Pregame Bullets: DLSU vs NU 9/10
- Oh boy, it can’t get any more pulsating than this. Just when we all thought that the Archers’ season was practically over with last Saturday, the team got a new lease of life following UST’s loss to Adamson on Sunday. And the Tigers didn’t just lose; they lost terribly to a team that has nothing anymore reason to play for except pride and maybe make things complicated going into the homestretch.
- The Green Archers overwhelmingly disposed of the Bulldogs in the first round and it would take a gargantuan meltdown for the team to lose this one. Even though we lost to FEU, I think the team still has the momentum to probably inflict some damage if ever they still get a chance to play beyond the eliminations.
- The Archers must guard against complacency against NU. The Bulldogs are sure to finish in the cellar, but they might just try to salvage some pride by going out with a victory at our expense. If the Archers don’t want this to be their last game, they have to tame the Bulldogs all over again, and pray that the 2nd game ends in our favor as well.
- The Archers are only just now beginning to realize just how good they are. They narrowly lost both games to UE and FEU, and noticeable in those games was the growing confidence of our young players. Against FEU, only the good individual play of big man Cervantes and rookie RR Garcia saved the Tams from a possible upset at the hands of the young Archers.
- This is going to be a “win and wait” situation for all of us this Thursday. If we win our final elimination game, expect the La Salle faithful to be glued to their seats or TV sets after as we need to hope that UE defeats UST to forge a playoff for the final spot in the semis.
- This might be the last pregame bullets for the year… then again maybe not. Whatever happens on Thursday, let us all thank the Green Archers for a great season. An1mo!
Postscript to the UP Game 8/22
For years, the Archers have been known for their excellent guard corps. We’ve had players like Dino Aldeguer, Mac Cuan, Mike Cortez, Ty Tang, and even JV Casio. This year, paradoxically, the weakest spot in our rotation (the point guard), is turning out to be a critical element in our losing yesterday’s game, as it was for the games we lost earlier in the season.
Defensively, it was the same thing over and over again. Lester Alvarez, Eric Salamat, Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, and now, Mikee Reyes, all guards, were the key to beating us, using a combination of penetration and good outside shooting. Unfortunately, the Maroon who did the most damage was Mikee Reyes, who came from La Salle Greenhills. Even sadder that he did not sing his former school’s anthem, unlike Maui , Joel, and Sam did for us, and the way Migs and Martin Reyes did for UP. Something to prove, perhaps?
It was another guard who contributed to the Archers’ downfall, only this time it was one of ours. On the last offensive plays, Hyram Bagatsing made two crucial mistakes in the last minute. He wasted too much time on a play starting from 34 seconds down to 19 seconds, only to drive the ball, UP up by 3 pts. This should have been a two for one situation if a 2 pt. shot was the battle plan, or a three point shot was the play design with that much time left. As it turned out, neither happened, and he just split his charities. The second mistake was he dribbled off his foot with just seconds to go.
Overall, the defense was NOT THERE, PERIOD. It was another shootout at the OK Corral. Losing is forgivable. Giving up 81 points to UP is not. Offense will NOT win any games for us. Except for Bader’s back-to-back steals off the box press, and the 6 turnovers we forced on Mikee Reyes, our press defense seemed to have come out from the laundry, soft like fabric with Downy instead of from the dug-out. UP, on the other hand, had a much stronger triple team press on the ball carrier, which forced some turnovers and anxious ball carrying moments.
Remember, our system thrives on our guard rotation. The press is the first step. Coming into the half court, the primary defense on the guard penetration is the second. This is where we are lacking this season. Unfortunately, our first string pg Simon, was out due to injury.
We were not beaten by UP plays mind you. This was a double barreled shoot-out by cross-over moving Mikee and the steady Woody Co, a much improved three point shooter this year. Also effective for UP was Mark Lopez, an athletic swingman who was aggressive on both ends of the court.
Now, on the positive side, Peejay Barua has regained his shooter’s touch. James Mangahas, Maui Villanueva, Joshua Webb, and Bader Malabes played good offensive games. Of the four, however, only Bader played a very good defensive game. Joshua still showed that he has a lot to learn on defense, as he was mostly out of defensive position. The three point shot of Migs De Asis from the left side was his responsibility. Webb should also focus on the game rather than on getting into the head of the opponent. Yesterday, he spent most of his time on the court trash talking. That is a double edged sword which can either take your opponent out of his game or pump him up even more.
A bright spot for us defensively was Yutien Andrada, whose gives us some shot blocking ability on the post. His back to back post blocks were made at a crucial time to keep us in the game.
Mark Lopez of UP also had a monster defensive game. His block shot on James Mangahas was “right down his throat”. He also was able to get rebounds from behind, another defensive weakness I see in our defensive rebounding game – the box out.
We now have to win ALL our remaining games if we want to make it to the playoffs. Anything less, and our track record of making the final 4 every year will be at risk. It’s an issue of “if we want it this year, or lay down and die and try again next year.”
Can we beat the teams we were supposed to lose to??? The attitude should always be YES!!!!!! Now, it’s up to the team to make it happen.
ANIMO!!!!!
Postscript to the La Salle-Ateneo Game 8/16
Well Archers. If you think this week was tough, the real challenge still lies ahead of us. We are approaching our crucial games. The loss to Adamson was actually more important to us that the loss last Sunday, because UE won against Adamson. Our game against UE now becomes a must win for us to catch up with them. Look at the standings. If you notice, the field is bunched up into three (the front runners Ateneo and FEU with identical 7-1 records), the middle of the field (UE 5-4, UST 4-4, and La Salle 4-5), and the tailenders (UP and NU 2-6, and Adamson 2-7).
It’s been said that 8 wins will get us to the final 4. The first crucial tiff is UP on Saturday. With our morale at an all time low following those 3 successive losses, UP might have a chance at upending our Archers. If we lose to UP, we lose ground to the third group, just half a game ahead of them; our only hope then is to sweep the remaining games for an 8-6 record, or lose one more to any team and win the rest for a 7-7 record). Two more losses and we are virtually out of the running this year.
This is a daunting task. We still have to play UE, UST, and FEU, all legitimate final 4 contenders. How’d we get here? Things have just not fallen at the proper places and at the right times. Against Ateneo last Sunday, of our veterans, only Peejay and Maui showed up. Webb scored half of what he scored last Sunday but you couldn’t really ask for another monster game from him after Ateneo scouted him in detail. Our young recruits failed to make an impact.
James Mangahas continues to be a puzzle to many. Historically, he has not played well against Ateneo because of their post defenders like Nonoy Baclao. James is a finesse player who takes floaters or jumpers but does not bang bodies inside, and against a post blocker like Baclao, this doesn’t work. In contrast, James usually does well against Adamson and UST because of their porous defense and the absence of a big shot-blocking threat.
Against Ateneo, our point guard woes continued to show. Our lack of a true pg to backstop Simon was telling, because Salamat again managed to steal the ball from our players. How many times did Ateneo drive and draw? How many times was our zone broken by quick passing to an open man who more often than not made the long shot?
Our shot selection is another issue. Sam Marata’s career in the UAAP so far has been nothing more than three point shooting. In fact, all his field goals are three point shots. If he learns to drive to the basket with authority, he will be next to impossible to stop. Arvie Bringas also had bad shot selection in that game, opting to just take outside shots in this game. James struggled to get a shot off at all. Bader missed almost everything he hoisted. Sam was limited to just a handful of attempts.
All these are slowly being learned by our young players. We might feel bad about the results of the last few games, but no one feels worse than our young players. Sometimes, maturity comes at a price, and perhaps this is their baptism of fire.
So Archers, we STILL have a chance at it this year. If it doesn’t happen, we have a BETTER chance next year. If it still doesn’t happen, we have an even BETTER chance in 2011, when we celebrate our Centennial year. By then, most of these young-uns will no longer be young-uns, but grizzled veterans who will give their opponents a hell of a time. And we’ll finally have Norbert Torres in our lineup.
Make it known to the team that your support is wholehearted, no matter what the results are going to be in the coming weeks. Make it known to them that their development is forthcoming and just like good medicine, it always tastes bitter at first. Make it known to them that our once reliable veterans of past teams did not become superstars until later in their playing careers.
ANIMO!!!!!!
Postscript to the ADU Pre-game Predictions
I was able to catch the second half of the game. From the 1st quarter stats, the Archers dug themselves into a deep hole with a 20-9 deficit, something they could not climb out of. They had the attempts on basket. They just couldn’t make the shots. This is not to take away anything from Adamson. Part of the reason for the low percentage shooting was their interior defense. It was they who had the team defensive mindset.
I was with a couple of La Sallites whom I didn’t know, who commented about my article that we could blow them away in this game. Did I want to crawl under a rock for my prediction? Well of course not. Why? Part of the article read “They are beginning to know who will shoot, where and when, and how. It’s just a matter of execution of our offensive patterns. Usually, you will know the offensive flow of the game on game time itself. This is the reason why I commented that we can blow Adamson out of the court this time.” Obviously we did not execute well. Look at the score. The defense was there as they scored only 61 points. It was the offensive execution that was wanting. However also, the team started to wake up defensively a little too late.
I did not say that Adamson was a patsy this second round. Remember. This is a team which is much better than their record shows. If I remember correctly, four out of those 6 lost games were lost by four points or less, including a double overtime loss to us, and an overtime loss to UE. Adamson is not a pushover team.
If La Salle wants to win games, it must treat EVERY game with utmost dedication and respect. No team in the UAAP will EVER give away a game. You have to EARN it. Not to take anything away from Adamson, who played a great defensive game and won it fair and square, we actually lost this one because of our own doing. 22% from 2 point range. Sadly, this is a harsh lesson and a bitter pill we have to swallow. I have also stated previously that there are no weak or strong teams in the UAAP and that everone can beat everybody else on any given day. There you go.
Yes we are running out of games to recover from. Yes, it’s close to critical time. But I still believe that we can win this thing. Oh here I go again. Oh there he goes again!!!! The community might want me to shut up at this time. Why? Because of a loss??? I NEVER say quit and neither should the alumni, the studentry, and specially the team.
Again, this is an investment team, and this team has to experience this pain to gain CHARACTER for the upcoming grind, not only this year, but in the year’s to come.
I was correct with James Mangahas. He really is a match-up problem for Adamson. Unfortunately, nobody else followed his lead. One positive came out of this though. Joel Tolentino showed up. Even if he had that loose ball error when he fell down, that is what he has to do. I liked the way he drove to the basket during the dying second of the game. Joel has to show up and support Simon every single game, for us to have a chance at this.
For now, let the team bow their heads. Let them feel the pain and anguish of losing. They deserve this. They took Adamson for granted and this is the price of that. Hold on though. Tomorrow is another day. Let them recover from this with sheer determination of making up for this loss. This is the essence of the struggle. You pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again (as the song goes).
I feel bad, just like you. I am a La Sallite with the chosen monicker Proud Archer. I will remain so because in my life, picking myself up, dusting myself of, and starting all over again, has been my story. As Tita Cory lived her life, the heirarchy of her existence and priorities was always, God, Country, and family. To me, being a Proud Archer is a close fourth.
ANIMO!!!!!!!
Pre-game Predictions: La Salle vs. Adamson Round 2
Round 1 saw the emergence of Lester Alvarez as Adamson’s premiere point guard. In round 1, it was really an Alvarez vs. La Salle encounter.
This will not be a close game and we might probably blow Adamson away this time. This statement does not come from arrogance after the Ateneo performance. Just a product of my analysis and observations of the previous Adamson game and the emergence of more of our players in the Ateneo game as well. I will substantiate:
Adamson
Lester Alvarez – If there is one defensive weakness we can see right now with the La Salle defensive game, it’s guarding the pass of a penetrating guard, (either a drop pass under the basket, or a kick out pass to the corners). Two crucial baskets of the previous game vs Ateneo did us in last Sunday. The corner three point shot of Salamat, and the baseline jumpshot (same side of the court) by Nonoy Baclao. When a Jai Reyes drives, the kick-out pass is usually to the opposite weakside corner jumper. A driving Salamat usually goes for a wrap around pass underneath the basket to a Baclao, a Buenafe or an Al Hussaini. If you remember our two blow-out losses with UE (it was Paul Lee penetrating and dishing off underneath the basket), and FEU (Barroca and Cawaling did the slashing, and Aldrech Ramos, my favorite player on that team, was a monster on defense).
A driving Lester Alvarez presents us with that same problem, but with a difference: Lester shoots more than he passes. Stop his drive, we stop Adamson. We have to stop his outside shot first though, because this gives him the space to drive, once he hits his outside shots. Lester favors his left side when driving, so the anticipation of closing the door should come from this side. The reason why I am more confident right now is Yutien’s floating defense underneath the basket. His performance vs. Ateneo where he blocked two pet post-up shots of Al Hussaini, and one driving lay-up of Salamat, will be the same formula in stopping Alvarez. The key is reducing Alavarez to challenged jumpshooter and playing the passing lanes the way JV Casio used to. Simon Atkins should be up for this job. As a final defensive strategy to Lester if he gets hot, Joshua Webb was and still is the correct choice to stop Alvarez on the drive. First order of the day though. Don’t let him touch the ball.
Jan Colina – Colina is the steadiest and most fundamentally sound of the Falcon players. He plays post up, fights for the rebounds, take the occassional short jumpshot, and anything scrappy expected of a big man. He pump fakes well, and is a good passer. He will not be a good defensive matchup for Yutien, but for Ferdinand, then Mendoza, and finally Arvie, in that order. The order is to save on the fouls of the more crucial big men. If Yutien is around when Jan is inside, he should stay as the float defense, not the main defender of Jan. He might get into foul trouble and we may need his shot blocking abilities on drives to the basket, especially if the game becomes close.
Leo Canuday – Leo Canuday is a great defensive guard with a nose for the ball. He is their ball stripper on the help defense, and is strong going to the basket. He is the equivalent of our Bader Malabes. On offense, however, he likes to make things much harder on himself, opting for the spectacular shots rather than the simple but effective ones. He likes to hang in the air, posterize himself, and is very athletic. Bader should do well defensively with him, but be careful as he does have a strong upper body and can outmuscle a smaller guard in the paint, if he sets his mind to playing post-up. To our advantage, however, he seldom does this.
Mike Galinato – Galinato is an offensive threat with a soft touch in and around the paint. He, however is a defensive liability as he is slow and a bit lazy on defense. Yutien’s help defense won’t be effective with Galinato, as he shoots a fade away. But he can cover Galinato one on one. We can exploit Galinato’s defensive deficiency with the up and under moves of Kish Co. If I am not mistaken, Kish did well vs. Adamson in the first game. This was partly the reason. Galinato is not a good defender.
Jeric Cañada – Unfortunately for this spitfirish guard, he lost his spot to Alvarez and his confidence is low this season. The reason why I am mentioning him is that we seem to be shallow on the point guard spot while Adamson has Alvarez, Cañada, and Canuday at point. He may spring a surprise on us. Hopefully not.
Santos and No. 10 – I apoligize not knowing the new players of Adamson, but these two players shoot without fear, but fortunately for La Salle, without rhyme or reason. They just suddenly gunsling themselves into a shooting frenzy, even from three point distance, and this has cost them a lot of their lost games.
What about La Salle?
You may wonder. “Hey wait a minute Mr. La Sallite? What are you doing describing the key players of the other team? What about our team huh?” Here is my answer. Our priority strategies and focus is and always be DEFENSIVE strategies. In order to defend, you have to know your enemy, correct? There you go. These are the people who gave us a double overtime game the last time. Except for my observation on our defensive weakness, our players more or less now know who will watch whose back on defense, and the type of defensive pressure to apply.
Offensively, I am now more confident. They are beginning to know who will shoot, where and when, and how. It’s just a matter of execution of our offensive patterns. Usually, you will know the offensive flow of the game on game time itself. This is the reason why I commented that we can blow Adamson out of the court this time. If our offensive patterns work, and our defensive assignments are followed to the letter, Adamson has a tendency of going one on one basketball when they panic. You want my views of some of our players in this second game? OK, I will oblige.
James Mangahas – He should do well this time against Adamson. Of all the players in La Salle, James is a match-up problem for them. He is quick enough to blow by his man and tall enough against the Adamson forwards and off guards to shoot over them. If I remember right, he did well against Adamson in the first game.
Joshua Webb – After the Ateneo game, what can you say huh? Spider has seen that he can dominate a game offensively. His problem is focus. He gets so emotionally charged up he sometimes does things that can be detrimental to La Salle (like a deliberate foul, trash talking, and forgetting to play defense). Remember the short jumpshot of Nico Salva in the paint in the Ateneo game? He was Joshua’s man. Even if he scored 26 points in that game, that was one of the crucial makes of Ateneo. Franz bawled him out after that play. However, Joshua’s emotional game is also his strength. He drives harder, jumps higher, and electrifies the La Salle crowd. So what do we do about him? Somebody should just push him away when he goes savage and out of control. Let him pump himself up. He is harder to stop that way. Mabe we should hire a team psychiatrist for him? Just kidding Spider.
Arvie Bringas – Here is our main man. He is one of the main reasons why I predicted that we will win big. He doesn’t panic. He has the right amount of Animo, but does not allow himself to get carried away. He has both offense and defense. He now believes in his shots. AND, he was not a factor in the first game. He will be now!!!
Yutien “Tayshawn Prince” Andrada – He is my favorite player at La Salle. You may notice that I favor the shot blocking defensive demons of the game (Baclao, Aldrech Ramos), and now THIS guy. He, together with Arvie Bringas (the Baste connection), is our offense-defense coin. Our yin-yang players. La Salle will always thrive with a defensive big man who blocks shots like a solar eclipse. Wait till he bulks up a little. A little Anlene in his diet ought to do it. Please don’t let him take Arthro though. He might start to run backwards (although that is not a bad idea when playing defense). 
Jovet Mendoza – He is turning out to be our utility player, in the mold of a Jerwin Gaco type. Defense, occasional offense, looseball recoveries, overall presence in the shaded lane, and above all, a fighting heart. If he brought his A game against the Eagles, a smaller bird like the Falcons will be of no problem to him now.
Sam Marata – This is my bold prediction for this game. He will step up big time in this game. If the offensive sets are run for him (the triple staggered screen), swoosh!!!!!
Don’t worry about the Bader and Peejay. One game or another, they will have their shooting moments. Simon will always be our stabilizer. Tolentino should take his lead as Simon’s back-up. Hyram Bagatsing is a better off guard than a point guard. We need Hyram’s shooting more that his ball distribution. Tolentino has to step up. As I said, we are shallow in the point guard position.
If we work as a team and the player’s execute their roles, a 5-2 record at least awaits us in the second round. Notice this La Sallites, I said AT LEAST. That loss against Ateneo wasn’t a loss my friends. We now have a deeper player rotation than what we had in the first Adamson game where we came from our first two devastating losses.
Now get ready for a devastating win!!!!
ANIMO!!!!!!!
