#UAAP79 Finals Roundup: Green Archers clinch ninth men’s crown!

Jeron Teng ends his UAAP playing days a champion once again.

The De La Salle Green Archers did it. Pegged as heavy favorites for the entire season, the Taft quintet fulfilled their potential by completing a series sweep of arch-rival Ateneo de Manila to clinch the UAAP Season 79  men’s basketball title — their second in four years and ninth overall. 

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon): 

DLSU over ADMU, 79-72
Box scores. 

The De La Salle Green Archers completed their quest for the UAAP Season 79 championship as they edged arch-rival Ateneo, 79-72, in Game 2 of the finals on Wednesday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

#UAAP79 Finals Roundup: Green Archers move one away from title!

Ben Mbala led DLSU to a 1-0 series lead in the #UAAP79 Finals.

The De La Salle Green Archers had to weather a spirited rally by bitter rivals Ateneo to prevail in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 79 Men’s Basketball Finals. DLSU is now needs to get just one more win to notch their ninth UAAP Seniors’ Division hoops crown.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon): 

DLSU over ADMU, 67-65
Box scores. 

The De La Salle Green Archers needed to play until the final possession before they could finally put away their hard-fighting rivals Ateneo but got the job done, 67-65, to claim Game One of the UAAP Season 79 Finals on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The DLSU Green Archers definitely redeemed themselves and are inches away from that Championship title, 67-65! Player of the game is @JeronAlvinTeng, with a statline of 10pts 4rebs 3assts 1blk. Don't miss the finals game 2 on Wednesday, December 7, 3pm at the Big Dome! See you there! 🏀 #Mayhem #UAAPLXXIX #UAAPSeason79 #UAAPDareToDream

A photo posted by ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbn_sports) on Dec 3, 2016 at 2:43am PST

Despite La Salle jumping out to a huge first quarter lead, Ateneo was able to take the lead in the final minute but Jeron Teng made the go-ahead basket with 15 seconds.

Ben Mbala scored 20 points to lead the Green Archers while Teng scored 10 markers, including the clutch layup that put La Salle in the lead, alongside four rebounds and three assists.

DLSU now leads the series, 1-0, and is one game away from winning the championship.

Aaron Black was the only Ateneo player in double-figures with a dozen markers.

🎉🏹

A photo posted by Go Archers (@goarchers) on Dec 3, 2016 at 5:32am PST

Lines of the Game:
Ben Mbala (DLSU) - 20pts, 15rebs, 2stls, 1ast, 1blk.
Aaron Black (ADMU) - 12pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 2 triples.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:



All images are by Roy Afable.

PHOTO GALLERY HERE.


FOR MORE UAAP SEASON 79 ACTION, CHECK OUT OUR #UAAP79 ROUNDUPS!

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#UAAP79 Roundup: Ateneo wins Battle of Katipunan as DLSU survives UE on Day 11!

Images by Josh Albelda/ABSCBN Sports.

Day 11 had Ateneo beating UP in the first round of Battle of Katipunan this season, while the Green Archers had to stave off the stubborn Red Warriors in the main game.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon): 

ADMU over UP, 79-64
Box scores. 

The Ateneo Blue Eagles allowed a gutsy UP team to hang around for three quarters before putting them away in the fourth for a 79-64 victory in UAAP Season 79 play on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Thirdy Ravena led the way for Ateneo with 22 points, 10 rebounds and three assists as the Blue Eagles improved to 4-2 for the season, good for solo second place behind only undefeated La Salle (5-0).

#UAAP79 The Good and the Bad: Ateneo vs De La Salle - October 2, 2016

The Ateneo Blue Eagles tried their best to slow down Ben Mbala and the De La Salle Green Archers. Only ADMU stood in the way of a first round sweep for the boys in green. Unfortunately, even the suspension of Coach Ayo and injury of Jeron Teng could not prevent DLSU from running allover the Blue Eagles. 

Ben Mbala could not be stopped

The BAD

• ADMU could not solve the Mayhem press defense; they scrambled and panicked often
• They had 30 turnovers which led to 33 turnover points for DLSU
• Only 2 fast break points for the Eagles which meant they could not break the press
• Ateneo was called for 3 unsportsmanlike fouls (Ravena, Tolentino, Matt Nieto) 
• Mike Nieto struggled with his jumper (1 of 7)
• Ben Mbala dominated with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 5 steals and 1 block
• Andrei Caracut scored 14 points and was +41 
• Chiz Ikeh had 7 points and 5 boards but was -43
• DLSU recorded 16 steals while ADMU had only 4
• La Salle was awarded 21 of 33 free throws, ADMU just 14 of 24
• Points in the paint were 54-28 for DLSU
• Mbala had 3 monstrous dunks including a wicked alley-oop 

Mbala made sure that everyone would remember his ferocious alley-oop dunk

The GOOD

• The score was tied at 20 after the 1st quarter
• ADMU had their biggest lead at 26-20, then it went downhill afterwards 
• Perimeter shooting was clicking at 13 of 28 from downtown 
• Ravena had 10 points in the first half, but only 1 point in the 2nd 
• Ravena had a double-double of 11 and 11 (his 2nd of the season)
• Kris Porter hit 2 threes and had 6 points in less than 9 minutes
• Matt Nieto went down hard and appeared to hurt his knee BUT he came back to play and he was solid with 13 points and 2 threes
• Ateneo had more assists 20-17
• Eagles were only out-rebounded by 8
• ADMU had more bench points, 44-35 

Final Thoughts 

Ateneo battled and tried their best. They kept it close for one period, but that was it. DLSU is just too deep, too fast, too big and too strong right now. Ben Mbala is unstoppable. He can probably play in the PBA as an import. 

Still, ADMU should be happy with their 4-3 record after the first round. They are certainly in the hunt for a final four slot. 

Hopefully, they continue to improve because they can beat the other schools except La Salle. 

Lastly, Aaron Black did not play and we all hope that we receive good news regarding his leg/foot injury. #OBF


Click HERE for more game photos between Ateneo vs La Salle! 

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#UAAP79 Game Photos from Ateneo vs De La Salle - October 2, 2016

Jason Perkins had a productive 2nd game of the season

Thirdy Ravena and the Blue Eagles had difficulties breaking the press defense of DLSU

Matt Nieto shook off a knee injury to finish with 13 points

Abu Tratter made sure Jeron Teng's absence was barely felt

Prince Rivero saw some minutes off the bench

Thomas Torres had 8 points and 8 rebounds

Adrian Wong led ADMU with 15 points

Ben Mbala had a spectacular alley-oop jam

Mbala dominated with 28 points and 13 rebounds

Ateneo's coaching staff had no answers

Mike Nieto struggled to hit shots all game long

ADMU tried many things to slow down Big Ben

See you in Round 2

                                               ***All photos by ROGET CALLUENG***

#UAAP79 Roundup: Archers shoot down Falcons and Eagles swoop down on Red Warriors on Day 9!

Images by Arvin Lim/ABSCBN Sports.

Day 9 had the DLSU Green Archers remain unbeaten after they shot down the Adamson Soaring Falcons. The Ateneo Blue Eagles, meanwhile, got back on the winning track by cruising past the UE Red Warriors.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon): 

DLSU over ADU, 91-75
Box scores. 

The De La Salle Green Archers cruised to another big win, disposing of the No. 2 team Adamson, 91-75, as they picked up a fifth consecutive win in UAAP Season 79 on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Ben Mbala dominated again with 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting alongside 16 rebounds and three blocks for La Salle, which furthered its lead atop the standings.

#UAAP79 Roundup: Archers survive Bulldogs while Tamaraws gore Red Warriors on Day 7!

Day 7 of #UAAP79 saw DLSU nearly get upset by NU while FEU bounced back with a win over UE.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon):

DLSU over NU, 75-66
Box scores. 

The De La Salle Green Archers got tested by the gritty NU Bulldogs, needing to erase a nine-point deficit in the second half to come up with a 75-66 win in UAAP Season 79 action Sunday at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Jeron Teng finished with 23 points while Ben Mbala collected 16 markers and 15 boards as the Green Archers improved to 4-0.

#UAAP79 Roundup: Day 5 sees Ateneo upset FEU and DLSU thrash UST!

Day 5 of #UAAP79 saw the Ateneo Blue Eagles upset the FEU Tamaraws even as the DLSU Green Archers outclassed the UST Growling Tigers.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon):

ADMU over FEU, 76-71
Box scores. 

The Ateneo Blue Eagles traded big runs with FEU but got some crucial plays down the stretch as they clinched a hard-fought 76-71 victory over the defending champion Tamaraws in UAAP Season 79 action on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

#UAAP79 Roundup: UST, DLSU, FEU, and NU are big winners on Days 3 and 4!

Image by Arvin Lim/ABSCBN Sports.

Days 3 and 4 of #UAAP79 saw DLSU and NU move up to 2-0, while UST and FEU got good bounce back wins after separate opening game losses.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon):

UST over UE, 88-87
Box scores. 

The UST Growling Tigers needed to make some big plays in the endgame as they held off a late UE run to preserve a big comeback win over the Red Warriors, 88-87, in UAAP Season 79 action on Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

#UAAP79 Roundup: Bulldogs repulse UE and Archers survive FEU on Day 2!

Day 2 of #UAAP79 was full of action as NU leaned on their size against UE, while DLSU’s deadly duo of Ben Mbala and Jeron Teng came to fore in their win over bitter rival FEU.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Interaksyon):

NU over UE, 72-66
Box scores. 

The NU Bulldogs leaned on some steady play in the end-game to outlast the UE Red Warriors, 72-66, in UAAP Season 79 action Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

#UAAP78 Roundup: The Tamaraws down the Soaring Falcons, and the Bulldogs rally past the Green Archers!

Adamson could not capitalize on the anemic shooting of FEU’s big three and fell to their tenth defeat in twelve games, helping FEU gain the inside track to a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four. DLSU, meanwhile, failed to hold off a determined and desperate NU quintet in the fourth quarter, squandering a lead of as many as 11 points to tumble to their sixth loss. The Bulldogs are now just half a game behind the Archers for fourth spot.

Here are comprehensive game recaps (adapted from Sports.ABS-CBN.com):

2014 UAAP Power Rankings as of August 25, 2014

These rankings are based on each team's Current Efficiency Ratings, the point difference in its game results, and “bonus points” for beating a team based on its “tier” or how strong it is perceived. The formula I used was this:

I calculate Current Efficiency Ratings or CER this way: (points + rebounds + assists + steals + blocks) - (turnovers + field goals missed + free throws missed) — for the remainder of the season, I wil be using team averages for these values.

As per the collected opinion of most UAAP pundits, I chose to segregate the eight UAAP schools into the following tiers (based on the teams’ first round performances):

Tier 1: DLSU Green Archers, UST Growling Tigers, NU Bulldogs, FEU Tamaraws, ADMU Blue Eagles, and UE Red Warriors (all Final Four contenders)

Tier 3: ADU Soaring Falcons and UP Fighting Maroons (Final Four long shots)

Any time a team beats a Tier 1 team, it gets 20 “bonus points.”

Any time a team beats a Tier 2 team, it gets 10 “bonus points.”

These are the top four teams right now, but are they all Final-Four-bound?
(images from Burn Sports)

2014 UAAP Power Rankings as of August 15, 2014

Ateneo, DLSU, NU, and FEU make up our top four  after the first round.

These rankings are based on each team's Current Efficiency Ratings, the point difference in its game results, and “bonus points” for beating a team based on its “tier” or how strong it is perceived. The formula I used was this:

I calculate Current Efficiency Ratings or CER this way: (points + rebounds + assists + steals + blocks) - (turnovers + field goals missed + free throws missed) — for the remainder of the season, I wil be using team averages for these values.

As per the collected opinion of most UAAP pundits, I chose to segregate the eight UAAP schools into the following tiers:

Tier 1: DLSU Green Archers (defending champs and title favorites)

Tier 2: UST Growling Tigers, NU Bulldogs, FEU Tamaraws, ADMU Blue Eagles, and UE Red Warriors (all Final Four contenders)

Tier 3: ADU Soaring Falcons and UP Fighting Maroons (Final Four long shots)

The Games That Play Us: Live and Die

This season, it seems like "Live and Die" is an ominous theme.

The UE Red Warriors will live and die with Roi Sumang.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles will live and die with Kiefer Ravena.

                                                                                                   

Has Roi Sumang regressed?

Last weekend, we witnessed how Roi Sumang, who is supposed to be a leading candidate this season, melted down amidst the pressure, missing a potential game-winner against the league-leading NU Bulldogs. He actually shot relatively well in that game, making 44% of his field goals (his season peg is just 33%), but he misfired on the one that counted the most. He ended up with 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers. Meanwhile, the Red Warriors have dropped their third straight game and are just one notch higher than cellar-dwelling Adamson and UP.

Is Roi Sumang actually regressing in Season 77?
(image by Marlon Bernabe/Burn Sports)

A close look at Sumang’s stats reveals something glaring — he might actually be regressing. His scoring, steals, and rebounds are all down from last year. Ditto with his three-point shooting and overall field goal percentage. His minutes? Down as well from 36 minutes a game last season to just over 20 a game this year. He normed around 17 FG attempts in Season 76, but is only putting 13 this season.

The UAAP: Season 77 - Ateneo vs La Salle Round 1

A sea of blue and white welcomed me at the Ateneo side of the Araneta
(All photos by: Rolly Mendoza)

What's better than writing about basketball? Watching LIVE basketball!

I haven't been to a live UAAP Mens' Senior Basketball game in years. I think my last game was 10 years ago, maybe more. Fortunately, I was able to watch the first round game between Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University last Sunday. The coliseum was packed and loud! Nothing beats cheering for your alma mater!

The Games That Play Us: Well That Was Fun

It was a great weekend of UAAP action again as Ateneo, NU, and UE, remained
unbeaten while UST defeated FEU.

The De La Salle Green Archers might just be the most fun (or at least most interesting) team to watch this season. 

0-2? Sure, but consider the following:

- Last weekend, their coaching staff wore apple green pants that would make green apples scream, “APPLE GREEN!”
- In their loss to Ateneo, Arnold Van Opstal thought Ren Ren Ritualo was his teammate and, of course, threw the former King Archer a baseball pass from the low block.
- Admittedly, Jason Perkins is a beast, and that smirk after every made basket reminds me of DLSU players of old (Hello, Mac Cardona!).
- And, again, AVO provides some entertainment even after the game by possibly getting himself penalized for a forearm (closed fist?) to the back of former teammate Ponso Gotladera’s head. (http://www.rappler.com/sports/university/uaap/dlsu/63974-uaap-considering-suspension-arnold-van-opstal)

Man, these Archers might be staring at the other teams from the bottom of the barrel, but there isn’t any dull moment with them.

But on to the games now.

2014 UAAP Power Rankings as of July 14, 2014

How do the teams stack up after opening weekend?
(images by Jan Dizon/Inboundpass.com)

These rankings are based on each team's Current Efficiency Ratings, the point difference in its game results, and “bonus points” for beating a team based on its “tier” or how strong it is perceived. The formula I used was this:

I calculate Current Efficiency Ratings or CER this way: (points + rebounds + assists + steals + blocks) - (turnovers + field goals missed + free throws missed) — for the remainder of the season, I wil be using team averages for these values.

As per the collected opinion of most UAAP pundits, I chose to segregate the eight UAAP schools into the following tiers:

The Games That Play Us: Of Statement Games and Green Pants

It's that time of the year again! #CollegeBasketball #UAAP77
Those green pants tho...

UAAP Season 77 opened with a bang this past weekend thanks to some statement games from UE, FEU, Ateneo, and NU, while DLSU made, well, its own fashion statement.

UE with a statement game against lowly UP

Raise your hand if you pegged Dan Alberto to lead UE in scoring in its first game of the season. Yes, he had that great game against Ateneo in Season 76, scoring 14 points in the Warriors’ first round W (72-68) over the Eagles. This time around, Alberto canned 5 triples on his way to a team-high 15 markers, leading the Reds to a rousing blowout of the hapless Maroons. This was unexpected, of course, but perhaps even more surprising was ace playmaker Roi Sumang dropping just 7 points. Sumang shot 3/8 from the field overall and was visibly content being the main facilitator for his teammates. He handed out a game-high 6 assists.

UAAP Season 77 preview – UP, UE, DLSU, FEU

The UAAP begins today and so we preview the first four teams who’ll see action – the Fighting Maroons, the Red Warriors, the Green Archers, and the Tamaraws!

Top left: Kyles Lao hopes to lead UP to its first win in years.
Top right: Roi Sumang is due for an MVP-type season.
Bottom left: Jeron Teng should lead DLSU back to the title.
Bottom right: FEU is now Mike Tolomia's team.

UP FIGHTING MAROONS

Last season: Finished last with zero wins.

Roster:

Name	Height	Position
AMAR, Agustini	6’2	G/F
ASILUM, Henry	5’9	PG
BEDERI, Darwish	6’7	C
DARIO, Diego	5’8	PG
ESCALAMBRE, Carlo		G
GALLARZA, Joseph	6’5	PF
GINGERICH, Moriah	6’2	SF
GONZALES, Nhomer
HARRIS, Andrew	6’4	PF
JURUENA, Mark	6’5	PF/C
LAO, Kyles	6’0	SG
LIM, Jarrell		G
MORALDE, Dave	6’2	SG/SF
PASCUAL, Martin	6’5	C
REYES, Mikee	5’9	PG
VITO, Angelo	6’5	C