Following their semifinal finish at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) is back. This weekly series will analyze the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ state as they aspire to win it all.
THE ATENEO Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) opened Season 86 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) on a bitter note. With high expectations following their meteoric rise last season, Ateneo stumbled into an early reality check, faltering against the reigning champions National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, 57-77.
Undeterred by their disappointing season-opener, the Blue Eagles bounced back after trouncing archrivals De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers in an overtime thriller, 87-80. Four days later, the team kept the momentum going as they defeated the Adamson University Lady Falcons (AdU), 69-59. Their impressive recovery secured the team a respectable 2-1 record through the first week of the young season.
This week, the Katipunan-based squad looks to continue the winning trend with their upcoming matches against the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors and Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws. If they ever wish to keep this streak alive, they must bolster their weaknesses and intensify their strength even more.
- Twice the height
Rav: From the inception of the new season, the Blue Eagles’ imposing presence rocked the league with excellent board work and rim protection inside the paint through the first three games. Even with their loss against NU, Ateneo kept a steady advantage over all three opponents in both rebounding and shot-blocking, with average differentials of 10.66 rebounds and 2.67 rejections respectively. Two key contributors who have carried the load on that end of the floor so far have been Sarah Makanjuola and Kacey Dela Rosa.
Their combined towering presence on the court allows the Katipunan-based squad to snuff out potential attackers and seize second-chance opportunities. Combined with Makanjuola’s strength and reach, Dela Rosa’s speed and IQ invoke an impenetrable wall that provides the team breathing room defensively. In addition to their defensive prowess, the twin-tower duo are capable offensive players. They become an overwhelming force the moment they enter the paint, decimating the enemy bastions, as exhibited in their blazing 27-point performance against the Lady Archers last Wednesday.
Dela Rosa and Makanjuola’s synergy revolves not only around the two playing at their peak but also on their ability to step up in their teammates’ roles when one faces adversity. Said displays of teamwork manifested last Sunday when Makanjuola struggled on the offensive end, shooting only 28.6% from the field. The UAAP Season 85 Rookie of the Year turned up the heat in response, dropping 28 points versus the Lady Falcons. Against the ferocious Lady Bulldogs, it was Makanjuola’s turn to right the ship, leading all scorers after Dela Rosa fouled out halfway through the third quarter.
With the progression of UAAP Season 86, the looming question is if Ateneo has a strategic answer to a scenario where both players are not performing at their usual level. Despite these concerns, there is a rising star who dispels all those worries and rightfully puts them to bed.
- The spark plug
Vincent: Vital in Ateneo’s first win of Season 86 against the Lady Archers was Junize Calago, who scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out six assists. The sophomore guard followed this performance up with a near-double-double performance of 13 points and nine rebounds against the Lady Falcons, helping the Blue and White notch back-to-back wins.
The first three games proved that Calago’s energetic and all-around play could be the difference maker for the Blue and White. Her timely scoring and rebounding were crucial in keeping the team within striking distance against DLSU. While her shooting percentage from beyond the arc is something to take note of—21.4 percent as of the first three games—Calago’s inside scoring and her ability to slash through defenders allows her to consistently provide much-needed buckets. Moreover, the former Chiang Kai Shek College High School standout’s ball-shifting prowess has made it possible for these scoring opportunities to present themselves.
Such an ability is also a testament to her quickness and speed, which has translated on the defensive side of the court. Calago collected six total steals in three games, half of which came at the expense of AdU. Equally as impressive as her scoring prowess is her rebounding, evident when she grabbed seven boards in their season opener against NU. Calago’s last two games further showcased her hustle on this front, stuffing the stat sheet with 10 and nine rebounds, respectively.
After the first three games, Calago finds herself with an average of 15.3 points and three assists per contest, including a 35.7% clip from inside the three-point line. Furthermore, her 8.6 rebounds and two steals per game stat lines show that Calago’s presence on both ends has been imperative to the Blue Eagles’ 2-1 start to the season. However, if she and her team are to sustain their winning ways, they need to tackle one major issue.
- Free throw woes
Eury: While heroics from the Blue Eagle pillars have proven to be an indispensable cornerstone in the team’s ascent up the ladder, there remain minor lapses that continue to be persistent thorns by their side. Chief among these is the team’s struggle when it comes to harvesting points from the charity stripe.
In their season opener against the Lady Bulldogs, the Blue Eagles suffered a shaky start after merely hitting 17 out of 28 shots from the free-throw line, resulting in a 60.7% conversion rate. Comparatively, their opponents managed to convert 11 out of 15 charities to the tune of 73.3% —a statistic that might have considerably contributed to the Blue and White’s eventual 20-point deficit loss.
Things did not fare much better in their subsequent encounter with the DLSU Lady Archers for their second contest in the tournament. Despite the best of their abilities, the Blue Eagles were only able to pen eight out of 23 foul-line attempts, resulting in an underwhelming free throw percentage of 34.8% as compared to DLSU’s 68.8%. This goes to show that although Team Captain Jhazmin Joson’s skillful maneuvers were ample enough to fend off the adamant Taft-based squad, hiccups from the line were early harbingers to a high-strung overtime period.
Despite this seeming impediment, the Blue Eagles were able to quickly pick up the pieces during their latest showdown against the Lady Falcons. Boasting an improvement in their free throws at 68.8%, the team’s effective performance at the foul line allowed them to seize the upper hand in the game. Although a series of cold shootings from the line coupled with foul troubles trimmed the lead down in the latter half of the match, the girls were nonetheless determined to play their cards right and extend their victorious stretch.
The Blue and White have proven to be keen when it comes to countering their adversaries time and again. However, in order to fully maximize their scoring opportunities on the hardwood, the squad must learn to navigate through these critical bottlenecks and turn the tides back to their advantage.
This week’s games
Wednesday, October 11, 1:00 PM, vs. University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors at the AdU Gym
Saturday, October 14, 9:00 AM, vs. Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws at the Mall of Asia Arena
