ANOTHER YEAR, and a new season is in full swing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Following a revamp of the roster in the offseason, the defending five-peat champions lost a number of players who were essential in last year’s title campaign as well as longtime mentor Norman Black.
The new-look team, now under the guidance of Coach Doldreich “Bo” Perasol, has since concluded the first round of games for UAAP Season 76—one that was not devoid of occasion and incident.
Rough start
The Blue Eagles’ first game of the season was against a formidable National University Bulldogs squad with two-time league Most Valuable Player Bobby Ray Parks leading the team. True enough, the son of the late Bobby Parks, Sr. ran amok, scoring 22 points in a decisive 10-point win, 74-64, handing Ateneo their first loss since bowing out to University of the East (UE) in the second round of Season 75.
They then went up against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws in a closer encounter. Newcomer Chris Newsome tallied 17 points for the Blue Eagles but it was not enough as Coach Nash Racela’s squad pulled through in overtime, 79-75.
At 0-2, it reminded the Ateneo faithful of the team’s similar position in 2002, when the team won the title, keeping hopes high going into their next game versus the De La Salle University (DLSU).
Taking a considerable advantage during halftime against their archrivals, the Blue and White’s offense stagnated in the third and fourth quarters. DLSU’s big men, particularly Arnold van Opstal, seized control of the game with their size advantage and pulled away with an 82-73 win. Newsome’s breakout performance wherein he tallied a UAAP career-high 27 points was all for naught as the loss left Ateneo at 0-3, their worst position since 1997.
In spite of the record, a vital piece of Coach Bo’s system was missing throughout—Kiefer Ravena. “The Phenom,” tabbed in the preseason to lead the Blue Eagles, suffered a grade 3 sprain on his right ankle just days before the start of the season.
Although it caught everyone by surprise, Perasol noted that the team had no choice but to adjust. “I think when we lost Kiefer, we were able to adjust right away,” he said during an interview at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Complex.
Behind the scenes, the team also had to find some inspiration during the slump, despite the tense atmosphere during practice. “After the loss to FEU, you could really tell that practice was different,” said Von Pessumal before one of their training sessions, “but Coach Bo did a really good job to keep us motivated.”
As it is said, there is no way but up. For the Blue Eagles, that is precisely the direction they headed towards.
Bouncing back
Heading into their encounter against the Adamson Falcons, there was a sense of urgency, with the team well aware of what potentially lay ahead—a 0-4 record. “There was a cause of concern,” shared Coach Bo, “but because we knew that we could do better.”
Perhaps that served as motivation, as the Blue Eagles bagged their first win in convincing fashion, 71-59. Tiongson once again provided the scoring with 15 points while JP Erram stepped up with 12. The game also saw the return of Ravena who scored four points in limited minutes.
Despite securing their first win, there wasn’t much time for celebration as another heartbreak was in store for the Katipunan-based squad against the UE Red Warriors.
After trailing for most of the game, Tiongson headed a big run in the third quarter that cut the Recto-based squad’s lead. But a resurgent Charles Mammie exploited the Blue Eagles’ size disadvantage once again, putting up 20 points coupled with 23 rebounds to seal Ateneo’s fate, 68-72. One bright spot however was Ravena scoring in double digits for the first time in the season, somewhat signaling the events to come.
True enough, they bagged their second win against cellar dweller University of the Philippines, 72-64, a game headlined by an emphatic alley-oop from Tiongson to Newsome with less than a minute left that stopped UP’s late surge. Ravena led the team in scoring for the first time this season with 15, supported by Buenafe and Newsome, who both scored 13. This set the tone for their final game, a replay of last year’s final series against the University of Santo Tomas.
While the Eagles were in the lead for most of the game, the Tigers found some light and nearly got close in the dying moments. They could have caught up had it not been for Ravena. The former King Eaglet denied Ed Daquioag a three with less than a minute remaining—one that would have reduced the Blue Eagles’ lead to one—and led the team with 13 points, together with eight rebounds.
The game was symbolic in a sense, as it showcased one thing that Ateneo missed from The Phenom—coming up in the clutch. “Kiefer takes charge during the endgame,” said Perasol, “something we heavily missed.” Now with Ravena back in the fold, and with a momentum-boosting win to end the round, sentiments are positive all around in the Blue Eagle camp.
Positive outlook
Currently enjoying a two-week break due to the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, the Blue Eagles have time to recuperate and reorganize going into a crucial second round. “We will take this time to improve,” added Perasol, “this is what we’ve been doing the past week going into the second week.”
Hopefully this spells success for the Blue Eagles, as they look to build on their momentum from their last game. “We like our position right now,” admitted Tiongson, “We just have to stay focused, and never forget to enjoy playing the game.”
“[People write us off] and say we’re not contenders,” added Pessumal, “but being defending champions has to account for something. We’re hopeful.”
Only one game separates the teams occupying the second and seventh spots in the team standings. The Ateneo Blue Eagles, despite currently sitting in sixth place, is just a game behind of the number two seed.
For Coach Bo and his team, one goal is clear: make it to the Final Four. Once they manage to clinch a spot in the semi-final round, anything can happen.
