This final piece of the Quarterly Takeaways series will analyze the state of the Ateneo Lady Eagles heading into next season as they look to bounce back stronger in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Basketball tournament.  

Fourth Quarter Recap (November 4 to 11):

The Lady Eagles went 1-2 in their last three games of the season, including a heartbreaking loss that ended their season too soon.

After the weeklong All Saint’s Day break, the Lady Eagles immediately experienced defeat at the hands of the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons, losing by a single point, 46-47, to bow out of Final Four contention.

In their penultimate game of the season, the Lady Eagles fought tooth and nail against the winless University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons. A Jhazmin Joson go-ahead layup with 46.1 ticks left in the contest lifted Ateneo past the Lady Maroons to win the second Battle of Katipunan, 44-42.

Looking to send off their seniors with a victory, the Blue and White squad did their best to overcome a playoff bound Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws. However, the Morayta-based squad proved to be the better team as Ateneo succumbed to the Lady Tamaraws, 60-69, in their final game of the season.

Final Takeaways:

1. A big hole to fill in the middle

All season long, Tina Deacon was one of the most consistent Lady Eagles on the roster. The burly center finished Season 80 as Ateneo’s leading scorer with 9.9 points per game (PPG), leading rebounder with 8.0 rebounds per game (RPG) which is eighth best in the league, and the UAAP’s most accurate sniper hitting 38.5% of her three point shots. She has provided much needed scoring for the Lady Eagles using her size, footwork, and shooting to downplay hapless defenders. Now that Deacon has played out her five years of eligibility for the Blue and White, the Lady Eagles have a very big hole to fill in the middle.

In Melissa Newsome, Cara Buendia, Nicole Cancio, Denise Morelos, and Zoe Chu, the Lady Eagles still have five inside players eligible for next year. Of the five bigs, only Morelos is the true center who has the length to match up against opposing bigs. She may be poised to take over the pivot position in the long run if she can show steady improvement in the offseason.

Morelos barely saw action this season, with her number getting called in only seven out of the 14 games, and averaged only 4.8 minutes per game (MPG). However, she is only in her second playing year, and her play has steadily improved throughout the season. Her huge frame gives her the ability to protect the rim as evidenced in the second round meeting against four-time UAAP champions National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs wherein she forced the NU guards to take tough shots down the stretch to keep the game close. This would be crucial in Ateneo’s defensive schemes heading into the next season.

Meanwhile, the three rotation big men Newsome, Buendia, and Cancio provided much help for Deacon in the low block this year. The three bigs averaged 6.4 RPG, 4.1 RPG, and 2.8 RPG respectively. Buendia also showed she could also take over duties in the paint when Deacon was on the bench. Her grit and hustle have made her an energizer for the team, especially in getting offensive putbacks here and there to snag the momentum for the Blue and White. If she can continue her spirited play in her final year next season, we could see some good results down the stretch.

Even with Deacon in tow this year, the Lady Eagles had huge problems controlling the paint. Ateneo ranked sixth in RPG with only 43.2 a game, fifth in points allowed in the paint with 32.3 a game, and fourth in opponent 2-point FG% at 41.5%. The Lady Eagles face an ever bigger dilemma in controlling the paint, especially on the defensive end without Deacon who averaged 0.9 blocks per game (BPG), sixth best in the league.

Furthermore, these five bigs do not, at this point, possess the offensive firepower that Deacon provided. They can hold on their own in the rebounding department at times, and their defensive intensity and willingness to bang bodies cannot be denied, but against the giants of the UAAP led by reigning Most Valuable Player Jack Animam of NU, the Ateneo bigs would need every bit of energy and hustle to return to the Final Four after climbing the stepladder to reach the Finals in Season 78.

2. Controlling the perimeter

With a platoon of guards and wings at Coach John Flores’ disposal like Hazelle Yam, Jollina Go, and Katrina Guytingco to name a few, the Lady Eagles possess the league’s most dynamic perimeter defense. The team is way ahead of the pack in perimeter points allowed with just 13.2 allowed per game while holding opponents down to only 20.5% from beyond the arc, also top in the league.

This proficiency in defending the perimeter was, at times, able to offset the Lady Eagles’ difficulties guarding the shaded lane. In the two meetings of the Lady Eagles and archrivals De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers, the league’s top sniper, Khate Castillo of DLSU, was limited to 1 (which turned out to be the game-winner) and 3 makes from downtown in the first and second round meetings respectively, both below her average of 3.9 threes a game. This resulted to a very narrow loss in the first round, and an Ateneo triumph in their second round meeting.

This highly underrated aspect of the Lady Eagles is also a big indicator of their performance in games. Whenever the opponent was held to a low percentage from the perimeter, Ateneo always had a chance to win the game. This was highlighted by their second round meeting against NU when the Lady Eagles was able to limit the Lady Bulldogs to a 21.05% shooting clip from deep, which allowed them to keep within four points late in the game. However, when the Lady Eagles allow opponents to shoot the lights out from distance, they get in big trouble. Against University of Santo Tomas (UST) in the second round, the Tigresses shot 38.46% behind the arc in the first half, which ultimately decided the game as they held an insurmountable 22-point lead at the half.

Heading into next season, the core of Ateneo’s guard and wing rotation will still be intact with only team captain Binky Uy De Ong and rotation player Gaby Veloso departing from the team. This continuity means the Lady Eagles’ potent perimeter defense can continue to wreak havoc on the league. However, with the inside presence of Deacon gone, Ateneo’s perimeter defenders would have to double their efforts in closing out on shooters to have a chance at taking games.

3. Hazelle Yam and Jollina Go must step up and lead the team

Atenoe’s backcourt duo of Hazelle Yam and Jollina Go is expected to take the leadership roles on the court as both will be playing out their final years of eligibility next season.

The pair has shown flashes of brilliance this season with Yam producing 20 points in the first round matchup against FEU while Go went for 26 points in another first round matchup against UST. However, much can be desired from both of them if the Lady Eagles wish to book a return trip to the Final Four.

Aggressiveness is key for Yam to unleash her potential. The lead guard’s scoring prowess was evident with her 20-point explosion, and her ability to take over games late as shown in the last game against FEU shows that she can score when the team needs her to. Her efficiency inside the arc, hitting 53.9% of her 2-point shots, fourth best in the league, was a critical to opening up space for Ateneo’s shooters rain down triples. The cat-quick point guard’s slashing ability will be vital for the Lady Eagles’ offense that relies heavily on outside shooting.

Although Yam was already Ateneo’s third leading scorer with 8.6 PPG, the Lady Eagles will need their starting point guard to be more assertive offensively throughout games, and not just when the shot clock is winding down or in crunch time. With closing out games being a constant problem for the Lady Eagles all season due to the lack of a go-to player, Yam’s ability to create her own shot as well as to create for teammates with her 3.1 assists per game (APG), sixth best in the league, makes her the best candidate to emerge as the main catalyst of Ateneo’s offense to take the Lady Eagles to the next level.

As for Jollina Go, consistency will be the biggest key to finally lead Ateneo into the Final Four. After being a bright spot for the Lady Eagles in the first round with a 26-point explosion against UST and a 19-point outburst marked by five triples against AdU, the sweet-shooting guard only hit double-figures in three other contests. Her slump in the second round meeting against Adamson proved to be the costliest as it was a very crucial game that came down to a wire-to-wire finish. Had Go found her stroke in that game, things could have ended differently for Ateneo as it could have extended the Lady Eagles’ season.

Go has shown that she can score in bunches when needed as evidenced by her 11-point fourth quarter outburst against archrivals the Lady Archers in their second round matchup, and her 26% shooting from deep which is seventh best in the league proves that she can light it up from rainbow country, but to be able to push Ateneo into the Final Four, the Lady Eagles’ second leading scorer (9.2 PPG) needs to be consistent throughout all 14 games for Ateneo to have any chance against the tougher teams in the UAAP.

With a dynamic backcourt tandem in Yam and Go, the Lady Eagles have a chance to make a big splash next season, but the team can only go as far as Yam and Go can take them.

4. Bright future for the Lady Eagles in Jhazmin Joson

Although the statistics may not show it, Jhazmin Joson has been a revelation for the Lady Eagles this season as the rookie point guard has provided quality minutes for Coach John Flores off the bench. She has provided much-needed rest for Hazelle Yam as her backup while also playing as an off guard to help break the press defenses.

In the second round meeting against the defending champions, the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, the Lady Eagles were able to keep the score close in the first half due in large part to the rookie’s huge second quarter wherein she scored 11 of her UAAP career-high 14 points. She also came up big against UP in the second round wherein she hit the game-winning floater to salvage the win for the Lady Eagles.

Joson drives by her defender to get the layup and the lead!

Ateneo 44 UP 42#UAAPBasketball pic.twitter.com/MAXwKKzI9b

— Gerrick C. Limsiy (@Rick_TheGUIDON) November 8, 2017

Joson has shown flashes of passing and ball handling brilliance with no-look passes and ankle-breaking moves that leave defenders floored. The young guard also possesses the unique ability of creating her own shots, which could become a vital weapon for the Lady Eagles in seasons to come.

Go with her 4th three! Joson hits Go the no-look pass for the open triple from the right wing

Ateneo 40 AdU 31#UAAPSeason80 pic.twitter.com/ERqrrPici8

— Kirby G. Jalandoni (@Kirby_TheGUIDON) September 10, 2017

However, point guard duty woes plagued the Lady Eagle in her first UAAP season. Joson committed 3.1 turnovers per game (TOPG) and only 1.8 APG, which makes for an assist to turnover ratio of only 0.58. One could say, however, that a big chunk of these turnovers are simply fruits of inexperience. With her role due to increase as time goes on, we could see better decision-making from the young rookie as she continues to grow in maturity. With the right amount of coaching and experience, Joson could be the future of the Ateneo Lady Eagles.