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Oct 04

UE ties count, sets date with destiny

by Herbel Santiago
8,551 Views | 275 Comments

UNIVERSITY of the East bounced back in style as it demolished a hapless Ateneo de Manila University five, 88-68 to claim Game 2 and force a rubber match for the UAAP Season 72 championship last October 4, 2009 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Both teams exchanged runs during the first ten minutes of the action, but an Elmer Espiritu triple handed UE its first lead, 11-9 midway through the quarter. Ateneo’s Eman Monfort canned a basket to open the second quarter, but UE kept the game close as Pari Llagas, along with shock troopers Erwin Duran and Lucas Tagarda, kept the Recto unit in good stead. Nonoy Baclao and Jai Reyes combined for five markers to end the half, 40-38, in favor of the Blue and White.

The third quarter, though, saw a more vigorous Red Warrior squad as they took hold of the momentum and attacked a porous Ateneo defense. Paul Lee scored on two consecutive baskets to open the quarter and the team blitzed its way to a 7-0 run in a three-minute stretch that resulted in a 10-point bulge, 63-53, to end the period. UE rolled through the final quarter, with Espiritu punctuating the Warriors’ dominance with an alley-oop slam off a lob by Lee.

Espiritu, recipient of the Defensive Player of the Season award, registered a game-high 22 points, with Llagas tallying 19. Rabeh Al-Hussaini, with 19 points, was the leading scorer for the Blue Eagles. Coach Lawrence Chongson’s squad registered 12 fastbreak points and 17 turnover points, a far cry from Ateneo’s eight and five in those two departments, respectively.

“They [Llagas and Espiritu] delivered big time ever since yung second round. Aalis na lang kayo, what will differentiate you guys from the previous team? Don’t you have the fervor? Ito yung lagi kong pinupush sa nga utak nila, to make a difference. [We wanted to] reduce yung output ni Rabeh against us, we tried to contain that. Val Acuña helped, pati si Erwin Duran tumulong pa. Lahat ng klaseng tulong kailangan namin. Finals na ‘to. 20 years na, kelan pa? [referring to the championship title]”, commented Chongson after the game.

The deciding Game 3 will be this Thursday, October 8 at 3:30 p.m., also at the Big Dome. UE last won a UAAP championship in 1985. All in all, the Red Warriors have won three playoff games this year. Before Season 72, they had won only one game postseason game since the inception of the Final Four format in 1994.

Ateneo, meanwhile, lost for just the third time in 34 UAAP games dating back to last year. Its 20-point defeat was the second most lopsided in Finals history since the Final Four format, trailing only the 72-47 De La Salle University victory over Far Eastern University in Game 1 of the 1998 championship.

The scores:

UE 88 РEspiritu 22, Llagas 19, Lee 13, Acu̱a 12, Lingganay 7, Reyes 6, Zamar 5, Duran 4, Tagarda 0, Bandaying 0

Ateneo 68 – Al-Hussaini 18, Monfort 12, Reyes 11, Baclao 10, Austria 6, Salamat 4, Long 3, Chua 2, Buenafe 2, Sumalinog 0, Salva 0

Quarter scores: 18-15, 38-40, 63-53, 88-68.


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  • jeremy  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Wednesday, 7 October 2009 at 8:54 am

    tomorrow, it’s a do or die game. It’s time to FINISH THE EAGLES and SEND THEM BACK TO THEIR NESTS!!! hahaha

    here’s my additional keys for championship

    if they could limit rabeh just like what they did nung game 2, half of the job is done. sa tatlong panalo ng ateneo against ue this season, almost 28 ppg si rabeh, nung game 2, 18 pts lng yta sya. no doubt he is the leader of the team, he is their main man, and he will somewhat be the barometer of how his team plays.you cannot stop him because he will always get his touches, but at least sana ma-limit sya nila pari (and painitin ang ulo para masira ang laro nya,haha). If we should lose even when rabeh has been limited, then hat’s off to the ateneo team tlaga. Of course, we should be cautious of eric salamat too (even if he is having a bad series). kahit na si jai ang pmuputok ngayong series, mas takot pa rin ako kay eric. hndi pa sya pmuputok, at yun ang nkakatakot. let us just hope na tlgang nsa slump pa rin siya until the end,haha..

    second, challenge every shot. zone defense ang gamit nila, and sabi nga ng mga “experts”, there will always be an open man in a zone defense. the opponent may have a shot, pero yung paghabol nila raffy reyes, paul lee, at elmer espiritu pra ichallenge pa rin yung mga open shot na yun, it could really make a difference, at nakita yun nung game 2…

    lastly, variation in offense. No doubt, ito ang tlagang strength ng team ngayon. they can play half court set, they can run and gun, they can post up, they dribble-penetrate, and they can shoot the long bomb. Obviously paborito nila yung “shoot the long bomb” and “run and gun”, pero mas mganda pa rin yung varied offense just to confuse the opponent’s defense. easier said that done,but they just did nung game 2. its really up to our guards on how can they dictate the tempo of the game, according to what is clicking for our team.

    kung sure lng na magagawa nila tong tatlong to, then I will bet our house and lot na ue ang mgchachampion this season, and mgkakatotoo yung snabi ko from our “old posts” nung start ng season na ito tlga ang pnakamagandang chance mgchampion ng ue (besides dun sa 14-0 team natin) for the last decade or so even when we are having a slump at the beginning of season…

  • HayNaku  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Wednesday, 7 October 2009 at 10:00 am

    @technologica,

    Ows? Mas matalino taga-UE kaysa mga taga-Ateneo? Can you prove it?

    You’re just one example of a UE student. You kept saying in your previous post that UE would win on Saturday. Is Game 3 scheduled for Saturday? No, it’s on Thursday. Do you call that intelligence? It’s not even being keen / observant, at the very least. The schedule is posted in the home page, announced on TV, on radio, everywhere. Plus, all the other people in this thread had mentioned the game would be on Thursday.

    I’m not from Ateneo but in my opinion, in general, Ateneo students are more intelligent than UE students.

  • karlo anthony ladrido  Add karma Subtract karma  +1
    Wednesday, 7 October 2009 at 10:50 am

    rabeh al-hussaini cnt make an impact in the international arena bcos of his “iyakin” attitude he showed this season..there would be more physicality in the international games compare to what he is experiencing right now..GO UE>>

  • assumptionista  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Wednesday, 7 October 2009 at 11:03 am

    We love the Ateneo Blue Eagles! Win or lose, you’ll continue to have our all-out support!

  • Michaelangelo  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Wednesday, 7 October 2009 at 1:39 pm

    Basically, Rabeh still lacks the speed when it comes to international competitions where China and the Middle East teams uses their run and gun style. But I’m not counting him out there’s a lot of room for improvement in Rabeh’s game he just need more training and exposures to leagues besides UAAP.

    And of course the attitude matters as well.

    Good luck to all graduating players and may you play with all heart out!!!

  • Potrzebie  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 6:14 am

    Note to Norman: You can win without Rabeh. You can’t win without Salamat.

  • miguelitung lito  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 5:19 pm

    Ginagalit nyo si Coach Norman ha…nagdidilim 2loy ang paningin, heheh.

    Tindi ng 1st half ng Ateneo!

  • redcard  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 5:21 pm

    oo nga amf, mukang isa na namang heartbreak ito.

  • redcard  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 5:22 pm

    ayon nakita ko na ang barometer sa laro na slam dunk, kaso kay rabeh galing.

  • assumptionista  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 5:39 pm

    GO ATENEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ONE BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG FIGHT!

  • redcard  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 5:55 pm

    congrats ateneo, back to back on both jrs and srs.

  • bluecard  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 5:55 pm

    Free flowing offense OWNED!!!
    To all die-hard UE throlls who said a lot of dirty things about Ateneo in this forum, what would you have to say now?
    Complain about referee calls? complain about the tickets? brag about your free flowing offense? Come on say something..

  • Eagle King  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 6:00 pm

    Ateneo Rules…Fly high, soar high Eagles.
    It is our destiny..back to back champions for juniors and mens seniors basketball team.
    Thank you for the prayers and support from every believer. We are the champion!

  • BlueDude  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 6:08 pm

    Good game UE. Good game. Well, not really. I expected a nip and tuck game. But then again, congratulations for reaching the finals!

    I’m expecting people here will AGAIN bash, saying that the refs manipulated the game, tsambalero Ateneo, we didn’t get enough tickets, etc. Guys, tapos na yung season. Ceasefire na.

    BACK TO BACK!! GO ATENEO! ONE BIG FIGHT!!!

  • tio paeng  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 6:24 pm

    Kapag dumating na ang araw na humble na ang mga atenista.. papa-lechon ako..Lechong Agila.

  • another heartbreak  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 6:42 pm

    oh my gosh, kelan kaya matatapos ang heartbreak ng UE fans? 24 years without championship. isang beses pa lang nananalo since na-introduce yung final four format nung 1994.

    grabe, i remember nung james yap era eh twice to beat, beaten twice ng ateneo; nun namang 2006, sila may twice to beat advantage pero dahil sa benta kuno ni bonbon eh natalo sila sa uste; mas masakit nung 2007, 14 straight wins only para masilat ng DLSU. and yet now, having the chance to win them all in game 3, but ateneo was just too much for them.

    can’t get any worst than this, i feel for them. they are the orlando magic of UAAP. i can’t blame jawo for leaving the arena as soon as the final buzzer sounded. as an alumni, ramdam niya rin ang sakit ng UE, lalo kasama pa sya sa 1966 at 1967 championship team nun.

    anyway, congratulations na rin. hats off kay coach lawrence, he really overachieved and carried the team all the way to the finals, where nobody even expected them to be. hats off kila paul lee, espiritu, llagas, zamar, acuna, reyes and the rest who gave ateneo A ONE BIG FIGHT

    to the UE warriors, gud luck na lang sa champions league, dun na lang ulit bumawi, tutal dun naman naghahari ang UE at yun na lang ang nagiging outlet nila for the frustration experienced sa UAAP, just like in 2002 and 2006.

  • redcard  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 7:40 pm

    wala ng rason rason, talo talaga ng ateneo.

    the cinderella story is just too good to be true.

    kita kita na lang ulit next year, adios inboundpass.

  • bluEaglefan  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 7:44 pm

    SORRY UE ITS NOT YOUR TIME!

    WAIT FOR ANOTHER DECADES..hehehe

    PEACE!

    + Ad Majorem dei Gloriam

  • Prrrrrrrt  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 8:17 pm

    Hey guys, you forgot to mention the grade school basketball varsity team also emerged as the champion again in SBP.

  • out of the blue  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 11:08 pm

    congrats ateneo!!!

    champions 3-peat – grade school sbp (ncr campions)

    back to back – high school (uaap juniors)

    back to back – college (uaap seniors)

    it’s gonna be (another) heckuva bonfire this saturday!!!

  • RESIGN  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 11:25 pm

    Nice try UE.All praises. Go UE.
    Meron dyan grabe under achieve.
    Nag set pa sila ng worst record.
    Nag resign na ang Coach nila.Baka
    itutuloy niya sa Kongreso ang Recto
    at Nabro Connection SYSTEM nila.
    Totoo ba maraming mag reresign sa
    VL Salle?Sila G. Capacio,Van Opstal,atbp.
    Reason:Tatakbo sila para sa No.1 Team
    at Eskwela sa Pilipinas base sa UAAP
    Basketball at International School
    Standards.

  • RED BALL  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Thursday, 8 October 2009 at 11:50 pm

    @another heartbreak
    Tol,

    E sino ba nagsabing HeartBreak kids kami ngayon ha??

    Dahil ba hindi kami nag champs??

    samantalang malaking karangalan na ang makapasok sa finals para sa first year coach…

    manalo nga nung game 2 na hindi inaasahan ng iba ginawang possible…

    at hindi kuno yung kay bon-bon… naka kotse nung pumasok sa ue kala niya hindi siya mahuhuli…

    ITO ANG MAGANDANG EXCUSE… SA UAAP NGAYON MANALO OR MATALO HINDI PWEDENG ISIPIN NA FAIR GAME LAGI DAHIL HINDI NATIN ALAM KUNG KAILAN GUMAGALAW YUNG MGA GAME FIXER O MAFIA SA UAAP LALO NA PAG HINDI MAGANDA YUNG LARO NG PLAYER NA INAASAHAN MU… ^^

  • Fabilioh!  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Friday, 9 October 2009 at 9:29 am

    ang sarap maging champion! ang sarap maging atenista!

    @jaypee
    hinahanap mo pala ako dito sa inboundpass after game 2. well, here i am! may pa “speak up speak up” at “get out!” ka pang pinagsasabi. what do you have to say now? nanalo lang kayo ng isang game, you already had the audacity to call us out? nakakatawa naman yang pagyayabang at premature celebration mo.

    sinabi ko naman kasi sayo dati pa parekoy, sablay yang logic mo. after winning by 20 in game 2, you probably thought you would double the margin in game 3. no can do. offense (tsamba & larong-buko) wins games, but defense (heart & discipline) wins championships.

    after losing big in game 2, we returned the favor by drubbing your team yesterday to defend our crown. unfortunately for you, your beloved red warriors choked (again!) in the most important game of the season. masakit? ganyan talaga, boy. payback is a bitch.

  • Eagle King  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Friday, 9 October 2009 at 11:59 am

    Back to Back Champions. It maybe history or destiny, we can call it as we may. Remember always to be humble in every victory. Let us give credit to UE Red Warriors for their gallant stand and inflicting our worse defeat in the finals. They bring out the best in us. We just made the proper adjustments for game 3 and that says it all.

  • passer by  Add karma Subtract karma  +0
    Saturday, 24 October 2009 at 9:01 pm

    Warriors on the move
    Losing to the blue eagles must have been as expected by every opponent. But for the red warriors? It was and forever will be a heartbreak. I am not studying in UE nor an alumnus but my family were. So, it sorta gives me a pinch of UE spirit.
    I’ve been watching UAAP basketball since James Yap, Paul Artadi and Ronald Tubid up to Marcy Arellano, Mark Borboran and Fampulme. Who would ever forget the 14-0 phenomenon? The Elmer Espiritu slamma-jammas? These were some of the highlights from the past that COULD HAVE BEEN MORE than just history. They have always been these ‘shadows’ to the bigger seeds in the UAAP. Always in the final 4 but ends up bagging just silver or bronze. When was the last time they won? Since Allan Caidic mid 80‘s? That was way too long. I guess that’s how the 24-year drought brought them to mere desperation. And I condole with them for that.
    UAAP season 72 gave the red warriors another chance to make up to their mistakes and redo what needs to be done to bag wins and make it to the finals. But before the season started, unfortunately for them, veteran guard James Martinez had an ACL injury that stopped him from playing for the red warriors. None the less, rookie coach Lawrence Chongson never made this an issue of losing but rather a challenge of winning.
    The first round of eliminations gave the warriors a tough time. Losing to the defending champs (ADMU), beaten by the big men of the Tams (FEU) and even brought down by the leftovers and rookies of the archers (DLSU). That’s why the undersized veterans of the warriors stepped up and proved to be bigger than what people have expected. They showed countless offensive rebounds, holy-cow alley-oops and even perfect outside shots as proofs of their desire to win the finals.
    I mentioned “undersized” warriors a while ago and I meant it literally. Llagas and Espiritu are not big enough as compared to their counterparts – Baclao and Rabeh (ADMU) and Cawaling and Ramos (FEU)- but surely had the most blocks in this season. Espiritu was even awarded the most defensive player. Adding up to the undersized bucket list are guards – Reyes, Zamar and Lingganay who are all small but terribly terrible. And oh! Don’t forget the long and strong arms of Acuña that hits 3s consecutively , that when he gets hot in the ball game, his shots become way hotter. To top the bucket with gravy, Paul Lee was never an exception, always the pepper that gives spice to the game. Inside or out, just give him the ball and he’ll probably throw a bang! And as for coach Lawrence Chongson, since the boys have adjusted to his new coaching system after coach Dindo, 3 of the many things on his to-do list – force turnovers and convert them into turnover points; rebound, box-out and put on a good defense; and lastly play big to win big. He steadily reminds the boys not to be selfish on the court, move the ball around and never pass an open shot, but he knew perfectly well that his boys are confident and never lose their swagger when it comes to their shooting skills.
    In conclusion, defense, rhythm and momentum, put them together, that’s how the red warriors showed this season. Play better next year even without the veterans. Prove that the warriors never give up even against the toughest fights. Congratulations UE RED WARRIORS for the games well played.

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