In line with the ongoing University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Basketball tournament, this quarterly series will analyze the state of the Ateneo Lady Eagles as they look to get back into the Final Four.
First Quarter Recap (September 10 to September 24):
The Lady Eagles had an up and down beginning to their season. They defeated the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons, then nipped past the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons on a Katrina Guytingco game-winner to begin with a spotless 2-0 record. The Lady Eagles then went on to drop their next two contests, first to the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, then to the powerhouse University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors. Midway through the first round of play, the Lady Eagles share 4th place in the standings with FEU as both teams hold 2-2 records.
1. The Lady Eagles need to focus for 40 minutes a game
While the final results have been mixed, the storyline between the four games of the Lady Eagles has been eerily similar. Ateneo has constantly controlled the opening frame, never having trailed after the first quarter and outscoring teams by an average of 5.8 points. The strong starts have been evident as the Lady Eagles held leads of seven points or more in the first quarter of every game so far in this season.
However, just like those starts, the Lady Eagles have seen their lead disappear in every single game as well. In their opening day win over Adamson, the Lady Eagles blew a 13-point lead, were down by as much as five points in the final frame, but were able to secure a victory in the end. Their next win saw them also relinquish a nine-point advantage to the Lady Maroons, only to be saved by Guytingco’s heroics. Against stiffer competition from FEU and UE, the Lady Eagles were not as successful as they fell short of victories in the end. This is not to say the Lady Eagles didn’t show the fight they did in the first two victories, as in both losses, Ateneo was able to at least taste the lead again after having given it up.
Still, the Lady Eagles’ last two games proved that there must be a more consistent full game effort from the squad. After taking a 13-6 lead in the first quarter against the Lady Warriors, Ateneo failed to score for the final four and half minutes of the frame. Against FEU, the Lady Eagles jumped out to a 19-7 lead midway through the first quarter, but slowed down and lost their lead just one quarter later.
“We need to be composed all game long. We need to stay focus all game long,” head coach John Flores pointed out after the loss to the Lady Tamaraws.
Having shown the ability to jump ahead of a powerhouse team like UE, the Ateneo Lady Eagles should have the confidence to know that they can match up with any team in the UAAP. But as coach Flores touched on it, focus and composure for a full 40 minutes is exactly what the Lady Eagles need to attain in order to grab a win or two in the difficult, but crucial final stretch of round one.
2. The Lady Eagles’ balanced offensive attack
In each of the four games, a different Lady Eagle stepped up to lead the team: Melissa Newsome and Jhazmine Joson starred in the opener, Cara Buendia and Tina Deacon had key moments in the ensuing match, Hazelle Yam dropped 20 in the loss against FEU, and Jolina Go top-scored Ateneo in the first and fourth match. This trend is not surprising, as Flores mentioned before the season began that the team would rely on the core eight players from the season before.
The numbers indeed show the multitude of options that the Lady Eagles possess. Ateneo’s offense begins with the starting guards: Go and Yam are the team’s leading scorers, averaging 10.5 and 9.0 points per game, respectively. Despite similar scoring outputs, however, their play styles differ as Yam plays a more direct game, utilizing her speed and playmaking to control the offense. She has made 10 out of her 14 two-pointers this season, the highest percentage in the league, and is fifth in assists per game with 3.5. Go, meanwhile, has made a living from beyond the arc. Her nine triples (in 31 attempts) are tied for third most in the Women’s Division, but her shot has a tendency to go cold for stretches.
Tina Deacon has also been potent from a distance. The center has sunk five triples in an extremely efficient nine attempts, a percentage that leads the league. Rounding out the Ateneo’s offensive attack are Buendia and Guytingco. The duo has accounted for over half of the entire team’s free throw attempts with 35, and has collectively made 18 of them.
3. Turnovers continue to set the team back
Turnovers have been a major detriment to the squad. The Lady Eagles turn the ball over at an average of 3.25 times more than their opponent each game, and cough up an average of 20.3 points off turnovers per game (the third most in the UAAP).
This issue can be attributed to their inability to maneuver through press defenses, errant passes, over-dribbling, and miscommunication. The Lady Eagles’ chief ball-handlers—Binky Uy De Ong, Joson, and Yam—have accounted for over half of the team’s turnovers.
“Our mistakes cost us the game. We really need to work together and lessen our turnovers to bounce back,” Guytingco admitted after their loss at the hands of UE.
Ateneo is currently tied for fourth in the league in turnovers per game, which indicates that this is not the most pressing issue they are facing. This statistic is misleading, however, since the Lady Eagles play the slowest pace in the UAAP, meaning that a sizeable percentage of the team’s possessions end in turnovers. If they can shore up this aspect of their game, it can help them unlock the offensive rhythm that was lost in the last two defeats.
4. The search for offense in the clutch
The Lady Eagles lack a true go-to player. The unpredictability and streakiness of the core players hurt Ateneo in late-game situations. The Lady Eagles could not consistently generate enough offense in the clutch, which has been a major culprit for the team’s tendency to lose big leads. To their credit, the Lady Eagles have shown that they can survive in these situations (evidenced by their first two close victories) when players step up and get in rhythm.
As the team’s primary ball-handlers, the onus will be placed on Yam and Go to carry the team in half-court situations. Go has proven herself capable after her hot shooting from deep propelled the Lady Eagles to their first win over Adamson.
“We were able to set Jolina [Go] up well. We were able to space and spread the defenses which got her open,” Flores said. “When I called a special play for Jolina [Go], there is no doubt she can hit that shot.”
Another possible player the team can count on during the clutch is Guytingco. She scored the game-winner against UP, but was quiet in the other three games. She has the size to muscle her way to the rim, but like Go, has been inconsistent in the other three matches.
The hope is that a singular player can be relied on when the game gets tight. Ateneo has many offensive options in its arsenal, but finding the Lady Eagle that the team can consistently count on remains to be seen.