With the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament in full force, this weekly takeaways tracks the progress of the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team (AMBT) on their way back to the UAAP summit.

THE BUZZ surrounding the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team was above and beyond after their 4-0 start in UAAP Season 88, and with good reason. Exciting fans with a brand of basketball that had many reliving the championship runs in years past, the team looked borderline unstoppable.

However, after starting 3-0 in the season’s opening week, the Blue Eagles faced their toughest stretch of the season by far, playing three games in six days against perennial championship contenders—a stretch that would put their early-season dominance and title aspirations to the test.

Kicking off the week in fantastic form, the Blue Eagles earned an 81-74 victory over long-time rivals De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, leading by as much as 33 points in the third quarter. Yet, the chinks in the armor were slowly revealed as DLSU’s fourth quarter run raised questions about whether this team was truly a contender.

The whispers then got louder after a blowout loss at the hands of Katipunan neighbor University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons and a heartbreaking triple overtime setback in home territory against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers.

Currently sitting at fourth place with a 4-2 record, the Blue and White now finds themselves in a dogfight for a spot in the Final Four. With a crucial matchup against the current number-one seed National University (NU) Bulldogs on the horizon, it is high time for the Blue Eagles to separate themselves once more and prove that they are much more than just hype.

With the end of Round One swiftly approaching, here are three keys to watch out for in the Blue Eagles’ attempt to reclaim their spot atop the UAAP rankings.

Struggles with the whistle

Mario: Touted as one of Ateneo’s strongest teams in recent memory, the Blue Eagles have shown their ability to be one of the best teams in Philippine collegiate basketball today. Highlighted by the Blue and White’s cohesive offense and tough defense, Ateneo has displayed top form whenever they stepped onto the hardwood. The problem, however, lies in how long the players are able to stay on the court. Beyond big man Divine Adili’s struggles with foul trouble, several key players of the team have also faced similar issues, leaving the team in uncomfortable spots.   

Early in his UAAP career, Adili has had trouble staying on the court. Hampered by a prolapsed disc that has plagued him since the onset of the season, Adili has nevertheless remained a major cog in the Blue Eagles’ system. Despite his applaudable effort, however, the bruising big has struggled to keep himself out of foul trouble. Playing less than 16 minutes against both DLSU and UP while also fouling out in the second overtime against UST, the 6’10” center’s presence was sorely missed in key moments of the season.

Not limited to Adili alone, the Blue Eagles as a team had their fair share of issues keeping themselves out of foul trouble. Dominic Escobar’s on-court stability and defensive tenacity proved to be difficult to replace in crucial stretches against the Green Archers and Growling Tigers. Furthermore, in their two most recent outings against UP and UST, the team’s depth was stretched in its entirety with multiple key players, such as Kymani Ladi, Jared Bahay, Josh Lazaro, and Ian Espinosa, all nursing three fouls or more in the contests.

When the Blue Eagles have managed to stay on the floor, they’ve looked every bit the championship contender they were projected to be. Their trademark ball movement, aggressive defensive approach, and balanced offense have blended seamlessly, showcasing the brand of basketball that has long defined the Ateneo program. As the Blue Eagles move forward, the focus now shifts to building consistency— learning to stay composed and connected through every challenge the season has brought thus far. 

Officiating has been a hot topic in recent weeks in the UAAP, with multiple head coaches joining together to call out the need for better refereeing in one of the country’s most-watched leagues. Whether the officiating changes or not, the Blue Eagles have to find a way to stay on the court. Yet, if they do, the Ateneo could very well be on their way to a Final Four, and even a championship appearance. 

Crisis in the Chaos

Ravi: Struggling to play consistently for 40 minutes, Ateneo’s hardships in protecting leads have turned the second half into a minefield, with games becoming more nerve-wracking than they should be.

The game against DLSU served as an early indication of things to come, with Ateneo holding a 30-point advantage after manhandling last year’s finalist on both ends of the floor for the first 30 minutes. After being outscored 13-36 in the fourth quarter, however, the AMBT were left grasping for straws to preserve victory in a game where a few extra minutes could have changed the result.

This tendency to collapse remained a weakness, ultimately catching up to them in the last two games. While the Blue and White held a seven and 12-point lead against UP and UST in the second quarter, respectively, they immediately relinquished it in the same period.

Two glaring factors stand out as to why they continue to blow leads: fouls and offensive execution. After averaging the least amount of fouls during the tournament’s first week, the Blue Eagles now dropped to sixth with an average of 21.17 per game.

Committing 33 fouls versus DLSU, they permitted their archrivals to utilize free throws in steering an offense already mired by a shooting slump. This similar issue arose in the Katipunan rivalry, as they sent Francis Nnrouka to the charity stripe eleven times—allowing the Fighting Maroon to gain confidence and notch his career-high in points.

Contrary to their first three games, the Blue Eagles also showed inconsistencies in their offensive execution come the fourth quarter. Bothered by their rivals’ physicality, Ateneo struggled to score at times, as highlighted by Shawn Tuano being the lone player to convert a field goal in the final period against DLSU.

Moreover, the triple-overtime clash against the Growling Tigers saw lapses in their offense outside of Jared Bahay’s three-pointers. 

With Bahay exiting due to a shoulder injury, Ateneo was outscored 4-13 in the third overtime. Perhaps, the fatigue contributed to this breakdown, as they played their third game in the span of seven days. While pushing UST to the deep waters despite many Blue Eagles suffering from cramps is a moral victory they can hold onto, conditioning remains crucial moving forward.

After all, the mental and physical fortitude to fight through obstacles is what separates champions from contenders in the UAAP. Facing an NU squad that prides itself on wearing down their opponents, there will be no room for another second-half collapse if the Blue and White hope to end the round on a high note.

Blossoming stars

Mario: A shining light in the Blue Eagles’ rollercoaster week has been the performances of Team Co-Captain Jared Bahay and junior Shawn Tuano. Stepping into the season with a chip on their shoulders, Bahay and Tuano have turned a highly scrutinized Season 87 campaign into a showcase of their abilities in Season 88. Despite the team’s back-to-back losses, the tandem has displayed a passion for the game that all fans, Ateneo and non-Ateneo alike, should adore.

Making his name known early in the season with a clutch performance against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, Bahay has staked his claim as one of the best point guards in the league. Averaging exactly five assists per game this season, the Cebu-native has taken the reins of the complex Tab Baldwin offense, and likewise has developed one of the best clutch genes in collegiate basketball today. Delivering long bombs when the team needs it the most while likewise dissecting defenses with his ball distribution, Bahay continues to assert himself as the lead initiator for the Blue Eagles.

Yet, Bahay’s best contribution to the team may not actually be found on the stat sheet, but rather felt by the team and their fans. Bahay’s leadership on the court has simply been a marvel to behold, as the 20-year-old prodigy has displayed a level of maturity well beyond his years. Despite the loss against UST, Bahay maintained that the Blue Eagles’ goal is not to win one game, but to win it all.

Tuano, on the other hand, has grown into his role as one of the league’s best downhill scorers. Averaging 14.7 points over his last three appearances, the 6’3” wing has displayed an impressive touch at the rim that has opened Coach Tab Baldwin’s offense to new realms of possibilities. Partnered with the lengthy wing’s ability to defend the opposition’s best scorers, Tuano has grown into another go-to-guy for the Blue Eagles—one that can now be relied upon much more moving forward. 

Wearing their hearts on their sleeves, the Blue Eagles still remain as one of the top contenders in Season 88. During a season where expectations are at their highest in years, the Blue and White have every piece necessary to bring the championship back to Loyola Heights, and it would not be surprising to see them do just that.

This week’s games:

Saturday, October 18, 2:00 PM, vs. NU Bulldogs at the Smart Araneta Coliseum