CHICAGO - After a robust 4-0 start, the Ateneo Blue Eagles got their wings clipped and have nosedived from the top down to sixth place in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball team standings.
I'll spare you the gory details of how exactly they crash-landed near the bottom, but here's a quick look at the numbers of an October that isn't worth to remember.
A five-game losing streak and 19 days of hell that began with an 83-69 humbling at the hands of perennial finalist and defending champions UP Fighting Maroons.
READ Baldwin reminds Ateneo hero-ball won't save them
The snowball effect continued last Sunday when the tournament-leading NU Bulldogs (7-2 win-loss card) beat Ateneo, 66-50, a defeat that left the Blue Eagles with a 4-5 record.
This five-game slide is the worst under coach Tab Baldwin, who is on the ninth year of a glorious run at Katipunan that has amassed four championships so far.
A SEASON IN PERIL.
But a fifth title, which carries immense redemptive value following last season's 4-10 finish, is now in danger of imploding.
The last time I spoke to coach Tab, he emphasized that instead of outscoring their opponents, stopping them on defense is the key.
Clearly, the Blue Eagles haven't done that, giving up 393 points (78.6 per) in those five defeats including 98 in a triple OT thriller against UST.
Unfortunately, the offense hadn't been great, either. Through nine games, Ateneo has averaged just 72 points while shooting only 34.5 percent (227-of-657) from the field overall and 26.5 percent from 3 at 67-of-252.
"Winning anytime there are serious health issues to key players is extremely difficult," said Baldwin. "But to add to the difficulty, having injuries in the center and point guard positions is the worst-case scenario."
After an explosive debut (26 points, 9 rebs and 3 assts) last September 20 against FEU, Kymani Ladi has struggled with his shooting, 36.2 percent from the field and 26.4 percent from 3, dropping his average to 14.1 points a game with 7.4 rebounds.
Bahay is similarly struggling, no thanks to a bum shoulder that has kept him out for a game. He can't carry Ateneo all by himself, but the Blue Eagles won't go far with his current production of 7.2 points and 4.1 assists per.
While his 3-point shooting is decent at 15-of-44, J-House is built on bricks from 2-point distance, just 5-of-20.
HOLE IN THE MIDDLE.
But the biggest issue is the health of Divine Adili who has missed three games. Although the 6-foot-10 FSA is "close to returning" according to a team source, his absence in the middle has hurt Ateneo on D and rebounding, which is a mere 44.3 per.
In other words, the Blue Eagles need Divine intervention.
"The good news is that with a week off, Jared [Bahay] will be back and Divine is scheduled as a 'probable' for the UE game at this point," said Baldwin.
With five games to go and two teams - UST (5-3) and Adamson (4-4) - eager to jump past for a Final Four spot, the margin for error is small.
Going 5-0 the rest of the way is ideal. Finishing 4-1 would help but 3-2 is playing with fire and 2-3 would be disaster.
Still, Ateneo team manager Epok Quimpo has assembled enough talent and firepower that can repel adversity and recapture its blazing September run
And with Tab coaching, coaxing and cajoling, everything is possible.
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