With this year’s University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball Tournament in full force, this weekly series will track the performance of the young and hungry Ateneo Blue Eagles as they aim to capture a seat in the Final Four.

GIVING LIFE to their previously bleak Season 87 campaign, the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team (AMBT) kickstarted their second round stint in impressive fashion, eking out two clutch victories and jumping from last place to fifth in a single week. These outcomes reinserted the Blue Eagles in the hunt for a Final Four spot, only being a half-game behind the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers for the coveted fourth seed.

Redeeming themselves from their crushing defeat in the first round closer, the Blue Eagles staved off a late-game rally by the National University (NU) Bulldogs to pick up their second win of the season, 70-68.

Continuing their upward trajectory, Ateneo overcame UST’s rare homecourt advantage and outclassed the Growling Tigers in a nail-biting 67-64 victory. This triumph gave the AMBT their first win streak of the season and improved their overall win-loss record to 3-6.

As they enter the most pivotal stretch of the season, the Blue Eagles seek to build on what has worked in the past two contests, while refining their faults in order to navigate the tough road ahead.

Pressure makes diamonds

Gab: I have watched every single AMBT game this season so far, live and in-person. Despite the painful clutch-time losses and pressure mounting on the players, one thing I have noticed and admired in my time covering this team is the amount of heart they pour onto every single game.

Even in the most deflating of defeats, what stood out to me was their passion and utmost determination to fight until the very end. Now, this consistent show of grit has finally translated into positive results for the Blue Eagles as they find themselves right back in the conversation for a seat in the Final Four.

In our previous takeaways, GUIDON Sports Editor Luis Antonio Licas called for the Ateneo faithful to remain hopeful amid their 1-6 start, describing the AMBT as a squad that “has proven time and again its ability to overcome adversity and thrive under pressure.” With two resilient victories now under their belt to start the second round, I can confidently say that this take has aged gracefully.

True to form, the Blue Eagles have taken what was thought to be a lost season and utilized it as fuel to become the best version of themselves, both individually and as a unit. Before the season progresses into its final stages, let us highlight some of the players that have made the biggest strides in their game since the first round.

First on the list of breakout stars for the Blue Eagles is Andrew Bongo. The second-year forward has finally taken the leap that many Ateneo fans have been anticipating since the preseason. Bongo’s offensive prowess has been instrumental in the past three games, averaging 13.3 points per game on an efficient 45% shooting from the field, and a ridiculously high 52% clip from three-point range. If Bongo can maintain this level of production for the rest of the year, it would certainly boost the Blue Eagles’ bid for a playoff spot.

Meanwhile, rookies Jared Bahay and Kristian Porter have proven to be reliable figures to aid their veteran teammates. The “Porter-House connection” has been a revelation for the young Blue Eagles, with Bahay currently being the Rookie of the Year frontrunner and Porter already having two Player of the Game honors to his name. With how they are performing at present, expect these names to be pillars of the AMBT not only for the rest of the year, but in seasons beyond as well.

While the improvements of the roster is something to be proud of, there is no denying that there is still much room for growth. Sharing his team’s mindset after capturing two-straight wins, Head Coach Tab Baldwin emphasized that the AMBT is far from done. “No we’re not satisfied, we like the results […] but, you know, in a New York minute we’ll be focused on our problems,” the four-time UAAP champion coach declared.

With Ateneo’s remaining schedule looking to be as hectic and difficult as ever, all eyes turn to the Katipunan-based squad to see whether or not they can continue responding to adversity. The Blue Eagles must continue to fight as hard as they have in the past week in order to maintain their winning ways and keep their nearly decade-long Final Four streak alive.

Cardiac kids

Ino: The road to the UAAP summit is arduous, moreso for this current crop of Blue Eagles. With growing pains throughout the first round, Baldwin has preached about what being an Ateneo Blue Eagle means amid the increasing pressure.

“We both want the pressure and we want to handle the pressure better. We have to handle the pressure of being the Blue Eagles,” the tactician said at the conclusion of the first round.

So far, it is safe to say that the Kiwi-American’s message reached his players, taking them in stride en route to defeating NU and UST. Despite both games only being separated by a knife’s edge, the victories show that the Blue and White are slowly but surely figuring out ways to win, gradually overcoming their endgame struggles.

Looking at the on-court product, it can be seen that their most noticeable aspect in the clutch can be seen in their defense. Already a hard-nosed unit, the Blue Eagle defense becomes even more stifling during clutch time, making important plays in key possessions in the fourth quarter like Porter’s game-saving block against NU and Team Co-Captain Sean Quitevis’ game-winning steal against UST.

Even more promising from Ateneo as of late is their offensive execution, showing some improvement over the mid-season break. Aside from the names Gab previously mentioned, other members have stepped up to contribute offensively such as Co-Captain Chris Koon and point guard Ian Espinosa—with the latter’s Player of the Game performance showing that he can be trusted to cover for Bahay when he sits.

Notably, backup big man Victor Balogun has also come into his own, becoming a reliable presence and performing his role well in the last two games. The foreign student-athlete’s hounding defense and solid rebounding reaped massive rewards, with his best game of the season coming against the Growling Tigers after posting a statline of nine points and seven rebounds.

After their victory on the road against UST, Baldwin talked about overcoming that kind of adversity. “What [the game] required of us was to really gut it out. I think this was the gutsiest win that we’ve had in a few years,” he mentioned.

Even in the team’s most challenging season yet, what remains constant within the Ateneo squad is their effort and heart every single game—with the second round showing that so far. The Blue and White may be down, but you can never count them out. After all, a Tab Baldwin-coached team is at its most dangerous when underestimated.

Protecting the paint

Thea: Ateneo’s recent performances highlight a significant improvement in the connection between their point guards and power forwards, deeming them a growing threat as the elimination round progresses.

Securing a total of seven rebounds—four defensive and three offensive—against NU and UST, Bahay’s versatility on both fronts has allowed Ateneo to limit their opponents’ scoring chances from either end of the court.

This stability complements breakout point guard Espinosa’s command of the court, converting multiple second-chance points for the Blue and White. The floor general amassed nine rebounds in the last two matchups, eight of which were offensive and crucial for maintaining Ateneo’s possession. His contributions to points made in the paint have provided Ateneo vital scoring opportunities after missed shots, particularly against an aggressive UST team in the closing minutes of the game.

Ateneo’s offensive efficiency has also greatly benefited from Shawn Tuano’s attentive ball handling. Since the start of the second round, the forward committed no more than two turnovers in each game, a stark contrast to the five he made in the first round against the Bulldogs and the Growling Tigers. Continuing to minimize costly losses of possession will not only bolster the team’s chances of punching a Final Four ticket, but also help maintain momentum in the face of hardy competition.

If Ateneo continues to run a strong and consistent offense, they may be well-positioned to overthrow this season’s powerhouse contenders towards the final stretch of eliminations. Considering that the players leading the team’s offense have more opportunities for tactical growth, they remain invaluable assets to the AMBT by demonstrating impressive promise in adapting to fierce competition and thriving at a high level of basketball. With their evolving synergy at the forefront, Ateneo can emerge as a darkhorse Final Four contender as the games progress.

This week’s games:

Wednesday, October 23, 3:30 PM, vs. Adamson University Soaring Falcons at the SM Mall of Asia Arena

Saturday, October 26, 6:30 PM, vs. De La Salle University Green Archers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena