In line with the ongoing University 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 16 to September 24):
The Ateneo Blue Eagles recorded two dominant wins over the last nine-day stretch, boosting them to the top of the standings at 4-0. A Season 79 Final Four rematch with the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws saw the Blue Eagles emerge with an impressive 94-82 win. Seven days later, they pulled away from the pesky University of the East (UE) Red Warriors in an 83-65 drubbing. With the pair of victories, and a subsequent loss suffered by the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers to the University of the Philippine (UP) Fighting Maroons, the Blue Eagles are now the lone undefeated team in the UAAP.
This Week’s Games:
September 27, Wednesday, 4:00 PM vs University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers
September 30, Saturday, 4:00 PM vs National University (NU) Bulldogs
1. The Blue Eagles have bought into Coach Tab Baldwin’s defensive philosophy
Based on some of the most commonly mentioned defensive statistics, one may think that the Blue Eagles have a flawed defensive system. Ateneo is currently ranked dead last in average steals, opponent’s turnovers, and points off turnovers, while also placing in sixth in blocks per game. Throughout four games, none of their players have averaged at least a block, and only Matt Nieto can boast an average of over a steal per game. These numbers perhaps give off the impression that Ateneo has merely been outscoring the competition throughout their dominant start.
However, contrary to these stats, the Ateneo defense has not only been effective, it has also been stifling. The Blue Eagles sit atop the league in points allowed (70.8), a full ten points over second-ranked UP. While some may point to Ateneo’s slow pace as a reason for this, they still hold a four-point advantage over UST, the second-ranked team in points allowed per 100 possessions. They also limit their opponents to just 39% from the field, placing them at second in the league in that category.
Last season’s runner-ups have accepted a defensive philosophy that focuses on proper rotation, and involves a lot less gambling for steals and blocks. The team’s bigs avoid foul trouble by keeping their hands up on opponents’ drives, and the wings help secure defensive stops by hauling down rebounds. These are evident in their low foul-rate (second in the league), and the fact that they average 13.8 more rebounds per game than their opponents.
Since the arrival of head coach Tab Baldwin last season, the team-oriented offense he has implemented has gotten most of the spotlight, but it is clear he has also infused an effective defensive scheme. This defense is going to be crucial this season as more and more teams seem to have embraced run-and-gun style offenses. The Blue Eagles have a chance to showcase a disciplined defense this week when they face off against the NU Bulldogs, the quickest team in the league, on Saturday, September 30 at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
2. The understated value of Vince Tolentino
Despite being the Blue Eagles’ longest tenured player, Vince Tolentino hardly makes the headlines. His diminutive career averages of 2.2 points per game and 2.6 boards per game do not pop out of the box score—he has only scored in double figures twice in his UAAP career—and has never recorded a double-double despite playing as a big.
Tolentino’s value, however, is much higher than his career statistics suggest. His style of play is atypical for a traditional power forward, but he finds a way to use this to his advantage. His ability to put the ball on the floor as a power forward is an extremely valuable asset for the team; he serves as a secondary ball handler and release valve for point guards when Ateneo tries to break press defenses, a role that is typically reserved for wing players.
Tolentino also usually holds a speed advantage when matched up with opposing bigs. The 6’3’’ forward has enough off-the-bounce juice to keep them flat-footed with his occasional jaunts to the hoop. He reads the floor well, keeps the ball moving, and is in constant movement with quick cuts for easy baskets—integral skills for coach Baldwin’s motion-heavy offense.
The Blue Eagles’ team captain has been averaging 6.8 points and six boards per game this season, both career-highs, and has been especially efficient in the past two games, tallying 9.5 points per game on an incredible 82% field goal shooting. If he can continue to find his offensive rhythm, this will help lighten the offensive load on Thirdy Ravena, giving the Blue Eagles another dimension to the bevy of options they already possess.
Regardless of his numbers, Tolentino is a prime example of a player whose value goes beyond the box score. He is one of the most valuable players on the top-seeded squad in the UAAP, and is Ateneo’s leader on and off the court. Tolentino is making the most out of his final playing year, and the team is immensely benefitting from it.
3. Complacency is the enemy
Last season, the Blue Eagles finished the first elimination round with a decent 4-3 record after a 14-point victory over UP. At the time, the young team was battling for a Final Four berth, and needed every win they could get in the coming round. Ateneo went on to garner a league-best 6-1 record in round two, including an upset of then-undefeated DLSU. However, their one loss came in the first game of the round, when they scored just 52 points against an eventual sixth place Fighting Maroons squad whom they had previously cruised past.
These are the losses the Blue Eagles of recent history have been prone to falling victim to, and this same complacency was evident for three quarters in last Sunday’s game against the Red Warriors.
“We fell into the trap of thinking they’re a 0-3 team,” assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga said in the postgame press conference after the team’s win over UE. “We can’t say that we had control of the game because UE kept keeping the score within distance,” he added.
Blue Eagles leading scorer Thirdy Ravena seemed aware of the threat of being too relaxed, saying, “You really can’t underestimate UE especially coming to the game, thinking [they are] 0-3. You can’t be complacent with any team.”
As one of the early favorites in Season 80, the whole Ateneo roster must keep this same mentality for the rest of the season. While Ateneo does sit atop the standings, defending champion DLSU and dark horses like UP and FEU are right on their tail. A minor slip-up against inferior competition could be the difference in securing a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four. With a hungry UST Growling Tigers team up next on the docket on Wednesday, September 27 at the Araneta Coliseum—who, like UE, is winless—Ateneo will need to practice what it has been preaching and give its best effort to keep its record spotless.
