8/23/2004

Burn Ateneo, burn!

I have a new superstition with ADMU/DLSU games: wear BLUE... and lots of deodorant. Seems that dark-colored shirts and the supposed Araneta Coliseum airconditioner does not mix once it fills up. Now that I mentioned it, man, it must stink in the other side of Araneta... literally and figuratively. Hehehe...

Finally, I could gloat. This was long been anticipated. Tally: 72-61. In favor of the Archers. Self-explanatory.

What they could do, seems that we could do just better. They beat us by three in the opening weekend, we defeated them by 11 this time. They trounced us by a mile in last year's first round encounter, yet we pummeled them by 24 a millennium ago, opening day UAAP 2000 to be exact. I still remember the score: 94-70.

I tell you, the Ateneo Blue Eagles were in timespace warp during the first half. 15 points? And you have a team of explosive scorers at that. And don't give me that we-don't-have-Larry-Fonacier excuse. He's just part of the big scoring machine.

Starters Paolo Bugia, Magnum Membrere, and THE LA TENORIO all went blank in the first 20 minutes of the game. JC Intal was the only decent Eagle that time with seven.

And for some strange reason, after going 4/4 in the first few minutes of the game, Green Archers coach Franz Pumaren decided to bench my_id0l Macmac Cardona. Oh well, he wasn't really needed that much since the Archers stormed to a 29-point spread by halftime.

But then, it wouldn't be an Ateneo-De La Salle game without the flair and drama. They had to turn it into one as the Katipunan-based squad had a serious rally in the third quarter... with the help of the referees of course.

Then again, the Eagles just dug themselves a six-foot hole right in the middle of Loyola cemetery that they couldn't get out of. Sure, they were tense moments in the final minutes of the match, but my_id0l was there to save the day.

So, at the end of the game, Macmac finished with a game-high 24 points on 11/15 shooting with nine rebounds, three assists, and season average five turnovers. Mark Benitez proved he's no ampaw anymore by chipping in ten markers and eight boards. Joseph Yeo was his usual erratic self missing a three-pointer, five two-point attempts, and three freethrows.

Intal was the bright spot for Ateneo with a double-double of 21 points and ten caroms. Tenorio made it up in the second half with 12 points and five assists.

Stat of the day: Ateneo had 28 turnovers compared to the Archer's 17.

Nevertheless, there is still one big chink in De La Salle's armour: freethrows. 15/29 as a team for 52%. Even Shaquille O'Neal could do freethrows better than that.

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