Team Standings as of August 2, 2011:
Power Rankings as of August 2, 2011:
1 - Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles (no change)
Ateneo was a little too generous towards UP in the first quarter of their game, but they righted the ship afterwards, showing superior class (in all manner of speaking, right Carlo Gomez?) all throughout. They get their 5th straight win and are gathering steam towards the end of the first round. They'll need it, too, since the dangerous (albeit heartbroken) Growling Tigers lay in wait on Thursday, and last year's bridesmaids seek revenge on Sunday.
2 - De La Salle Green Archers (up one spot)
It seems coach Dindo Pumaren has things figured out in Taft. He has reduced his perplexing 15-man rotation to a more stable 12, and it has worked wonders for him. LA Revilla continues to confound defenders, while Luigi dela Paz, Jarelan Tampus, Maui Villanueva and Arnold Van Opstal are slowly morphing into the Archers' game-to-game reliables. They'll carry their 3-game win streak forward and should have enough momentum and confidence to dispatch the not-so-soaring Falcons this weekend.
3 - FEU Tamaraws (up one spot)
FEU has the 2nd-best record in the league, but they are not the 2nd most impressive team. Winning a lost game against UST showed two things: 1) FEU is susceptible to upset-conscious trigger-happy teams, but 2) FEU has enough weapons to still survive and turn the tide on a lost cause. Sans Pipo Noundou, things haven't been that bad in Morayta, but things could be a lot better, too. Terrence Romeo is still in a funk, RR Garcia and JR Cawaling haven't exactly been stellar, and nobody can expect Ping Exciminiano and Chris Tolomia to bail out coach Bert Flores in every game. UP should be a good workout on Thursday before they clash with the defending champs in what promises to be a Sunday Slugfest.
4 - NU Bulldogs (up two spots)
This is what one momentous, character-building, come-from-behind win can do. Emmanuel Mbe is back, and he doesn't need Ray Parks to be Ray Parks to lead the Bulldogs to a win. Oh the possibilities if those two happen to click in the same game! Part of the reason NU makes the top four this week is because they will get win #3 against UE on Thursday. After that they'll be on a 2-game win streak high, and carry that into the second round. The dangerous Bulldogs of the preseason pundits are bound to show up sooner rather than later.
5 - Adamson Soaring Falcons (down three spots)
This is what one tragic, mentally-and-emotionally-draining, we-had-it-but-we-lost-it loss can do. The same sicknesses that have plagued the Falcons in the past came back to haunt them, and they just crumbled under the endgame pressure. Because of the way they lost, and because history has shown us that Adamson just doesn't have the mental toughness to come back, don't be surprised if coach Leo Austria gets more sleepless nights. They're bound to struggle against La Salle on Saturday, and even UP might spring an upset if Alex Nuyles and co. fail to pick up the pieces. The ugly truth is we might have already seen the best this crop can cook up, and we're not even done with the first round.
6 - UST Growling Tigers (down one spot)
Had UST upset FEU, then they would've certainly shot up these rankings, but not even the dynamic duo of Jeric & Jeric could carry them. Endgame mistakes rained on the Tigers' parade, and things just aren't looking up for them anytime soon. Here's the thing -- I doubt Jeric Teng will ever be that hot again, and I think coach Pido is just brazen enough to continue preaching the shoot-from-the-hip-shoot-the-lights-out mentality to his wards. They're bound to run against a brick wall on Thursday against Ateneo, and maybe even have a tough time against UP on Sunday. Oh the what-could-have-beens.
7 - UP Fighting Maroons (no change)
UP stayed with the Eagles for the first 10 minutes, and then both teams decided to play their normal games. That is, Ateneo running rings around UP, and the Maroons tossing bricks. Not even some underhanded (figuratively and literally!) tactics could derail Ateneo's romp. This is surely a better team than last year's squad, though the final score would make that hard to believe. They're bound to struggle against the Tamaraws on Thursday, but have a real chance against the hard-luck Tigers on Sunday. Win #2 is a possibility in Diliman this week.
8 - UE Red Warriors (no change)
UE is now 0-6. They're dead last. They'll go up against an NU team whose center is finally in-form, and whose star forward is raring for a breakout game. I want to say there's no way but up, but I actually think the Warriors will go down even more. 0-7 folks. No two ways about it.
View the past Power Rankings here:
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