THE opening weekend of the UAAP Season 87 is now done and dusted with all eight teams getting to show off what they can bring to the table in what’s expected to be a wild season.
Varsity hoops fans were treated to an instant classic between defending champion La Salle and National University last Sunday, while one of the preseason favorites in University of the Philippines also lived up to its lofty billing.
There are plenty of things to discuss early on in the UAAP, so without further ado, here are some of our takeaways following a busy weekend for the premier collegiate basketball league in the country.
La Salle, UP are still the favorites… but the gap isn’t as big as fans expected
Up until a certain guy named Kevin Quiambao (more on him later) started to take over for defending champions La Salle Green Archers, they were certainly on the ropes against a determined National University Bulldogs side which led for majority of the fourth only to be stifled in the end.
The UP Fighting Maroons didn’t need a player to carry them in the endgame to beat the Ateneo Blue Eagles, but for a squad who had little to no expectations around them heading into the season, the boys of coach Tab Baldwin went toe to toe with their highly-touted Katipunan neighbors before their inexperience showed in the second half.
With that said, those two games might be a small sample size, but it goes to show that while they’re still the favorites to meet by the second week of December, they’d have to be at their best night in and night out to be there given how good the rest of the pack is.
Kevin Quiambao is just getting better and better
We all knew heading into the season that Kevin Quiambao is hands down the best basketball player in all of college hoops right now.
But man, how good was he at the end of that La Salle-NU game?
“KQ” finished with his usual 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists but it’s how he basically took over in the end which made this performance all the more impressive.
Down by three with less than three minutes remaining, Quiambao danced with PJ Palacielo then hit a three pointer to tie the game at 71. A few possessions later with the Bulldogs still up by one, Quiambao saw Tebol Garcia overcommitting on the close out, and attacked him for the and-one to give the Green Archers their first taste of the lead in the fourth.
And with the game tied at 75 in the dying seconds of the match, Quiambao landed the killer blow by hitting another three-pointer off a ball screen, showcasing his new found comfort in draining threes off the dribble – and proving that when it’s winning time, coach Topex Robinson and the rest of the Green Archers can lean on him to deliver.
He was already the best player in college last season. But that first game was a reminder that he’s only getting better and better.
Jared Bahay will soon be the man for ‘House Eagle’
Jared Bahay, the highly touted Cebuano who caught the eyes of college scouts all over the Philippines for his amazing play with SHS - Ateneo de Cebu, was already being labelled as ‘overrated’ in tirades from fans way before the season started.
Be it from fans who felt slighted after his transfer from UP to Ateneo, or his not-so-tantalizing games in the preseason, talks about Bahay being “all-hype” were rampant, and fans were ready to pounce on the 19-year-old kid’s first game in the big league.
He didn’t shoot particularly well (he shot 3-11) from the field, but there’s just something about him being on the court that makes the Blue Eagles so much better.
Bahay led Ateneo with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists, against just a single turnover, and more importantly he was net positive each time he’s on the court – getting a +1 on the +/- column in a 16 point loss.
He looked comfortable calling the plays for the Blue Eagles, repeatedly making the correct plays while going toe to toe with veteran guards like JD Cagulangan, Gerry Abadiano and Janjan Felicilda.
Bahay is going to have bad games, like every rookie does, for sure. But don’t let it fool you, the hype surrounding this kid is warranted.
Fun days are back in Espana
Over the past few years, the passionate fanbase of University of Santo Tomas had very little to be excited about.
Not this time though.
Like the past few seasons back, Nic Cabanero once again starred in their 70-55 win over the UE Red Warriors. But unlike it, he has plenty of help. Brand-new FSA Mo Tounkara showed that he can man the middle for the Growling Tigers, while Christian Manaytay and Mark Llemit also showed great improvement this season.
The most exciting part about it? Their new recruits in Forthsky Padrigao, Kyle Paranada and one-and-done Chase Lane haven’t had big games yet. Based on how Padrigao and Paranda played two years ago, and the promise of Lane’s game, oh those big games will come in the future.
NU is a finisher away from being legit contenders
The Bulldogs have always been there. They’ve always pushed the league’s top teams in the past, only to fall short in the end. And looking at their first game against the Green Archers, it was pretty much a microcosm of their past two seasons.
While the Green Archers had Kevin Quiambao to lean on when the going gets tough, the Bulldogs faltered in the end as they couldn’t seem to find the basket late.
In the final five minutes of the game they were poised to win, the Bulldogs only had two field goals leaving the door open for Quiambao to be the hero and steal the win from coach Jeff Napa and his boys.
The good news for the Bulldogs faithful is Napa has plenty of players in his disposal to take the reins down the stretch. From the do-it-all Jake Figueroa, to speedy guards in Steve Nash Enriquez and Reinhard Jumamoy, those guys can easily be the take-charge guys for them.
Now it’s all about who's gonna step and embrace that role.
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