Sports

UAAP Season 77 Power Rankings: Week 1

Pio Garcia, Unblogged Sports - The Philippine Star

July 21, 2014 | 12:01pm

The UAAP wars have started and we’re not going to be lagging in our weekly rankings and numbers watch in what is shaping up to be an exciting season. Given, Adamson and UP may be the league’s kicking boys, but the Falcons have some fight in them while the Maroons make things interesting in the first canto before reverting back to habits. But what about the rest? It’s a dogfight out there with no one pulling their punches. Let’s take a crack at Philstar.com’s UAAP Power Rankings for Week 1.

1		Ateneo De Manila Blue Eagles (2-0) The Blue Eagles crushed the Adamson Falcons in convincing fashion in their opening assignment and then thumped rival De La Salle good in a statement game. Kiefer Ravena is back to taking names on the court and checking them off his list. Von Pessumal has regained his touch and the Eagles are just damn scary right now playing with a lot to prove. This week: vs. UP, NU
Last week: 0
2		National University Bulldogs (2-0) NU did beat a loaded UST side and that gives them the upperhand over University of the East in this week’s Power Rankings. Their next assignment had some scares against UP as they needed a quarter and a half to get it going. Troy Rosario has been tremendous and is delivering on his “player to watch” tag across every analysts’ thoughts on the Bulldogs. While Alolino has been doing more of the offense, Rosario is greatly responsible for some of the guard’s clean looks as he now commands defensive attention. This week: vs. DLSU, ADMU
Last week: 0
3		University of the East Red Warriors (2-0) UE was shaky in their first half against Adamson before exploding in the third to put the birds away. However, they haven’t faced anyone with the talent level as same as theirs so we can’t say that this was getting good wins. They’re supposed to run UP and Adamson to the ground. This week: vs. DLSU
Last week: 0
4		Far Eastern University Tamaraws (1-1) FEU gets the nod ahead of the UST Growling Tigers since they just lost to them by two points and beat DLSU in their first assignment. They clearly have moved past the Terrence-RR era quickly, establishing Mac Belo and Mike Tolomia as their dynamic duo. This week: vs. UP
Last week: 0
5		University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (1-1) They beat the Tams closely, 69-67, but lost big time against the NU Bulldogs 59-40. Aljon Mariano cannot seem to get it going, shooting around 30 percent to start off the season after a Finals series where he imploded. It is tough being Aljon Mariano right now with everybody’s eyes in the campus at your back. This week: vs. Adamson
Last week: 0
6		De La Salle University Green Archers (0-2) It’s too early to call it quits. Remember, La Salle was middling in the first round in Season 76 before going on a late-season run reminiscent of the Franz Pumaren era on the way to the title. There are glaring holes (SHOOTING!), and then there are good points where they fail to capitalize (pick n’ roll advantage). And now they just lost their best passer in a season-ending injury. Things could get much worse, no? This week: vs. NU, UE
Last week: 0
7		Adamson University Falcons (0-2) Adamson won’t be getting wins anytime soon (can we put a question mark on the UP games?). But they are surely giving everyone a fight (as opposed to UP). They just are being outclassed, outmatched and outplayed on the floor. But the boys are giving it all they have, especially rookie Ivan Villanueva and veterans Don Trollano and Jansen Rios. This week: vs. UST
Last week: 0
8		University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons (0-2) This team just fails to maintain their good habits in the first quarter. When the back-up point guard enters the game, it just goes downhill. Remember when Mikee Reyes left the team? He’s been shooting the Maroons in the foot and bad habits just abound after the first ten minutes. Next thing you know, there’s just no fight in the #UPFight hashtag. This week: vs. ADMU, FEU
Last week: 0

Line of the Week

We’ll be handing out this award to players who garnered the most eye-popping stats for the week. Drumroll please as we hand it to...

Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles: 29 points, 10-19 FG, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals versus DLSU and 22 points, 9-18 FG, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block versus AdU

And surely, we have consolation prizes! And they are...

Jason Perkins, DLSU Green Archers: 25 points, 10-15 FG, 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Troy Rosario, NU Bulldogs: 17 points, 8-14 FG, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Alfred Aroga, NU Bulldogs: 16 points, 7-12 FG, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks

MVP Watch

It won’t be as good if we don’t have an MVP watch as well seeing as we have many great players doing a lot for their teams! So, did your team’s top gun make it this week? Let’s see who we got this week.

1. Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles

25.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 3apg, 2.5spg 0.5bpg, 2.5topg, 51.3% FG, 60% 3FG, 78% FT

Ravena poured in 23 during the second half against DLSU and rammed two dunks against Adamson in a powerful opening week for the King Eagle. It’s a statement that the old Kiefer is back.

2. Jason Perkins, DLSU Green Archers

18ppg, 10.5rpg, 2.5apg, 0.5spg, 1.5topg, 54% FG, 25% 3FG, 100% FT

Perkins just manhandled the Ateneo frontline for big numbers yet couldn’t get it going against a thinner and undeniably weaker FEU frontline. What gives, Perk?

3. Gelo Alolino, NU Bulldogs

15.5 ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.5apg, 2.5spg, 3.0topg, 58.3% FG, 50% 3FG, 50% FT

Alolino is shooting the ball pretty well lately. But he’s turning it over more than giving nice passes leading to assists. And, he doesn’t get to the line much.

4. Troy Rosario, NU Bulldogs

13ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.0apg, 1.0bpg, 2.0topg, 48% FG, 33% 3FG, 25% FT

Rosario is just too good these days. He’s making full use of his height and speed advantage over opposing bigs. If he can just stay away from the three-point line, expect his FG numbers to rocket. But man, he’s just a handful. That 15-17ft baseline jumper is just deadly with that beautiful form.

5. Von Pessumal, ADMU Blue Eagles

14.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5topg, 41% FG, 33% 3FG, 100% FT

Jeron Teng would’ve been in this list had he not been shooting horrendously (10-35 FG in TWO games). And then Von Pessumal just exploded off the bench for the Blue Eagles when they stared down an early nine-point deficit. If Pessumal’s re-discovery of his form continues, he might just win an award by season’s end.