Keys to the game for Ateneo:
FREE THROWS: Ateneo bullied its way to the line vs FEU, making 20/22 foul shots. This is important since they only shot 39% from the field (way below their S72 average of 43.1%) and their FTs made up nearly a third of their scoring output in the previous game. Without an established alpha scorer yet, Ateneo has to continue taking the ball to the rim to get the easy points.
HELP DEFENSE: The game vs. FEU didn't come down to fumbled possessions on offense; it was lost on missed rotations. Frequently on drives, the help defense couldn't come fast enough to contain the penetration, most notably in the 2nd half when FEU was getting easy layups and put-backs. Ateneo's front line has to be quicker on their feet and help out more often.
ERIC SALAMAT: This is the guy who can't shoot 2-for-9 for only 6 points. Maybe the ball-handling duties have taken some mojo from his shooting game. Maybe he has to eat more bananas. Whatever it is, he has to bounce back to avoid a 0-2 start for this season.
Keys to the game for Adamson:
MAKING SHOTS: This might seem like an obvious thing to do in basketball, but it's still a concern if your team is shooting only 33.8% from the field (and this stat doesn't even consider the streaky Cabrera's 1/5 3-point shooting already!) Simple advice, really: Shoot that ball!
BALL PRESSURE: Adamson flustered National University into 30(!) turnovers while committing only 12. Ateneo forced 16 while giving it up only 11 times. However, if you cause 30 TOs, you might want to come away with more than 21 points off turnovers. Look for this number to come down a bit since Ateneo has better transition defense and handles the ball better than NU.
BIG MEN: Adamson has arguably the best frontcourt rotation in the league with Manyara, Colina, Camson, and Galinato. Against Ateneo's relatively inexperienced frontline (with the exception of Nico Salva), they should be able to impose their will in the paint and on the boards on both ends of the floor. I'm not sure if Camson can sustain his efficient 13-point 10-rebound effort, but look for Manyara to keep the defensive intensity while contributing more than his 2 points in his previous outing.
Good insights, but the Eric Salamat problem boils down to the glaring major problem that the Eagles will face the whole year : THEY HAVE NO POINT GUARD
ReplyDeleteSalamat , as you mentioned, seems out of place at the PG position, taking away from his offensive game. Kirk Long can handle the duties, but at the expense of his offense as well. Monfort and Tiongson are the only true point guards on the roster, but their size disadvantages against the other teams might lead to some problems.
ADMU has to find a way to address this issue, as we all know that the frontline is inexperienced. It would not serve the Eagles well to have to worry about both their frontline and point guard situations.
No mention about Ryan Buenafe as a key to the game? The kid seems to be breaking out of his sophomore slump and looks to live up to his rookie hype once again.
@taipan2k6
ReplyDeleteI was going to write about the PG situation as well, but felt it was already a given for this season. Thank you for pointing it out (pun intended) and it's certainly something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
Sorry, my bad for failing to mention Buenafe. He was a big part of Key #1.
Oh come on, having Michael Galinato automatically disqualifies you from "best front court" conversations ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd lord knows "best front court" is FEU
@Adrian D.
ReplyDeleteYeah, he's been the butt of jokes for a long time now, which is why I said "arguably" the best. But yes, I see where you're coming from. :)
Nico Salve did well to establish himself as a legitimate scorer in this league. He showed a willingness to mix up his mid range jumper and his well developed post game.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't go so far as to say Buenafe has broken out of his slump but he is attacking as best he should. He isn't the most athletic of players but his natural instincts are second to only Paul Lee. His weight issues and commitment issues are very well addressed by many.
A lot of the game was also lost on the three point line where the Eagles shot 1-14. No team can afford to shoot that atrociously and still expect to win.
Despite the lack of a true point guard, an issue by which to I am in agreement with, the team is very good at keeping the ball safe, tops in the league last year. The Eagles turned the ball over 11 times the last game but only once was the FEU defense credited with a steal.
Those are my immediate thoughts off the top of my head. Look to add more graphics in future posts. Sorry I couldn't comment on the Adamson side but I tend to stick to what I know best to not step on any toes.
What put Galinato an inch ahead of the frontcourt against AdMU was his "experience." Or was there any? Anyway, the Eagles better look out for rare hot shooting instances that might break their defense and force them to stretch the zone.
ReplyDelete