2009 UAAP FINALS: Ateneo vs UE?

[mab]

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i would be rooting for UE.. nndot man basta underdog..

[basketballer]

University of the East coach Lawrence Chongson believes the Red Warriors’ stint in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) is one of the factors that prepared them in time for the hard grind in the UAAP.
UE's Paul Lee, left, collides with Hippolyte Noundou of FEU during Thursday's knockout match in the Final Four phase of the 72nd UAAP men's basketball tournament at the Big Dome. - GMANews.TV

During their PBL stint, the Cobra Energy Warriors settled for third place after losing to eventual champion Oracle Residences in the PG Flex Unity Cup.

“Siguro, 65 percent of our success is because of our stint in the PBL," said Chongson during Friday’s SCOOP forum. “Yung experience talaga sa PBL, nakatulong dahil yung mga collegiate players doon, minamama ng mga veterans."

And the other 35 percent?

“I think galing ‘yun sa experience namin along the way," Chongson added.

UE is back in the UAAP finals where they will meet Ateneo on Sunday at the start of the best-of-three title series at the Araneta Coliseum.

But UE’s journey towards earning a finals ticket was a bumpy one. At one point, the Red Warriors hold a 4-4 win-loss mark early in the second round but has not lost since winning eight straight games including two victories over No. 2 seed Far Eastern University in the Final Four.
Our first eight games were bumpy. Maraming batikos, mayroong chinks in the armor.
– Lawrence Chongson, UE coach

“Our first eight games were bumpy. Maraming batikos, mayroong chinks in the armor," Chongson recalled.

Chongson said that the Red Warriors adjusted along the way as they are now in search of breaking a 23-year title drought. UE last won a championship in 1985 when Allan Caidic and Jerry Codinera led the team in completing its back-to-back title bid.

“Kahit ako nag-adjust. Bagong atmostphere para sa akin ang collegiate basketball. Marami akong natutunan. Adjusted na ako pero marami pa akong hindi alam," said Chongson, a former MBA coach and a PBA assistant coach.

[basketballer]

With less than six minutes remaining in the game, Rudy Lingganay collected a Tamaraw miss and, from the backcourt, quickly searched for a teammate nearest to the UE basket. While FEU defenders wandered in a daze, Lingganay fired a perfect pass to Pari Llagas. Llagas, always outsized but never outworked, dashed like Usain Bolt to find a gorgeous spot under UE’s goal. Llagas scored an uncontested lay-up while unsuspecting defenders watched in dismay. UE surged ahead 70-68. It was a familiar refrain all throughout the game. UE ran. FEU scampered to keep up. In the end, the Warriors’ open-court genius drove the Tamaraws insane.

FEU, visibly flustered, even tried to mimic UE’s run-and-fun style on some occasions. JR Cawaling, for instance, attempted to wiggle out of a triple team with a behind-the-back dribble in the closing seconds of the third quarter. Cawaling lost the ball. FEU and street-ball in the Final Four was like “barong" with “maong". It just didn’t work. On the other hand, UE kept on scoring on broken plays and lucky breaks. When the Warriors struck, it was quick, unplanned, unexpected and unstoppable.

I felt for the Tamaraws. They looked like they were out to destroy opponents back in July. They had a PBL-hardened core and rookies who were built like fifth year players. Then, they lost to Ateneo at the end of the second round. The wheels of a jittery racecar came flying off. Point guard Mark Barroca was voted off the island. Suddenly, the once vaunted Tamaraws became castaways on Survivor Samoa. As I watched the Tamaraws valiantly sprint step-for-step with UE, I knew FEU flirted with disaster. Running with UE is like swimming with sharks in a country club pool. In one sequence, the Tamaraws tried to score on a fast-break only to watch big men Aldrech Ramos and Reil Cervantes miss in succession. True enough, in the final two minutes of Thursday’s knockout game, FEU’s players, overwhelmed by pressure and bewildered by distraction, floated like drifters on an unknown island.

As expected, Paul Lee failed to duplicate his fourth quarter magic from last Saturday. The former Staglet, however, still owned the final quarter of Thursday’s rubber match. With 3:36 left, Lee goaded the bigger Cervantes into committing an unsportsmanlike foul. Cervantes’ ill-timed elbow to Lee’s face could very well have been a punch delivered straight to FEU’s groin. If there was an award for MVP of the Final Four, Lee deserved it 200%. He symbolized what FEU sorely missed in the last two games, maybe even the entire season. While the crowd chanted “Paul Lee, Paul Lee, Paul Lee", FEU looked around and realized it had no Maximus. Several plays later, Cervantes posted up Lee anew. The taller Tamaraw faced the basket, leaned into Lee and launched what looked like a sure deal. The ball swirled out. Lee, afterwards, settled the final score with two converted free throws, 78-72. A crimson tide engulfed the Big Dome. Red fever shockingly invaded the UAAP Finals. – GMANews.TV

[monster-hunter]

Wow! I'll bet UE red warriors.....

[inc-pankz]

when ang game 1?

[@ss@s!n]

ateneo sucks! maayo ra sa uaap, inig abot sa pba, bangko! luoya, go UE!

[cryptkpr]

ateneo sucks! maayo ra sa uaap, inig abot sa pba, bangko! luoya, go UE!

bitter man kaayo ka brod.. hehe.. ok ra na kay nigraduate man ug college ang mga player, naa ghapon life after basketball.. hehehe..

besides, there's more glory and pride in college hoops rather than in the pros..

ONE BIG FIGHT!

[basketballer]

when ang game 1?

Thursday October 1

[I am the bo$$]

hahayt....klaro anang Ateneo na pud. Feu champ next year...

ge suwat nana daan mga dOY

[Auditor]

GO Ateneo hehe