THE TIGERS threw everything they had against Justine Baltazar (middle) and the Archers in their game last night—to no avail. Sherwin Vardeleon
JUST three games into a season it is expected to rule, it looks as if La Salle has its engines already fully revved.
“This is what happens if we play as a team,” said coach Aldin Ayo after his Green Archers showed no letup in ripping University of Santo Tomas by 38 points, 100-62, for the solo 3-0 lead in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament yesterday at Mall of Asia Arena.
“Ever since, this is what we’ve been working on—how to build our team chemistry, how to execute the game plan. For the players, it’s just a matter of absorbing the system, surrendering to the system and doing what they’re asked to do by the coaches.”
It wasn’t all perfect, though, as the Archers came out looking beatable in the opening quarters with the Tigers even coming within a bucket.
“In the first half, there were many lapses on both ends of the floor,” said Ayo. “The game changer was how we started the third quarter. If we can sustain that for the rest of our games, we’ll have good results.”
The top performers came as no surprise with Ben Mbala posting another double-double of 18 points and 16 rebounds and King Archer Jeron Teng finishing with 13 points.
Thomas Torres also scored 11 and Abu Tratter had 10 points and nine boards for the Archers, who led by a whopping 41 points, 97-56, in the final period.
But Ayo said there will still be surprises from the Archers, just like how Teng came off the bench this time.
“As much as possible we want to be unpredictable,” said Ayo. “We want the opposing teams to keep on guessing.”
La Salle’s archrival, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, came up with their own surprise by stunning defending champion Far Eastern University, 76-71, in the first game.
The Tamaraws may have been stripped of their champion core, but they still came in favored against an Ateneo squad led by Thirdy Ravena, who sat out last season due to academic deficiencies.
For Ravena, it was all about changing his mind-set as he rebounded from a measly two-point output.
“My mentality coming into the game—I was just relaxed,” said Ravena, who topscored with 17 on a 6-of-9 shooting clip. “And if you stick to the system, your game will just come to you.”
Ateneo coach Sandy Arespacochaga, who is calling the shots along with national team mentor Tab Baldwin, also liked how his Eagles delivered even if the Tamaraws unveiled an unexpected performer in Wendell Comboy, who fired a career-high 20 points.
“I’m just happy the boys withstood the rally and delivered toward the endgame,” said Arespacochaga as the Eagles climbed to solo third at 2-1.
The scores:
First Game
ATENEO 76—Ravena 17, Wong 13, Mendoza 10, Mi. Nieto 9, Ikeh 8, Asistio 7, Ma. Nieto 5, Babilonia 2, Black 2, Go 2, Tolentino 1, Ildefonso 0, Porter 0, Verano 0.
FEU 71—Comboy 20, Jose 16, Orizu 16, Escoto 7, Bayquin 4, Nunag 4, Dennison 2, Holmqvist 2, Arong 0, Ebona 0, Iñigo 0, Roxas 0, Trinidad 0, Tuffin 0.
Quarters: 18-10, 37-27, 58-47, 76-71
Second Game
LA SALLE 100—Mbala 18, Teng 13, Torres 11, Tratter 10, Melecio 8, Montalbo 8, Sargent 7, Go 7, R. Rivero 5, Caracut 5, Paraiso 3, P. Rivero 3, Baltazar 2, Dyke 0.
UST 62—Subido 18, Sheriff 11, Basibas 5, Faundo 5, Vigil 5, Afoakwah 4, Lao 4, Bonleon 3, Macasaet 3, Caunan 2, Huang 2, Arana 0, De Guzman 0, Lee 0.
Quarters: 23-19, 44-35, 73-49, 100-62