At the conclusion of the elimination round of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament, the Ateneo Blue Eagles find themselves in a familiar position—perched atop the league table at first place with a 12-2 record, falling only to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers and the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors.

Man in the middle

Greg Slaughter has been the focal point of the Blue Eagles. In the 14 games of the season, he scored in double-digits in 11—missing out against UP and La Salle in the second round, and the first round loss to the Growling Tigers.

Slaughter’s defensive presence is crucial to win in games. Even if he isn’t scoring double digits, he has other veteran teammates who can explode offensively. His rebounding and presence in the paint translates into rebounds and fast break opportunities for Ateneo.

In the elimination round, Slaughter averaged 14.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and has led the league with 2.9 blocks per game, with five double doubles to boot. He is definitely instrumental in the Blue Eagles’ success.

The phenomenon

Albeit beliefs that Kiefer Ravena would fall into a sophomore slump this year, the guard has shown to be effective in different departments. When he’s not scoring, he’s finding his teammates for good looks and grabbing rebounds to ignite the break.

Ravena’s all-star prowess was highlighted in the close 68-66 win against UST in the second round. Ravena posterized Abdul with a ferocious one-handed slam on the break and scored crucial baskets to keep the Tigers at bay in the fourth quarter. He finished the game going down with cramps, but led Ateneo with a team-high 18 points. He was six of 11 (55%) from the field and also had six rebounds and four assists. Ateneo will surely bank on Ravena to deliver in the knockout stage.

Rising to the occasion

Last season, Ateneo’s “Big Three” of Slaughter, Ravena and Nico Salva carried the team offensively. Although they are the main scoring threats for Ateneo, the Blue Eagles are packed with role players who are capable of driving the team to victory.

Juami Tiongson, JP Erram, Justin Chua, Tonino Gonzaga, Oping Sumalinog and Ryan Buenafe have shown that they are capable of knocking down shots which light up Ateneo’s scoreboard.

Tiongson has shown the community why he is the starting point guard of the Blue Eagles. He played an important role in the first round win versus FEU, scoring 12 points that included three crucial three-pointers. He also rose to the occasion against UST, with eight points and nine assists. In the reverse fixture against the Tamaraws, he exploded for a career-high 16 points, and provided double-digit figures against La Salle and UST in the second round.

Sumalinog and Buenafe have both had notable games. The former played a big part against UP in the first round as he scored 10 points and nabbed five rebounds. On the other hand, the returning 2010 Finals MVP Buenafe has shown glimpses of his former dominant self. After lackluster performances, he reasserted himself with a commendable 10-point, four-assist contribution in the first round matchup versus FEU. He then had a breakout game against La Salle in the second round, scoring a career-high 24 points coupled with eight rebounds.

Ateneo will always be able to rely on Chua’s efficiency in the perimeter. Aside from rebounding, the Chua can easily heat up with his mid-range shooting. Gonzaga, meanwhile, will always provide that offensive and defensive spark off the bench for Ateneo.

Erram has since become a revelation for Coach Norman Black. The 6’7″ center was Slaughter’s deputy in the paint who stepped up and contributed significant plays. However, his season was curtailed after he suffered an ACL tear.

A strong second half

The Blue Eagles have been known as a team with a strong second half performance.

In five of their six wins in the first round, Ateneo depended on runs in the last two quarters, while their matchup against the NU saw them leading all the way.

Against UST in the first round, Ateneo’s 15-point advantage at halftime was lost as the Tigers outscored them, 30 to 11, in the third quarter. Ateneo was unable to contain UST’s Aljon Mariano and they sputtered on the offense.

In the loss to UE, however, the Blue Eagles just could not breakaway. Ateneo’s inability to widen the gap handed them their second loss after Chris Javier nailed his second straight game-winner.

The 73-66 victory over the Fighting Maroons on August 25 showed a Blue Eagle squad playing without a sense of urgency. They only picked up things in the second half.

Defense, defense, defense

Black is a defensive specialist, making Ateneo is an offensive nightmare for any opposing team. They limited their opponents to an average of 63.8 points per game in the first seven games. Ateneo leads the league in this category. This is the most constant facet of Ateneo’s game.

The most points they allowed their opponents was 77 in the loss to UE, while limiting the same team to only 51 in the first round. Without a doubt, defense is Ateneo’s trademark.

However, no matter how good the blue defense is, they can’t win if they can’t take care of the ball. In their games against NU, UP and UST, they recorded more turnovers than their opponents.

Luckily, only the España-based squad managed to take real advantage of the turnovers, scoring 21 turnover points. Ateneo also gave away 20 turnovers in the loss to UE, which translated in 23 turnover points. Clearly, the Blue Eagles must not only “get that ball,” but take good care of it.

Number one

It is a pleasant surprise to see the Blue Eagles lead the standings of Season 75. NU has somehow struggled to find consistency and could have become overconfident after a stellar preseason. The young Green Archers are slowly finding their rhythm, while the FEU Tamaraws have proven they can’t win with their overly physical character, especially if Terrence Romeo or RR Garcia are having an off-day.

The UST Growling Tigers, however, are the most underrated team this year. With a lineup almost as intact and as deep as Ateneo’s, the Tigers have made a lot of noise and are currently ranked second.

“One game at a time,” as Black would put it. With the season coming to a close, the Blue Eagles must be firing on all cylinders for the remainder of the tournament.

Angelo F. Herbosa is The GUIDON Sports Staff’s resident basketball writer and analyst.