In line with the ongoing University of Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball tournament, this weekly series will analyze the state of the Ateneo Blue Eagles in their quest to reclaim the crown.

Recap of the Week (September 9 to 15):

The Ateneo Blue Eagles began their season this week with a 2-0 record. In their first game, they defeated the Papi Sarr-less Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons last Sunday, September 9, 85-65. The Blue and White followed this up by routing the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 92-71, on Wednesday, September 13.

Here are four takeaways about the Ateneo Blue Eagles through two contests:

1. Perimeter depth can be a strength all season

Through the first two games, Thirdy Ravena has risen above Ateneo’s pack of perimeter players as the team’s most consistent performer with averages of 18 points and eight rebounds per game. One evident difference in his play from last season has been his ability to get to the free throw line. The Season 79 Mythical Five member has launched 18 charities through two games, nailing a proficient 78% of his shots at the stripe.

However, Ravena has received a lot of help from the team-oriented offensive the Blue Eagles have deployed under Head Coach Tab Baldwin.

“We don’t know who’s going to hit double figures for us each game, so far Thirdy has done that twice. That’s the way we want to play. We like to move the ball and it gives an opportunity for the other players to contribute,” said Assistant Coach Sandy Arespacochaga about Ateneo’s offensive attack.

Apart from Ravena, a pair of Blue Eagle backup point guards have also capitalized on their respective opportunities. Jolo Mendoza lit up the Soaring Falcons for 14 points, including three three-point bombs in the team’s inaugural game. On Wednesday, Tyler Tio made all six of his field goal attempts, including 10 straight points to begin the fourth quarter, en route to 14 points of his own in a heralded UAAP debut performance against UP.

In addition to the aforementioned weapons, it must not be forgotten that the Blue Eagles still field a bunch of wings that can explode at any given moment. Last year’s breakout performers Anton Asistio and Mike Nieto have been fairly quiet so far, but have shown enough in the past that opposing teams must remain wary of potential big performances. Aaron Black has also continued to show aggressiveness as one of the bench’s leading playmakers. He has the opportunity to lead the team during stretches within games.

The mix of proven players within an internationally-tested system should allow the Blue Eagles to consistently find a leader from their hoard of young perimeter players every game. This begs the question prior to every match, “Who will lead the team today?”

2. Is this Ikeh’s breakout season?

Chibueze Ikeh has been a polarizing figure for Ateneo. When he is at his best, Ikeh has shown that he can single-handedly swing the balance of a game, evidenced by his 14-point, 17-rebound line in an overtime win against National University back in 2015. The Nigerian center, however, has had difficulty maintaining this type of production over the span of a season.

Here is what is known about Ikeh’s positives at this stage of his UAAP career: He is one of the best on the offensive glass in the whole league. He had the best offensive rebound percentage among players who averaged at least 15 minutes per game during Season 78, per HumbleBola, and was third in the same statistic last season. Listed at 6’9”, the athletic big has the physical tools to be among the league leaders in blocks, but is suspect to early foul trouble at times. His offensive production also fluctuates from game to game.

Ikeh’s past two outings have showcased the best parts of his game as well as the improvements he has made over the offseason. He notched a career-high 18 points and tied his previous high of 17 boards against AdU, and followed this up with a near double-double versus UP. He has only missed three free throws in 12 attempts so far, up from his career FT% of 54.1 percent.

Beyond the stats, Ikeh has displayed a lot more confidence. He has finished well through contact, and is catching tough passes at a higher rate than usual. He continues to terrorize opposing bigs on the offensive glass, and has been a solid rim protector. The center even attempted a three-pointer—his first attempt in his UAAP career—showcasing this newfound confidence. Arespacochaga noted that Ikeh worked extra hours with the assistant coaches throughout the offseason, which was why the team has not been surprised with his exceptional play.

If he can continue to be a double-double threat every game, it will be difficult to remove him from the starting line-up despite the looming presence of Isaac Go, another one of last season’s breakout players. Consistency can earn Ikeh a place among the top centers in the UAAP.

3. Ateneo has dominated rebounding, but is it sustainable?

Ikeh played a huge part in Ateneo’s ability to control the glass. Against the Falcons, the Blue Eagles hauled in 60 rebounds leading to a +25 rebounding advantage. In the following match, they scooped up 51 boards to finish with 13 more rebounds than their Katipunan rivals.

The Blue Eagles have also been able to capitalize on second chance opportunities earned from these rebounds. Against AdU, Ateneo finished with a huge 29-6 edge in second chance points, and had a similar 31-7 advantage against UP.

However, it is interesting to note that just like in scoring, Ateneo has received a balanced rebounding effort from its roster. While big men like Ikeh, Vince Tolentino (7 rebounds per game or rpg), and Isaac Go (4.5 rpg) have been solid on the glass, the Ateneo guards and wings have helped out as well. Ravena, Black (7.5 rpg), and even starting point guard Matt Nieto (4.7 rpg) have shown the ability to grab their fair share of boards.

The question will now be whether the Blue Eagles can keep up this success. Ateneo finished the middle of the pack (4th) in rebounding last season, and its first two games were against the two teams who grabbed the fewest rebounds in Season 79. With the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws and University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers—two teams who averaged more rebounds than Ateneo last year—up next on the schedule, it is time for the Blue Eagles to prove if their dominance on the glass is for real or a mere early season schedule coincidence.

4. Turnovers continue to compound the team

Despite consecutive 20-point routs, the Blue Eagles turned the ball over more times than AdU, 18 compared to AdU’s 14, and had fewer points off turnovers in both games. The gulf between the latter statistic was more pronounced in the Battle of Katipunan: Ateneo conceded 21 points off turnovers compared to the seven that they scored.

This trend is nothing new for the Blue Eagles. Last season, they committed 287 turnovers as a team, fourth most in the league, and the second highest Turnover Percentage, a statistic that estimates the percentage of turnovers per 100 possessions, according to HumbleBola.

While majority of Ateneo’s turnovers directly resulted from their opponent’s defensive pressure, a handful were also caused by miscommunication and sloppy passing.

“We had a lot of turnovers, which was something we did not want to do,” said Arespacochaga after their win against the Soaring Falcons. “Adamson played well with their traps. We need to do a better job of taking care of the ball.”

The Blue Eagles masked their turnover problem with dominating offensive and defensive performances. AdU and UP could not capitalize on this, but better teams, like the FEU Tamaraws whom they face tomorrow, may be able to better use this deficiency to their advantage.