NCAA Playbook: Analyzing Friday’s matches – CSB-SSCR & UPHSD-EAC

Here’s the breakdown on how the two matches on NCAA Friday unfolded.

College of Saint Benilde vs. San Sebastian College-Recoletos

The Stags won their third match in four outings, 74-72, while CSB crumpled for the second consecutive endgame (they lost to JRU 63-62 a week earlier).

After 20 minutes of play, San Sebastian led by one bucket, 40-38. The key stat for Coach Topex Robinson’s side for the second half was this – 34 points in the second half with 12 coming off free throws and 22 off layups, putbacks and in the lane floaters and runners. None of their long toms of medium range jumpers found the target.

On defense they ran a shifting man-zone that made it difficult to drive or get open looks at the basket.

Just when it seemed that the Stags were going to blow out the Blazers, they relaxed defensively and allowed CSB to not only find their shooters at the corners but to also attack the basket.

Benilde would have sent the game into overtime but they couldn’t get off a proper shot – they were going for the win and not the equalizer.

Robinson later admitted that they didn’t want to get beat by the outside shot and would have rather let the match go into overtime.

A couple of thoughts here:

Benilde’s transition defense was atrocious. They were slow to get down. The least they could do is jam the outlet pass and force Baste to walk it up.

I love SSCR’s 1-2-2 full-court press then on halfcourt, a 1-3-1. Benilde tried to take advantage by lofting the ball over to Paolo Taha inside but Bradwyn Guinto rejected him twice while Eulo Aquino also swatted another shot away.

In the endgame, with Paolo Taha inbound at the half court line (with a chance to tie the score), the Stags threw two players up high confusing Taha. Two seconds away from a five-second inbound violation, just right before he threw a crosscourt pass, CJ Perez pretended to anticipate the ball so when Taha threw it he put a little more mustard on it that teammate RJ Argamino was called for a backing violation. That was Perez at his finest – impacting the game while not scoring.

Despite that horrific turnover that ultimately led to the loss, Benilde did much better moving the ball around instead of having two players hold the ball for long stretches. The result was 18-13 in assists.

Roberto Bartolo and JR Ongteco played better as opposed to their season debut. But they really had a tough time against Fil-Aussie Guinto.

There was a near mistake by Robinson though, who pulled out CJ Perez with under two minutes to play. The Stags bungled two offensives and when Robinson tried to bring him back, the ball was still in play and time down to under a minute. But they got rescued and survived a gritty rally by the Blazers.

University of Perpetual Help vs. Emilio Aguinaldo College

Perpetual Help’s point guard Earl Thompson was magnificent in this game. He tallied a triple double of 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in leading the Altas to a 73-65 victory to go to 3-0 while EAC dropped to 1-2. After battling niggling injuries last year, he’s healthy. In the pre-season, he was amazing along with Juneric Baloria, Harold Arboleda, and Justine Alano.

The early blitz wasn’t there for the Altas so they fashioned out a grind it out, put up a 21-point lead, lose it, stave off a EAC rally then pull it out of the end game.

I was surprised that EAC did not go to their one advantage – and that’s to the post with Cedric Happi Noube. They should have pounded it inside. What the Altas coaching staff did – in order to preserve Alano’s fouls – they sent in Kevin Oliveria and Nestor Bantayan – who despite looking woefully overmatched did a creditable job. Happi Noube missed his first two shots against Bantayan who huffed and puffed and screamed for help (the EAC center got doubled eventually).

Alano picked up four fouls while Bantayan and Oliveria were whistled for two. But they should have really gone inside (just like CSB should have done early in their game against SSCR) instead of jacking up 19 times from the three-point arc.

I cannot understand EAC if they know what they are doing. Twice in the game they had players running into each other during their sets and each time it was for a turnover.

The Generals have some good players in Jan Jamon, Happi Noube and Jack Arquero. Ariel Aguilar can be even more effective if he plays a little more under control. John Tayongtong… like this kid. Tough and fearless. But his confidence isn’t there and that affects his decision and shot-making. Sidney Onwubere is another. Waxes hot and cold.

It is just so disappointing that this has pretty much been their team for the last few seasons but they don’t seem to get any better. Nor do they even add crucial pieces to their puzzle.

Perpetual Help on the other hand has loads of confidence (despite having a woeful bench). For this team to go deep in the NCAA season, their Fab Four needs to stay on the floor and for other players like Gab Daganon, Ric Gallardo (who had another monstrous game saving block), and Joel Jolangcob to help out.

Just to add to the staying on the floor bit. At one point during the fourth, Jong Baloria got into some physical stuff with Aguilar and that messed him up. Instead of playing better he tried to get even or even show up his EAC guard. Instead, the coaching staff pulled him out of the last four minutes as his teammates won without him.

Playing under control is the key. Thompson provided it and so did Arboleda with his timely threes and Gallardo’s post presence.