Breaks to decide Game 3
Ateneo Sports Hall of Famer Cristino (Tito) Panlilio, a two-time NCAA All-Star who played on the 1969-70 Eagles championship team, said breaks will decide the winner-take-all Game 3 of the UAAP Finals duel between Ateneo and La Salle at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.
“To me, both teams are almost equal but the Archers have the edge in (Ben) Mbala,” said Panlilio. “At the end, the breaks of the game at the last minute, assuming it’s close at that point, will decide the outcome. It could be a crucial basket, an error, a pass interception or a bad call from the referee. Any of these can spell the winning margin for or against both teams. This epic showdown will go by the likes of the AteneoLa Salle championship games of 2001, 2002 and 2008 when all victories reached the do-or-die third game. I pray the gods give Ateneo the breaks.”
La Salle’s Dino Aldeguer, a mainstay of the 1998 and 1999 UAAP title squads, picked the Archers to win because of momentum and experience. But he didn’t close the door on an Eagles win. “La Salle has the championship experience and after the big comeback win in Game 2, momentum is heavily on the Archers side,” he said. “But youth is on Ateneo’s side. I feel the Eagles have what it takes to compete but it’s going to be a test of character for them. Ateneo has a better chance if La Salle plays individually. One thing for sure is coach Tab Baldwin knows that to beat La Salle, it’s going to be
a team effort and he has been quite successful in putting his team together. Lesser talent but very strong when they play together. La Salle has a tendency to rely on their own skill and talent which can be very dangerous against a team that plays solid together.”
For Ateneo, Panlilio said the Eagles must play 40 minutes of aggressive and assertive offense. “They shouldn’t just play to protect a lead but must have a mindset to build a bigger lead,” he said. “The players shouldn’t be intimidated by Mbala, the referees’ bad calls nor the crowd jeering.”
On defense, Panlilio said Ateneo must go over the offensive screens quickly and double on Mbala at the right moment. He reminded the Eagles to avoid mental lapses when in possession or playing defense. “Ateneo’s strong points are a deeper bench, more disciplined offensive plays and patterns and they can play tight, sticking defense more focused and determined,” he said. “La Salle’s strong point is Mbala. He has no counterpart in the league. They played a rugged, physical defense and good rebounding instincts. Mayhem basketball can be effective if they succeed in intimidating the Ateneans, especially in their trapping full-court defense.”
Aldeguer said the key La Salle players who must step up are Mbala, Ricci Rivero, Aljun Melecio and Andrei Caracut. “Ben is so talented and unstoppable when he lets the game come to him and when he sets up his teammates for open shots,” he said. “Once they start hitting like what happened in Game 2, then things open up for Ben. But if Ben forces it, the entire offense suffers because the team becomes predictable and watching how coach Tab works, he’ll surely capitalize on it.”
Aldeguer said Rivero’s presence and scoring are vital. “Ricci needs to support Ben in offense,” he said. “When he settled down in Game 2, basketball became very easy for him. He scored whenever he wanted to. Andrei and Aljun can make Ben’s life in the paint easier. If Andrei becomes gun-shy, Ben will have a difficult time.”
Aldeguer said the Eagles to watch are Matt Nieto, Thirdy Ravena and Chiz Ikeh. “Matt is the heart of the team,” he said. “Thirdy’s the main man but Matt’s leadership sets the direction. Thirdy has been successful in attacking La Salle’s defense and looking for the open man. In Game 2, he did it in the first half but when he stopped being aggressive on the penetration, La Salle took advantage. As for Ikeh, he has to stay out of foul trouble. He’s Ateneo’s best defender against Ben. Without him out there, Ben will have an easier time against the rest.”
Panlilio said foul trouble on the bigs of both teams will mean disaster. “Mayhem basketball can cause an offensive breakdown for La Salle if Ateneo’s defense gets airtight,” he said. “The starters of both teams must play at par or better. But I think it’s the second unit where the winning edge can come from. For Ateneo, Mike Nieto, Jolo Mendoza, Tyler Tio and Raffy Verano must step up because they’re shooters. For La Salle, same with Prince Rivero, Caracut, Jolo Go and Abu Tratter.”