78 vs. FEU-FERN 54
by rick olivares

There is nothing that drives a coach crazy than a game plan that has been rehearsed and supposedly ingrained inside a player’s head not being executed. Even when you have a nine-point lead at the half.

The problem with a win steak, let alone an unblemished slate, is that complacency and overconfidence sets in. Leave it to the coaching staff to cajole, plead, encourage, and erupt like a volcano to get their message across.

Not for one minute can they allow their team to relax and step off the gas pedal. Why not? There’s still one more game to play for the Ateneo Blue Eaglets to complete the elimination round and the chance to go undefeated for the season. For a third straight title. And should the Blue Eagles also do he job, an unprecedented three-peat in both men’s and boy’s divisions.

Perfection is running your sets and game plan. It has worked for the last decade hasn’t it? And should it not, at least one can say that they tried and it didn’t work. But it worked and still works.

Perfection is sweeping the season series with FEU; something they have not done in three years. In the last two years, the Blue Eaglets and the Baby Tams, under coach Horacio Lim, have been 1-1.

There’s nothing more a coach, one who is on a mission at that, wants than to rectify that oversight by running the Tams to the ground.

“Kung ginawa ninyo yung kailangan niyong gawin eh tapos na to first half pa lang!” thundered Eaglets head coach Jamike Jarin to his wards at the half with Ateneo on top 40-31. The FEU-FERN Baby Tamaraws’ Mark Tanoy buried a triple right at the buzzer to close the first half.

Tanoy’s teammate Josuah Palacio had scored 13 points in the first 20 minutes including three triples. Much of his attempts had been wide open and uncontested shots.

After the first round of action, Ateneo was the league’s number one defensive team. They gave up the fewest number of points, the fewest number of two-point field goals, the fewest rebounds, and points allowed in the paint. They outscored their opponents by an average of 23.9 points per game.

In other categories, the surprising National University Bullpups were tops meaning they were trading places with Ateneo as the best defensive outfit.

“We have 20 minutes to change all that!” challenged Jarin as his boys rushed out for the second half.

And power forward-center Paolo Romero, who had earned the ire of Jarin for being out of the play in the first half, scored six quick points at the start of the third while Kiefer Ravena slammed one home off a steal. The Eaglets had a 19-point lead by the end of the third.

The team had responded. They filled out the wings on the breaks. Raced to pre-arranged spots for threes. And whipped the ball around to find the open man. In the midst of the run, senior forward Von Pessumal called to mind another sleek and Bullish forward from the Windy City who wreaked havoc with his defense while playing as a second facilitator on offense. He showcased his myriad skills with a balanced effort of 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.

They outrebounded their foes 50-33, out-assisted them 20-13, had two more steals at 7-5, and scored 14 fastbreak points, 13 second chance points, and 19 turnover points.

Palacio scored only two more points in the second half for a total of 15 points. But he had no other teammate in double figures.

In contrast, Ateneo’s Big Three of Ravena, Pessumal, and Romero had scored 20, 15 and 10 respectively.

And it helped the Blue Eagles bag their 13th consecutive win as well as a 78-54 win for the season sweep against FEU-FERN.

A satisfied Jarin glanced at the stat sheet. Pessumal nearly had it perfect. Except that he had four turnovers.

The coach smiled, gave his customary Player of the Game Award to Pessumal and congratulated the team for a job well done. “Enjoy your weekend,” he advised owing to the long three day vacation because of National Heroes Day on Monday. But the Eaglets have practice at 4pm.

For on Tuesday, they play the National University. One step closer to perfection.

Ateneo 78 – Ravena 20, Pessumal 15, Romero 10, Sacluti 7, Mercado 6, Tenorio 5, Lim 3, Gadia 3, Suarez 2, Ressureccion 2, Javelosa 2, Dumrique 2, Austria 1, Vitangcol 0, Puno 0, Gamboa 0

FEU-FERN 54 – Palacio 15, Pearson 7, Tanoy 6, Sia 6, Lumahan 6, Fabian 5, Dimdam 4, Gelig 3, Manuel 2, San Jose 0, Pangalangan 0, Paulino 0, Estacio 0, Custodio 0, Cariño 0

This afternoon our Eaglets beat NU, which was No. 2 after the first round, by 26 points. Apparently it was never close and the lead at one point was 66-33. This is a 14-0 sweep and gives us a thrice-to-beat advantage in the Finals (we have to beat the other contender twice). It will be a stepladder for the next three teams (I think NU, UST, and - not sure about this - DLSZ or maybe FEU-FERN), and I hope UST won't be the survivor. We barely beat them both rounds; all our other wins were double-digit.

Below was the scenario before this afternoon's games.

Then Ateneo walloped NU 80-plus to 50-plus (forgot the exact score, margin too big.) Therefore, Ateneo Blue Eaglets achieve perfection .... now sitting pretty to await who will make it to the finals where Ateneo only has to win twice while the opponent has to win three times.

In the previous game, FEU lambasted DLSZ. So the scenario of a play-off for fourth followed by a series of play-offs (described below) will apply.

The danger to the Eaglets now is the effect of a long lay-off. NBA teams loathe these situations where the team loses intensity, becomes rusty or out-of-shape. That's the challenge for the Ateneo .... a great problem to have though.

Traffic was unusually heavy this afternoon. I arrived at the Arena and glanced at the scoreboard: 4 minutes left in the first quarter, "home" - 15 .... "guests" - 2. It never occured to me that we were not "guests." True enough, the Eaglets zoomed to a lead that it will never relinquish. Highlight of the game: Kiefer Ravena has three men on him, goes for a strong drive-in lay-up, hangs in the air and is about to shoot on the left side of the goal, then brings the ball down and lays the ball from the other side of the basket .... in a crowd... swish .... no sweat.

Superlatives are apropos in describing his performance .... and he assists as well. The whole team functioned like a well-oiled machine, humming as it mows down those in its path. Gadia converts four triples in a row. He then continues to jack up the treys, without even bothering to fake, and gets blocked three times. No matter. His teammates were scoring almost at will and defending well.

I looked up at the scoreboard in the third quarter .... 66-33. Big leads give me a headache. That lead would go down to 25-23 points but would rise up again. The Eaglets were firmly in command of this game ..... and this season.

Sidelights: Resurrecion was still in a cast and his injury seems serious. But he will hardly be missed given the depth and the skill level of this team; hope he gets well.

So .... the journey for three in 73 will end in a bonfire. The Phenom is awesome.

***************

Eaglets eye 14-0 sweep; Zobel, FERN in crucial match
Aug 31 Written by: UAAP News Admin
8/31/2010 4:27 AM
By Anthony Divinagracia

How do you stop a team from sweeping its way to the Finals?

National University (NU) tries to provide an answer as it goes up against the sweep-seeking Ateneo de Manila University today for its last assignment heading into the play-offs of the 73rd UAAP juniors basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.

The defending champion Eaglets vie for a perfect 14-0 mark that would earn them an outright Finals seat while the Bulldogs hope to lock their paws on the no. 2 spot plus the all-important twice-to-beat bonus with a much-needed win over Ateneo in the 2:45 p.m. main game.

In the opening match, De La Salle Zobel tries to formalize its entry into the Final Four by booting fifth-placer Far Eastern University (FEU)-FERN out of its path at 1 p.m.

A victory by the Eaglets will set the step-ladder format where the third and fourth ranked teams battle it out in a do-or-die contest for the right to face the no. 2 squad armed with twice-to-beat advantage.

But an upset by the Bulldogs of the heavily favored Eaglets moves the semis back to its usual 1-4, 2-3 pairing with the Top 2 finishers getting twice-to-beat incentives.

An NU loss however will give third-running University of Santo Tomas the chance to dispute the no. 2 spot with the Bulldogs if the Tigers dispose Adamson University on Thursday. If this scenario pushes through, NU and UST will carry similar 10-4 records.

Currently holding a 7-6 ledger, the Junior Archers target the last semis ticket against the Baby Tamaraws who are just breathing down their necks at 6-7.

A La Salle victory completes the Final Four cast with the Junior Archers rounding up the eliminations at 8-6. But an FEU triumph forces the Baby Tamaraws to tie La Salle at 7-7, arranging a winner-take-all in the process.

Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal, and Paolo Romero are again expected to lead the Eaglets, who handily beat the Bulldogs, 82-64, in their first meeting on July 27.

The Bulldogs on the other hand will lean on main man Roque Estoce, Rap Atangan, Ralph Tansingco, and Jonel Parungao, among others to neutralize the Eaglets’ vaunted 1-2-2 pressure defense and set the offensive tempo early on.

Yet that is easier said than done as the Eaglets also enjoy a deeper bench against the Bulldogs, who utilize a shoe-string rotation loaded with rookies. Size-wise, Ateneo has the edge but NU is more hustle-oriented.

Offering an interesting sidelight will be the match-up of Ravena and Estoce, who currently place second and third respectively in the MVP race.

Ravena dished out another marquee performance for Ateneo in their last game, tallying 20 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals to help the Eaglets demolish FEU, 78-54.

Hounded by the Junior Archers’ tight defense, Estoce wound up with only 7 points in NU’s 45-43 nipping of La Salle, but had 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and a block to boot.

... below, the usual great article from Rick Olivares .....

However, he wrote: "For them to wrap up a rare three-peat, they will have to win twice in the best-of-three series that begins two weeks from now."

Mali yata; I was told by a parent that whoever emerges as the other finalist needs to beat the Ateneo three times while the Ateneo just needs to win twice to defend the crown. This quirk was formulated because of the UE (seniors) sweep in season 70 wherein their perfect record counted for zilch.

I agree with Rick's comparison of Ravena/Pessumal to Jordan/Pippen. The same style of exciting basketball which luckily I was able to watch for quite a few games this season. Pao Romero is a solid contributor and though not as flashy as the two, I think that he can make it to the seniors level (a "3") .... but maybe not at the Ateneo. We'll see if he values the education more than the basketball.

Yup, this team is special. Savor them while they last. Next year, 4 of the first 5 will graduate .... but why fret about tomorrow when today is still very much here .... and awesome.

Proud of the accomplishments of this team .... proud of the excellence .... proud of the tradition.

Sarap maging Atenista.

***************

Murder by numbers
Ateneo 87 vs. NU 61
by rick olivares

The statistics can lie. Yes, the numbers are cold hard facts but they hardly begin to tell the story.

Take for example Mio Puno son of former Blue Eaglet captain Nolet who also led the jayvees to the title in 1984. At the half of the Eaglets’ 14th game of the UAAP season, Puno logged only six minutes. Across his name on the ledger there were zero points, zero rebounds, zero everything.

But in his six minutes on the floor he held his National University Bullpup counterpart Kevin Lara to zero points and zero attempts at the basket.

Then there’s Von Pessumal. There’s a reason why head coach Jamike Jarin rides him hard. He’s got great potential. Alongside wunderkind Kiefer Ravena, the two conjure images of a high school version of a couple of guys who once suited up for the Chicago Bulls and led them to a bunch of titles. And the Ateneo version are once more playing for another title – their third in four seasons.

Three years ago, Jarin told the lanky 6’1” forward that he would be playing all five positions in the floor because of his multiple talents. Pessumal accepted the challenge and since then he’s become every bit as crucial to Ateneo’s game plan for he can drive, post-up, stick the three-pointer, pull up shot, or a swish the fade. He can bring that ball down and thread a pass through traffic such as when he found forward Jay Sacluti who was lurking ahead of the pack for an easy lay in. And that’s just on the offensive end. He’s got great instincts on defense where he plays the passing lanes well and block shots with the best of them. He’s also quick enough to double on defense and recover back to his man.

Against NU, he only scored 6 points and collected four assists. It might not be much but consider this – after the Bullpups reeled off seven straight points to start the fourth quarter, Pessumal reentered the fray with Kiefer Lim, Janus Suarez, Mio Puno, and Bolek Vitangcol. Picking up the ball just above the apex of the three-point arc, Pessumal instructed Suarez to shift from the left side of the court to the right. Thinking that he wanted a clear out, NU sent a man to double but Pessumal sent a pass to Suarez who cut back inside the lane for a lay-up.

Order was restored. Pessumal then checked out of the game. His job done as the Eaglets finished off the Bullpups 87-61. There was no assist credited as Suarez dribbled some, but it was Pessumal’s ability direct the offense that restored order to Ateneo’s offense.

They had done it; swept the eliminations for the fourth time in Ateneo UAAP Juniors history.

“Fourteen and oh,” said Jarin inside the victorious locker room. “But that doesn’t mean anything yet. We have two games to win before that means something.”

With uncanny focus and playing one of their best games from start to finish, the Blue Eaglets dropped a mighty 21-4 bomb in the first eight minutes and forty-five seconds to seize control of the game.

But NU, no longer the doormat in both divisions this season, scored five points to bridge the first and second quarters to pump some life into their game behind the athletic Roque Estoce.

While Bullpups head coach Jeff Napa designed their defense to stop Ravena and Pessumal, they didn’t count on a supersub to step in mightily.

Josh Gadia bucked an early season injury to return and provide quality minutes. Not one to lack confidence to take the big shot, Gadia rattled off four triples in a four-minute span that broke the game wide open 40-24. The cherry on the icing before halftime was when Ravena stole a page from Michael Jordan who once drove right through five New Jersey Nets for a bucket. With eight seconds left, he beat Estoce with a quick first step outside the arc then drove right through Nico Meneses and Jonel Parungao before spinning past Raf Atangan for a reverse lay-up and a 42-26 lead.

After a Sacluti basket with 2:30 left in the third, the score was 68-35. The game had long been over. The only thing left to be decided was the grisly toll.

Fifteen of the 16 Blue Eaglets played (minus Jan Ressureccion who was out with a hyper-extended knee) and 13 of them scored. But all of them added contributed with some rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. They ruled the boards 52-33, assists 22-18, steals 7-1, and had more fastbreak points (16-11) and turnover points (29-16).

Their destruction of second place NU was systematic and cold blooded.

With their 14th straight win, the Blue Eaglets booked their fifth straight finals appearance and will wait for their foe that will either be NU, FEU, UST, or DLSZ depending on who knocks out whom in a stepladder format.

It was the fourth eliminations sweep. Ateneo turned the trick in 1986, 1999, and 2006.

But the statistics lie.

Each time they went on to win the title (but in ’99 and ’06 they lost Game 1 of the finals before bouncing back to wrap it up). For them to wrap up a rare three-peat, they will have to win twice in the best-of-three series that begins two weeks from now.

Cautioned assistant coach Joe Silva, himself a former Blue Eaglet, “Fourteen-zero.. good job! Pero wala pa tayo napaptunayan. Two more wins that’s the better job. Let’s win two more games.”

The team nodded in agreement. Now the real work begins.

Ateneo 87 – Ravena 24, Romero 14, Gadia 12, Javelosa 8, Suarez 7, Pessumal 6, Tenorio 5, Lim 3, Sacluti 2, Puno 2, Gamboa 2, Vitangcol 1, Dumrique 1, Mercado 0, Austria 0

NU 61 – Tansingco 14, Atangan 12, Estoce 11, Napa 8, Parungao 6, Meneses 5, Rivero 2, Busa 2, Lara 1, Caparas 0, Banquiao 0

kindly post the schedules of the finals games of the eaglets when available. Thanks

where can i watch replays or even just highlights of the eaglets' games... i haven't seen kiefer play; i want to see how good he really is

Will do.



Sorry but no clue. I see video cameras turned on during the games but I've no idea whose these are. I'm no insider to Ateneo basketball (never claimed to be) ... just a simple miron.

The record speaks for itself. A perfect season. Ravena dominating. Pessumal already mentioned by Coach Black. The wins are by big margins. In years to come, Ateneo basketball addicts may arguably refer to this team as the best ever ....

So my suggestion to you and others, watch the final two games. Not only will you support the senior students who will be playing their last games for the blue (there are several of them) ..... but maybe, you will also encourage them to persevere so that they can play for the blue in the senior division. At the very least, you will enjoy these games.

an aside: The best scenario .... the green make it (but odds are loaded against them ..... just as they were in the recent PBA draft .... je-je)

DLSZ will not make it. Aren't we all enjoying these times Bilog nga ang bola but while we're on top, I'm maximizing the feelings of pleasure I'm getting out of all these - DLSU/DLSZ dark ages.

Standings before today's games ...

ADMU 14 0
NU 10 4
UST 9 4
DLSU 7 7
FEU 7 7
AdU 6 7
UE 1 12
UP 0 13

Note:
- UP is likewise going for a perfect season ... in reverse ....
- the Blue Eaglets are ahead of the field by the proverbial mile
- UST can still get the twice-to-beat
- Adamson can still join the play-offs
- there's a whole lot of "eliminating each other" for 5 teams while the Ateneo twiddles its thumb, watching and waiting

The complications are well-explained in the article below.

This could mean that come the final series, the Eaglets will be so rusty and bored .... and its opponent will be honed and razor-sharp .... that there might be an upset. To prevent this, I understand tune-up games are scheduled for the Eaglets in the interim. I don't know the details however.

Some (more knowledgeable) people tell me that UST is the most dangerous foe for the Blue Eaglets. Ateneo beat the Tiger Cubs 76-72 in the first round and 60-57 in the second .... obviously close games. Their 6'4" Kevin Ferrer is an MVP candidate (but this year's MVP is so clear that it's a major, major problem if the Phenom is not selected) .... and UST has a strong line-up that has given the Eaglets a tough fight.

I've been asking about Kiefer's plans. Enigmatically, someone told me that parents Bong and Mozzie Ravena have been collating Kiefer's game tapes. To me, that means that they will be shopping around not only here but elsewhere.

Sorry to be redundant but that's for saka na lang .... we still have him right now for the dash to the summit. Enjoy.

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Tiger Cubs, Baby Falcons battle in crucial tiff
Sep2 Written by: UAAP News Admin
9/2/2010 6:44 AM
By Anthony Divinagracia

University of Santo Tomas (UST) faces a must-win situation today to remain in the hunt for the no. 2 spot as it battles a survival-pressing Adamson University going into the step-ladder phase of the 73rd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

The third-running Tiger Cubs hope to dispatch the Baby Falcons in their 9:45 a.m. rematch to force a knock-out contest with second-seeded National University for the twice-to-beat advantage heading into the rare step-ladder format prompted by defending champion Ateneo de Manila University’s 14-game sweep of the eliminations.

A victory by UST catapults the Tiger Cubs to a 10-4 tie with the Bullpups for second place which will be decided by a play-off on Saturday. But an Adamson win will finalize the Top 3 with NU keeping the no. 2 spot while the Baby Falcons forge a three-way logjam for fourth place, tying De La Salle Zobel and Far Eastern University (FEU)-FERN at 7-7 in the process.

If the Adamson scenario pushes through, the Baby Falcons stand to join the Junior Archers and the Baby Tamaraws in the mad scramble for the last Final Four slot. La Salle, by virtue of a superior quotient, awaits the winner of the FEU-Adamson tussle which the Junior Archers will meet in the make-or-break clincher for fourth.

The Tiger Cubs are coming off a 109-63 annihilation of season doormat University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) last Saturday, behind the 31-point explosion of top MVP contender Kevin Ferrer, who will be a marked man for Adamson going into today’s match.

Adamson meanwhile subdued the University of the East (UE), 68-63, in their last outing.

Bust aside from Ferrer, UST – which clobbered Adamson, 83-71, back in the first round last July 31 – also expects EJ Corre, Jaypee Sarcia, and Airon Cabauatan among others to deliver the goods for the Tiger Cubs on both cylinders.

The Baby Falcons on the other hand seek to draw big numbers from Irvin Mendoza, Joseph Manlangit, Ivan Villondo, and Edsel Saludo.

Meanwhile, UPIS and UE try to close their rocky season on a winning note as they clash in a no-bearing game at 8 a.m.

End of the eliminations .... perfect season for two teams ....

ADMU 14 0
NU 10 4
UST 10 4
DLSU 7 7
FEU 7 7
AdU 6 8
UE 2 12
UP 0 14

What will happen next? .... abangan ...

"Scheduling problems, however, continue to hound the squad as Altamirano voiced concerns over the availability of their key players for the Yemen tourney.

“I hope everyone could play but we have a pool of 15 players to replace some players who may not be available,” said Altamirano, who could be referring to Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena and Von Pessumal."

The Youth Championship may overlap with the finals series of the UAAP ..... plus Father RB Hizon may not be too keen in allowing Kiefer Ravena/Von Pessumal to miss classes for more than a week ....

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RP draws China in Fiba-Asia Youth
By Joey Villar (The Philippine Star) Updated September 03, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Under-18 team recently drew powerhouse China, Syria and Saudi Arabia in Group C in the coming 21st FIBA-Asia Youth Championship slated Sept. 22-Oct. 1 in Sana’a, Yemen.

The Nationals, who qualified for the Yemen joust after topping the Southeast Asian Basketball Association championship in Myanmar last July, are still awaiting official information from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

“We haven’t received official word yet from the SBP as of now but we’re now preparing hard for the tournament,” said RP Youth coach Eric Altamirano.

“But if it’s really official, China would be tough being an eight-time champion while we’re still scouting Syria and Saudi Arabia,” he added.

Scheduling problems, however, continue to hound the squad as Altamirano voiced concerns over the availability of their key players for the Yemen tourney.

“I hope everyone could play but we have a pool of 15 players to replace some players who may not be available,” said Altamirano, who could be referring to Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena and Von Pessumal.

Fil-Am Bobby Ray Park Jr. though has confirmed participation after leading RP’s three-on-three team to a ninth place finish in last month’s Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Jeron Teng, Cris Michael Tolomia and Michael Pate are also part of that team seeing action for the Nationals.

Altamirano admitted it would be hard topping the tournament although he is optimistic the Filipinos could surpass their seventh place finish two years back.

The top three teams in the Yemen meet will clinch berths as Asia’s representative to the FIBA Under-19 Championship in Latvia next year.

"Kung gusto talaga, maraming paraan. Kung ayaw, maraming dahilan."

If Ateneo was able to lend L.A. Tenorio, Macky Escalona, Ken Barracoso and Johann Uichico to the RP Under-20 team that competed in the very last FIBA Under-20 Men's Championships (held from September 29 to October 8, 2004) then I don't see why this case should be entirely different. Bulakbol ba sa eskwela itong sina Kiefer at Von para pagbawalan sila ng school na mawala sa klase for less than 2 weeks for a national cause? Also, what ever happened to the UAAP's staunch support of the SBP's cause being one of the primary stakeholders that pushed for its ascension to the RP basketball hierarchy versus the BAP?

Hmmm...maybe because LA and company were already in college when they were on that team. Ravena and Pessumal are still in High School. College and HS are two totally different worlds. There are lots of ways and avenues na makabawi sa classes and grades in the former that are not available in the latter. Hinde naman siguro bulakbol yung dalawang bata. Baka crucial lang ang september for AHS Seniors. Or baka naninigurado lang ang AdMU...baka masulot pa ng kabilang kampo pag pinaglaro nila sa labas.

Whatever the reason may be, valid or otherwise, this is not good for Philippine basketball as a whole. Fine, Ateneo may win championships left and right. But if something is not done about the lack of cooperation of some supposed basketball stakeholders (or members of the group) to the bigger cause, then domestic victories will have shallow significance in the final analysis.

Eagles halt Tigers, gain twice-to-beat
By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star)
Updated September 06, 2010 12:00 AM

In juniors play, University of Santo Tomas nosed out National U in a KO match, 65-58, to clinch the No. 2 spot and the twice-to-beat advantage in the stepladder ladder phase.

The Bullpups wound up third and will play fourth-ranked De La Salle-Zobel next for the right to play second-ranked UST.

The Junior Archers advanced to the stepladder after edging FEU-FERN, 66-60, in a rubber match for the No. 4 berth.

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Looks like UST is on track to face us for the finals.

I don't know what the Eaglets are doing to keep in tip-top shape ..... the hunger for the three-peat might dissipate with inactivity .... but I know (hope) that our coaches are on top of the situation.

In the meantime, the Greenies have survived two knock-out matches (FEU and then NU ... refer below) and will have to overcome UST twice to meet the Ateneo in the finals .... where it will have to win three more. If indeed the Greenies pull it off .... well, they will deserve it.

It's always exciting to meet VL Salle ..... and doubly satisfying to beat them. So they're still in the picture ....

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Junior Archers oust Bullpups
Sep8 Written by: UAAP News Admin
9/8/2010 12:58 AM
By Anthony Divinagracia

MANILA, Philippines – One is greater than two.

Apparently lifting a page from the Franz Pumaren quote book, De La Salle Zobel ruled the game that mattered most on Tuesday as it survived National University (NU), 57-54, to move into the next phase of the step-ladder semifinals of the 73rd UAAP juniors basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.

The Junior Archers stormed ahead of the Bullpups early on and displayed poise and resilience in the clutch to offset a woeful fourth-quarter shooting and give La Salle its only win against the vastly improved NU quintet this season.

“We didn’t start our season the way we wanted to. We were at seventh place after the first round. I’m happy the boys took the challenge to take us where we are now. NU is just a very tough team to beat,” La Salle coach Boris Aldeguer said minutes after the Junior Archers avenged their two straight defeats to the Bullpups in the eliminations.

More importantly, the victory set La Salle in a collision with twice-to-beat University of Santo Tomas for its next semis assignment.

Gabriel Reyes dished out another double-double performance for the Junior Archers, tallying 17 points and 11 rebounds to preside over La Salle’s 14-1 third-quarter breakaway.

The Bullpups, however, staged a prolonged 15-2 countersalvo that cut La Salle’s lead to only one, 55-54, with 2:15 remaining in the fourth.

A Reyes split off Atangan’s second foul with 35.9 seconds left pushed the Junior Archers ahead by a basket, forcing NU to sue for time and map out its final play.

But two misses – a Roque Estoce drive and a Rap Atangan 15-footer – in that crucial possession with 14 ticks remaining doomed NU’s equalizer bid as the Bullpups went on a senseless fouling spree at the turn to breach the penalty mark and prevent the clock from expiring just yet.

Axel Torres finalized the count with a split to hand La Salle just its fourth point in the entire fourth period.

“We’ve gone this far but we ended up short. Still I’m happy with what they have achieved this season,” NU coach Jeff Napa said of the Bullpups’ surprise Final Four finish after wounding up seventh last season.

“I give credit to La Salle for coming out more prepared in this game.”

Mikey Capacio came off the bench to backstop Reyes, scoring 12 points, while Joseph Tempongko added 8 on a perfect 2-of-2 clip from the three-point range.

Estoce, meanwhile, led NU with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Parungao and Atangan chipped in 10 markers apiece. Parungao also had 10 boards.

The Scores:

DLSZ 57 – Reyes 17, Capacio 12, Tempongko 8, Torres A 7, Monteiro 5, Roxas 4, Concepcion 2, Torres N 2, Suido 0, Calugcug 0.

NU 54 – Estoce 17, Parungao 10, Atangan 10, Tansingco 6, Lara 6, Banquiao 5, Rivero 0, Meneses 0, Caparas 0.

Quarter scores: 14-8, 30-26, 53-39, 57-54.

game 1- tues, sept 14, 4pm, San Juan Arena
game 2- thurs, sept 16, 11am, Araneta

I haven't located an article descibing how the UST Tigers stopped the play-off run of the Junior Archers yesterday but the Ateneo now faces its most dangerous threat to a perfect season - UST.

Talking to some parents and aficionados, I gather that UST gave the Eaglets major, major headaches this season; but still the Blue came out on top.

The series already gives the Ateneo a "plus 1" .... all it needs to do is win the above-scheduled games and the perfect season is booked in history while UST has to notch three wins. Perhaps the powers-that-be believe that it will take only two games to determine the champion; that's why no third game is scheduled, je-je.

This is a chance (forgive my kulit ways) to watch this awesome team .... and the Phenom .... in action. I think that 7 seniors are graduating this year and I heard (unconfirmed) that this may be Coach Jamike's swan song (and he will leave behind a glorious record - best Ateneo high school coach ever) .... so these last games will be a valediction for a lot of guys.

The journey for three in 73 is ending and for the juniors, the summit is in sight without any apparent obstruction. Of course, there is the "bilog ang bola" and the zebras to contend with .... but the odds favor the Ateneo reaching the peak and planting a flag with the word "magis" written on it.