In line with the return of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball tournament, this weekly series will analyze the state of the Ateneo Blue Eagles in their quest for the four-peat.

SINCE RETURNING from the Holy Week break, the Ateneo Blue Eagles wasted no time in dominating the UAAP Season 84 yet again, going 3-0 for their games played in the past week.

In their first game back, the Blue Eagles handled their business against the University of the East (UE) team still searching for their first win, coming away with a 76-63 victory. In their next matchup, Ateneo showed just how dominant they really are with a 101-51 blowout against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to secure another Final Four berth. Finally, they managed to cap the week off with an 89-75 win against National University (NU).

1. Gian Mamuyac is the UAAP’s Most Improved Player

Vito: In his first few years in the UAAP, King Eagle Gian Mamuyac’s identity as a basketball player seemed to be set in stone for many years to come. Similar to players like Tony Allen and Matisse Thybulle, Mamuyac was an overwhelmingly lengthy and disciplined point-of-attack defender whose lack of consistent three-point shooting and shot creation made it difficult to keep him on the floor for long. It was common to see him hesitate or even completely pass on taking wide-open three-pointers due to a lack of confidence in his shot.

Fast-forward to Season 84, and Mamuyac looks like a completely different player on the offensive side of the court. Throughout the season he has been taking those same three-pointers with the utmost confidence and he has been hitting them at a scorching 41% from the field, good for third best in the entire league.

This sudden offensive improvement has not just come from spotting up beyond the arc. He has shown some glimpses of improved individual shot creation, often taking and making mid-range jumpers, occasionally beating his man off the dribble to get to the rim. Mamuyac’s offensive revolution culminated when he scored a career-high 21 points with 4/7 shooting from three-point land.

Because of his limited minutes off the bench, it has been hard to completely understand just how large of a stride Mamuyac has taken to refine his offensive game and how big of an impact he has had on both ends of the court. Before the first round ended, Ryan Alba—a writer for the Tiebreaker Times and a must-follow for UAAP fans on Twitter—released a list of the top shooters in the UAAP based on his own spacing metric. Alba’s ranking was calculated based on a combination of three-point percentage and three pointers made per-30 minutes. On the back of those numbers, Mamuyac ranked as the fourth best shooter in the entire league.

Mamuyac has come a long way from being the offensive liability that he was in the first few years in the UAAP, and this improvement is even more impressive considering he still remains as one of the league’s most feared defensive players. Gian Mamuyac is the UAAP’s most improved player, and Ateneo fans and basketball fans alike should be excited for what else he has to bring to the table.

2. Geo Chiu continues to evolve

Ray: Often overlooked in the deep youth pool of the Blue Eagles, Geo Chiu’s second round performances have shown spectators the amount of potential he carries. Steady defense and offensive production has been Chiu’s calling card as of late.

Being tasked with backing up Angelo Kouame is no easy task, but after a few learning pains earlier in the season, Chiu is blossoming into a reliable big man that gives Ateneo more weapons at their disposal.

Scoring outputs of 14 points against UST and nine points against NU are a testament to the work Chiu has put into making sure he is a threat on the court. Additionally, his plus-minus of 24 in the second round against NU also shows his productiveness for the team when given the opportunity to contribute.

Chiu’s growth on defense has also been a big factor in his contributions to the team. His ability to be a steady anchor when Kouame is on the bench has helped Ateneo maintain the momentum they have throughout the full 40 minutes of a game.

The Ateneo faithful will have more to cheer about Geo as his career unfolds. With Gilas experience under his belt and a hall of fame coach to learn from, the sky is the limit for the bulldozer.

3. Ateneo’s improved 40-minute effort shows an underdog-like mentality despite an unprecedented winning streak 

Ralph: The untouchable Blue Eagles may have waltzed through the first round without suffering defeat, but the juggernaut unit had several observable hiccups which made them seem mortal in their first few matches. 

Despite favorable endgame results, the Blue Eagles mishandled comfortable double-digit leads against the FEU Tamaraws and the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. This was primarily due to lackluster ball handling and inadequate interior defense in the closing quarters of both first round games. The reigning champions also had several unconvincing first halves during the opening round—most notably against the still-winless UE Red Warriors, where Ateneo stared down a three-point deficit seconds before the second quarter’s end.

As the Katipunan-based Blue Eagles continue to run the gauntlet, they have now found consistency in mercilessly thwarting their opposition during the second round. In the most recent week of action, Ateneo relentlessly swept its three games with a jaw-dropping 77-point accrued margin of victory, which included a historic 50-point demolition job against the UST Growling Tigers. Not once did the Blue Eagles allow their opponents to shave their lead down to single digits.

Such a four-quarter effort is well personified in the aforementioned Mamuyac, whose unceasing energy on both ends runs through every minute. The captain’s growth is well-supplemented by Head Coach Tab Baldwin, who continuously commends the entire team for their sustained 40-minute play amid the brutal Season 84 schedule.

Ateneo’s patented offensive system is to be credited for the squads’ elevated domination as the team’s hot perimeter shooting swifty fuels two-digit runs, which are then safeguarded by both the frontcourt and backcourt’s stifling defense. In the Blue Eagles’ recent three-game slate, breakout games ranged from BJ Andrade’s 19 point career-high against UE to Geo Chiu and Joshua Lazaro’s respective season-highs of 14 and 12 points versus the Growling Tigers.

Ateneo may be the owner of an emphatic 37-game win streak spanning from 2018, but its philosophy values the efforts of today over the victories of yesterday.