UAAP Power Rankings: Tams ram way to the top

FEU finally emerges on top of Star Sports Hub’s UAAP Power Rankings thanks to their strong showing against DLSU and timely hits from point guard Achie Inigo against UP. This all while playing without their coach who has joined the Gilas team’s coaching staff in Spain, imagine that. Tamaraws charging through people!

1		Far Eastern University Tamaraws (8-2) Mike Tolomia is an official Archer Killer. In two games against the champs, the forgotten guard behind Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia raised his game in the clutch reminiscent of how Garcia can just turn it on when he wants to. Romeo? That Bro played hero ball without a goal. Mike? In control, smooth, turnover prone, but he gets the job done. Then there’s Achie Inigo, who has been playing the best ball of any point guard out there, sans whiners. They’ve been playing beautiful basketball and it’s just fun to watch. This week: vs. Adamson, UE
Last week: 3
2		Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles (8-3) Ateneo got back to its winning ways as they waylaid UST in the payoff period to pull off a good win. Arvin Tolentino went back to the starting lineup and had UST’s defense eyeing wherever he positioned himself. While his numbers are dwindling down as the season wears on, he nonetheless commands defensive attention and that’s being given to him. Do we need to say anything else about Kiefer Ravena? When he’s in #CloserMode, nothing else is as scary in collegiate basketball. This week: vs. UP, Adamson
Last week: 4
3		De La Salle University Green Archers (8-3) 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. UST
Last week: 1
4		National University Bulldogs (7-4) Tough luck for NU. It seems they exhausted all their offense in that game against Ateneo. Against the Red Warriors, they started out fine before sputtering in the second quarter. They mounted a late rally but Glen Khobuntin’s boneheaded decisions just made it impossible to snatch a victory. This week: vs. UP
Last week: 3
5		University of the East Red Warriors (6-5) Finally, UE won against a Final Four team. Finally, Charles Mammie got all the shots he should’ve gotten in games past. It just seems fishy that Roi Sumang, erstwhile “star” and chief Whiner, was benched due to disciplinary action. This week: vs. FEU
Last week: 5
6		University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (5-6) How do we do this? The only person Karim Abdul hasn’t called out there is himself? He doesn’t have to. He’s been consistent for the Tigers amid the inconsistencies from people not named Louie Vigil. We can guess that this season is a lost cause already. Obviously, Jeric Teng held the Tigers so close during his final run and it is telling. This week: vs. DLSU
Last week: 6
7		University of the Philippine Fighting Maroons (1-10) UP almost had it against UST. Man, such heartbreakers you are Fighting Maroons. We were all in with you guys here at the Star Sports Hub. But you guys blew yourselves out. It’s also high time the guards start feeding JR Gallarza. He can play. This week: vs. ADMU, NU
Last week: 7
8		Adamson University Falcons (0-10) Do we even have to? Right from the beginning, we knew it was going nowhere. Poor Jansen Rios and Don Trollano. If it’s any consolation, Vince Hizon can coach. This week: vs. FEU, ADMU
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...

Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles: 23 points, 10-22 FG, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals versus UST

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

Jeron Teng, DLSU Green Archers: 28 points, 11-22 FG, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks

Mike Tolomia, FEU Tamaraws: 22 points, 8-18 FG, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

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Player of the Week

Our Player of the Week is judged not only on a player's numbers but also on his 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: 23.0ppg, 13.0rpg, 6.0apg, 3.0spg, 4.0topg, 45% FG, 20% 3FG, 100% FT

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#NgiwingDeAndre Player of the Weak

A revamped weekly award that we give, with all chagrin, to a pair of Red Warriors...

Moustapha Arafat, UE Red Warriors

It makes you wonder what the Pumarens saw in Arafat. He can’t shoot, he doesn’t rebound well, he doesn’t pass, he just jumps very high but cannot even box out properly. And he took a chunk of Charles Mammie’s playing time leading to a downturn in production. Bonehead basketball all the way. But wait, there’s more. We have an honorary awarde as well. And it is...

Roi Sumang, UE Red Warriors

Practice? We talkin’ ‘bout practiceeeee?! Sumang pulling off an Iverson early in his career is cringe-worthy. Wala ka pang napapatunayan, boy. To you and Arafat, DeAndre says:

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Player of the Month

Star Sports Hub will be having its second Player of the Month award that was won by Kiefer Ravena last July. Tough choices abound especially with the resurgence of Jeron Teng despite continuing to settle for jumpshots rather than driving hard to the hoop. There’s also Mike Tolomia who has been carrying the fight for the FEU Tamaraws as teams key in on Mac Belo. And then we have Charles Mammie. There’s no denying that Mammie has been the most instrumental Red Warrior out there. All he wants is some playing time and has shown that he’s not whining that much with regards to calls. Then again, quality of opponents and wins account for this award. For the best all-around performance worthy of being named Player of the month, we have...

Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles

For the month of August, the Phenom put up 19.8ppg, 7.2rpg, 6.2apg while turning the ball over around 3 times. The rebounding numbers are astounding given that Ravena is listed at a generous 6’0”-1.” Then again, it’s no use to doubt the kid since he pretty much proves them wrong with a Sam Cassell big-balls dance (just ask UE).

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Rookie of the Month

At the start of the year, everyone thought it was a given that five-star recruit Arvin Tolentino would run away with the Rookie of the Year award. Apparently, everybody’s wrong. Prince Rivero found himself in the regular rotation of the De La Salle Green Archers and has proven that he needs to be there game in and game out. So, without further ado, Star Sports Hub’s Rookie of the Month...

Prince Rivero, DLSU Green Archers

Rivero has a motor that you want to place in someone like Arvin Tolentino. Not that the Fresh Prince of Taft doesn’t have the talent. The kid is a walking double-double. Just give him the time and you’ll just marvel at this ability to grab rebounds and scuffle for loose balls as if his life depended on it. Rivero did a marvelous job putting up 4.8ppg, 4.7rpg, 0.8apg for the month of August.

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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.

1. Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles (Week 6 rank: 1)

This week: 23.0ppg, 13rpg, 6.0apg, 3.0spg, 4.0topg, 45% FG, 20% 3FG, 100% FT

Season: 21.8ppg, 6.0rpg, 5.6apg, 1.6spg, 2.8topg, 36.7% FG, 28.8% 3FG, 74.7% FT

Ravena saw Jeron Teng creeping up with his statistical points dropping nuclear performance after nuclear performance. How did the King Eagle answer? A smooth 23-13-6-3-steal night against UST.

2. Jeron Teng, DLSU Green Archers (Week 6 rank: 2)

This week: 21.5ppg, 8.0rpg, 5.0apg, 1.0bpg, 2.0topg, 40.5% FG, 33% 3FG, 71.4%FT

Season: 17.7ppg, 7.2rpg, 4.2apg, 0.5spg, 0.5bpg, 2.7topg, 37.3% FG, 29.6% 3FG, 75.0% FT

RoboSon has been beasting it out lately, trying to catch to Kiefer Ravena no doubt. What’s surprising this season is Teng has been the facilitator and scorer for the Green Archers. His game has expanded in such a short amount of time (starting from the Thomas Torres injury) that you can just shake your head.

3. Chris Tolomia, FEU Tamaraws (Week 6 rank: 4)

This week: 20.5ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.0apg, 2.5topg, 46% FG, 0% 3FG, 88% FT

Season: 16.1ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.4apg, 0.2spg, 3.4topg, 42.2% FG, 23.2% 3FG, 64.2% FT

Tolomia has passed less than four dimes this week but still FEU won thanks to the sudden barging into the party by point guard Achie Inigo. Tolomia has been waxing hot the past games and he has one of the highest shooting percentages for those playing within the guard positions. And, he’s an Archer Killer. Need we say more?

4. Mac Belo, FEU Tamaraws (Week 6 rank: 3)

This week: 12.0ppg, 7.5rpg, 2.5apg, 43.4% FG, 0% 3FG, 62.5%FT

Season: 16.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 2.4apg, 0.4spg, 0.7bpg, 3.1topg, 56.6% FG, 33.3% 3FG, 66.0% FT

Mac Belo has been on a downslide lately. Teams have been keying on him now and they have brought his shooting down to a somewhat-earthly 56.6%. Belo has to pick it up soon if FEU is to stay at the top until the end of the season.

5. Troy Rosario, NU Bulldogs (Week 6: 5)

This week: 12.0ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.0apg, 5.0topg, 38% FG, 40% FT

Season: 11.4ppg, 8.3rpg, 2.1apg, 0.4spg, 0.6bpg, 2.7topg, 43.0% FG, 15.0% 3FG, 55.2% FT

Troy came out flat against UE and could not carry the NU Bulldogs to the finish line this time around. What’s puzzling us here in Star Sports Hub is that the 6’7” power forward has decided that he should be content shooting jumpers and not using his speed advantage over other fours at getting to the rack. Needs a little bit more work there but nonetheless, Rosario will keep his spot thanks to better season averages to Charles Mammie

Almost made the cut: Chris Newsome, Charles Mammie

Dropped out of MVP race: n/a

Surprise of the week

UE FINALLY BEAT A FINAL FOUR CONTENDER! ALL THE UE PROTESTERS ARE CONVERTING TO #SaksiNiMammie!!! And there’s Derrick Pumaren saying it’s a different Mammie. We wonder why. Oh wait, you were limiting his playing time. So dumb of us.

Team of the Week

FEU is Star Sports Hub’s Team of the week after that impressive win over DLSU and gutsy close out against UP.

Team of the Weak

Hey, who does Karim Abdul call out next? Himself? Shame on UST. Shame. On. UST.

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

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Editor's note: Pio Garcia is a blogger for Unblogged Sports. His views are purely his own.