Men's Basketball Game 9: UP vs NU (July 15, 2007)

[LeronLeronSinta]

two usual cellar dweller teams in the UAAP. one, a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores that got severely beaten in their opening game. the other one, a team that had narrowly defeated a one-time UAAP powerhouse team that is also on rebuilding mode.

one team is not expected to be a Final Four contender this season due to its youthfulness and inexperience. the other team, a potential Final Four contender and hoping to end their 53-year championship title drought this season.

On Sunday, July 15, 2007, 2:00 PM at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, it's the UP Fighting Maroons against the NU Bulldogs.

[jean_grey]

Ang bilis naman. Dapat patapusin muna yung game ng UP sa Thursday para ma-analyze mabuti. hehe

I watched NU's game yesterday and I have to say, nag-improve ang laro nila at hindi sila pwedeng i-take lightly. Tingin ko malakas ang NU ngayon dahil sa veterans na sina Asoro, Fernandez, etc habang sa UP puro bago.

[voltaire_mad]

Malakas nga ang NU this year. As long as they keep their composure. They may get a crack at the final 4.

NU should watch out for the 3 point shooters of UP. If they do, they may get away with a more than 10 point victory.

[LeronLeronSinta]

well, NU has good players in Asoro and Lingaolingao and a good tactician named Manny Dandan, who happens to be a member of the Lipa coaching family. the problem with the Bulldogs, however, is that it has players who are disappointingly compulsive such as Fernandez (yes, the guy can shoot good threes but he acts before he thinks) and Jahnke.

as for UP, they are disappointingly undersized compared to NU. UP's big men (Magi Sison, Soc Rivera, Andrew Marfori and VJ Serios) would simply have to challenge the likes of Joseph Lingaolingao, who is now trying to copy the style of Ken Bono. UP should also improve its team cohesion if it wants to win against any opposing team this year.

lucky for NU they have the advantage in this match-up because they are not the usual whipping boys this year and that they will be facing rookie-laden UP. however, if the same diseases strike NU at the most crucial of times (last-minute pressure crunch and that shoot before i think syndrome), then UP might just score its first win (or, maybe, second win provided that the Maroons will be able to surmount the challenge to be set-up by the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Thursday) in UAAP Season 70.

[gksl]

The key for UP is to control Asoro and Fernandez. UP Fight!

[LeronLeronSinta]

The key for UP is to control Asoro and Fernandez. UP Fight!

and give NU the same sickness that they have every season. make the Bulldogs burn and make the likes of Jahnke and Fernandez use their time-tested "shoot before i think" philosophy in college basketball. hehehehe!

[mykel_10]

NU pa rin

sana maka-final four ulit sila

[jancarlo]

Hmm. Magaling magrebound ang NU eh tapos they have a taller line-up than UP.

I think NU has an advantage here.

[commoner]

i wanna see a no-defense 3-point shootout between these 2!

[LeronLeronSinta]

after watching this evening's game live, i should say that i am worried for UP. NU definitely has an edge on this one... definitely.

hopefully, Magi Sison and Martin Reyes will be back by Sunday dahil kung hindi, 0-3 ang UP.

[boy_wonder]

Tsk, dehado talaga.. Sana mabawi ng moral support.

[LeronLeronSinta]

UP's impending slide into oblivion should be stopped by winning over NU on Sunday.

yes, NU holds a firm advantage on this game as compared to UP. NU has Edwin Asoro, Jonathan Fernandez, Joseph Lingaolingao and, believe it or not, Jonathan Jahnke- relatively big men who are all-around players. UP has no legitimate center and has no way to respond to the threat being posed by a team like NU. UP's only "asset" are its shooters, which is a clear compensation for the Maroons' lack of height and fighting hearts.

naisip ko lang. dapat pa ba talagang tawagin ang UP team na "Fighting Maroons" when they never really fought against Ateneo and it seems like the same thing will happen when they face NU on Sunday?

[coachdanny]

NU is looking to stay above .500 while UP will try to break into the win column and tie NU with a 1-2 card. But my guess is NU will replicate the Blue Eagles’ paint dominance over UP.

Three keys for NU to win:
1. Pound the paint: NU is bigger than UP and they should know by now that UP can’t challenge team with very capable big men. NU has those capable big men in Asoro and Linga-lingao.

2. Force the action and the tempo. UP has a tendency of getting away from their game plan and try to play with the same tempo as their opponents. Clearly it has not worked in their favor and NU should also take advantage of this.

3. Break UP early. When UP sees a double digit lead their body language changes, they look defeated, and they become disoriented. NU would already win half the battle if they take away UP’s confidence.

Three keys for UP to win:
1. Pick your spots. UP has been hoisting one shot after the other without their teammates knowing. With their lack of size in the paint an offensive rebound will be unlikely. UP should show more patience on their offensive sets.

2. Box out. UP’s big men should watch a lot of tape on how Bong Hawkins rebounds. He’s not the biggest, strongest, or the highest leaper yet he gets all those boards simply because he boxes out.

3. Ball movement and cut to the basket then do it again. UP has speed and athleticism on their side but they have failed to take advantage of it. Constant movement on offense will disrupt even the best defenses leaving cutters and shooters open for clean looks at the basket. What they do is stand around and wait for the ball instead of passing, setting a pick and cutting to the basket.

[berdengobserver]

Sana naman UP na to. If not, something is wrong with UP na.

UP FIGHT!

ANIMO LA SALLE!
WE ARE LA SALLE!

[LeronLeronSinta]

berdengobserver, malaki na ang problema ng UP ngayon kaya sa totoo lang ay parang suntok sa buwan na manalo ang Maroon over any one of their opponents this year.

0-14 for UP in Season 70? not far fetched, itanong niyo pa kay Magi "Manny Pacquiao" Sison at Migs "i am the sixth man of all of UP's opponents in Season 70" De Asis.

[crushed_ice]

bulldogs bite!

[berdengobserver]

^ Keep the Faith Leron, kaya pa yan. UP has a great coach. I feel that he is doing something. 12 games pa yan. Ganto, kung hindi matalo ng UP ang Adamson, NU, UST and FEU, mukhang bawi na lang next year talaga.

UP FIGHT!

ANIMO LA SALLE!
WE ARE LA SALLE!

[tearl]

UP will sweep the 1st round

[plucker_08]

or will be swept

[atenean_blooded]

I'd like to see the Maroons win this one.

UP should protect against NU's frontline of Asoro and Lingao-Lingao. That'll force the NU shooters to try and score, but proper defensive spacing should at least keep them from getting good looks. UP should try to get Asoro into foul trouble early.

I also think UP should not start with Migs De Asis, who is the next Marvin Cruz.