"The Homestretch!"
by Tony L. Atayde
With 3 weeks left in the UAAP season, the race for the last 2 slots of the Final Four is still uncertain. FEU, UE and UST will definitely bring up their game and will try to make a strong run.
Among the 3, UE seems to be the strongest on paper. However, they have shown a very inconsistent type of play. In the first round, they beat La Salle yet lost to Adamson. They started the 2nd round with a loss to La Salle and had a scare with NU.
Where is the UE team that was so consistent last year? One player who has lost his luster has been Paul Lee. He is not playing the type of game that many expected from him. Maybe he has not recovered from the bout with dengue that sidelined him for a few games. James Martinez has also been erratic. He will have one big game and get lost in the next.
UE has so many players they can throw at you. Their big men, Espiritu, Thiele and Lllagas, can be very good on both sides of the court. Their rebounding is awesome. They have very good guards in Lingganay, Arellano, Reyes and Martinez.
What UE seems to lack is chemistry and confidence. Last year, they knew they would win even before they set foot on the court. This year, they are unsure of themselves. That loss to Adamson really shattered their confidence. Whereas last year they would blow their opponents away, this year they have to work extra hard just to stay in the game.
So what does UE need? They need to beat a good team very convincingly. If they beat Ateneo or FEU in a very convincing manner, then that confidence might just return. Honestly, I believe that UE cannot be counted out. If they peak at the right time and get into the Final Four, they can beat any team they face.
FEU on the other hand is lucky that they had a good first round.
Winning 5 games, they now need at least 3 victories to get into the Final Four. But with a 13 man roster, that might not be as easy as it seems. In their last game, the key players looked tired. After the Baracael incident, their adrenaline took them to 2 victories in the first round. However, they could not keep this up? They lost to NU and Ateneo after their inspired wins. They have to face Adamson, UST and DLSU in their next 3 games. They need to win at least 2 of those 3 to stay in the race.
Glen Capacio is probably the most underrated coach in the league yet he has been able to overcome all the obstacles thrown at the Tamaraws and put them where they are. Imagine what a team this would have been with an intact line-up.
UST is the underachieving team this year. Even with Jervy Cruz leading the MVP race, they just can’t seem to put together a string of victories. Mirza is not as effective as he was last year. Ababou is very inconsistent. Chester Taylor has shown nothing so far.
They live and die with the 3 point shot and they have not really been hitting them. Even Jervy Cruz has not really been as big a factor as he should be. Japs Cuan is sorely missed by the Growling Tigers.
Let’s not also forget that both NU and Adamson are no pushovers this year. UE, UST and FEU cannot afford to take these teams lightly. I can see that NU and Adamson will definitely throw a monkey wrench into the standings.
Now what about this sudden surge of injuries that has plagued the league? Atkins, Batricevic, Cuan, Garcia and Jahnke to name a few, has thrown many teams out of whack. I really don’t think that the teams are playing dirty. It has just been a string of bad luck that has brought about all these unfortunate accidents.
What I see a lot off are players who cramp up, especially at the Ultra. It must be the heat in the stadium that causes it. I also think that the court at the Ultra is not constructed well and this causes a lot of wear tear to the players.
The UAAP should demand from the management of Ultra that they improve that stadium. The scoreboards are awful. The shot clock is in terrible condition. Even the player’s bench is awful there. What a waste of a venue.
Well it’s the homestretch and all the teams are moving their games up a notch. Who will have a longer season and who will go on an early vacation?
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GO UE!!! Sana makasama kayo sa Final Four.
GO ATENEO!!! Ipagpatuloy niyo lang ang inyong magandang nasimulan.
at syempre, GO UP!!
kahit na kulelat na naman tayo ngayon, wag niyong kakalimutan na may mga tao pa ring sumusuporta sa inyo talo man o panalo. ang mahalaga, ipinapakita niyong lumalaban kayo. UP Fight nga db? kaya laban lang nang laban!!
full support pa rin ako kahit anong mangyari.
(oh no... is this goodbye?
)HINDI PA NOH!!
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