Blue Eagles in flight?
— from A Song for Mary, the Ateneo hymn, By Fr. James B. Reuter, SJ
BUT is the Ateneo team going downhill? Anyone who missed last Sunday’s UAAP game may not believe the Monday sports page story that the Blue Eagles lost to the FEU Tamaraws…and lost by a horrifying blowout 80-67!
FINAL FOUR… After the De La Salle Green Archers put away the NU Bulldogs earlier Saturday, the Blue Eagles were supposed to earn their ticket for the Blue vs. Green UAAP Finals at the expense of the FEU Tamaraws. But the Tamaraws are just raising their game. And they mean to repeat in a do-or-die contest this afternoon at the Mall of Asia Arena.
*** FEU managed to keep a slim 38-35 advantage at the half despite Ateneo’s four treys in the second quarter. But the Tamaraws would play a perfect game and break away in the second half, outgunning the top- seeded Blue Eagles in the last 20 minutes, 42-32.
Ron Dennison paced the Tamaraws with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting on top of eight rebounds and three assists, while Arvin Tolentino chipped in 13 markers and Hubert Cani added 11 for the Morayta-based squad. To salt the wounds, Tolentino and Canti are ex-Blue Eagles.
There were spurts of Ateneo rally, like the three-point play by Thirdy Ravena, who led with 17 points and six rebounds. But whenever the Blue shirts let their guard down, the Tamarraws would gorge. Mike Nieto added 13 markers and Matt Nieto had 11 points for the Ateneo. “We weren’t ourselves and FEU played great,” said Ravena. “It was a different FEU and we have to prepare for that and it’s going to be the same on Wednesday. They’re going to play with more intensity, so we have to prepare.”
FEU’s win was a replay of last season’s Final Four faceoff between the two squads, where the Tamarraws also forced a winner-take-all game. “What we achieved today was to erase the twice-to-beat advantage of Ateneo. We’re looking forward to Wednesday’s game and see what we can do to stop a very strong team like Ateneo,” said FEU rookie mentor Olsen Racela.
*** Are the Blue Eagles in flight, or are they in for a fight? This afternoon promises a cliff hanger. Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga says, “We have to take the games one at a time.”
But who’s going downhill? First losing the last regular game to La Salle, and then this blowout to FEU? Coach Ted Baldwin wants to stop the hemorrhage. The Eagles must recover their poise and their focus on the game at the hardcourt, not set their eyes on the next (La Salle) one. Besides the repeat plays which have been practiced for the umpteenth time, they may also take time for a retreat – not the military kind, but the one recommended by their founder Soldier-Saint. Also, try releasing the three-point shots with a Hail Mary.
*** Not to jump ahead of the story, but there’s something about this Green vs. Blue storied rivalry. When the Green Archers spoiled the Ateneo’s clean slate, cutting it to 13-1 for the regular season, it was repaying with the same coin the Blue Eagles’ killjoy 83-71 win to halt what had seemed to be an unstoppable Green Archer streak in UAAP Season 79.
They are made for each other, or to torment one another. Ben Mbala and the Green Archers are poised and stretching their bows. The question is whether the Blue Eagles can Fly High…or take flight. My Green Archer deep throat says that Taft Avenue will be rooting for Loyola Heights at this afternoon’s contest. Not out of fondness: Only because the Green Archers would want nothing better than for another chance to feast on fried chicken ala Blue Eagles. FEEDACK: