UAAP Power Rankings: Archers extend streak

De La Salle University booked its seventh win in a row this week. But the bigger story is Ateneo being pummelled to submission by a resurgent NU side as teams start to jockey for the Final Four twice to beat advantage. Will University of the East ever catch up?

1		De La Salle University Green Archers (7-2) DLSU nabbed their Lucky 7 even after starting out flat against the helpless Fighting Maroons out of UP. Almond Vosotros banged in his best shooting day and Gang Green goes home happy. It was nice to see Abu Tratter showing up and playing effectively rather than doing rookie mistakes all over the hard wood. This week: vs. FEU, Adamson
Last week: 1
2		National University Bulldogs (7-3) Man. NU is for real. It’s not yet late to jump into the Troy Rosario bandwagon by the way, UAAP fans. The Bulldogs dismantled Ateneo by shooting blisteringly from the field and dominating play inside. Rosario and Alfred Aroga are just beasts that you have to yield to. This week: vs. UE
Last week: 4
3		Far Eastern University Tamaraws (7-2) Despite being under the weather, Mike Tolomia and the FEU Tamaraws played very well against the UST Tigers thanks to Roger Pogoy’s career-high 19 points. Schedule will never get friendly from here on out though. This week: vs. DLSU, UP
Last week: 3
4		Ateneo De Manila Blue Eagles (7-3) Ateneo played mercurial basketball this week. And that horrid performance against NU is not the way to go if the Blue Eagles want to continue flying in the top tier of the UAAP. The Kiefer Ravena game-breaker against University of the East though. Mean. This week: vs. UST
Last week: 2
5		University of the East Red Warriors (5-5) UE cannot win against a Final Four team. Derrick Pumaren throws his kids under the bus. Roi Sumang now publicly whining. What else can go wrong in this hosting season for the school from Recto? It’s like against the big school they want to whine to win. Can’t do that. Suck it up and continue playing! This week: vs. NU
Last week: 5
6		University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (4-5) Welp, Kevin Ferrer is out for the season with a broken hand? How much worse can it get for Aljon Mariano’s “redemption” season? Well, how about laying an egg for starters against FEU. Poor Karim Abdul, the only Tiger intent on winning. And don’t start us with Bong Dela Cruz either. This week: vs. UP, ADMU
Last week: 6
7		University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons (1-8) UP played the game with fervor, as if contending for a Final Four spot, against De La Salle in the first half. Then Abu Tratter happened. The rest is history as they still look forward to that game against Adamson for their second win of the season. This week: vs. UST, FEU
Last week: 7
8		Adamson University Falcons (0-10) Even before the games started, Kenneth Duremdes knew it was a lost season and there was nothing to look forward except build the skills of the recruits individually. We pretty much think the same. This week: vs. DLSU
Last week: 8

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...

Alfred Aroga, NU Bulldogs: 15 points, 7-10 FG, 11 rebounds, 8 blocks, 1 assist versus Ateneo

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

Troy Rosario, NU Bulldogs: 14 points, 6-8 FG, 10 rebounds

***

Player of the Week

Our Player of the Week is judged not only on numbers but overall performance in helping his team win. Quality of opponent is also added for heavy consideration. The Player of the Week goes to...

Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles: 17.0ppg, 5.5rpg, 7.0apg, 2.0spg, 3.5topg, 30.8% FG, 20% 3FG, 100% FT

***

#NgiwingDeAndre Player of the Weak

A revamped weekly award that we give, with all chagrin, to...

Aljon Mariano, University of Santo Tomas: 0ppg, 2rpg, 3topg

Yikes. So much for Aljon Mariano revenge season. He’s been pretty much out of sorts, or should we blame the coach? No? Not going there either. That’s their problem. But wait, there’s more. We have an honorary awardee as well. And it is...

Roi Sumang, University of the East. It’s not about the stats. It’s about the whining. How about you look around and try to figure out what’s wrong with the team before firing out at officiating in a very Filipino manner of not losing, but getting cheated? You are better than that, Roi. To both you and Aljon, we say:

***

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 (Week 5 rank: 1)

This week: 17.0ppg, 5.5rpg, 7.0apg, 2.0spg, 3.5topg, 30.8% FG, 20% 3FG, 100% FT

Season: 21.7ppg, 5.3rpg, 5.6apg, 1.5spg, 2.4topg, 38.2% FG, 29% 3FG, 74.2% FT

Ravena’s shooting percentages have continued its downward spiral. But make no mistake, Star Sports Hub knows every Ateneo faithful would live or die with the ball in Ravena’s hands when it is winning time. By the way, that last trey to close out UE and the Sam Cassel big balls dance after? Kiefer has earned his Mamba nickname well. Mambabastos yung bata. In a good way.

2. Jeron Teng, DLSU Green Archers (Week 5 rank: 2)

This week: 15.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 5.0apg, 1.0bpg, 2.0topg, 36% FG, 50% 3FG, 100%FT

Season: 16.9ppg, 7.0rpg, 4.0apg, 0.4spg, 0.4bpg, 2.8topg, 37% FG, 27.8% 3FG, 75.7% FT

Teng continues his strong play after his supernova against Ateneo. While his shooting may have crashed down to earth (again) opposite UP, his all-around game has been on full display as he has taken the duties of setting the table for the Green Archers.

3. Mac Belo, FEU Tamaraws (Week 5 rank: 3)

This week: 12.0ppg, 8.0rpg, 2.0apg, 56% FG, 33% 3FG, 50%FT

Season: 16.8ppg, 6.2rpg, 2.3apg, 0.3spg, 0.7bpg, 2.9topg, 59.6% FG, 36.8% 3FG, 66.7% FT

Belo’s game is so good he doesn’t need the services of Doctora Vicki to facelift it. He remains the offensive force that the Tams need him to be. Always selective and mindful of his shots, Belo will be a dark horse for the MVP if FEU stays in contention.

Then again, it no longer is down to the media who gets the MVP, no?

4. Chris Tolomia, FEU Tamaraws (Week 4 rank: 3)

This week: 4.0ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.0apg, 29% FG

Season: 15.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.7apg, 0.2spg, 3.6topg, 41.5% FG, 27.1% 3FG, 58.3% FT

The Tolomia Passing Theory finally receives a blemish. In their game against UST, the guard was out of sorts for being under the weather. However, this does not mean that he’s out of the race. He’s still as instrumental as Mac Bello and Achi Inigo are to the Tams’ cause.

5. Troy Rosario, NU Bulldogs (Week 5: Unranked)

This week: 10.0ppg, 8.5rpg, 3.5apg, 4.5topg, 50% FG, 100% FT

Season: 11.3ppg, 8.2rpg, 2.1apg, 0.4spg, 0.7bpg, 3.0topg, 44.0% FG, 16.7% 3FG, 58.3% FT

Rosario came out strong against Ateneo as he regained his footing (and his spot) in the race. What he has done so far in the season has been mighty impressive. Going from practically, zero to hero (why Javillonar got the bulk of his time completely bothers us). However, it is a climb for Rosario unless he beasts it out and averages 15 and 10 to end the season.

Almost made the cut: Chris Newsome, Jason Perkins, Charles Mammie

Dropped out of MVP race: Roi Sumang

Surprise of the week

Roi Sumang gets our surprise of the week. From winner to whiner, why did Sumang go after officiating rather than going analytical on their losses against Final Four teams?

Team of the Week

It’s NU’s turn to grab our Team of the Week as they churned out big wins against Adamson and Ateneo and put them in a good position to vie for the twice-to-beat advantage.

Team of the Weak

Once again, because Adamson nor UP needs further shaming, UST is our Team of the Weak as they just can’t seem to get it right. How is Bong Dela Cruz’s office by the way? Nobody has their torch or pitchfork up yet?

File your comments, complaints, protests, and blind hate to @PioVGarcia.