One Day Later: EAC vs JRU, LPU vs CSB

JRU 90 - EAC 77
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Player of the Game : Big man John Lopez padded the stat sheet to the tune of 17 points, five rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal, with 13 of those points coming in the second half, when the Heavy Bombers pulled away.

By the Numbers :

• The big story of course is the turnover points category, as JRU turned up the intensity of their press to come back from a 10-point deficit. In the first half, they had 14 points from 10 EAC miscues, numbers that bloated to 22, off 13 turnovers in the latter part of the game.
• EAC tried to compensate by getting to the line, off the physical JRU defense. They shot 20 of 28 from the stripe, above and beyond JRU's 9 of 16 clip, but it still wasn't enough.
• The Bombers matched a season-high with 22 assists in the game.

The Other Names : 

• Milan Vargas notched his season-high in the loss, with 20 points on 6 of 9 shooting, 8 of 10 from the stripe. He also finished with four assists to four turnovers. 
• JRU's shooters were on the mark today, as they have been for the latter part of the season. John Villarias, Nate Matute and Raycon Kabigting were a combined 5 of 10 from downtown. The team as a whole shot 18.25 percent in round one, a figure that has crept up to 31.1 percent since.

LPU 94 - CSB 89
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Player of the Game : Floricel Guevarra scored a season-high 27 points in exactly 27 minutes off the bench, while also adding eight rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in the process. Guevarra took up the scoring cudgels from an ice-cold Chris Cayabyab and delivered, with 16 points in the last 15 minutes of the game.

By the Numbers :

• From the opening tip, the Pirates resolved to be the more aggressive team, attacking the rim to get to the line early and often. They finished with a 52 to 31 advantage in foul shots, a disparity that became more pronounced when you factor in that Lyceum made 73 percent or 38 of those freebies, while CSB converted only 18 or 58 percent. 
• Despite said edge, the game was still back and forth from start to finish, with 15 deadlocks and 17 lead changes. The biggest lead of the game was just six, held twice by Lyceum at the start of the fourth and overtime.

The Other Names :

• Both Michael Pate and Carlo Lastimosa turned in flawed performances, missing out on opportunities to win the game. The two were a combined 1 for 12 from outside the arc, and the Pirates were well aware of it, giving up the outside shot, especially to Pate, numerous times. Lastimosa also managed just splits at the foul line in the fourth, and in OT. Two made shots at the former could have put the game away, as it would have formed a two-shot advantage, while the latter would have made the deficit just two points instead of three. 
• Jan Tan managed a 12-12 performance, but was limited to only 24 minutes due to a combination of foul trouble, and a desire by head coach Richard Del Rosario to match up with the tiny Pirates. 

NCAA Picking Record: 64-23-3

NCAA S87: LPU vs CSB

History Lesson:
Playing without a flu-stricken Carlo Lastimosa, the short-handed CSB Blazers were ambushed by guest team Lyceum, in their NCAA debut. Up 38-30 at the half, Ian dela Paz and Mark Romero pulled CSB to within two out of the break, but Chris Cayabyab stymied that rally and then Allan Santos took over in the fourth quarter with 13 of his 19 points, handing the Pirates their first victory, 75-63. (Recap here) 

What's at Stake:

• Both these squads are currently at 6-11. A win ties the victor with the 7-11 MIT Cardinals for fifth, which would allow the head coach to say, "Hey, we finished a slot out of the Final Four. We can build on this!" 

LPU Stat to Watch : Lyceum's schedule gave them San Beda and San Sebastian consecutively, which led to predictably horrible results, as the Pirates were held to just 67.5 points and 32.68 percent shooting. That stands in direct contrast to Benilde's defense, which concedes 77.94 points and 41.88 percent from the field, so the Pirates ought to be able to score on the Blazers.
LPU Player to Watch : Chris Cayabyab had a superb debut against CSB, with his best shooting game of the season, 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting. He'll look to reprise that in the final game of the season after getting held to just seven points, 3 of 17, against San Sebastian.

CSB Stat to Watch : As a revamped team, playing without their best player, the season opener of the Blazers had them turning the ball over 26 times, as they clearly hadn't gotten used to playing with one another. They've normed 16.81 mistakes since then, although they notched 25 against EAC in their last outing.
CSB Player to Watch : Sitting out the first game, Carlo Lastimosa was unable to engage Chris Cayabyab in a scoring duel, and though his numbers are down from his rookie of the year season last year, Lastimosa is still an explosive threat, especially if Jonathan Grey won't play again.

Prediction: LPU Pirates

One Day Later: CSB vs EAC, CSJL vs SBC

Alright, technically two days later...

CSB 82 - EAC 73
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Player of the Game : Michael Pate hadn't gotten the advantage of major minutes in prior games, but with Jonathan Grey sitting this one out after getting stitches from when they played Letran, Pate showed why he was a big-time prospect this summer, scoring 18 points off the bench, including a 4 of 7 clip from downtown. The former LSGH Greenie also had three boards, three assists and a block in his 26 minutes, helping CSB gain separation from EAC rallies.

By the Numbers :

• Benilde went with a running attack in this match, getting 19 points in transition. But it was perfectly executed at times, leading them to coughing up the ball 25 times, which gave EAC 25 turnover points.
• The missing link in this game for the Generals was their outside shooting, as they finished just 1 for 12 from outside the arc. It's not like the Blazers were really guarding the perimeter either, they just missed their shots.

The Other Names :

• With Joshua Torralba continuing to struggle since his return from a groin injury (21 minutes, six points, two rebounds, two turnovers), Jan Jamon once again was the focal point of the EAC offense, scoring 20 in 29 minutes, on 7 of 16 shooting, plus a 6 for 8 stint at the line. He also hauled down seven boards, dished out two assists, and made a steal.
• Jan Tan bounced back from his horrible shooting performance versus Letran to go 4 for 8 from the field, good for 10 points. Combined with his 12 rebounds, Tan finished with a double-double that went nicely with his two blocks.

The scoring machine - Garvo Lanete proved the constant in this game (pic source)

SBC 84 - CSJL 68
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Player of the Game : With his teammates falling victim to foul trouble around him, Garvo Lanete showed how reliable he is, spreading his 28 points over the four quarters. Finishing 9 of 22 from the field with seven free throws, Lanete made several clutch shots, asserting himself in a must-win game for San Beda

By the Numbers :

• Letran kept attacking the rim, and when the dust settled, Kyle Pascual, David Semerad, and Dave Marcelo each had four fouls, while Anthony Semerad, Jake Pascual and Mychole Sorela were tagged with three a piece. Still, the two teams shot the same number of free throws, 20, and San Beda even made more of them, 16. And all the attention to the San Beda bigs allowed Garvo Lanete, and big-man gunner Anthony Semerad to get open looks from beyond the arc. 
• San Beda controlled the hustle point categories, leading the Knights in all three statistics. They led 17-10 in transition points, 19-14 in turnover points, and 9-6 in second-chance points. Letran typically needs wins at least two of those categories, so it was no surprised they lost this one.

The Other Guys :

• Bothered all season by one ailment or another, Anthony Semerad finally returned and showed just how deadly this San Beda team is with him as an option off the bench. In 19 minutes, the more shooty Semerad scored 16 points, going 3 of 5 from downtown, 5 of 9 overall, providing a spark for the defending champs.
• Kevin Alas was thwarted all game long by San Beda's defense. Scoring just 14 points, Alas missed all four of his outside attempts, and was just 5 for 11 inside the arc, as the physical nature of the game prevented him from finding his rhythm.

NCAA Picking Record: 62-23-3

NCAA S87: CSB vs EAC

History Lesson:
Shrugging off a 10-point game from Carlo Lastimosa as well as a near skirmish that cost the Blazers Jan Tan, and the Generals Jolas Paguia, CSB was able to surge ahead after the double ejection, scoring 13 unanswered that put them up 55-36. Baskets by Jan Jamon and Joshua Torralba tried to get EAC back into the game, but the lead was too great, and with the Generals defense non-existent, the two sides virtually swapped baskets back and forth in the final period, giving St. Benilde the 80-68 victory (Recap here). 

What's at Stake:

• The 5-11 St. Benilde Blazers and the 4-12 Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals will try to avoid the cellar position by trying to win their last two assignments. 

CSB Stat to Watch : The Blazers allow opponents the most attempts from three-point land, 20.75 per game, and the most makes at six per outing. That's actually the same numbers EAC churns out on average, meaning if CSB isn't careful, they could find themselves buried in an avalanche of long bombs.
CSB Player to Watch : Jump-shooting big man Jan Tan has been underachieving this entire season, but he hit his low point versus Letran, missing all but one of his 11 attempts from the field and grabbing just three rebounds in the process. He'll be looking to bounce back in this game, but he'll likely be paired up against Claude Cubo, or his sparring buddy Jolas Paguia, both of whom can give him fits and make him settle for more ill-advised long shots.

EAC Stat to Watch : The Generals turn the ball over the most times in the league, at 21.6 miscues a game, and past experience has shown that the Blazers are now slouches when it comes to running back turnovers for points, scoring 27 and 24 against SSCR and JRU respectively, two other careless teams. This could be an easy source of points for CSB if the Generals display their usual brand of sloppiness.
EAC Player to Watch : Jan Jamon dropped 27 points in 30 minutes in the Generals' last game versus MIT, a career-high for him. EAC made that game a shoot-out and failed to win, but they're a better match versus CSB, given how their big men aren't stand-outs as well. If that's the route they take, Jamon will likely be the centerpiece of that attack.

Prediction: CSB Blazers

One Day Later: CSJL vs CSB, JRU vs MIT

Carlo Lastimosa and the rest of the Blazers came up short versus Letran (pic source)

CSJL 72 - CSB 60
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Player of the Game : The small but deadly rookie Mark Cruz nailed two big triples to help the Knights stay ahead, finishing with 11 points, (2/2 from beyond the arc, 3/4 from the field, 4/4 from the line) four rebounds, an assist and a steal to no turnovers. He's a great change of pace point guard from the more conservative Franz Dysam, and despite his lack of size, does not back down at all to those he guards.

By the Numbers :

• Scoring five points in just a quarter in an embarrassment...but then again, CSB did get to within two points, twice. And when it was all said and done, Letran won by "just" 12 points, one more than the difference in the first quarter (16 to 5). 
• As expected, Letran dominated the boards, 54 to 33, 17 to 11 on the offensive glass, leading to a whopping 10 to 2 score in second-chance points for the Knights.
• CSB managed to lead in two of the hustle point stats, 19 to 12 in fastbreak points, including 13 in the third quarter, and 13 to 4 on turnover points, after making eight less mistakes than Letran's 18. 
• Benilde came from back to back games in which they shot better than 80 percent from the field, and were norming 65 percent from the line entering this game. Unfortunately, they were just 22 of 39 in this match, or 56 percent. 

The Other Names :

• The expected shoot-out between Kevin Alas and Carlo Lastimosa was a bit of a dud, unless you're a fan of misses. Alas led Letran with 16 points, but he was 5 for 13 from the field, 6 of 16 from the line in 35 minutes. Lastimosa on the other hand was the opposite of his efficient game versus San Beda, going 4 of 14 to finish with 11 points in 23 minutes, splitting his six free throws. Alas also finished with five turnovers, while Lastimosa made just two errors.
• Jam Cortes dominated inside with 12 points and 14 rebounds, but had five turnovers. 
• I understand that shooters have to shoot themselves out of slumps, but Jan Tan's inability to can medium-range jumpers hurt his team's momentum numerous times as the guards kept driving and dishing to him at the elbow. Tan finished 1 for 11 from the field for four points in 32 minutes. Had that been Mark Romero, this game would have been a lot more close. 

One-man team, but the Snake couldn't do it alone in his final game as a Cardinal (pic source)

JRU 78 - MIT 64
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Player of the Game : The Alex Almario of the summer league was a hyper-efficient, pass first floor general, one that has yet to rear its head in the NCAA proper. That said, Almario has been scoring, and he had his best game of the season in this match, finishing with 17 points on 5 of 9 shooting from the field, 7 of 8 from the line. With the defense keying in on guys like Raycon Kabigting and Nate Matute, Almario was often able to score unopposed.

By the Numbers :

• Through a combination of JRU defense, and what seemed like unpreparedness, Mapua found its offense sputtering throughout the game. They scored just 64 points, down from an average of 72 headed into the game. They got their second-worst three-point shooting performance this season (just 14 percent, with their worst being seven percent), and a 51 percent rate at the line, after norming 62 percent in their other 17 games.
• I've long criticized MIT head coach Chito Victolero's inability to manage the playing time of his guys, and this could clearly be seen in this game. While he finally realized that you need to play Allan Mangahas in crunchtime, he then went and gave Josan Nimes just three useless minutes when the game was out of reach, and completely forgot about big man Mark Sarangay. Prior to the fourth quarter, Nimes had scored nine points, while Sarangay was responsible for eight. 
• The Heavy Bombers creamed MIT in several categories, including all the hustle stats, but the most important figure might be assists, where they had a 17 to 8 advantage, a number that says a lot about both teams. 

The Other Names :

• All four of JRU's double-digit scorers came from their backcourt. Aside from Almario, Raycon Kabigting, John Villarias and Nate Matute combined for 37 points on 14 of 28 shooting, with each adding a triple to the mix. 
• Do-it-all Mangahas was the only Cardinal in double-figures, scoring 22 on 10 of 18 shooting. He also had seven boards and two assists in his final collegiate game.
• Big man Ralph Monserat came off the JRU bench and contributed nine points and six rebounds, outplaying his Mapua counterparts.
• Yousef Taha was apparently suspended for this game due to disciplinary reasons by the team. Yes, on the very last game of the season when they had a chance to force a playoff for the fourth seed. That's both very brave, and very stupid.

NCAA Picking Record: 61-21-2

NCAA S87: CSJL vs CSB

History Lesson:
Normally known for their defense, the Letran Knights got suckered into a shoot-out, as both sides simply traded baskets for most of the game. For three quarters, St. Benilde was able to keep things tight, with a Jan Tan basket knocking the lead down to single digits, 80-72, in the first salvo of the fourth. That was the last time they'd be that close though, as a 15-6 Letran run by big men Jam Cortes and Jonathan Belorio sent the Blazers staggering. Carlo Lastimosa attempted a belated rally, but there simply wasn't enough time, and by then, even the Letran third-stringers had caught fire, closing out the game with a 7-0 run. The final score read 112-91, as Coach Alas' troops earned the distinction of being the first team to break the century mark in the season. (Recap here)

What's at Stake:

• Letran improved to 13-3 after inflicting the first loss on San Sebastian. If they're to force a playoff with San Beda for the second seed though, they'll have to hope the defending champions suffer at least one more loss, while they themselves take care of business. That means the Knights can't overlook the Blazers, as they did to the Altas.
• St. Benilde's 5-10 record means they have an outside shot of forcing a playoff for the fourth seed, should JRU, Mapua and Lyceum all suffer horrific collapses. That's highly unlikely, but they'll want to put themselves in a position to benefit should the highly improbable happen.

CSJL Stat to Watch : The Knights got more looks at the basket, which translated easily into more points. They took 20 more attempts than St. Benilde's 57, courtesy of a combination of offensive rebounds (28) and Blazer turnovers (19). Given how Benilde gives up the most offensive boards (17.53) in the league, the latter might be more likely, seeing as how CSB on a good day, turns the ball over just 17.33 times, fourth best in the NCAA.
CSJL Player to Watch : The Knights exploited CSB's lack of height by getting the ball down low to Jam Cortes, who responded with 19 points and 12 rebounds. With Mark Romero no longer around for the Blazers, that further decreases the frontcourt options available to them to stop the Letran bigs like Cortes.

CSB Stat to Watch : The Blazers were able to stay in step with Letran in terms of freethrow attempts, getting 42 to the Knights' 43. If CSB makes a concentrated effort to attack the rim and get the opponent's bigs into foul trouble, they may have a shot at winning this game.
CSB Player to Watch : In his first game back since his whatever-you-want-to-call-it one game absence from the team, Carlo Lastimosa played an efficient 19 minutes, leading to 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting. While he'll likely be tempted to draw Kevin Alas into a shootout, a more measured performance might serve CSB better, considering how the Knights can turn misses into long rebounds into fastbreak opportunities for themselves.

Prediction: CSJL Knights

One Day Later: SBC vs CSB, MIT vs AU

A monstrous outing by Marcelo keys in the SBC win (pic source)

SBC 84 - CSB 75
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Player of the Game : Dave Marcelo could not be stopped by the "bigs" of CSB, dropping 18 and 11 on the likes of Jan Tan and Ian Dela Paz. On the other end, Marcelo also tallied two steals and four swats, as the man in the middle for San Beda could not be stopped.

By the Numbers :

• Simply put, the Red Lions plain shot better from the field, making 29 of 58 shots for 50 percent field goal shooting, compared to the 38 percent clip, 24 of 64, that the Blazers sported. 
• As a result of the lopsided shooting clips, San Beda got a 42-30 rebound advantage. Offensive rebounds though were nearly even, with Benilde even edging SBC, 15 to 14.
• San Beda also got more team plays, as seen in their 19 to 12 assist advantage.

The Other Names :

• Carlo Lastimosa notched 15 points in 19 minutes in his return to CSB, but once again, he could not lift his squad in the final minutes, this time on a technicality, a supposed NCAA "house rule" that prevents players from reentering the court for three minutes should he be made to sit and have a replacement shoot his freethrows. Because there was less than three minutes remaining when Lastimosa fell to the floor, he couldn't reenter the game, to the chagrin of coach Richard Del Rosario.
• Garvo Lanete went 8 of 17 for 25 points in this game to lead all scorers, with an additional six rebounds, two assists and two steals to his name.
• Jake Pascual played the point forward role to the hilt, accounting for seven of his team's 19 assists. He also had four points, seven rebounds, a steal and two blocks in yet another all-around performance.

40 minutes of Celada helped key in the upset win over MIT (pic source)

AU 73 - MIT 69
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Player of the Game :  Mark Doligon waxed hot from the field, scoring 17 points on 7 of 11 shooting, making all five of his two-point attempts, before fouling out. He typified the hot shooting of the Chiefs in today's outing.

By the Numbers :

• While the margin was not as bad as the San Beda - St. Benilde game, the Chiefs managed to shoot 51 percent from the field (29/57) compared to 43 percent by Mapua (24/56). That's the best shooting mark for the Chiefs all season long.
• Mapua managed to lose despite getting 14 more free throw attempts (making 10 more than Arellano) and tripling the amount of second chance points the Chiefs produced, 18 to 6, courtesy of a 22 to 5 offensive rebound advantage. 
• The Cardinals continue to shoot poorly from downtown, this time with a 2 for 13 clip from outside the arc. In the past three games, they're just 7 of 42 on three-pointers, or 17 percent. Arellano on the other hand, was 6 for 19, with five different players making triples.

The Other Names :

• Allan Mangahas did his best again to try to single-handedly carry his team, scoring 18 points, 13 in th ethird quarter, and pulling down 11 rebounds but it wasn't enough. 
• As mentioned, Andrian Celada played the entire game and turned in a game-high 21 points as a result. Mapua threw various defenders on him, ranging from Kenneth Ighalo, Andretti Stevens and Jumel Chien, but none were effective. In my opinion, they should have tried sticking Nimes onto him as they have similar builds and similar games.
• Yousef Taha had a miserable outing. On paper, 10 points and six rebounds is already pretty poor, considering he played a team-high 33 minutes and was up against smaller defenders, but he was just 2 for 8 from the field, with the remaining six points coming on a perfect stint at the line. Then he compounded matters by turning the ball over a team-high seven times as well. Clearly that's nothing like the dominant performance many figured he would have based on his preseason outings. 

NCAA Picking Record: 57-21-2

NCAA S87: SBC vs CSB

History Lesson:
San Beda escaped a huge potential upset, after Baser Amer missed two charities with 8.9 seconds on the clock. On the previous possessions, CSB unleashed a 7-2 run that brought them to within a point, 79-78, and now their fate was in their hands. Streaking down from the right-side win, Carlo Lastimosa was able to get a floater up in time to beat the buzzer over Amer, but unfortunately, the shot had a bit too much mustard on it, allowing the Red Lions to breathe a huge sigh of relief. (Recap here)

What's at Stake:

• At 12-2, the Red Lions were able to leap ahead of the 12-3 Letran Knights, taking a half-game lead over them in the hunt for the second seed and the twice to beat advantage that comes with it. A win here would serve to further tighten their grip on the spot, before they gear up to end the elimination round against them and the Stags.
• The 5-9 CSB Blazers face an uphill climb to jump back into the hunt for the fourth seed in the standings, with three teams, JRU, MIT and LPU all ahead of them. They do have less games played than the other teams, but whether or not a tight schedule favors them remains to be seen.

SBC Stat to Watch : The Red Lions normally beat zones by outrunning them, getting out in transition before the opponent can set up their defense. Norming 14.71 fastbreak points, San Beda got just seven versus Benilde in their first round game, as the Blazers consistently were able to get back on defense. If their outside shots aren't falling, San Beda will have to be faster in this match.
SBC Player to Watch : Characterizing San Beda's woes in this game was Garvo Lanete, who was a miserable 5 for 22 in this game, for 12 points. While he is indeed their squad's best outside shooter and thus, their designated zone breaker, the Lions will need to look for other options should Lanete be shut down. Of course, things get a lot easier if Lanete wax hot during the game...

CSB Stat to Watch : After averaging just 12 points off turnovers in the first round, with their 20 against this opponent being a high-mark, the Blazers have improved by a lot in that regard. In their five second round games, Benilde has normed 20.8 in that category, not dipping below 15 even once. With Carlo Lastimosa gone, they'll need all the easy points they can get.
CSB Player to Watch : In their first game without Lastimosa, the Blazers got some nice production from rookie Michael Pate, who tallied 13 points on 4 of 6 shooting. They'll need him to continue with that sort of scoring, especially if San Beda targets Paolo Taha and Jonathan Grey for stopping.
 
Prediction: SBC Red Lions

One Day Later: LPU vs EAC, JRU vs CSB

LPU 77 - EAC 73
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Player of the Game : With Arwin Azores stuck in a hospital, Mark Francisco got the nod to start, and the unheralded forward made the most of the opportunity, scoring 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting, to go with 18 rebounds and three blocks. Francisco is barely 6'3" in shoes, but he sure stood tall (*groan*) in this game. 

The Numbers :

• Pirates head coach Bonnie Tan said that he decided to run in this game given their lack of players. Given their height disadvantage versus almost all the other teams (save for perhaps, CSB and Perpetual Help), I'm surprised they never thought of doing this earlier. Lyceum finished with season-highs in fastbreak points (25) and turnover points (26) as a result. 
• Lyceum finished with just a single three-pointer for the second straight game, going 1 of 13 from beyond the arc. This is from the team that has hit the most triples in a game this season (12) and the only squad aside from Perpetual with multiple double-digit three-pointer games. 
• EAC topped their previously set season-high for assists by getting one more dime than the 22 they tallied in the season opener. The x-factor? Shooter Jan Jamon somehow wound up with a career-high eight dimes. His previous high was four versus San Beda in their round two blowout.
• In the last 3:36 of the game, LPU went on a decisive 16-5 run to come out on top. They had lacked that ability to put away teams over their four-game losing streak.
• Joshua Torralba returned from a groin injury that kept him out of three games, but he was far from effective, scoring just four points on 2 of 10 shooting, though he also added two rebounds and three assists.

The Other Names :

• Claude Cubo scored a career-high 29 points on 12 of 19 shooting, to go with a 5 of 6 stint at the freethrow line, nine rebounds and a block. 
• Jolas Paguia also had a productive outing, with 10 points in 27 minutes, two triples, seven boards, two assists, a steal and a whopping four blocks. 
• Shane Ko was steady as usual for the Pirates, scoring 11 on 5 of 8 shooting, but more importantly contributing five rebounds and a team-high five assists for Lyceum.

JRU 78 - CSB 63
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Player of the Game : I've never understood why JRU head coach Vergel Meneses messes around with John Montemayor and Ralph Monserat when he has Jeckster Apinan sitting on his bench. Well Apinan continues to put up some impressive sixth-man stats, leading all scorers in this match with 17 points (7/10 shooting), while also being the only player on both sides to get double-digit rebounds, with 10, five on the offensive end.

The Numbers :

• While the JRU pounce-on-turnover-and-score sequences were oftentimes more impressive looking and packed more punch, a peek at the stats actually shows that not only did both sides commit 22 turnovers, but CSB actually edged forward in the turnover points category by a point, 24-23.
• Where JRU actually made in-roads was in transition, usually via outlet pass to a streaking Heavy Bomber for an easy lay-in. In that regard, JRU had the advantage, scoring 15 fast break points to eight by CSB.
• St. Benilde went with a zone the entire game, feeling that they could not match-up with the JRU bigs. But aside from the aforementioned turnover and fast break points scenarios which allowed JRU to score before the zone was set up, the Heavy Bombers also dropped 7 of 21 triples. 
• Another side effect of the zone was in fact, the big men having their way against the St. Benilde bigs. JRU got a 40 to 23 rebounding advantage, 17 to 6 on the offensive glass. Apinan's 10 rebounds and John Lopez's nine boards were dominant, especially in contrast to the fact that CSB's best rebounder had just four boards, while big men Jan Tan, Tim McCoy, Ian Dela Paz and Alison Carlos combined for...seven rebounds all in all.
• This was the first time all season CSB gave up 50 percent shooting, as all of JRU's easy scoring trips helped bloat their percentages.

The Other Names :

• The departure of Lastimosa did give Jonathan Grey and Paolo Taha a bump in minutes, to 27 and 28, respectively, but the biggest beneficiary turned out to be the forgotten homegrown rookie Michael Pate. Pate had appeared in just six other games prior to his start in this encounter, scoring a grand total of 10 points, but he was able to exceed that in just 22 minutes today, scoring 13 on 4 of 6 shooting.
• John Lopez also padded the stat sheet, aside from the aforementioned nine boards. The big man finished with nine points, three assists and two steals, also showing up his CSB counterparts.

NCAA Picking Record: 52-19-1

NCAA S87: CSB vs JRU

History Lesson:
The Blazers leaned on the late-game heroics of Carlo Lastimosa to win a hard-fought game, as last season's rookie of the year drove hard down the lane and scored over John Villarias to put his squad up 78-77. With just five seconds left on the clock and the length of the court to traverse, JRU did not have enough time to counter, falling after leading throughout the game's three quarters.  Free throws were the key to this game, as Benilde tallied 52 attempts compared to just a measly 11 for JRU. (Recap here)


What's at Stake:

• With the Blazers at 5-8 and the Heavy Bombers at 5-9, both these teams have a clear shot at overtaking the Mapua Cardinals, who absorbed a loss to San Sebastian, and now find themselves at 6-7. A win here puts either team that much closer to the fourth seed, while a loss puts the defeated in a position where they will have to sweep their remaining games in the vague hopes of forcing a playoff for the final playoff berth.

CSB Stat to Watch : The Blazers were the second best team at getting to the line in round one, attempting 30.22 free throws a game (Letran led the league with 32.11 tries). They've dropped to just 27.5 looks at the line in round two and have dropped to fourth, behind the Knights, Pirates and Stags. With Carlo Lastimosa leaving the team, they lose a large chunk of their perimeter scoring, so it's possible that you'll see Jonathan Grey and Paolo Taha compensate by attacking the rim.
CSB Player to Watch : With Mark Romero and Carlo Lastimosa both gone, CSB loses the two players that played the most minutes for them. That means someone like Jonathan Grey serves to gain from the sudden abundance of playing time. Grey currently averages 12 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 21.5 minutes, but giving him 30 minutes sees his production shoot up to 16.74 points, 6.56 rebounds, 3.35 assists and 1.53 steals if he remains consistent.

JRU Stat to Watch : Versus the Red Lions, the Heavy Bombers were able to fully realize their inside-out attack, making a season-high seven triples on 36.84 percent shooting, their second-best mark from downtown. If they can pull off a similar feat, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them win three in a row.
JRU Player to Watch : John Lopez was not bothered by the many big men of San Beda, scoring 17 points in the game, the first time he's hit double-digit scoring in their last five games. That came about because he also spent more time on the floor, notching just a single foul, the first time that happened all season. The first time they played Benilde, Lopez fouled out after just 15 minutes of play. That can't happen if they want to split the season series.

Prediction: JRU Heavy Bombers

UAAP/NCAA Power Rankings: Week 9 of 2011

The unified UAAP/NCAA Power Rankings throws everything into a blender, hits the button, and ducks as it first mashes up, and then sorts out all 18 teams of both leagues. Among other factors, the panel of one takes into consideration: the quality of opponents played in the past week, how the team fared against those opponents, whether or not a team is on a roll, be it an uphill or downhill, and other factors like injuries or internal disarray.

In the second to the last Power Rankings for 2011 (it's hard to do them four teams in the UAAP are ON VACATION), we see just one remaining undefeated squad take the top spot, and some minor jostling around as the NCAA teams can see the halfway point of the second round from over here. We spend some time talking about the offseason already with the booted UAAP teams, as the mid-section of the NCAA starts to settle as teams drop out of the race for the fourth seed, one by one.

One Day Later: LPU vs CSJL, SSCR vs CSB

CSJL 88 - LPU 74
Recap - - - Preview

Player of the Game : Kevin Alas notched a new career high, scoring 29 points on 8 of 18 shooting (just 1 of 5 from downtown, unfortunately). He also grabbed five rebounds, four on the offensive end, dished out 11 assists, and made three steals. With Letran forced to go small to match up with the tiny Knights, Alas was tapped to provide the offense, and he delivered.



LPU Positives :

• Despite the size disadvantage, the Pirates stayed even, getting 48 rebounds like the Knights, They even got more offensive rebounds, 26 to 22, leading to a sizable advantage in second-chance points, 19 to 9. 
• With the starters clearly struggling, it was the Lyceum bench that took charge, as their top four scorers were all reserves, and each scored in double-figures, led by Vence Laude's 14.

LPU Negatives :

• The Allan Santos saga was a nice feel-good story at the beginning of the season, as the former Falcon tore up the league with multiple double-doubles. But as time moved on, his numbers steadily declined, despite a short stint as a starter. After playing just four minutes in their last assignment, Santos found himself "indefinitely suspended" according to LPU Mancom, due supposedly to "unsettling" performances in past games. 
• For the second time in three games, the Pirates could not get out and run, scoring 0 transition points in five opportunities.

CSJL Positives :

• Raymond Almazan got back on track, hauling down 14 rebounds and blocking two shots in 22 minutes. This after three straight games for just single-digit caroms.
• The Knights limited Chris Cayabyab to just 3 of 13 shooting for nine points, while also forcing him into seven turnovers. Cayabyab also wasn't able to finish the game again, fouling out early in the fourth.

CSJL Negatives :

• 33 fouls is pretty excessive, considering how Lyceum doesn't contain any big man threats you'd rather put on the line instead of giving up an easy score. Some of those come from the pressure  defense, put there were also a couple of useless whistle-bait moves as well, and given Letran's reputation, for sure the refs are gonna call those. 

SSCR 86 - CSB 70
Recap - - - Preview

Player of the Game : Ian Sangalang stood head and shoulders above the other players, literally and figuratively, finishing with 20 points on 7 of 13 shooting, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks. More importantly, of the "Big Three," he had the fewest turnovers with three.

SSCR Positives :

• The catalyst for San Sebastian's huge lead was the running game, as they got half of their 20 fastbreak points in the second quarter, when they were able to balloon the lead up to 21. 
• Jovit Dela Cruz has quietly been putting up some great numbers in the second round, as the unofficial "garbage man" for the Pinatubo Trio. He's averaged 9.75 points on 43 percent shooting, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.25 assists in the last four games.

SSCR Negatives :

• As the match devolved into pick-up game with guys whizzing outlet passes back and forth, the Stags came up on the short end of that stick, committing 21 turnovers, 18 by the "Big Three." That's the sort of thing that frustrates head coach Topex Robinson.
• The other thing that gets Robinson's goat? Useless fouls, especially among his bench guys like Arwin Vitug (four fouls) and Krushev Ferrer (three). As a result, CSB got to the line 27 times, just six less than the Stags.

CSB Positives :

• The Blazers got balanced scoring from their three main scorers, Taha, Grey and Lastimosa. Taha scored 16, Grey had 15, while Lastimosa added 14. 
• While not a pressing team or what-not, the Blazers were still able to capitalize on those 21 Stags turnovers, getting 27 turnover points from them and preventing a blowout of massive proportions.

CSB Negatives :

• The big men of CSB seemed to come up short, combining for just 10 points and 12 rebounds. It's no wonder they got whalloped on the boards, 60 to 35, and 18 to 13 on the offensive glass, although to their credit, both sides scored just four second-chance points each.

NCAA Picking Record: 48-15-1

NCAA S87: SSCR vs CSB

History Lesson:
Defense was the key in this early season game, as the Stags held the Blazers to just two points early on while scoring 10 themselves. That essentially was the game, seeing as how St. Benilde could not get any close after that, despite having Carlo Lastimosa play for the first time in the season, after missing their team's opener with illness. Krushev Ferrer had a nice stint in this game, scoring 10, including a five-point burst in the fourth that padded the lead up to 15, San Sebastian's biggest of the game. From then on, it was cruise control for the Stags, on route to a 76-68 win. (Recap here)
What's at Stake:

• The San Sebastian Stags have booked a ticket to the Final Four with their 12-0 record, but they're still looking to stay unbeaten, or at the very least, claim a twice-to-beat advantage in the post-season. Having just played Wednesday, fatigue might be an issue though, especially considering the starters got some burn late in the fourth quarter.
• At 5-7, the CSB Blazers are still in the mix for spot number four in the standings, after the Mapua Cardinals lost to Letran, dropping to 6-7. A win here would leap-frog them over the LPU Pirates (assuming they don't win on this day as well) and put them just a half-game behind MIT.

SSCR Stat to Watch : The Stags have only been outrebounded twice this season, in the season-opener without Calvin Abueva versus JRU (by one), and versus Letran. Against the undersized Blazers team, the San Sebastian ought to have the run of the shaded lane again, the difference was 54-36 in the first encounter, and that very likely leads to second-chance opportunities.
SSCR Player to Watch : Krushev Ferrer and Lyle Antipuesto combined for five triples in this game, as the defense of CSB tried in vain to stop Sangalang and Abueva. Lately, those two have been struggling, with Ferrer last hitting a triple versus San Beda in the first round, and Antipuesto shooting blanks since Arellano in the first round as well. If they can get their confidence back in this game, their shooting will be a huge help to San Sebastian down the road.

CSB Stat to Watch : The Blazers get a huge lift from attacking the rim, norming 29.58 attempts at the foul line per game, second only to Letran. They had a 34 to 25 advantage in that category in the first round, but were not able to get any of the Stags' big men in foul trouble, which is what they ought to do in this rematch if they want to have a chance on the boards.
CSB Player to Watch : With Mark Romero having left the team to migrate with his family, the Blazers lose a large chunk of their scoring and rebounding. CSB hopes that Jan Tan will be able to replace his production, but his numbers have been all over the place, though to be fair, so have his minutes. With increased playing time, head coach Richard Del Rosario no doubt hopes a corresponding increase in Tan's 6 point, 4.2 rebound average materializes as well.

Prediction: SSCR Stags

UAAP/NCAA Power Rankings: Week 8 of 2011

The unified UAAP/NCAA Power Rankings throws everything into a blender, hits the button, and ducks as it first mashes up, and then sorts out all 18 teams of both leagues. Among other factors, the panel of one takes into consideration: the quality of opponents played in the past week, how the team fared against those opponents, whether or not a team is on a roll, be it an uphill or downhill, and other factors like injuries or internal disarray.

As the UAAP winds down, teams begin to shuffle all over the place as the Final Four picture starts to crystallize. There's a ton of movement in the NCAA as well, as squads continue to jockey too for the fourth seed. More importantly, the committee of one has saved the last two spots for two "special" teams who showed spectacular inability this past week in either defense or offense, as anyone who watched either of those games got to catch a bit of basketball history.

NCAA S87: CSB vs AU

History Lesson:
The Arellano Chiefs had the element of surprise on their side, going with a revamped starting five and ambushing the St. Benilde Blazers with an 11-0 start to the game. Still, the game was a close affair, as Mark Romero was able to make the dish to Jonathan Grey to cut the lead to just two points, 62-60, but on the ensuing Arellano possession, the Chiefs were able to kill clock before the Blazers were forced to foul sending Andrian Celada to the line where he converted two charities to clinch the 64-60 win. Celada, Gerald Lapuz and Rocky Acidre all scored in double-digits, overshadowing the one-two rookie punch of Paolo Taha and Jonathan Grey for the Blazers. (Recap here)

What's at Stake:

• With the 4-7 Blazers at sixth place and the 4-8 Chiefs at seventh, beating the other team at this point will greatly help boost the winner's campaign to wrest away the final playoff seed. A loss could essentially mean a need to sweep the remaining games, given how there's only about six or seven remaining on tap. 

CSB Stat to Watch : What to point at as the source for CSB's recent slump? Benilde has not been able to score as efficiently from inside the arc, going 45.75 percent in round two, after finishing round one at a 50.51 percent clip. Though Jonathan Grey and Paolo Taha have been getting to the rim, they're not getting a whole lot from guys like Ian Dela Paz and Jan Tan. Those shooty big men have to find their range to compliment what their guards are doing.
CSB Player to Watch : Carlo Lastimosa found himself shut down against the Chiefs in their first encounter, scoring just four points on 1 of 6 shooting, while turning the ball over foul times. No doubt, he'll be looking to assert himself versus this team, but in the face of a 2-3 zone, Lastimosa has to be avoid falling into the temptation of chucking up triple after triple and instead, drive into the lane and kick out to open players if necessary.

AU Stat to Watch : Arellano had some good rebounding games, leading up to their massacre at the hands of the Golden Stags. Prior to that game, they were averaging 40.33 boards, 13.67 of which were on the offensive end, in a three-game span. Those numbers dropped to 29 and 10 respectively versus San Sebastian, but CSB is a horrible rebounding team, so guys like Gerald Lapuz and Ronnel Del Rosario ought to rule the boards in this encounter.
AU Player to Watch : Andrian Celada has been up and down all season for the Chiefs, as his marksmanship has not always been there for this squad. In fact, in the second round, he's shooting a mere 33 percent from the field. What's saved him though is against Letran and EAC, he managed to get to the line 17 times, missing just one charity. Against San Sebastian though, he only saw the stripe twice, knocking them both down. If Celada begins attacking the interior, especially since CSB doesn't have a single shot blocker, he could put his team in position to win once again.

Prediction: Arellano Chiefs

UAAP/NCAA Power Rankings: Week 7 of 2011

The unified UAAP/NCAA Power Rankings throws everything into a blender, hits the button, and ducks as it first mashes up, and then sorts out all 18 teams of both leagues. Among other factors, the panel of one takes into consideration: the quality of opponents played in the past week, how the team fared against those opponents, whether or not a team is on a roll, be it an uphill or downhill, and other factors like injuries or internal disarray.

The middle of the rankings have changed dramatically, as in the UAAP, one team lands the number four spot and looks to solidify their hold on it as the post-season looms, while over in the NCAA, former cellar-dwellers begin to find new life in the second round, with an eye to toppling Lyceum from the fourth seed. Also in there, a shift in the top spot again!

One Day Later: UPHSD vs CSB, LPU vs JRU

Hard fought - the Altas won an ugly, but much-needed second win against CSB (pic source)

UPHSD 63 - CSB 57
Recap - - - Preview

Player of the Game : Seeing a guy take 17 three pointers, plus five more two pointers, always weirds me out, especially if his final score is not in the forties, so sorry Jett Vidal, I'm going to have to give this award to two players, your big men Justine Alano and Anthony Paulino, who both finished with 10-10 statlines. Alano pulled down a team-high seven offensive rebounds, plus blocked two shots, while Paulino was more efficient as a scorer, but still managed four offensive boards and two assists. Given how big rebounding played into this game, it seems appropriate that we single these two out.

UPHSD Positives :

• Rebounds made a huge difference in this game, with Perpetual Help snagging 49 to just 36 by CSB, 20 to 8 on the offensive glass. That led to a 16-4 edge in second chance points.
• Getting George Allen back from achilles sprain was huge, as his energy carried the Altas early, especially when his two triples connected. He finished with eight points, five rebounds and two assists. If he can finally stay healthy, Perpetual Help becomes that much better.

UPHSD Negatives :

• A game after the Altas tallied a season-low 19 points after twenty minutes, Perpetual Help came dangerously close to matching it with 20 in the first half. They turned it up in the second half, but sooner or later, an opponent's going to come around and put them down, only this time, they won't be able to produce another comeback.
• The lack of fastbreak points continues to be an issue, as the Altas scored just two in that category in this game, a season-low.

CSB Positives :

• The running game was in full-force for the Blazers, as they got a season-high 20 fastbreak points, buoyed by the athleticism and speed of Paolo Taha and Jonathan Grey. 

CSB Negatives :

• Here's a litany of lows the Blazers were able to hit in this game: fewest points scored, worst three-point percentage, worst free throw percentage, first time to get single-digit assists, and lowest second and third quarter outputs.
• Once again CSB looked dominant for three quarters before encountering a hiccup in the fourth, righting themselves, and then collapsing again, but this time for good. It's something the coaching staff has to deal with if they're to get back in the hunt for the fourth seed.

Talking strategy - the Lyceum Pirates continue to surprise, even in the second round (pic source)

LPU 71 - JRU 65
Recap - - - Preview

Player of the Game : Fine, Chris Cayabyab went 1 for 6 from beyond the arc, but to get his 19 points, he was also 7 for 11 from two-point, and he grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double. It's uncommon for a shooter to mix it up like that down low, so we have to commemorate that feat.

LPU Positives :

• Defense was the name of the game, as the Pirates held JRU to a measly nine points in the final period, while they scored 21 markers, turning the tables on the hapless Heavy Bombers. 
• Despite being undersized, Lyceum still managed to own the glass, getting a 53-34 rebounding edge that included a 22-16 advantage in offensive boards.They weren't quite able to capitalize on all those second-chance opportunities though, only getting a +4 in that category, 10 to 6.
• After a half of zoning the Bombers, the Lyceum braintrust decided to play straight up 1 on 1 defense to minimize the perimeter shooting of JRU, a move that contributed to the poor shooting of the Heavy Bombers late.

LPU Negatives :

• Only two triples made in this game for the best three-point shooting team in the league entering this game. As a result...they're no longer the best three-point shooting team in the league.
• Four flagrant fouls on three different players is a ridiculous number, no matter how physical and chippy JRU is. And unluckily, two of them had to land on Floricel Guevarra, the team's second leading scorer. Not only was it lucky that they won, they might  be hard-pressed to win without him in their next game as he serves his mandatory suspension. 

JRU Positives :

• Well, they at least got 24 turnover points, their second highest amount of the season...

JRU Negatives :

• What happened to the JRU big men? John Montemayor, John Lopez, and Jeckster Apinan were a combined 22 points and 21 rebounds, measly numbers for this trio. Furthermore, the team only had two blocked shots, and neither were by the three aforementioned players.
• JRU did themselves in with unforced turnovers, and more importantly, a ton of useless fouls. It's not like they had to foul to put big men they couldn't match up against on the line, but more of silly, excessive nudges and the like, the type that can drive a coach crazy. All in all, Lyceum shot 36 charities and made 23, while JRU was far away in comparison, with 24 trips to the line and 10 makes. 
• Nate Matute couldn't replicate his hot shooting in the first round against this same team, going 2 for 10 from downtown, 2 of 5 from inside the arc, and 1 for 4 from the line. Similarly, team captain Raycon Kabigting, on both the receiving and dealing end of flagrant fouls, scored only on two charities, missing all three field goals. 

NCAA Picking Record: 37-14

NCAA S87: UPHSD vs CSB

History Lesson:
Count this as another close-fought game by the Altas that got away at the end. A triple by forward Anthony Paulino allowed Perpetual Help to stick close, 75-73, but an 8-0 blast by the Blazers, coupled with converted free throws when the Altas switched to fouling mode helped CSB play keep away, resulting in an 88-83 win. Paolo Taha led CSB with 18 points on an efficient outing, 7 of 9 field goal shooting, 4 of 5 freethrows. Four other Blazers scored in double figures, overpowering the four of Perpetual Help, led by Scottie Thompson's 23 markers. (Recap here)


What's at Stake:

• The Perpetual Help Altas (1-9) stuck close with the San Beda Red Lions, faltering only in the latter part of the fourth quarter. While not nearly as a big a name, a surprise win over the Blazers will throw a monkey wrench into their postseason plans.
• After falling to Mapua in overtime, the St. Benilde Blazers (4-6) find themselves a loss back of Lyceum, and tied with the Cardinals. No doubt, CSB will look to keep in step with the Pirates, but they can force another tie if the Blazers win and JRU handles the Pirates again.

UPHSD Stat to Watch : The Altas hung around with the Red Lions on account of their hot three-point shooting, nailing 9 out of 29 triples, their most since...well, since they hit 10 of 24 against this CSB team in the first round. If they're going to be given the outside look again, then the Blazers are going to find themselves likely buried under a barrage of triples.
UPHSD Player to Watch : Jaycee Asuncion's 15 points in 15 minutes, 12 coming from downtown, was a season-high for him, and a big boost for someone who entered the game converting on just 5 of 29 triples. Whether he can pick it up again in this match is a whole other thing though.

CSB Stat to Watch : The Blazers are having a hard time stopping teams, allowing 80.5 points a game, while giving up an average of 71.4 field goal attempts to the opponent. As offensively inept as the Altas are (34.54 percent field goal shooting, a league low), if you give any opponent enough shots, they're bound to make some, so Benilde ought to tighten up defensively, even if it's just Perpetual Help.
CSB Player to Watch : Odds are good that Carlo Lastimosa won't be available for this game, due to his sprained ankle, so that means the guy to watch again will be Jonathan Grey, as he and Paolo Taha will absorb the majority of Lastimosa's minutes. Grey sizzled against Mapua, second only to Lastimosa himself, with 21 points on 6 of 10 shooting and eight rebounds, though his performance did dip a bit late, due to fatigue. Still, he was instrumental in forging the final score of 94-90, attacking the lane and getting his own misses at the free throw line. 


Prediction: CSB Blazers

One Day Later: CSJL vs AU, MIT vs CSB

Team play - Kevin Alas and the rest of the Letran Knights easily dispatched the Arellano Chiefs (pic source)

CSJL 75 - AU 59
Recap - - - Preview

Player of the Game : A last-minute addition to the line-up due to a lingering fever, Kevin Alas still managed to impress, dropping 17 points on eight attempts, plus chipping in seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. The efficient shooting performance was what impressed me the most, but he only had two turnovers as well, handling the ball exceptionally well in 36 minutes.


CSJL Positives :

• Jam Cortes dominated the interior as usual, getting 16 points on 7 of 8 shooting, and hauling down nine rebounds. He did commit six turnovers, as the swarming Chiefs defense targeted him from the onset. 
• Letran dominated the rebounding 49-39, 21-15 on the offensive glass, resulting in an 18 to 4 edge in second chance points, as Arellano's zone did them in once again. That said, this was actually a bit of a letdown, with Raymond Almazan getting less than double-digit rebounds.

CSJL Negatives :

• The Knights entered the game norming 18 turnover points, but Arellano was able to hold them to just 14, despite committing 25 errors.

AU Positives :

•  Arellano's zone defense was able to sucker the Knights into taking 19 triple attempts, of which they made just 2 conversions.

AU Negatives :

• The Chiefs were shutdown inside, getting 15 offensive rebounds, but only managing four second chance points.
• Arellano was ridiculously careless with the ball, as Gerald Lapuz, Andrian Celada and Vergel Zulueta all tallied four turnovers. Point guard Rocky Acidre had it worse with five. 
• After getting to within five points, 38-33, early in the third quarter, the Chiefs simply rolled over and died, allowing Letran to double their output from that point on.

Gone for long? Coupled with the overtime loss, an injured Carlo Lastimosa puts the Blazers' future in doubt (pic source)

MIT 94 - CSB 90
Recap - - - Preview

Player of the Game : Allan Mangahas took control of the overtime period, scoring seven and making a key assist to Mark Sarangay to put the game away for good as the Cardinals survived late rallies by the Blazers. Mangahas finished 10 of 24 from the field, and added eight rebounds and six assists to the cause.


MIT Positives :

• After flopping in the fourth quarter numerous times in the first round, the Cardinals stayed steady in this one, catching up to the Blazers through volume shooting by Josan Nimes (14 of his 25 points in the fourth period) and two huge triples by Jason Pascual. Mangahas then followed it up as previously mentioned in the overtime.
• Mapua rode hot shooting all the way to the end, finishing with a 39 of 80 clip, just one made field goal shy of 50 percent shooting.
• Though the Cardinals relied more on their athleticism instead of their height, through whatever manner, they were able to secure the rebounding edge, getting 53 to Benilde's 43.

MIT Negatives :

• Playing against the tiny Blazers, Mapua went ahead and decided to play the opponent's style of ball, going small with four guards and Mark Sarangay late. While they were able to win, I think it's a waste of the talent on their roster, especially in the case of Yousef Taha who is 6'7" and yet, rarely got a chance to post up properly to take advantage of the smaller CSB defenders. 
• For all the fortitude the Cardinals displayed, they still allowed the Blazers to hang around late. Anton Altamirano's steal and pass to Carlo Lastimosa shouldn't have been possible had they taken better control of the ball, and Jonathan Grey's repeated trips to the line in overtime could have been negated had they learned how to just box out their man (or you know, not gone with four guards and a big). 
• Entering the game shooting 63.92 percent from the free throw line, Mapua had it worse in this game, making just 9 of 21 charities for 43 percent. A few more made freebies would have gone a long way to preventing OT.

CSB Positives :

• The Blazers managed to keep pace in a high-scoring game, getting 23 points from Carlo Lastimosa, 21 from Jonathan Grey and 19 from Paolo Taha. In particular, the Cardinals had a difficult time stopping Grey and Taha from getting to the rim, owning to their freakish athleticism.

CSB Negatives :

• After dropping five triples in the first quarter, the guns of CSB fell silent, making just four more triples thereafter. 
• Had Tim McCoy gotten both charities after Rodel Ranises made that foul going for a steal, the game would not have been sent into overtime.
• The ankle injury of Carlo Lastimosa looks extremely serious. If he has to miss a significant amount of games, the Blazers maybe sunk, given how bunched up everyone is in the standings.

NCAA Picking Record: 37-12

NCAA S87: MIT vs CSB

History Lesson:
Although it didn't show in the rebounding category, the Mapua Cardinals sorely missed 6'7" Yousef Taha in this game. Despite a 54-35 rebounding advantage, the Cardinals were suckered into playing the style the Blazers wanted, hoisting up 41 triples in the face of the CSB zone, making just eight. And when the time came for Mapua to make a trey to force overtime, Josan Nimes, after much dilly-dallying, missed, allowing Benilde to escape with the win. Big man Jan Tan led CSB with 15 markers, while Allan Mangahas' double-double of 10 points and 12 assists went wasted. (Recap here)

What's at Stake:

• The Cardinals wrapped up a highly successful summer with a lot of hype as a dark horse team to challenge San Beda and San Sebastian for NCAA supremacy. Instead, what happened was a disappointing 3-6 first round, with two of their three wins decided by buzzer-beaters. If the Cardinals are to live up to the expectations they set in the off-season, they need to start winning, and winning convincingly.
• The Blazers find themselves in the thick of things at 4-5, tied with guest team Lyceum for the fourth playoff spot. This might be the latest Benilde has been in a playoff hunt in a very long time, given the past failures of this program, but this whole thing will be a forgotten footnote in history if they flame out in the second round.  

MIT Stat to Watch : Here's why Benilde should not fear too much the return of Yousef Taha and the Mapua ceiling, the Cardinals don't maximize their height advantage anyway, opting instead to lead the league in triples attempted (23.22 a game) and made (6.44), while being last in the league in two-pointers attempted (40.67). Mapua's coaching staff ought to realize this and make more attempts to move the ball inside for scoring opportunities, especially if CSB goes into a zone again.

MIT Player to Watch : Josan Nimes got a career-high 21 points against the zone defense of Perpetual Help, not by chucking up shots, but by being the only one willing to attack the rim. If Nimes can keep that attitude alive in this game, then odds are good that the Blazers will be forced to abandon the zone and put someone like Paolo Taha on him, or else risk him going off for 20+ points again.

CSB Stat to Watch : Outmatched by big men patrolling the paint? Get them out of there by attacking the rim and drawing fouls from them. With guys like Paolo Taha and Jonathan Grey in the line-up, the Blazers shoot the second-most free throws per game, with 30.22 attempts, of which they make a league-best 19.33 charities. If they can force Taha or Mark Sarangay to sit in favor of someone like Jason Pascual or Jason Cantos, things get a lot easier inside for them.

CSB Player to Watch : Against the EAC Generals, Jonathan Grey got extended minutes due to Jan Tan being ejected from the game. Because Tan will have to sit out a one-game suspension, Grey will likely see additional time again, and why not, after he posted 17 points and 12 rebounds in Tan's absence. Grey is so adept at scoring that he actually leads his team in field goal percentage at 58 percent, which means he ought to have a field day against the so-so Mapua defense.

Prediction: MIT Cardinals