After securing their second consecutive Final Four appearance in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) looks to chase greater heights. This weekly takeaways series delves into the squad’s performance as they trek through Season 87 intent on attaining glory.

REACHING THE halfway point of UAAP Season 87, the Ateneo Blue Eagles find themselves in a patchwork after an up-and-down first round. However, the Blue and White remain firmly in the Final Four conversation, currently sitting at the fourth seed with a 4-3 record.

The Blue Eagles’ main weapons shined in their two recent performances before the first round’s conclusion. The Katipunan-based squad first hammered the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, 90-62, with frontcourt standouts Kacey Dela Rosa and Sarah Makanjoula combining for 33 points and 30 rebounds. The backcourt duo of Seng Calago and Kai Oani also joined the offensive frenzy by notching 15 and 13 points, respectively.

However, the Blue and White’s smooth-flowing offense was disrupted by the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs in their third loss of UAAP Season 87, 58-66. Despite the loss, Dela Rosa masterfully recorded her seventh double-double of the season, tallying 21 markers and 13 boards.

With their finesse and brawns, it is without a doubt that the Blue Eagles will aim to lock down their third straight Final Four appearance in the LA Mumar era. More than that goal, Ateneo will look to bolster their championship hopes by figuring out the schemes of their potential postseason opponents.

Shooter’s touch

Diego: Even with an already dominating presence in the paint, Dela Rosa’s offensive form continues to remarkably evolve. In the previous week of play, the Season 86 MVP showcased a new and improved skill set from beyond the arc.

In their blowout win against the Lady Warriors, Dela Rosa made her intentions to step out of her comfort zone by positioning herself outside the perimeter.

After a slow start by the Katipunan-based squad in the first quarter, Dela Rosa and the Blue Eagles began lighting it up from all cylinders as the game progressed. Aside from her efficient 8/13 outing, the 6’ 0” center drilled an unexpected triple during the match—her first in Season 87.

With Dela Rosa now looking to strike from downtown instead of just setting high screens for Ateneo’s ballhandlers, signs are pointing toward a brand new side of the MVP’s growing style of play.

Despite bowing to the Lady Bulldogs, Dela Rosa continued to cultivate her offensive game by spreading the floor and going deep into her bag of tricks. In the intense contest, she sank turnaround jumpers from the wing, keeping the Blue Eagles within striking distance of the Season 86 finalists throughout four quarters.

It was also during their final game in round one that Dela Rosa showed off her lethal range from long distance, as she scored 21 points and shot a perfect 2/2 clip from beyond the arc. 

This ever-evolving scoring repertoire of Ateneo’s double-double machine has solidified her image as a superstar who can deliver crucial baskets from anywhere on the court, especially when it matters the most.

Penetrable bench defense

Edge: Despite Ateneo’s bench often serving as an offensive springboard, a plague that they have yet to cure is their defensive woes—as they allowed the second units of the Lady Warriors and Lady Bulldogs to drop 36 and 40 points, respectively.

The Blue Eagles’ bench unit seems to struggle in keeping up with the interior defensive synergy showcased by the frontcourt starters. The twin towers Makanjoula and Dela Rosa make the Blue Eagles’ interior tough to penetrate, notably rejecting six shots against the Lady Warriors and erasing seven versus the Lady Bulldogs. However, beyond the tandem, the rest of Ateneo’s roster recorded just one block over the last two games.

While blocks are far from being the sole indicator of steady inside defense, signs show that the Blue Eagles need work on guarding the paint.

A more telling narrative unfolded against the Lady Bulldogs as the Blue Eagles allowed NU to hit 36 points from inside the paint at an efficient 53% rate. Bench production also presented a discrepancy, as the Lady Bulldogs established 40 bench points in comparison to Ateneo’s nine. 

On the other hand, Ateneo’s starting backcourt—Oani and Calago—displayed their theft mastery, racking up a combined five and seven steals, respectively, in consecutive games.

However, Ateneo’s bench guards remain troubled in synchronizing and leveling the pestering set defense and high-pressured traps orchestrated by the starting guards.

Despite these holes in their play,  the Blue and White has proven to be one of the top contenders in the league as the season enters its halfway mark. With a few ploy adjustments and maneuvers, Ateneo can climb further up the UAAP pecking order and strengthen their championship case.

Triple threat

Eury: When it comes to on-court chemistry, the Dela Rosa-Makanjuola-Calago trio is rewriting the playbook for the Blue Eagles. This forward-center-guard powerhouse not only lights up the stat sheets but also serves as the backbone of the team’s strategic blueprint on the hardwood.

In a standout performance against the Lady Warriors, the triumvirate delivered impressive scoring as Dela Rosa led Ateneo with 19 points, followed by Calago with 15, and Makanjuola with 14. Their rapport was equally evident in the matchup against the Lady Bulldogs, where they combined for 42 total points. Adding to their highlight reel, their joint effort against the Lady Falcons was nothing short of spectacular, collectively accounting for a staggering 56 of the squad’s total of 72 points.

As the first round of the tournament concluded, the trio further solidified their status as a lethal combination for Ateneo, consistently topping the statistical charts across multiple categories. MVP frontrunner Dela Rosa leads the league in scoring and rebounding, averaging a double-double with over 21 points and 14 rebounds per game while commanding the defense with a league-best 2.14 blocks per contest.

On the other hand, Makanjuola enhances the junior cager’s dominance in the paint with her impressive rebounding prowess, averaging 13.29 boards per game. The Ateneo center’s shot-blocking ability further amplifies the team’s defensive strength, forming an impenetrable frontcourt.

 Meanwhile, Calago expertly orchestrates the offense, ranking second in assists with an average of 4.86 per game. Most notably, his ability to step up as a defensive powerhouse is adept at disrupting opposing guards on the court.

Together, the triad proves to be a formidable core that anchors both ends of the floor and embodies the competitive drive of the Blue Eagles. As they head into the second round, the sub-unit’s shared chemistry is poised to elevate the Blue Eagles to new heights, establishing them as formidable contenders en route to yet another Final Four berth.

This week’s games:

Sunday, October 13, 10:00 AM, vs. National University Lady Bulldogs at the Smart Araneta Coliseum

Saturday, October 19, 10:00 AM, vs. University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion