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Who won the first round?
It’s a pretty simple question when one looks at team standings and individual statistics.
Ano ba! It’s so obvious that Areneyo won the first round hihihi – A typical conyo girl answered
With a 6-1 record, Ateneo clearly won the round. – A frail, wise fan followed
Of course! Kiefer Ravena. He accumulated 161 points, 36 rebounds, 36 assists, 10 steals and a block in 7 games. Those are MVP numbers – A basketball nerd concluded
This may be true but, but beyond numbers, there are so many feel-good stories this season that one cannot safely conclude that Ateneo or Kiefer Ravena are the clear-cut winners of the round. One could make an argument that this team or this individual is the winner of the round and with valid reasoning, could make a case for his or her choice.
In the interest of fairness, we assembled a panel of 5 basketball experts and pundits to give their share on who they really think was the winner of the first round and state their case.
Without further ado, we present to you the panel for our First Round, Round Table, Round-Up EXTRAVAGANZAAAA!
 | Hoopnut is a product of Enzo Flojo’s passion for basketball and writing. Friend for life Rolly Mendoza soon joined him. |
 | Favian Pua is your go-to armchair expert and keyboard warrior. A diehard homer of the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the Alaska Aces since day one, he will flood your timelines with his best troll game. |
 | Aidan Manglinong is Tiebreaker Times’ resident women’s basketball expert. Outside of the courts, he will freestyle hardcore rap lyrics but also write sappy love poems. A living oxymoron. |
 | Gil Lopez is a full-time statistics and advanced metrics geek. He does not know what to do with all the statistics he collated and all the shot charts he plotted. He just does it. |
 | Matthew Gana is a part-time writer, full-time fan. Frustrated athlete, wannabe chef, and ex-UP scientist. “From one thing, know ten thousand things.” -Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Ring |
In no particular order:
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The Prodigal One
by Matthew Gana
On August 19, 2012, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons defeated the UE Red Warriors 63-48. Then-rookie point guard Henry Asilum scored 14 points to lead UP past budding star Roi Sumang and the Warriors. Also-rookie J.R. Gallarza notched a DNP. Mikey Reyes was in the midst of a year-long sabbatical from the team. Per tradition, the victor’s “UP Naming Mahal” was sung before the vanquished UE’s “Pamantasan Naming Mahal”. An unremarkable game.
Raul Soyud, Ifeanyi Mbah, Jett Manuel, Alvin Padilla, Dionisio Hipolito, Chris Ball, Mark Lopez, Anjelo Montecastro, Paolo Romero, Julius Wong, Mike Gamboa, and Robby Wierzba – none of them would ever hear their proud university’s chant played first again.
Once-promised saviour Mike Silungan would never again taste victory in UP colours.
Over 719 days, the UP fan-base, the university community, would go through the stages of sporting grief. Denial, then anger, as UP’s 1-13 Season 75 failed to build on their 2-12 campaign the year before. Bargaining, then depression, as UP fielded the worst offensive and defensive team in Season 76. Acceptance, as UP lost all of their first 6 games in Season 77 by double digits.
On August 9, 2014, 720 days, 27 games, nearly 2 full seasons after that unremarkable UE game, the UP Fighting Maroons defeated the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, 77-64. Veteran point guard Mikey Reyes, backcourt partner of the now experienced Henry Asilum, scored 28 points to lead UP past the struggling Falcons. J.R. Gallarza, no longer an awestruck rookie, notched 24 efficient points. Per tradition, the victor’s “UP Naming Mahal” was sung first.
Kyles Lao, Mark Juruena, Moriah Gingerich, Gelo Vito, Agustini Amar, Dave Moralde, Andrew Harris, Jarrell Lim, Darwish Bederi, Nhomer Gonzales, Jose Carlos Escalambre, Martin Pascual, and Diego Dario – they all experienced their first win in the tournament.
Over 1 day, over 1 win, the UP fan-base, the university community, celebrated like crazy. A school used to success, a school that boasted the Men’s and Women’s Swimming champions, the second-best Men’s Football team, Men’s Tennis team, Men’s Judo Team, Women’s Table Tennis team, Women’s Taekwondo team, Poomsae team, Cheerdance team, and the third-best overall record in Season 76- that same school lost its collective mind over an underperforming team’s measly solitary victory. Tears were shed, the internet exploded, and a bonfire was lit.
Luke 15:32 – “…we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; He was lost and is found.”
UP’s 1-6 record puts them above only the depressingly winless ADU Soaring Falcons in the standings. They’re the second-worst offensive team in the league, and outright the worst defensively. Aside from their second-round rematch with the Falcons, there may not be another competitive match-up for the Maroons this season. Still, it has to be said…
…Did UP win?
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Before I introduce my choice for who I think won the first round, here are two stat lines for two different players.
| FG% | FT% | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | |
| Player A | 28.26% | 58.82% | 12.67 | 7.33 | 3.67 | .33 | |
| Player B | 43.14% | 75.86% | 16.75 | 7.25 | 3.75 | .5 | .75 |
Who do you think is Player A and Player B?
I guess you’re thinking, Player A must be some foreign student-athlete. Terrible from the field and what an atrocious free-throw shooting average. But he didn’t even bother blocking a shot! It can’t be a foreign student-athlete. Ivan Villanueva maybe?
Player B, on the other hand, shoots really well from the field and the free-throw line. That’s a high point per game average in the college ranks. It’s second to Kiefer’s! He rebounds well and dishes out a good number of dimes to his teammates. A good guess would be Mac Belo!
If those were your guesses, you’re wrong. Player A is Jeron Teng from July 12-July 23, 2014. In the 3 games that happened during that time frame, Jeron was terrible from the field. He would drive hard to the lane and just throw the ball to the rim hoping to draw a foul or get a lucky bounce. Moreover, he would hardly try to play defense during that time frame. And let’s not talk about that free-throw shooting percentage.
Then this happened during the UE game last July 27, 2014:
From our good friends at DLSU Sports (C) Joaqui Flores
My pick for who won the 1st round would be Player B…
Super Saiyan Jeron
During the overtime period of that game, Jeron Teng became a beast. Except for that one rest day bad game against the Adamson Soaring Falcons during that stretch, Jeron scored at will. This can be best seen with his stat line during the Archers’ games against UE and UP:
| DLSU | Points | Field Goal % | Rebounds |
| vs. UE | 18 | 50% | 6 |
| vs. UP | 25 | 62.5% | 11 |
Notoriously a bad free throw shooter during his rookie season, Jeron Teng would slowly work on his free throw shooting. Now on his 3rd year, Teng would still have games where he would shoot terrible but, in the game against the Tigers, Jeron would attempt 11 free throws, making 10. That’s a 90.9% percentage for the game!
But the most surprising weapon that the 3RD year veteran would add to his repertoire is his improved passing. With DLSU’s stacked line-up of big men and outside shooters, Teng would now make the extra pass, even if he’s deep in the lane, or make an effort to draw a double-team and then find the open guard for a three-pointer. From last year’s assist average of 2.6 per game*, Teng is now averaging 3.71 assists in 7 contests.
Finally, there’s now an intensity in Jeron Teng that we haven’t seen before. In the closing seconds of the UST game last August 10, 2014, with the game locked in favor of the Archers, Jeron Teng was just happily dribbling the ball, waiting for the game clock to hit 0. But then, Louis Vigil and Aljon Mariano would double Jeron that would eventually lead to a turnover and a UST trash point. Feeling that the Vigil double was unnecessary, he would shout at Julian Sargent to pass him the ball. Sargent obliged and Jeron would hit a pull-up buzzer-beating jumper in front of Vigil. Some may call it a douche move, I call it INTENSITY.
We don’t want to see this Jeron on the court:
What we want to see is:
Jeron Teng has gotten his groove back and right in time for the 2nd round. Now it’s time to sit back and relax.
*UAAP Season 76 stat from Humble Bola
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What about us?
by Dan Maglinong
Of course, the Ateneo Blue Eagles were the top performer in men’s basketball’s first month. Closing out the first round with a 6-1 round record? Simply outstanding. Kiefer Ravena? Probably going to be first round MVP. But there’s another team I’ve been given the opportunity to cover whose performance all throughout the first round has been near flawless.
Let’s talk about the National University Lady Bulldogs. Last year they were seeded at the top, with a 12-2 slate shared with the De La Salle University, who had to settle for the second seed due to a point differential. Still, it was La Salle who came out stronger in the finals, bagging the women’s basketball after three games in the final, edging NU 69-61.
This year, NU is without last year’s MVP, Camille Sambile. And yet, they’ve managed to close out the first round unbeaten at 7-0. They also avenged last season’s final loss, demolishing the Lady Archers 77-55 last Sunday. Mind you, prior to that game, the defending champions had maintained championship form, winning all six of their previous assignments. That’s twenty-two big points over another team that’s been in championship form. And before I forget, those seventy-seven points are the most any team have scored in the women’s tournament so far. If memory does not fail me, no other team have even hit the seventy-point mark.
They have a solid backcourt in players like Marizze Tongco, Trixie Antiquiera, and Madel Castro. Tongco and Castro came up big in the game against La Salle, leading the press that cut the Lady Archer’s offensive flow, while also chipping in points for NU. Antiquiera is deadly at the three-point line. There’s Camille Escoto, an efficient inside finisher. Kristine Abiram and Shelley Gupilan are some of the most flexible 4 and 5s I’ve ever seen. They do everything that’s expected of big men inside the paint. They go for the boards, they hound the post, they box out…then come the next play you suddenly see either of them get a steal, run down the court, and either go for the layup themselves or lob it to whoever’s free for the fastbreak point. And a few plays later, you’ll probably be seeing them getting ready at the three-point line. They aren’t the tallest 4s and 5s in the league, so what they lack in height they’ve made up for with the ability to play the stretch. A pretty good deal, if NU’s 7-0 record is any indicator. And of course, there’s Afril Bernardino. A member of last year’s Mythical Five, she can slash her way inside for the lay-in, but can just as well settle for the easy jumper outside. She’s leading the league in scoring with 14.1 points a ball game, but her 1.6 blocks a game, second in the league, can only mean you wouldn’t want her guarding you either.
Add all of that up, and you have a team that can produce a mean fullcourt press, run and gun when needed, deliver in transition, and can score from anywhere inside the arc. Going undefeated for seven games can only mean they’ve been excellent so far in what they’ve been trying to achieve.
So yes, these girls can play ball. If you want to see for yourself, go check out their games, and see some of the most efficient basketball played in the league. As for me, I’m excited to see how their championship bid fares out in the second round.
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Mac Belo makes the proverbial leap
by Favian Pua
Few things are more intriguing than watching a project big man straddle the tightrope between average and elite. It is much more difficult for a role player to develop and break through as the team’s number one option because so many factors have to come into play. Maybe a new coach reinvents the existing system. Maybe several players have to leave due to graduation. Maybe an injury to a teammate forces some playing time to open up. The interplay of minutiae makes such ascent an exception, rather than a trend. A star transcending towards superstardom is much more plausible.
So it only made sense that as the days drew closer to the start of Season 77, Mac Belo attracted very little buzz despite starting at power forward for the FEU Tamaraws for the second consecutive year. The mere mention of his name would draw collective shrugs. Talking heads would gloss over his name with an occasional reference to cosmetic surgeries and augmentations. Once the “salamat po, doc” jokes elicited a couple of chuckles and served its purpose, Belo again fades into obscurity.
Last season, Belo began to carve a niche on the Tamaraws, averaging 9.1 points and 7.6 rebounds during the elimination round. However, with so much of the focus locked in on the tumultuous dynamics between Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia, Belo’s contributions were overlooked. Even as this year’s season previews started pouring out, projections were optimistic on Mike Tolomia and the returning Russel Escoto. Not so much for this 6’3” tweener in his third year.
What came next was unforeseen. Belo came out of the gate strong, dropping 20 points and four rebounds in a stunning victory against no less than the defending champions De La Salle Green Archers. Outmaneuvering the likes of Jason Perkins and Norbert Torres, Belo looked like a man possessed. Of course, it could have been a fluke. His numbers were expected to go back down to earth as the law of averages would eventually catch up with him.
Nope. Belo went toe-to-toe with Paulo Pe for 19 and 6. Then he had a modest 12 and 9 in a battle against UP, a match that was essentially done midway through the third quarter. If that weren’t enough, he dropped 21 in the face of Charles Mammie and 22 over Arvin Tolentino. Coach Nash Racela has been more than willing to recalibrate the offense, turning Tolomia into the team’s pacemaker on transition while Belo spearheads the attack in a halfcourt setting. Belo’s superior footwork and ballhandling at his position baffles other big men into submission.
Barring a major slump on his part or on FEU’s, Belo should be a lock for the Mythical Five. He has exceeded all expectations. The beauty on his part is that even after successive statement games, he remains under the radar, displaced by more compelling storylines. The Kiefer Ravena vs. Roi Sumang Classic. La Salle’s five-game winning streak. National University treading head above water despite losing Ray Parks and Emmanuel Jean Mbe. Belo can continue producing his blistering output with minimal pressure and fanfare.
FEU remains a relevant force to contend with. This unit will not be pushed aside and bullied around. Only Belo touches these Tamaraws.
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Kiefer Ravena and his undersized Blue Eagles
by Hoopnut
Kief won. The Eagles won. After a few escape acts, Ateneo finds itself in the realm of the improbable — sitting in first place.
Nope. The Kiefer Ravena of old is not back. This is not the Kiefer Ravena we knew and loved in Seasons 74 and 75 (and watched with agony last year).
Instead, the Kiefer Ravena of Season 77 is one to be feared.
If you want to know just how much Ravena won in the first round of #UAAP77, remember the shots he made and the names he took. Ask La Salle, whom he torched with four triples in the fourth quarter. Ask FEU, which was on the receiving end of His Clutchness in the dying minutes of their encounter. Ask UST’s Ed Daquioag, who made the mistake of reaching in against Kiefer, leading to the latter’s game-winning pull-up. Ask UE’s Roi Sumang, who just couldn’t match The Phenom’s prowess in crunch time.
Kiefer isn’t here to shoot commercials or play nice guy anymore (oh, but he still is a nice guy). He’s here to win.
And we all want to see it. When Kief plays, we’re not just seeing a virtuoso act, we’re witnessing a spectacle.
Let’s face it. Kiefer has been the most famous (and marketable) Pinoy baller outside of the PBA for a while now, ever since joining the Seniors division in fact, but he has never been more popular than he is right now.
But, again, Kief can live without the popularity, the endorsements, and the hype. After a forgettable Season 76, he’s here to make sure the erstwhile underdog Blues return to the UAAP’s peak. There is no one else who will be Ateneo’s bona fide leader. Nobody else is more valuable (hint hint).
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