FilOil: DLSU's option play leads to Jeron Teng's game-tying triple

The situation: June 2, the final day of the elimination round of the 2012 FilOil Flying V Pre-season Tournament. DLSU is trailing ADMU by 3, 53-50, with 18.8 seconds to go.

DLSU has Almond Vosotros (17) inbounding the ball, with Norbert Torres (6), Yutien Andrada (20), Jeron Teng (24) and LA Revilla (12).

ADMU counters with Oping Sumalinog (17), JP Erram (10), Nico Salva (8), Kiefer Ravena (15) and Juami Tiongson (5).

FilOil Mythical 5 (20 games in)

Yes it's early, so early that San Sebastian hasn't even played a single game yet, but after hitting the 20 game mark yesterday, it's time for a look around the summer league to see who's been tearing it up.

Center: Greg Slaughter of ADMU - 27.3 minutes, 18.5 points (55% FG, 58% FT), 12.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 2.3 blocks, 2.5 turnovers

You can also make the case for Ola Adeogun, who is playing less minutes (23.8 points), thus averaging less points (14.0, on 60% FG, 67% FT), but still has more boards (12.8) and assists (1.3), and I bet some San Beda fans are rolling their eyes at the supposed homer-ism right now.

All that said, I don't like the fact that Adeogun turns the ball over more (3.3), and you have to consider the fact that right now, everyone save for Slaughter on Ateneo is playing poorly. Salva's been inconsistent, Ravena's shot is missing, the point guards aren't scoring, etcetera, etcetera. He's responded to the situation by putting the Eagles on his back, and that makes him more mythical in my eyes.

Power Forward: Jam Cortes of CSJL - 30.7 minutes, 14.0 points (47% FG, 86% FT), 10.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, 2.0 turnovers

True he's been playing quite a bit of center with Raymond Almazan injured, but Cortes is a power forward at heart, so I'm slotting him in there. Cortes is another guy carrying his squad, with the aforementioned Almazan out, and with Kevin Alas still regaining his bearings, it's been all Jam for Letran, and he's picking up on the consistent production he was churning out before he got an ejection in the second round of last season's NCAA tourney. He wasn't quite the same player after that, but he seems to have rediscovered his spark in the FilOil.

Also considered: Eric Camson

Small Forward: Bobby Ray Parks of NU  - 26.3 minutes, 20.7 points (33% 3PT, 54% FG, 76% FT), 6.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, 1.7 turnovers

The LeBron James of local collegiate basketball, Parks has been the prime beneficiary of NU's shift to an up-tempo, turnover generating beast of a team, allowing him to get into the open court more, where he excels (aside: I can't believe it took them a full year to realize that NU should be running on every play).

Also considered: No one!

Shooting Guard: Mark De Guzman of NU - 25.0 minutes, 12.3 points, (53% 3PT, 45% FG), 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 turnovers

The most difficult position to fill so far. I considered RR Garcia (more point guard than shooting guard), AJ Serjue (only played two games, one was great, the other was crap), Julius Armon (28% FG shooting???) and Carlo Lastimosa (only played one game against a weak opponent), but ultimately I went off the grid here and picked another NU Bulldog, Mark De Guzman.

Why Mark De Guzman? The former CSB Blazer has, in three games, converted 9-of-17 three pointers (53%), giving Bobby Ray Parks what he sorely lacked last season: a consistent outside threat to throw it back to after he drives into the heart of the defense. If NU goes places this season, it'll be largely because of the addition of De Guzman, preventing guys from doubling Parks and Emmanuel Mbe.

Point Guard: Roi Sumang of UE - 31.5 minutes, 16.5 points (45% FG, 42% FT), 5.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 3.0 steals, 1.5 blocks, 3.0 turnovers

Sumang looked like a shell of his former self last UAAP season, due to a knee injury that he spent a lot of last year recovering from, but he's rediscovered his edge, churning out a pretty amazing statline, and standing out on a nondescript UE Red Warriors squad.

Sure he has some flaws, he's only played two games, he hasn't made a triple, and his free throw percentage is subpar for a point guard, but his league-leading assists number says a lot, and would be higher if his teammates could convert more shots. Toss in three steals and a block and a half per game, and Roi's the man.

Also considered: RR Garcia

FilOil 2012 - Why Has Ateneo Looked Off?

After steamrolling through much of the UAAP tournament last year, Ateneo has yet to find their groove in the FilOil tournament. A combination of new personnel, the loss of Emman Monfort and Kirk Long (the two guys mostly responsible for setting up the table for their teammates), and minutes being spread throughout the line-up has seen the Eagles' numbers plummet. As a result, they've been having a hard time putting away sub-par competition (they beat a Kevin Alas-less Letran squad and a Perpetual Help Altas team by a combined six points).

UAAP S74	ADMU Averages	FilOil 2012
72.29	Points	58.50
21.67% (2.59 / 11.94)	Three-point percentage	18.75% (3.00 / 16.00)
46.48% (22.94 / 49.35)	Two-point percentage	39.13% (18.00 / 46.00)
41.65% (25.53 / 61.29)	Field goal percentage	33.87% (21.00 / 62.00)
72.54% (18.65 / 25.71)	Free throw percentage	60.00% (13.50 / 22.50)
43.00	Rebounds	53.50
17.53	Assists	16.00
15.65	Turnovers	19.00
14.53	Fast break points	10.50
16.76	Bench scoring	20.00

One Blue Eagles whose shot has been particularly off in the early-goings of this tournament is Kiefer Ravena. While he's made some crucial scores (in particular, a triple right after Letran had tied things up in the fourth quarter), he's been unable to hit the mid-range jumper so far. That said, he's been compensating in other aspects, which is what you'd want from your star when his attempts aren't falling.

UAAP S74	Ravena Averages	FilOil 2012
27.60	Minutes	26.50
13.60	Points	11.50
52.29%	Two-point percentage	29.41%
44.85%	Field goal percentage	26.92%
4.20	Rebounds	5.50
3.00	Assists	4.00
1.50	Steals	2.00
1.70	Turnovers	0.50

Can the Eagles bounce back and post an impressive win against the NCAA champions, the San Beda Red Lions? We'll find out later at 5:15pm at the Arena in San Juan.

EDIT: Ravena's averages versus San Beda (two games in last year's Fil-Oil, one game in the PCCL) are pretty amazing. In 28.33 minutes, he norms 18.33 points on 61.11 percent shooting, four rebounds, 3.33 assists and 0.67 steals to just 1.67 turnovers. If he's going to snap out of his funk, San Beda's a good a time as any.

FilOil 2012 - April 18 box scores

The box scores for AdU vs LPU, JRU vs EAC and SBC vs UST, under the cut

Updated to include ADMU vs UPHSD

FilOil Random Thoughts - Gameday April 18, 2012

In addition to this blog post, I also wrote the primer for GMA News Online. Give it a read why don't you? And then come back here.

LPU Pirates vs ADU Soaring Falcons

• Lyceum lost all seven of their games in last season's Fil-Oil, but rebounded nicely in the actual NCAA as a guest team. It will be interesting to see if head coach Bonnie Tan will be out to win or if he's going to be more focused on testing line-ups and working in their new players.
• Speaking of new players, Lyceum has two new centers, Daniel Garcia and Joseph Ambohot. Both though are ridiculously raw, based on what I saw of them in the Fr. Martin Cup. That said, it's unlikely Lyceum will be using them to score, and would rather they focus on rebounding. With Austin Manyara (6.0 rebs in 20.7 mins) and Eric Camson (7.6 rebs in 23.1 mins) standing across the court though, they may be in for a rough day.
• Adamson's point guard position has to worry fans of the Soaring Falcons, as they are going from Jerick Canada and Lester Alvarez to...Ryan Monteclaro. The team is also hoping that Jericho Cruz, who is more of a wingman, can be converted to play the position. 

UPHSD Altas vs ADMU Blue Eagles

• This should be the debut of new head coach Aric del Rosario for the Altas. It'll be interesting to see if he has done anything drastic to their playing style. 
• The Altas should have some added size in foreign center Femi Babayemi and former Junior Alta Eugene Canuza. Would those two be enough to stop the giants on Ateneo, especially Greg Slaughter? 
• I wasn't a big fan of the starting five Ateneo put out versus Letran - Slaughter, Golla, Sumalinog, Ravena, Tiongson. The offense took a while to get going, and it seems like Sumalinog still has not rediscovered his shot. Salva presumably was nursing a minor injury, logging just nine minutes, which is why he didn't start. 
• One thing Letran did that I presume the Altas will try, is to put a big guy with range on Slaughter, and then run plays on offense to free him up on the perimeter, daring Slaughter to chase him out to the arc. The Knights tried that with Junjun Alas, but he was unable to make Ateneo pay for leaving him open, missing all three of his triples. 
• I thought it was clever of acting head coach Sandy A. to pair Buenafe up in the second unit with JP Erram and Tonino Gonzaga. Though the former Finals MVP has lost a lot of weight, he's still not quite in peak condition, but that's negated by Erram and Gonzaga, who are two athletic help defenders who can compensate for Buenafe losing his man.

 JRU Heavy Bombers vs EAC Generals

• JRU relies on generating turnovers for turnover points for a large chunk of their offense. They got the tables turned on them in their debut against NU, as the Bulldogs forced 23 errors and scored 23 points off them. Meanwhile, the Bombers managed to force 16 turnovers, but could only score four points ,as the superior athleticism and speed of the Bulldogs allowed them to catch up and flash some impressive transition defense. 
• While everyone on JRU had a bad outing, of note is the poor performance of John Villarias. The sophomore put up some nice numbers in his rookie year (10.7 points, 4.5 rebs, 2.6 asts, 1.2 stls) but he was a miserable 1-for-8 from the field for just two points in his 19 minutes of play. 
• The EAC Generals might be even more of a perimeter-oriented team than last season, after losing their best post player, Claude Cubo (11.7 points, 7.3 rebounds), to graduation. Their remaining prospects at center don't exactly inspire confidence though. Rafael Sanchez (11.4 mins, 1.5 points, 2.4 rebs in NCAA S87) is the veteran, and they have two rookies in Jeff Mallari and Dominador Pillas, but their best bet might be foreign center Happi Noube, who had averages of 8.0 points and 7.7 rebounds in last year's FilOil tourney. 
• While rosters are still in flux, it's worth noting that EAC did not list two of their main contributors from last season's campaign, Milan Vargas (8.5 points, 4.2 rebs) and Fil-Am Joshua Torralba (10.4 points, 3.6 rebs). Even without them though, they still have the likes of Jan Jamon (13.7 points, led the team in scoring in the NCAA), Remy Morada (5.1 points) and Franz Chiong (4.5 points), shooters will who will benefit from more touches.

SBC Red Lions vs UST Growling Tigers 

• After conceding a 0-6 start to DLSU in their season opener, San Beda bounced right back scoring the first quarter's last 13 points, on route to a big lead, 49-34, headed into the final quarter. But they eased up on the gas a bit too early, allowing the Archers to claw back in the dying minutes, slicing the deficit to four, 67-63 with 16 seconds remaining. 
• The team's surprise package was undersized scorer Ryusei Koga, who poured in eight points in 10 minutes on 4-of-7 shooting. He also chipped in three boards and two assists in limited minutes and so it'd be interesting to see if he can pull off similar production again. 
• The Red Lions struggled on the perimeter, making just 4-of-11 from beyond the arc. Take away Anjo Caram's two late triples, and the rest of the team was a mere 2-of-9, with Julius Armon posting a 1-for-5 clip.
• The Tigers return a mostly intact line-up, but their one loss is a big one, power forward Chris Camus (7.27 points, 7.67 rebs, 1.47 asts, 1.13 stls, 1.53 blks), who was their best defender last season. Guys like Melo Afuang and Karim Abdul will have to do a better job on the boards to compensate for his absence. 
• The return of Clark Bautista and Aljon Mariano will definitely help a bench unit that averaged just 19.27 points last UAAP season. If Louie Vigil and Kim Lo continue to make strides as well, then UST will be a tougher team to tangle with.

FilOil 2012 - April 14 box scores

Box scores for ADMU over CSJL, SBC over DLSU and NU over JRU, under the cut

FilOil Random Thoughts - Gameday April 14, 2012

ADMU vs CSJL

• Ateneo lost three of their four best perimeter defenders to graduation, Kirk Long, Emman Monfort and Bacon Austria. Their ability to stop trigger-happy guards immediately gets tested as they go up against the likes of Mark Cruz, Kevin Alas, and Kevin Racal. Can Juami Tiongson, Kiefer Ravena, Tonino Gonzaga, and new Eagles Kiefer Lim and Nico Elorde pick up the slack?
• That said, Kevin Alas is still questionable for today's game. 

Game Day! Hope I can play! Arriba Letranista!
— Kevin Louie Alas (@kevinlouiealas) April 14, 2012

• The Greg Slaughter (13.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) - Raymond Almazan (7.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks) match-up could decide the game. If Slaughter gets into attack mode early and gets Almazan into foul trouble, that opens up the interior for Ateneo's slashers. 
• Another intriguing match-up will be Nico Salva (13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 47.15% FG shooting) against Jam Cortes (12.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 49.48% FG shoting). Salva will drag Cortes to the perimeter, where he's got the advantage, but on the flipside, Cortes can punish Salva by backing him into the post. 
• Ateneo has a hard time with physical defenses, as seen in their struggles against San Sebastian in the PCCL. Letran plays a similar kind of defense, though they do not have an all-around Calvin Abueva type who can stop multiple positions. Time to see if the Eagles have learned from that thrashing. 

SBC vs DLSU

• Player most likely to excel under new head coach Ronnie Magsanoc: Baser Amer (18.5 minutes, 7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.9 steals). Amer had a hard time adjusting to then-head coach Frankie Lim's system, which saw him constantly checking over his shoulder to see what play he needed to run on that specific possession. If Magsanoc is more willing to let Amer get creative and run wild, he could put up near his high school numbers average of 11.7 assists
• Player most likely to excel under new head coach Gee Abanilla: Joshua Webb (9.6 minutes, 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.6 assists). Last season saw Webb post his worst numbers since his rookie year, as then-head coach Dindo Pumaren buried him on the bench. We saw glimpses of this already in the PCCL, when the Archers turned Webb loose, allowing him to post several double-digit scoring games  (13.75 points through 4 games. When they got knocked out versus Letran, he tellingly only tallied 6 markers). Webb in transition and coming off the weak side is tons better than the catch-and-shoot Webb we saw in Season 74
• The last time these two teams played, San Beda needed a game-winner by Garvo Lanete to come out on top, 70-68.
• No Arnold Van Opstal for La Salle, as he's still nursing an injury. That leaves Norbert Torres, Papot Paredes, Yutien Andrada, Jovet Mendoza and Ponso Gotladera to go up against Ola Adeogun. 

Missing out on filoil due to a torn hamstring. Sorry to the fans and supporters, very unfortunate and ill timed.
— Arnold van Awesome (@Arnoldvanopstal) April 3, 2012

• Intriguing rookie match-up: Julius Armon versus Jeron Teng. Of course, Armon has several years on Teng, plus experience playing in the Fr. Martin Cup, while Teng is fresh from high school, though to his credit, he has played in international competition. Still, Armon is much more of a polished product at this point than Teng that this could get out of hand should they face off one-on-one. 

NU vs JRU

• The last time these two teams played, it was in the PCCL and a Bobby Ray Parks-less NU team fell 66-62 to a complete JRU squad.
• NU's biggest weakness, an average of 19.14 turnovers per game, happens to be JRU's strength, 21.58 turnovers forced for 18.37 turnover points. If the Heavy Bombers defense can disrupt the undersized NU point guards, Cedrick Labing-isa, Robin Rono, Gelo Alolino, and rookie JJ Alejandro, this could be a long game for the Bulldogs
• Intriguing match-up: John Villarias (10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals) versus Bobby Ray Parks (20.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals).

FilOil 2012 Rosters

These are the rosters as of April 13, 2012. Yet to submit are FEU, JRU and NU. These are courtesy of Inboundpass.com

FilOil Preseason Tournament Rosters

10 Must-Watch FilOil Games

Arranged in chronological order, here are my picks for 10 must-watch Fil-Oil games, featuring rivalries, storylines, player match-ups, and of course, Ateneo versus La Salle-ness.

1. April 14 - 4pm - Group A: SBC Red Lions vs DLSU Green Archers
Of all the opening day games, this is the most intriguing because these two marquee teams underwent a ton of offseason changes. Both will have new coaches, Ronnie Magsanoc for San Beda, and Gee Abanilla for DLSU, and both will parade some fresh new line-ups, most notably two guys with huge star potential, Julius Armon and Jeron Teng, respectively. When they played each other last year, it was a close affair, with San Beda banking on superior end-game execution late to edge La Salle 70-68. Will that be the case this year? We'll find out soon enough.

2. April 21 - 3:30pm - Group A: SBC Red Lions vs ADMU Blue Eagles
When these two teams met last season, it was Kiefer Ravena's grand debut, then the second time, it was the Eagles' coronation night, as they won their first FilOil title. Toss in the fact that once again, these two squads are the defending champions of their respective leagues, and the whole Semerads defection/hijacking (depending on which side you're from) issue, and this is a must-watch game.

3. April 27 - 1:45pm - Group B: SSCR Golden Stags vs NU Bulldogs
Ask Bobby Ray Parks what aspect of the game he was most unready for in the UAAP and he'll tell you it was the physicality that he was least prepared for. Again, this was in the UAAP. Now he'll be up against probably one of the most physical teams ever, the reigning PCCL champs. And while the Stags don't have nearly the deep line-up that NU will be parading, they will have Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang, two guys who could probably go toe-to-toe against Parks and Emmanuel Mbe, and even come out on top.

4. April 28 - 1:45pm - Group B: ADU Falcons vs FEU Tamaraws
Two teams that always bring it that will come out with revamped rosters. We'll find out how Adamson will look like minus the dynamic point guard duo of Jerick Canada and Lester Alvarez, while on the flip side, we'll also get a glimpse of how FEU defends without Aldrech Ramos patrolling the paint. And more importantly, whether or not these two squads are still Final Four contenders.

5. May 4 - 3:30pm - Group B: FEU Tamaraws vs SSCR Golden Stags
A battle between the two bridesmaids in their respective leagues last season, it will also be a contrast in styles, as FEU will try to catch fire from long-range via RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo, while the Stags aim to dominate the shaded area with Abueva and Sangalang. Most intriguing side story? The Bringas brothers playing against Baste, as Arvie (the younger) was a high school standout there, while Mark (the elder) had a cup of tea with the Stags in NCAA Season 84 before transferring to FEU.

6. May 5 - 3:30pm - Group A: DLSU Green Archers vs UST Growling Tigers
It'll be brother versus brother when Jeron Teng faces off against Jeric Teng, with the two likely guarding each other in the process. Also, an underrated plot line: two Petron Blaze Bosters assistants going up against each other in Abanilla versus Pido Jarencio.

7. May 16 - 1:45pm - Group B: EAC Generals vs AU Chiefs
With the NCAA looking to impose a ban on foreigners a few seasons down the road, Fil-foreigners might become the thing, and these two squads have a headstart on it, with EAC tapping Joshua Torralba and Igee King last season, and AU revamping its roster to feature AJ Serjue and James Forrester. If the rest of their respective squads click, either could wind up as a dark horse in their mother league. This game could be a good gauge of that aforementioned "clicking."

8. May 23 - 1:45pm - Group B: FEU Tamaraws vs AU Chiefs
Oh look, an old friend for Far Eastern. Former championship-winning FEU coach Koy Banal will play across the Tamaraws this time, backed up by his new squad, the Arellano University Chiefs. Not only is AU's coach new, their squad looks a lot different, what with Gerald Lapuz and Andrian Celada out, and some Fil-for blood injected. Bert Flores going up against his old mentor will definitely be worth watching, along with a RR Garcia-Vergel Zulueta scorers' duel.

9. June 2 - 11:30am - Group A: SBC Red Lions vs CSJL Knights
A likely NCAA Finals preview, San Beda has added motivation coming into this game, as Letran is the school that was the biggest advocate of eliminating foreign players. Meanwhile the host school Letran will be looking to kick off their hosting stint with a bang by declawing the defending champs. Warning: this game WILL get physical.

10. June 2 - 4pm - Group A: ADMU Blue Eagles vs DLSU Green Archers
On one hand, La Salle is 4-0 against Ateneo in the FilOil. On the other hand, in those four years, Ateneo has always wound up raising the UAAP trophy a few months later. Trend, omen, or coincidence? Whatever it is, this is definitely a must-watch game. As if I needed to tell you that!

2012 FilOil Schedule

This is the schedule for the 2012 FilOil Flying V Hanes Preseason Cup, as of April 4. As is usually the case, expect certain playdates to change because of things like, the date of teams' overseas training changing, PBA-DL conflicts, Fr. Martin Cup conflicts, etc. etc.

All 18 UAAP and NCAA teams will be participating this year, as opposed to last season when Perpetual Help went into hiding. Teams can field foreign students, but only one per team on the court, and the big twist is that everyone in the line-up has to be eligible for their upcoming home league season. Can't field all your just-about-to-start residency players this time.


FilOil Schedule - April 4, 2012

2011 FilOil Semifinals Preview: ADMU vs FEU

ADMU Burning Questions

• Will the two rookies, Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena continue to carry this team?
• Will Kirk Long and Emman Monfort continue to shoot blanks from downtown?
• Who gets the start at power forward, Frank Golla for his defense or Oping Sumalinog to space the floor?
• Will the Eagles continue to concede second-chance opportunities or will they secure those defensive rebounds? 

FEU Burning Questions

• Was the 30-point game from RR Garcia versus DLSU a fluke or a sign of things to come?
• Can the Tamaraws make up for any mental lapses against a veteran team like Ateneo? 
• Will FEU be able to space the floor properly without a standout three point shooter? 
• Will Pipo Noundou put up MVP level stats against the many big men of Ateneo? 

History Lesson: After winning both regular season match-ups versus the Eagles, FEU lost in a sweep in the Season 73 UAAP Finals, giving Ateneo a rare three-peat.

Prediction: Single-possession FEU win

2011 FilOil Semifinals Preview: SBC vs ADU

SBC Burning Questions

• Will Su Daniel suit up for tomorrow's game?
• Will Dave Marcelo suit up for tomorrow's game?
• Will the point guard corps of Baser Amer, Paolo Pontejos and Anjo Caram take care of the ball or will they commit massive amounts of turnovers versus Jerick Canada and Lester Alvarez?
• Will a single shooter get hot (Mar Villahermosa, Garvo Lanete) or will it be a team effort in terms of scoring? 

ADU Burning Questions

• Will we see a good game or a bad game from the mercurial Alex Nuyles?
• Can Austin Manyara and Rodney Brondial keep Ola Adeogun in check? 
• Are the Adamson shooters still going to be hot from beyond the arc?
• Will the Falcons be able to score in transition and off steals?  

History Lesson: A Garvo Lanete, Baser Amer-less San Beda squad defeated the Adamson Falcons 80-72 in the Fr. Martin Collegiate Open Cup last March

Prediction: 6 to 10 point win for San Beda

2011 Filoil Quarterfinals Preview

ADMU vs MIT
- The word for MIT is support. The Cards sometimes rely too much on stars Allan Mangahas and Yousef Taha, but when they win, it's often because they got production from bench guys like Rodel Ranises, Josan Nimes and Jonathan Banal. Given how stacked the Ateneo team is, Mapua's bench will have to match their scoring and intensity.
- The word for ADMU is transition. They only got 6 fastbreak points and 7 turnover points versus DLSU, both tournament-lows. Given how the Cardinals norm 20.5 turnovers and concede on average 18 turnover points, the Blue Eagles should have opportunities.

SBC vs UP
- The word for SBC is size. San Beda is fourth in terms of total rebounds corralled per game, because of guys like Dave Marcelo and Ola Adeogun. Averaging 46.6 boards, 18.4 on the offensive glass, the Red Lions should have the advantage against a UP team that is dead last in terms of rebounding in the tournament.
- The word for UP is perimeter. The Maroons get the bulk of their points from triples by Mike Silungan, Mike Gamboa and Jett Manuel. They're tops in terms of team average from beyond the arc (34.3%) and are second in number of makes per game (7.8). Given how Beda's perimeter defense is a mediocre 10th, letting opponents shoot 28.3%, UP does have a chance.

FEU vs DLSU
- The word for FEU is defense. FEU tops the league in allowed made field goals, letting opponents convert just 23.3 made baskets, while holding them to 37.3%. Factor in an improved zone defense, typically a DLSU kryptonite, and the Tams have a good chance of shutting down the Archers.
- The word for DLSU is rebounding. The Archers are 1-3 when they're outrebounded, 1-3 when the opponents have more offensive rebounds than them. Making things harder for this game is the fact that 6'5" Nobert Torres has been ruled out for 1-2 weeks because of the dislocated elbow he suffered versus Ateneo. That means gang-rebounding will be key against the likes of Aldrech Ramos and Pipo Noundou.

ADU vs SSCR
- The word for ADU is shooting. The Falcons are actually mediocre offensively, hitting just 25.3 field goals a game (12th out of 17), while shooting just 36.6% (13th). Both those numbers are the worst of the eight teams in the quarter-finals. Ideally, they'll get steals (5.4 a game, 7th in the league) and get out in transition (10.6 fastbreak points). The problem? San Sebastian loves to get out in transition even more (16.6 a game).
- The word for SSCR is match-ups. Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang present defensive problems for a lot of teams, but more so against the Falcons. Versus Abeuva, we're not sure as to the status of Roider Cabrera and Janus Lozada, meaning Jericho Cruz will probably get the bulk of the coverage, with Alex Nuyles getting spot minutes so as to not tire him out on offense. Against Sangalang, Austin Manyara, Rodney Brondial, and Eric Camson will have their hands full. If any of those guys get into foul trouble, Adamson will be in big trouble.

2011 Filoil Flying V Pre-Season Premier Cup Quarters and Semis Sked

Quarter-finals schedules - Monday, June 6:

11AM - Ateneo (A2) vs Mapua (B3)
2PM - San Beda (A1) vs UP (B4)
4PM - FEU (B1) vs DLSU (A4)
6PM - Adamson (B2) vs San Sebastian (A3)

Semi-finals schedules - Wednesday, June 8:

2PM - Winner (San Beda vs UP) vs Winner (Adamson vs San Sebastian)
4PM - Winner (FEU vs De La Salle) vs Winner (Ateneo vs Mapua)

(Red games will be televised in Studio 23.)

The 2011 Fil-Oil Flying V Pre-season Premier Cup Semifinals Picture

Updated as of June 1, 2011

Group B's top four teams are all set, and so all eyes now turn to the two Group A matches on Saturday, June 4, to see how the semi-finals will shake out. UST vs SBC will take place first at 12:30pm, while ADMU vs DLSU will clash at 4pm, and both games' results will impact the standings. 

SCENARIO 1

• San Beda beats UST: SBC improves to 5-2, UST slumps to 3-4
• Ateneo beats La Salle: ADMU improves to 6-1, DLSU slumps to 3-4

1. ADMU (6-1) 
2. SBC (5-2) - San Beda owns the tiebreaker over SSC-R, having beaten them 97-81
3. SSC-R (5-2)
4. NU (4-3)
5. UST (3-4) - UST owns the tiebreaker over DLSU, having beaten them 79-70
6. DLSU (3-4)

SCENARIO 2

• San Beda beats UST: SBC improves to 5-2, UST slumps to 3-4
• La Salle beats Ateneo: DLSU improves to 4-3, ADMU slumps to 5-2

1. SBC (5-2) - San Beda's quotient is 1.076
2. ADMU (5-2) - Ateneo's quotient is 1.013
3. SSC-R (5-2) - Baste's quotient is 0.911 
4. DLSU (4-3) - La Salle owns the tiebreaker over NU, having beaten them 81-74
5. NU (4-3)
6. UST (3-4)

SCENARIO 3

• UST beats San Beda: UST improves to 4-3, SBC slumps to 4-3
• Ateneo beats La Salle: ADMU improves to 6-1, DLSU slumps to 3-4

1. ADMU (6-1)
2. SSC-R (5-2)
3. NU (4-3) - NU's quotient is 1.083, and barring an extremely large blowout, UST cannot match that
4. UST/SBC (4-3) - depending on the margin of victory 
5. UST/SBC (4-3) - depending on the margin of victory
6. DLSU (3-4) 

• By my Math, UST needs to beat SBC by at least 6 points to get #4

SCENARIO 4

• UST beats San Beda: UST improves to 4-3, SBC slumps to 4-3
• La Salle beats Ateneo: DLSU improves to 4-3, ADMU slumps to 5-2

1. SSC-R (5-2), SSC-R owns the tiebreaker, having beaten ADMU 73-72
2. ADMU (5-2)
3. NU/UST (4-3) 
4. NU/UST (4-3) 
5. SBC/DLSU (4-3) 
6. SBC/DLSU (4-3) 

• NU's quotient is 1.019
• DLSU's quotient is 0.982
• UST and SBC's quotients depend on the margin of victory

NOTES

• There are two scenarios (1 and 3) in which Ateneo gets #1
• There is one scenario (4) in which SSC-R gets #1
• UST is in a precarious situation, needing to blow out San Beda to increase their chances of making it into the top 4 (scenarios 3 and 4)
• DLSU's only shot of making the Final Four is scenario two, also the only scenario where SBC becomes number one. 
• Winning ensures SBC is in the top four (scenarios 1 and 2). Otherwise, they have an outside shot at sneaking in, even if they lose to UST, in scenario 3.

FilOil 060111

SBC RED LIONS vs. SSCR GOLDEN STAGS

• What's at stake: SSCR has the chance to clinch the number one spot in Group A. SBC needs this win to improve their chances of making the semis.
• Key SBC stat: The Red Lions average 21.2 turnover points, thanks in part to an average of 8.2 steals. 
• Key SSCR stat: The Golden Stags hold opponents to single-digit fast break points (7.8) and second chance points (8). 
• Beda and Baste are number one and number two, respectively, in terms of points scored per game. Conversely, they are number two and number one, respectively, in terms of field goals made per game. 

DLSU GREEN ARCHERS vs. LPU PIRATES

• What's at stake: DLSU needs to win all of its remaining games and cross its fingers, if it wants a semi-finals berth.
• Key DLSU stat: In wins, DLSU shoots better than 60% from the foul line (67% and 68% versus Arellano and National U., respectively)

UP FIGHTING MAROONS vs. MIT CARDINALS

• What's at stake: MIT needs to win in order to make the semi-finals. 
• Key UP stat: UP is last in offensive rebounds per game (10.1), and second to the last in offensive rebounds allowed per game (18.3)
• Key MIT stat: Mapua is fourth worst in turnovers per game (20.6), and third worst in turnovers forced per game (15.7)

 

Burning Questions: DLSU vs NU 5/25/2011

#1 Which team has their rotation down?
Both teams have just completed their summer training programs, and with the UAAP less than two months away, one might think that the two sides' respective coaches now have a better idea of who's going to get minutes and who isn't. While that's not to say that we might not see some experimental line-ups, I just feel that, if you're still playing 13 to 14 players a game at this point in time, in a non-blowout situation, that might speak to some uncertainty within the organization.

#2 Which team can beat the zone?
La Salle has traditionally had difficulties facing zone defenses, while NU has suffered in this tournament against that same scheme. I feel strongly that the team that does more than just swing the ball around the perimeter, looking for a triple, has a better chance of winning this game, and doing well come UAAP time.

#3 Which team can get out in transition more?
You think La Salle basketball and you think scoring opportunities off their press, but there's a well-known basketball chestnut that says, "teams that love to press, hate to be pressed." We saw before the Archers left for Chicago Calvin Abueva streaking from one end of the court to the other, scoring at will against the smaller DLSU guards. Bobby Ray Parks is of a similar body type, but he's bigger, faster, and a better shooter. He could very well be in for a big game.

#4 Which team can control the boards more?
Last UAAP season, NU's Emmanuel Mbe posted a pair of impressive double-doubles, powering the Bulldogs to a season split versus the Archers. We're still uncertain if Mbe will play this game, but he'd be a game changer if he does. On the other hand, DLSU has added three big rookies to their frontcourt in Arnold Van Opstal, Ponso Gotladera, and Norbert Torres. Van Opstal in particular, has been a big boost, pulling down 5.3 in just 12.3 minutes. If both teams go to the zone a lot more, those boards become much more important and could lead to more transition opportunities

#5 Minor questions
Will the Archers suffer from their usual post-Chicago trip malaise? ...Will NU keep riding rookie Cedric Labing-isa or will we see the more experienced Joseph Terso? ...How is the DLSU morale after all the defections? ...Can Simon Atkins snap out of his slump? ...Is NU big man AJ Henson with the squad and is he eligible for this season? ...Can Kyle Neypes contribute anything to this NU team? ...Are the Archers seriously considering bringing back Ferdinand or James Mangahas to be their 16th man? ...Does NU still have a surprise recruit up their sleeve?

FilOil This Week: 050211 to 050811

May 2 (Monday)
9:00am - UST vs UE (Jrs)
10:45am - NU vs Letran (Jrs)

12:30pm - EAC vs FEU (Srs)

2:15pm - NU vs Lyceum (Srs)

4pm - CSB vs JRU (Srs)

May 4 (Wednesday)
9am - SSCR vs EAC (Jrs)
10:45am - RP Youth U16 vs FEU-FERN (Jrs)
12:30pm - Arellano vs Ateneo (Srs)
2:15pm - Letran vs Adamson (Srs)
4pm - SSCR vs NU (Srs)

May 6 (Friday)
10:45am - Ateneo vs Arellano (Jrs)
12:30pm - Letran vs CSB (Srs)
2:15pm - Lyceum vs Arellano (Srs)
4pm - UP vs JRU (Srs)

May 7 (Saturday)
9am - Arellano vs Mapua/Malayan (Jrs)
10:45am -  FEU-FERN  vs De La Salle-Zobel (Jrs)
12:30pm - EAC vs Adamson (Srs)
2:15pm - UE vs FEU (Srs)
4pm - Ateneo vs NU (Srs)

Next, next week - SSCR vs Ateneo, FEU vs JRU

FilOil This Week: 042511 to 050111

April 25 (Monday)
8:30am - RP Youth U13 vs Letran (Jrs)
11:15am - Mapua/Malayan vs FEU-FERN (Jrs)
12pm - Ateneo vs Arellano (Jrs)

1:45pm - UP vs FEU (Srs)

3:30pm - San Beda vs Lyceum (Srs)

5:15pm - Arellano vs De La Salle (Srs)

April 27 (Wednesday)
9am - EAC vs NU (Jrs)
10:45am - JRU vs UE (Jrs)
12:30pm - Adamson vs UE (Srs)
2:15pm - Lyceum vs Ateneo (Srs)
4pm - De La Salle vs SSCR (Srs)

April 29 (Friday)
9am - San Beda vs Adamson (Jrs)
10:45am - UST vs UPHSD (Jrs)
12:30pm - Arellano vs NU (Srs)
2:15pm - Adamson vs UP (Srs)
4pm - FEU vs Mapua (Srs)

April 30 (Saturday)
10am -  Ateneo  vs RP Youth U16 (Jrs)
11:45am - UE vs EAC (Srs)
1:30pm - JRU vs Letran (Srs)
3:15pm - Ateneo vs UST (Srs)

Next, next week - SSCR vs NU, UE vs FEU, Ateneo vs NU

FilOil This Week: 041111 to 041711

April 13 (Wednesday)
9am - RP Youth U13 vs NU (Jrs)
10:45am - Letran vs SSCR (Jrs)

12:30pm - EAC vs Letran (Srs)

2:15pm - San Beda vs Arellano (Srs)

4pm - NU vs UST (Srs)

April 15 (Friday)
9am - Adamson vs JRU (Jrs)
10:45am - UE vs UPHSD (Jrs)
12:30pm - Mapua vs CSB (Srs)
2:15pm - UP vs Letran (Srs)
4pm - UE vs JRU (Srs)

April 16 (Saturday)
10am - San Beda vs UST (Jrs)
11:45am - UST vs SSCR (Srs)
1:30pm - FEU vs Adamson (Srs)
3:15pm - NU vs San Beda (Srs)

Next, next week - DLSU vs SSCR, FEU vs Mapua, ADMU vs UST