Ateneo, UP try to keep hold of top spots

The footrace back to the Finals is beginning to shape up for the two schools that contested last season’s UAAP men’s basketball tournament—but via widely diverging paths.

Ateneo, a defensive juggernaut thus far—covering for its inability to make shots by stopping opponents, has been playing on a different level this season.

The defending two-time champions are currently 5-0, knocking opponents out by close to 14 points an outing—and they’re not even shooting the ball well.

“It’s something we need to continue to work on,” said Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin. “But also at the other end of the floor our defense is doing a good job. It’s generating turnovers and converting those into easy points.”

The Eagles are ranked sixth in scoring (71.2 ppg) and last in field goal percentage (35.8). But they’re tops in opponents’ points (57.4 ppg), opponents’ 2-point field goal percentage (35.9) and opponents’ second chance points (9.4) while ranking second in opponents’ total field goal percentage (33.6).

University of the Philippines, on the other hand, has built a four-win card around close shaves: A missed shot by National U that preserved a one-point win, two free throws by Bright Akhuetie for another one-point victory and a big shot by Jaydee Tungcab in the stretch to seal a six-point spanking of University of the East. UP’s average winning margin thus far? 2.25 points per game.

But with just a loss to show thus far, the Maroons have catapulted to second place, right at the heels of the team that dumped them last season in a battle for the crown.

And at Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, the two schools try to take yet another step forward when they clash against separate foes.

Ateneo takes on lowly UE at 12:30 p.m. knowing that it has to start scoring because all it takes is one hot-shooting squad to render its defense catatonic and Baldwin and his wards don’t want to take too many risks against a squad led by Rey Suerte, who is known for his ability to burn nets.

“They’ve had a good win [and] people think it’s a surprise win, but I don’t think there are too many surprises in the UAAP this year,” said Baldwin. “[O]ur challenge is to learn as much as we can about UE’s system over the next couple of days and most importantly, through the whole preparation time period, is to respect our opponent. We know that we have to earn respect on our end and we freely give that the other way because we don’t want to get caught unprepared.”

UP, meanwhile, tests resurgent La Salle at 4 p.m. hoping that the Maroons’ ball-demanding stars learn to spread the wealth this time.

“Most of my players, my starters, are ball-dominant guys,” said coach Bo Perasol. “[W]e have our own roles … but when we get the lead, we show individual tendencies to score.”

“It would have been OK for me but we’re missing a lot at this moment,” added Perasol. “[But] if there’s going to be a time … that everybody becomes hot, we’ll be tough to beat.”

Meanwhile, at 10:30 a.m., NU eyes its first win when it battles Far Eastern U. —FRANCIS T. J. OCHOA