La Salle - Ateneo

I wrote an article for DLSU’s first game of the season however, seeing that I could sum it up in one sentence, I opted not to post it anymore. "DLSU was playing larong buko". I watched the second game and maybe I can do a different critique but again I saw the same larong buko plays. The next few games were very interesting as the team finally showed some potential. The last game against Adamson was disappointing and that I'll file under "Experience".

Ateneo - La Salle games are always entertaining. This season, Ateneo is fielding a strong championship caliber team while DLSU is filled with members from he RP Youth team, veterans who play like rookies and actual rookies.

Studio 23 gave their keys to winning for DLSU but I think it's too general and I'll opt to write my own keys to winning the game:

- Bader Malabes: Play him the first 5 minutes and turn him loose. Let him do what he wants but if he plays the way he has been playing the past few games (jumpshots that look like dead ducks, silly turnovers and just poor decision making on the floor), send him to the locker room and tie him up to a chair.

- Peejay Barua: Use him off the bench immediately. We need to know immediately if he’s hot. If he’s not, bring him back to the bench and use him only to check if Bader is still tied up and if he needs to eat, drink or go to the bathroom.

- James Mangahas: Fake a freak injury for him and so it's "unfortunate" he won't be able to play. Let's say a dog bit him in the leg and the arm. If ever, La Salle gets an excuse for losing (which no one from La Salle will believe) while Mangahas gets an excuse for playing like he has an arm and leg injury. Win-win!

- Press for 40 minutes. You know Ateneo will eat us up in the half court anyway. Have one guy back, either Andrada the pogo stick or Ferdinand who's now known by just a singular name "Ferdinand"... ala Madonna.

- Guard Rabeh with single coverage against Andrada. Sure he’ll score, let him go wild. Concentrate on guarding the shooters and boxing out for the defensive rebound. He's good but I don't see him exploding for 50.

- Play the rookies more. They wouldn't have the jitters anymore since this is the second game right? Besides, we're playing more for next season and they need the experience. If we lose this game, the more minutes they played, the more experience they'll learn.

Q1 7:00 - Ateneo sprints to an 8-0 lead. La Salle calls a timeout and brings in… Bader “The Heart Attack” Malabes. Maybe he'll have a good game! Maybe he'll be today's savior! He drives and causes a quick turnover.

Psst! Peejay! The rope's behind the cooler! *wink*

Q1 6:00 - Webb goes in for a fast break layup for the first basket for La Salle which was off a full court press turnover. Just a layup? No... fist pumping or screaming? Just a plain old humble two point layup?

Q1 4:30 - Managahas bricked a three then La Salle brings in Yutien Andrada. I hate to be mean especially to a La Salle player but I swear I saw him in Men In Black. I'd love to bring him to a kindergarden class and have the kids draw him and I bet they'll get him right. He looks... ok fine, I'll stop now but I still have a million of these jokes.

Q1 1:50 - Maui Villanueva with his newly shaved head hit back to back jumpers. Have you noticed that the La Salle wins were always behind someone who was having a breakout game of the season? Bringas was the guy against UST. Marata was the guy against UP. Webb was the guy against Ateneo. For the next possession, let him shoot! I don't care if he has Baclao on him! Pass him the ball and let him shoot!

End of Q1 - Malabes throws up a brick. The rivers continued to flow and the moon continued to rotate around the Earth. Yep, no surprise there.

Q2 8:30 - Maui hits a scoop layup. I’m telling you, give him the ball and get out of his way! The next play? Malabes threw a three point shot that misses everything… oh wait, was that Barua? Sorry Bader, force of habit.

Q2 7:00 - “Grawp” Monfort hits a three and La Salle, now down by 10 calls a timeout. During the break, I saw for the first time that new Greenwich “at kung kailangan mo ako” commercial. Fun-ee!

Q2 6:00 - Mangahas hits a running jumper. Finally, he opted not to throw up another clanker. Will we see this play again? I doubt. I hope Studio 23 uses that weird "zoom" feature in replays to show Mangahas' dog bite injuries.

Q2 5:00 - Marata enters the game and immediately hits a three off a curl. I like this kid. He should get more attempts in this game but I'm guessing the next play will be Malabes killing another lizard.

Q2 3:50 - Kish Co hits a set shot. Four things I’d love to see in the court again: someone who shoots a set shot, someone who shoots a sky hook, someone who wears short shorts and someone who shoots an underhanded free throw.

Q2 2:00 - Salamat gets a steal and finishes with a layup. He salutes the Ateneo crowd. Yep, that was a good steal. Was that a taunt? Nah, he’s just a guy having a good time. Ateneo fans love it, DLSU fans hate it and thse always keeps the game interesting.

Q2 1:30 - Webb hits a layup and gets a foul. He salutes the Ateneo crowd and hits the and 1 free throw. Dirty? Nope. Illegal? Nope. Jerk? Yeah but I’d try anything to get the crowd going. La Salle’s starting to get buried. If I’m Ateneo and I want to get even, tell Baclao to guard him and if he gets a block, go ahead and salute Webb. Think about it, the Salamat salute makes the game interesting. The Webb salute makes you want to watch the game live so you can experience the reaction from the fans.

End of Q2 - Bringas hoists a three and again bricks it. I don’t think anyone from La Salle except for Marata has hit a three. In this case, I think it’s a still good play for now. Again, La Salle is a rebuilding team against the bigger, faster and more experienced defending champions. La Salle can only beat Ateneo by sheer luck or a really really hot player. Villanueva looked good. Marata, Barua and Webb are having decent games. Andrada is still that long freak. I’d ask Malabes to stay in the locker room and play Mafia Wars for now. Bringas can join him. At this point, I’d take out my secret play for the game: I’ll bring out Ritualo, have him wear a wig and a fake beard, give him Malabes’ jersey and tell him he can play but he has to shoot overhead.

Q3 9:00 - Salamat hits a scoop layup. Crafty guy... really crafty.

Q3 8:00 - “Malabes” barrels into Rabeh and gets a foul. Good play Ren Re… er… Bader!

Q3 6:00 - Ateneo is now scoring at will. Where's La Salle's defense? I see the press but it's turned down to just the first gear. Half hearted traps and no third guy to rattle the pass. Ugh.

Q3 5:00 - Salamat hits a jumper, gets a steal and passes off to Rabeh for an easy 2. Ateneo is now in cruise mode and are now just having fun.

Q3 4:00 - Bringas gets a warning for trash talking. I wonder how "trash talking" is defined in the league. Did he use a swear word? Did he tell Rabeh he sucks? Did he tell Baclao he thought he was Andrada? (maybe that merited the warning).

Q3 2:00 - Rabeh throws the ball to the La Salle crowd. It was a few feet above Monfort and it was thrown like a 99 mph fast ball. It didn't even dive down. Ouch!

End of Q3 - Now’s the time you adjust the goals for the game. Will La Salle still win this? Unlikely. I say we bring the rookies for experience. I have no idea what Bringas is doing. He has three points and a couple of turnovers and he’s trash talking. I’m ok with the on court chit chat but only if you have the game to back it up with. As for the rest of the team, if you’re going down, go down fighting.

One more quick note for Bringas - wasn't he supposed to be a talented low post player? I didn't follow him in high school but he's billed as a low post / banger / rebounder player. What the heck is he doing on the outside throwing threes?

Q4 8:00 - Marata hits another three to bring down the lead to 13. The next plays are: Bringas forcing a shot then Bringas throwing the ball away. Apparently, whatever bug Bader had, Bringas sure caught it. Good thing Pumaren quickly took him out.

Q4 6:00 - La Salle calls a timeout for its final push. I’d bring in Marata, Barua, Andrada, Villanueva and Webb. Pumaren brought in: Marata, Mangahas, Webb, Villanueva and... Bader? First play, the commentator goes “Malabes throws… something”. It’s not even defined as a shot anymore.

Q4 5:00 - Ateneo hits another three and they’re just having fun. I think Rabeh’s on the court now with a cellphone and is tweeting as he's playing. He looks bored.

Q4 4:00 - The scorer’s table calls a timeout. It’s an official’s timeout. Bringas was brought in to replace an injured Mangahas. I told you James, you should have faked an injury earlier. I hope it's nothing serious though.

Where’s Malabes? Put him in! At least we’ll write something tomorrow! Oh wait, Bringas just threw up another airball. Never mind Bader, go back to the bench. Bringas is our recipient of the “Bader Malabes” hayop ka award.

Q4 2:00 - La Salle is now in full desperation mode however, they missed two easy layups. Bringas is back in? He gets an offensive rebound and misses everything. If you're that big and that close to the basket, aren't you even to accidentally hit the rim or something?

Whatever Pumaren tried today, it sure didn't work. Ateneo wins big time and sends the Archers to its third straight loss as it battles UST and UE for the final four slot (where they will automatically be first round fodder).

I've been watching the UAAP and cheering for La Salle for the past few years and honestly, this is the first time I'll say I can't wait for our veterans to graduate. I'm telling you, Malabes' graduation picture will symbolize a new era and hope for us all. *Sigh*