Interestingly, Converge is the team to watch in the current PBA Commissioner’s Cup even as TNT continues to struggle and appears to face what looks like a “one-man mutiny” in star shooting guard Mikey Williams who has been suspended due to disciplinary lapses.
But the thrilling and exciting story to tell in the local basketball scene remains about how the Fighting Maroons are seizing the moment in the UAAP circuit.
There is just a slim question that hangs in the mind and this is whether the Diliman Scholars can repeat over archrivals Ateneo and DLSU in the second round.
There is also Adamson to overcome and a resurgent FEU which registered its third straight win at the expense of UE in Sunday’s UAAP undercard.
Coch Goldwyn Monteverde’s boys flirted with defeat before subduing a hard fighting but luckless NU five, 75-63 as second round hostilities began Sunday.
Again, after the Bulldogs temporarily took the driver’s seat 63-62 late in the fourth quarter, the ever reliable shooting hands of Carl Tamayo found their range with back to back baskets, giving the Maroons enough breathing space to register its 7th win in nine starts.
Yes, the stigma of UP’s loss to NU in the first round has been erased and Monteverde has been able to take his boys one step higher in the UAAP ladder.
Still, I would hasten to add that, despite achieving positive results in their progressive title-retention campaign, the Fighting Maroons are far from coming to par with Ateneo’s superb three-peat performance some seasons ago.
If Monteverde can effectively transform his platoon the way Tab Baldwin did to the Blue Eagles when Thirdy Ravena, Gian Mamuyac, and the Nieto brothers some time ago were still playing, the competing teams will find it difficult to thwart UP’s increasing winning momentum.
It cannot be denied that, compared to the competition, Monteverde has been able to gather together a balanced team both in defense and offense in Carl Tamayo, Zavier Lucero, Cagulangan, Fortea, Diouf, Galinato, Spencer, Alarcon, Abadiano et al.
Tamayo can be dubbed as the “Fourth Quarter Go To Guy” after bailing his comrades several times from the jaws of defeat.
Let us see how Ateneo combat Adamson in its next assignment so we can rate the Blue Eagles’ performance comparatively against their Katipunan counterparts.
The Green Archers are skidding but their mission is obviously to maintain DLSU’s proud tradition of not losing to their arch rivals Ateneo and UP.
UP is on its way indeed but Monteverde must be wary of an ambush. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com,) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
