In line with the ongoing University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball tournament, this piece will analyze the current state of the Ateneo Blue Eagles in their quest for the elusive three-peat. 

FOR THE fourth year in a row, the Blue Eagles are bringing back the core group of players who have defined one of the most successful eras in Ateneo Basketball history. To put this continuity in perspective: Since Tab Baldwin took over in 2016, only Anton Asistio, Aaron Black, Kris Porter, Vince Tolentino, and Chibueze Ikeh have graduated. 

But this season marks the final ride for a big portion of Badlwin’s core group. It’s the last playing year for Thirdy Ravena, Matt and Mike Nieto, and Isaac Go—all of whom have played major roles in their two championship campaigns. 

Other than the absence of Raffy Verano and Jolo Mendoza due to academic issues, the rest of the core remains very much intact. Angelo Kouame is back and better than ever. Their bench still features experienced veterans like Tyler Tio, Gian Mamuyac, and Adrian Wong. SJ Belangel and BJ Andrade, both who have shown flashes as in the offseason, also look primed for breakout years. 

Ateneo dropped only two matches in the preseason, captured the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) D-League trophy, and defeated both a PBA team and a professional basketball team from Australia in their tuneups. 

Led by the steady leadership of the Nieto twins and the continued evolution of Thirdy Ravena, the Blue Eagles have shown incredible consistency and maturity in the build-up to the season. While success in the preseason does not necessarily equate to a favorable UAAP campaign, this year’s Men’s Basketball team has certainly shown the poise and determination to bring another championship to Loyola. 

With UAAP Season 82 just around the corner, here are five things to watch out for from the reinvigorated Ateneo Blue Eagles: 

Run n’ Gun

One of the most noticeable differences in the Blue Eagles this year is their fast and frenzied pace—almost as if they were competing in an inter-school track meet. This runs contrary to how they’ve operated on the offensive end for the past two years. Despite boasting the best offense in each of the past two seasons, Ateneo ranked eighth (81.7) and sixth (76.9) in pace in Season 80 and 81, respectively. 

The 2017 Blue Eagles’ numbers perfectly reflected the system that Tab Baldwin imposed that year—a patient offense that valued passing and off-ball movement until an open look was created. The UAAP Finals that year were a spectacle to watch, not only because Ateneo shared the floor with rivals De La Salle University (DLSU), but also because both squads were polar opposites of each other. Aldin Ayo’s 2017 DLSU squad reverberated with a high-intensity, high-pressure game that translated into an offensive rating of 103.93 and garnered the second most possessions per game at 88.72.

By the looks of their preseason form however, this season’s Ateneo squad is looking to add dynamism to their motion-heavy offensive sets by playing with a faster pace—much like their rivals in 2017. 

In recent tuneup games, as soon as Ateneo secured the defensive rebound, the team quickly and purposefully looked to advance the ball to capitalize on the scrambled defense. When the ball handler crossed the halfcourt line, Ateneo virtually began to play “hot potato” on the court; the ball was swung from player to player extremely quickly until they found the open man. 

Throughout the years, Ateneo’s potent attack had always been predicated by their players’ ability to move around the court. This year’s offense remains as egalitarian as ever, with the caveat that the new system necessitates a faster pace. With some players serving their fourth straight year playing under Baldwin, the Blue Eagles has shown a significant mastery over the system, evidenced by impeccably timed cuts, screens, and curls that create wide open looks. 

Rainbow country 

In previous years, Ateneo’s philosophy was to look for the best shot possible through fluid ball movement. However, this year finding the open three-point shot has been one of the team’s main points of attack. 

It makes perfect sense for the Blue Eagles to employ a pace-and-space brand of offense because of their faster pace. During the preseason, Ateneo would often run sets which featured at least three shooters ready to fire at any given moment. This was clearly shown in their 101-66 rout against Centro Escolar University (CEU) in the PBA D-League Finals. The Blue Eagles unleashed a total of 38 shots from deep, knocking down an astounding 16 threes.

Tab Baldwin seemed to have given the green light to everyone. Expect guys like SJ Belangel, Tyler Tio, and Thirdy Ravena—typically Ateneo’s ball handlers—to bomb from deep when given the space. 

Angelo Kouame’s breakout season last year will also prompt other teams to assign two or more defenders to contain the Ivorian center on certain occasions. For this reason, outside snipers will play a crucial role. It gives Kouame, along with other players who are double teamed inside, a release valve when trapped. Isaac Go’s re-emergence in the starting lineup will definitely play a crucial role for the team as the 6’7” power forward spaces the floor when situated beyond the arc. 

This year’s system places great value on players with respectable outside stroke. However, this does not pose a problem for Ateneo, since every single member of the team has shown the capacity to knock it down when called upon.

40 minutes of mayhem

Ateneo’s beautiful offense often overshadows their tenacious defense. Last season, they boasted the league-best defense with an 80.5 defensive rating—a whopping 7.7 points better than the second-best defense, Adamson University. The Blue Eagles also allowed the lowest perimeter points (17.4) and lowest 3PT FG% (22.8%), which are both crucial as modern offenses moves further and further away from the basket. Ateneo’s stifling pressure on defense is reminiscent of the DLSU “Mayhem” Era with Aldin Ayo at the helm, as they forced a whopping 18.9 errors per game—the most in the UAAP.

Their defensive tenacity isn’t hard to imagine when you watch the team strap up on D. The image of the five Blue Eagles on the court, in sync, unceasingly hounding ball-handlers will undoubtedly give guys like University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Renzo Subido, and National University’s (NU) John Lloyd Clemente nightmares—if they didn’t already last season. Ateneo limited UST and NU to 53 and 46 points, respectively, on separate occasions.

Physically, Ateneo has the look of a top defensive team. They have several long-armed players, like Kouame, Go, Wong, William Navarro, and Gian Mamuyac, who will bother passing lanes and contest shots well. Thirdy Ravena will be sure to make his presence felt on defense yet again. What gives this team the potential to be another all-time defensive team is not just their physical tools, but their willingness to commit to Baldwin’s ethos and their defensive communication.

The team is ridden with defensive bulldogs such as Mamuyac, Andrade and the Nieto twins who won’t back down from anyone—even if you are the 6’8” reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP). 

During a tune-up against PBA team NLEX in Moro Lorenzo Sports Center a week before their season-opening tilt against Adamson, the Eagles were as sharp as ever. They seemed firmly in control, even with NLEX’s import on the other end of the court. Watching them fly around on defense, covering for and barking orders to each other in such a precise manner had a calm, yet frantic beauty to it—a beauty that we doubt the other seven UAAP teams will appreciate this season.

16-deep

One of the most frustrating things teams face when playing against the Blue Eagles is their seemingly bottomless bench depth. Every game they play, Ateneo displays the “Next Man Up” mentality; Coach Tab routinely extended 15-deep into his rotation last season, with third stringers Andrade, and Belangel playing significant minutes at times. In their PBA D-League run, every roster member made significant impacts on their way to another trophy. 

Hence, other UAAP teams have engaged in an arms race to bolster their squads, among them is UP’s acquisition of Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero, and DLSU’s recruitment of three Filipino-Americans who have played in US colleges. Even with a plethora of recruits migrating to the UAAP this year, coaches sans Tab Baldwin agreed that Ateneo will be the team to beat. “It’s quite obvious that it will be Ateneo,” said Adamson University coach Franz Pumaren. “From player one to player 16, I think, skills-wise, they are all the same,”

Some junkies have questioned the vaunted depth of the Blue Eagles because of the losses of shooting guards Asistio, Black, and Mendoza. While their absences will be felt, the development of Andrade, Mamu, and Belangel as shooters should help fill the void. Also, veterans Tio and Wong should supply the offense with sound facilitating and accurate shooting. Even if the two are natural point guards, the Ateneo system let’s them slot alongside each other or Nieto and Belangel—two other natural point guards—which gives them opportunities to create on the ball and take advantage of spot-up opportunities. 

Moreover, the loss of big man Raffy Verano shouldn’t ruffle the squad with second year cagers Will Navarro and Matthew Daves warmed up and ready to pick up the slack. Ateneo also boasts an immovable object in Fil-Kiwi Patrick Maagdenberg and former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) of the Philippines Juniors MVP Troy Mallillin back from academic probation.

This depth should greatly benefit the Eagles’ high-pressure, Run ‘N Gun playing style as a deeper rotation means that players will be able to take more breaks on the bench. This should result in more intense and efficient play fueled by the constant injection of fresh legs throughout the game. Sometimes, a deep rotation can be risky for a coach because of players failing to immerse themselves in the flow of the game, but the Blue Eagles’ talent and development suggest that it will not be a problem.

Thirdy Ravena

Yes, Thirdy Ravena alone is more than enough to strike fear among this season’s rival teams.

Ravena’s college career started out as a roller coaster ride. The sweet satisfaction of donning the Blue and White in his freshman year with his brother Kiefer quickly turned sour as he sat his second year due to academic issues. However, since returning to the Hail Mary Team, he’s made his case as one of the greatest Blue Eagles ever, capturing two UAAP championships and being crowned as  Finals MVP twice in the process. Those who have supported Ateneo in the past three years have seen Ravena grow from a muscular, athletic, but inconsistent kid to an even more muscular, athletic man who also happens to be a cold, calculating killer. 

Besides the insane highlights, and displays of physical prowess, Ravena has the basketball IQ to see things other players don’t. This ability mixed with his physical traits allows him to make passes that bamboozle defenders, grab unbelievable rebounds, and make defensive plays that only an elite few can make (I know we said besides highlights, but this guy is insane). Although he might not get the most gaudy stats every game because of Ateneo’s broad rotation, it is clear he is more than capable of getting his own (see his 38-point, 6-assist, 6-rebound game in last year’s Finals against UP). 

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Ravena is his versatility. From the point guard position to the power forward position, Ravena has the ability to excel as the best player on the floor in virtually any of Tab Baldwin’s lineups. Improved ball-handling skills plus his Ravena-esque vision make him a savvy playmaker. His improved outside shot will definitely benefit him and complement his freight-train drives. Also, his post play is shaping into a deadly weapon because of his strength and excellent footwork. On the defensive end, Ravena’s physical tools and defensive chops will allow him to lockdown anyone from 5’7” Marvin Lee to 6’7” Kobe Paras.

Expect Ravena to be all over the floor this season racking up highlights and satisfying basketball pundits with gorgeous reads and defensive plays. Don’t be surprised if another championship trophy and Finals MVP find their way into the Ravena household, as Thirdy etches his name in Loyola legend.