FEU unmasks Ateneo
ATENEO needs a major overhaul of its game on Wednesday (Nov. 22) if it is serious enough in forcing a winner-take-all against Far Eastern University.
That became obvious in the wake of FEU’s stunning 8067 victory over Ateneo on Sunday.
The victory did not only instill fear in the entire Ateneo community but more frightening is the fact that its loss had now put serious doubts to the Eagles’ ability to win the crown.
Flawlessly unstoppable.
Clockwork precision. Even mysteriously murderous. Those were FEU’s main characteristics on Sunday in inflicting a second straight loss on Ateneo.
Normally deadly from beyond the arc, this time the Eagles could only connect 10 of 32 threes, sinking a measly three of 17 treys in the final half.
That was a result of FEU’s airtight defense, which the Tamaraws complemented with a running assault initiated unstoppably by ball handlers who could always finish a slashing drive with flourish.
Thus, from being a serious title contender after emerging No. 1 in the two-round elimination, in the process earning that much-coveted twice-to-beat margin over FEU, Ateneo has suddenly found itself in a precarious situation no
one thought would befall the mighty Eagles.
Its attacking poise repeatedly stopped by a man-to-man defense, Ateneo was forced to fire from afar almost game-long.
And with Ateneo’s untenable debacle on Sunday, FEU instantly installed itself a serious title pretender.
So devastating was FEU defense that Ateneo’s shooting was an awful 36.6 percent as against FEU’s handsome 49.21 percent in field goal shooting.
The loss was doubly painful for Ateneo as it further unmasked the Eagles’ previously much-ballyhooed invincibility.
After splendidly stringing up 13 straight victories, Ateneo fell to earth as archrival La Salle snapped the streak in Ateneo’s final game of the regular season.
Ateneo’s championship poise got further crippled by FEU’s hitherto unseen choking defense on Sunday.
Normally deadly from beyond the arc, the Eagles, forced into making tight shots, could only connect 10 of 32 threes, sinking a measly three of 17 treys in the final half.
Suddenly, Ateneo is from contender to potential outsider.
I can’t wait to watch Game Two.