BASKETBALL REFLECTIONS: Improving their games
By Randy Sacdalan, Guest Columnist
26 August 2009 02:06 AM
(Randy Sacdalan is a senior analyst in
the Studio 23's Coverage Panel of the UAAP. His Basketball Reflections
is a weekly column in this site.)
Last Sunday games were crucial for all teams in the UAAP. Adamson, UP, and La Salle were all watching and hoping that both UST and UE would drop their games respectively to enhance their chances for a Final Four berth.
As they happened, the Eagles upended the Tigers, 80-70, while the Warriors mauled the Tamaraws, 87-72. So it was just half what the lower ranked teams wished with UST kept with 5 wins.
I would like to take this opportunity to focus on two important fellows: Kirk Long of the Ateneo and Pari Llagas of UE.
Ateneo suffered long in the game with Rabeh Al-Hussaini committing two fouls in the first period, sitting out the second quarter, and groped for form the whole of the third canto. It was a test of who would step in to fill the big shoes vacated by Al-Hussaini in the game. UST was going berserk with Dylan Ababou, Khasim Mirza, and Allien Maliksi taking advantage of the mismatches put against them.
Ateneo was kept in the game by the hot hands of Kirk Long, who started for the Eagles. In the end, Long took home the meatiest awards including the Best Player after knocking in 21 points anchored on a 5-of-6 shooting from the 3-point area. With under a minute remaining in the game and UST threatening, Kirk launched the dagger to the heart of the Tigers with a booming trey three feet beyond the rainbow mark. That shot became the turning point in the game sealing the victory for the league leading Eagles.
Last year, Long didn’t see much action as focus was made on Ryan Buenafe, the super rookie out of San Sebastian. On his rookie season, Long already showed flashes of his steadiness in bringing down the leather and hitting free throws when they mattered most. I remembered most his game winning shot against UST over the outstretched arms of Jervy Cruz, thus during the coverage of last Sunday’s ballgame, I referred to Long as the heartbreaker of the Tigers. Reprising that role again is an understatement.
With Ryan Buenafe catching the sophomore jinx, it didn’t take long for Long to re-establish himself in season 72. He deserves to be in the starting line up of Norman Black.
Now let’s consider Pari Llagas, the commonly unheralded Vic Sanchez look-alike. Starting the season for the Warriors, Llagas, Elmer Espiritu, and Paul Lee form the triumvirate of UE. In fact, we chose Llagas to be the Best Player in UE’s first won ball game against DLSU showcasing steadiness in the shaded area compiling best numbers in point production and rebounds. And every time UE would win, Llagas would be there. In the second round, when Llagas was suspended for one game after a shoving incident with Reil Cervantes of FEU, UE was totally a different team against the Eagles.
Scanning over Pari’s numbers last year, he averaged below 10 points at 9.6 per game and collared only 5.2 caroms in every game where he played an average of 26.5 minutes. This year, Llagas is playing an average of 30.4 minutes per game, shooting 14.1 points and hauling down 5.3 boards. He certainly blossomed under the tutelage of Coach Chongson’s free-wheeling system.
UE posted a win many thought would not happen last Sunday. Riding on an 8-game winning streak, the odds favor an FEU win over the boys from Recto. But the Warriors proved their critics wrong as they mangled the Tamaraws to an 82-72 rout. Breathing space it was for the Warriors. That win secured them third place and left the scrambling pack behind them.
Llagas paced UE’s scoring with 24 points, getting 6 boards, and dishing out an assist. UE will face DLSU next and that game could probably seal their lock for a Final Four berth should they win and extinguish further the hopes of the Archers.
A little over two weeks remain in the elimination round of the season 72, but two players – Kirk Long and Pari Llagas – are expected to bring their teams to the next level of the competition.
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Jessica Mendoza with Oping Sumalinog & Noy Baclao after Ateneo won the PCCL title
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Ateneo coach Norman Black answers questions from a pack of reporters after Game 2 win in PCCL Finals
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Eagles & Tams got entangled in a close match in Game 1
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Noy Baclao teaches the ropes on up-and-coming Justin Chua during ADMU-SBC PCCL Final Four game
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catch Nico Salva's breakout game in PCCL
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UAAP Srs fell to NCAA Srs in Bantay Bata All Star Game
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