After handing the league-leading De La Salle University Green Archers their first loss of the season, the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles showed no signs of slowing down, sweeping their regular season series against defending champions Far Eastern University Tamaraws.
Avoiding complacency was the priority of head coach Tab Baldwin and his staff entering Wednesday’s game, according to the American-Kiwi mentor himself.
“The fact that we play the game one possession at a time, game by game, I told them that this is the most important game of your lives not because it is La Salle. It is the most important game because it is the next game. Now, FEU is the most important game of our lives,” he said.
Riding the wave of momentum, the Blue Eagles made it rain on the Tamaraws as they were able to knock down nine triples by the third frame to build a 23-point lead, 58-35.
“Ang mindset lang namin as a team is wag naming isipin na maging kampante kami just because we won against La Salle. Kasi this one is also a big game for us, so we had to be mentally and physically prepared coming in sa laro,” said third-year Blue Eagle Thirdy Ravena, who finished the game with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
“We just didn’t let that game affect us in a negative way.”
A late-game flurry by the cagers from Morayta eventually fell short as Ateneo took home their fourth straight win — the longest active streak in the league. And during those four wins, the Blue Eagles were unpredictable, with four different Blue Eagles stepping up.
“As you see in the stat sheet, everybody contributed across the board. Almost everybody who checked in scored, everybody who checked in got a rebound, everyone contributed on defense, and it was really a team win. Great effort!,” enthused 6-foot-7 center Isaac Go, who added 14 points and seven rebounds in their win against FEU.
“We just won the rebounding through effort and that’s what the team showed today.”
And that sense of unpredictability, combined with the sense of urgency in their play, is what makes this batch of Blue Eagles dangerous. They would be more menacing if they grab the other twice-to-beat incentive, which is now within their grasp.
“I guess if the opportunity presents itself, but like I said, we don’t want to think too far ahead because our next game is just as important as this game. If we lose then we just lost this good opportunity, so we can’t be derailed and we have to stay focused on what we have to do in the next game,” said assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga.
“It’s gonna be the same thing going to the last game. We’re really taking it one game at a time.”
