Ryan Buenafe: Love Me, Hate Me

He's back... And ever dominant!

In basketball, there is always going to be that one player who constantly defies the odds. He may be as fat as a pig but still manages to soar in the air like an eagle. He may be a player with an ugly looking shot but still makes every one of them no matter what you do. He may be a player who doesn’t practice but still annihilates the opposition come game time.

In the UAAP, that player is Ateneo’s Ryan Buenafe. The player who has been constantly criticized for his lack of physical conditioning, academic competency, and at times his values but this guy can really play ball. He stands around 6’2 and weighs God knows what. But he every time he steps in the court, he turns every game into his masterpiece.

Buenafe’s game is very counterintuitive. He doesn’t stand out with athleticism reserved for the blessed. He uses his wits to get by, over, and around you. (If you don’t believe me, watch his games on Youtube.)

When Ryan Buenafe dribbles down the court, you look at him like a predator trying to catch his prey. Your eyes widen upon this sight thinking you would be able to steal the ball or stop him at the very least. Well, your wrong. That’s a common misconception about Buenafe because he has the dribbling talent and the vision of a point guard. Oftentimes, he is Ateneo’s best creator as he masterfully sets-up his teammates such as Greg Slaughter, Nico Salva, and Kiefer Ravena.

If you guard his passing ability, Buenafe has the handles and strength to get by you in any way he wants to. He has this excellent feel for the game wherein he knows exactly what move to use to get by you. Some of his favorites are his counterintuitive head and shoulder fake, his ever deceiving up and under and his favorite and most well known move, the hang time lay-up. 

Buenafe may not have the highest hops but makes up for it with his craftiness in the air. He contorts his body gracefully in ways only seen through ballerinas. He effectively hides the ball while at the same time gets himself in the best possible position to finish at the rim. His hang time can only be compared to Joseph Yeo as they both similarly defy the laws of gravity and seem to sit and hang in the air with such ease.

Ryan plays the game with so much ease. He always seems very relaxed and composed. He is never rattled and that gives him an advantage. He gets to see the floor more and able to assess the situation and how to deal with it.

The former Rookie of the Year is even deadlier come the big stage. He seems to take this game to whole new level. He activates his clutch gene and becomes Jordan-like unleashing every bit of His Airness. In UAAP Season 73, he did so. In Game 2 of the Finals, he mercilessly annihilated the defense of JR Cawaling. Down the wire, with the championship hanging in the balance, he calmly nailed a 30-footer to seal Ateneo’s championship run winning the Finals MVP in the process.

In the last Ateneo-La Salle game, he mercilessly dropped 24 points (3/9 3pt FG, 8/16 FG, 5/6 FT), 8 rebounds, and setting up his teammates for multiple good looks while at the same time defending the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year. That says something. He has the talent and the skills to do so. It’s just going to be about damn time until he finally becomes the player we think he can be!

We hate Buenafe because of his inconsistency. We despise him because he can do things we only dream of doing. Adding insult to injury, he does these things well even if his body is as it is. It isn’t fair but that’s what makes Ryan Buenafe that kind of player, you hate seeing someone succeed despite his physical ‘limitations’ because you as an ‘able’ body person cannot do the things he is doing.

Only time will tell how far this kid will go. The sky is the limit for Ryan Buenafe and everytime he steps into the court, he still constantly defies the odds. Yes, anyone can play the game of basketball and play at its highest level and in its purest sense.

Ryan Buenafe vs Tengsanity

It’s either you love him or hate him.

 

Jeron Teng Takes His Talents to La Salle

Arguably the #1 high school player in the country today, Jeron Teng announced today that he will be suiting up for the De La Salle Green Archers for the upcoming UAAP season.  

The brother of the reigning back-to-back Tiong Lian Most Valuable Player, former UAAP Rookie of the Year and UST Growling Tiger, Jeric Teng broke the news regarding the recruitment status of his younger brother on his twitter account.  

"@jeronteng will play for DLSU", Jeric tweeted on his twitter account @jericteng16. 

This served as confirmation to the tweets of Snow Badua late last night that Jeron's father, former PBA player Alvin Teng, confirmed that his son will take his talents over at Taft avenue. 

Jeron also tweeted today about his decision to play for the Green Archers next season. 

"yup. DLSU :)", the RP Youth mainstay tweeted on his account @jeronteng. 

This ends the recruiting drama of the most sought out player in the country who is famously known for his record breaking 104-point performance in a single high school game which he accomplished on January 5, 2011 against Grace Christian College. 

This could not have come at a better time for Teng as he will lead the Xavier Golden Stallions to a unprecedented fifth consecutive Tiong Lian championship in the Juniors Division. The Golden Stallions open their title defense against Chang Kai Shek College on Saturday, January 14, at 1:30 PM followed by a preview of a potential championship match-up against Hope Christian High School on Tuesday, January 17, at 7:00 PM.  

Jeron's game is something worth admiring. The 6'1 small forward bulldozes his way to the basket and scores on a variety of lay-ups and running jumpers. Inside the paint, he is literally unguardable; able to finish strong with either hand on either side on any given situation. He also has the uncanny ability to initiate and take contact and still score even earning three point play opportunities. If he is not able to make the shot, he draws a foul and troops to the free throw line multiple times making majority of them in the process. Another great part of 'LeBron' Teng's game, often compared to LeBron James for his versatility and sheer upper and lower body strength, is that he is a great rebounder averaging a league-leading 14.3 rebounds per game in the previous Tiong Lian season. Equip that with the body of a great defender plus an improved outside shot and you have yourself the best high school player in the country today. 

As early as now, people have been already tweeting and buzzing about the anticipated match-up, or even rivalry, between Kiefer Ravena of Ateneo and Teng. Both players have shrugged off the so-called rivalry and told their twitter followers that individual match-ups should not overshadow the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry. 

Jeron Teng will be playing under new management for La Salle. They fired head coach Dindo Pumaren last season ending the Pumaren brothers stay in La Salle whom they led to multiple championships. Coach Gee Abanilla will be instilling a brand new system for his players even rumored to have all his players try-out again with the exception of De La Salle Zobel graduates Luigi De La Paz and Arnold Van Opstal. 

We will see Jeron Teng rule the UAAP for many years to come. Rookie of the Year, in my opinion. 

UAAP Season 74

Great things always have their conclusions and that's what happened today as the UAAP Seniors Basketball season officially closed with the Game 2 victory of the Ateneo Blue Eagles over the FEU Tamaraws. Sad as it may seem, we must reflect on the great season that has been. 

Ateneo's Dominance... AGAIN 

The Blue Eagles again proved that they are the best team in College basketball as they trashed every University they faced from Morayta to Katipunan to Espana. The Blue Eagles are a loaded team with talented players from rookies to their reliable veterans but what makes them a much tougher team next year is that their core players are coming back to Loyola Heights for one more shot. As many of you might be forgetting, Ryan Buenafe will be playing next year (hopefully) and that's a positive sign. Ryan only makes their team stronger and deeper especially if Slaughter does play again next year. 

Young Blood 

This season's rookies are arguably the best batch in UAAP history. Led by the first so-called "Rookie-MVP" Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. and this year's Rookie of the Year in Kiefer Ravena, these players bring in added talent and intensity to the game. Most of these talented rookies came from the RP U-16 and U-18 National Teams of Coach Eric Altamirano. This goes to show that the future looks bright for Philippine basketball and of course our beloved UAAP. 

Competitive Games 

Gone were the days wherein teams occasionally get blown out by 30 or 40 points at the collegiate level. Yes, blowouts still happen but not anymore those types of games wherein you know that they have no chance of winning. This season's UAAP had very intense down to the wire games and as basketball fanatics, we love that. We love intense games wherein one minor mistake makes a big difference and sways the outcome of the game because its breathtaking and heart stopping. We love it when a team shows great passion and heart to do anything humanly possible to get that victory that cannot be found in our pro league (just sayin'). 

No more wasted time... (LOL!) 

Now that the UAAP is gone, we have less time to waste staying in front of the TV because we have to see Ray Ray Parks, Kiefer Ravena, Jeric Teng, or Greg Slaughter dominate the opposition? Most certainly, they complete our Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons but don't we have better things to do? Basketball for most of us is a medium for entertainment and it is through the UAAP that our passion for the game is exemplified. I'm most definitely going to miss those afternoons where I disregard my homeworks because I get to see these players masterfully play the game of basketball. Now, I'm forced to use the extra time to hit the books; not a good feeling. LOL! 

With the season officially over, we look ahead to next year's season. National University is going to be next year's host and the state of the art Mall of Asia Arena is going to open next season bringing the games to a whole new level. Very little college superstars are leaving making next season just as competitive as this. Undoubtedly, the UAAP will continue to be parts of our lives, even if it only lasts for less than 4 months a year. 

UAAP S74 Finals Analysis

            All the battles have been fought and games decided by blowouts or last second heaves, Season 74 of your UAAP has been one of the most exciting in recent memory. The influx of talented rookies, solid foreigners, and the competitive spirit of college basketball, have turned the UAAP into the basketball hoopla of the country and has overtaken the slow progressing Philippine Basketball Association, in terms of popularity. 

            As the elimination round and the exciting Final Four closed, two teams remain and have the right to fight and to be crowned this season’s champions and they are the three-peat defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles and last season’s runners-up Far Eastern University Tamaraws.

            Let us breakdown the key points for both teams and put them head-to-head and see who has the edge.

FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY TAMARAWS

Keys For Success:

Defense

 FEU’s defense should be able to dictate on how Ateneo will play the game. The big dilemma that FEU Head Coach Bert Flores has is which option to give Ateneo. Will he choose to let Greg Slaughter and his inside presence dominate the game or will he let the slashing and shooting ability of the other players of Ateneo such as Kiefer Ravena and Nico Salva beat him? Personally, Slaughter dictates the tempo of the game. When only one man defends him, he can easily score at will but when he sees the double team, he knows when and how to dish it to his open teammates. Slaughter has been playing poorly as of late and FEU should capitalize on that. They should throw changing defenses at him and keep him guessing.  

The Dynamic Duo

 Last season’s Rookie of the Year Terrence Romeo and last season’s MVP RR Garcia should launch an all out scoring barrage against the Blue Eagles. Although Ateneo has been the league’s best defensive team, it would be tough to defeat the Tamaraws if both Garcia and Romeo have good games. Both players can dictate the tempo of the game by either scoring at will or dishing it off to open teammates. The bad part about relying on RR and Romeo is that both take too many shots, or in basketball terms volume shooters, so they should be able to decide on when to take the shots or when to pass them.

Revenge

FEU has consistently posted Top 2 records in the elimination round but come the Final 4, they become a totally different team. Last season, Ateneo completely annihilated them and stamping their class en route to a three-peat. Can FEU use their shortcomings as fuel for their first championship ever since the Arwind Santos era or will they continue to feel the pressure and choke under these circumstances?

OTHER NOTES:

Chemistry

Will the likes of JR Cawaling, Pipo Noundou, and Christian Sentchu be able to play for the Tamaraws? If they do so, the Tamaraws are faced with a big dilemma. Will they allow 3 of their key players to suit up and disrupt the rotation and chemistry the team has built during their absence or will Coach Bert opt to use the players that got him to this moment in the Finals?

Starting 5

Will Coach Bert Flores decide to start with 2 guards and 3 bigs or 3 guards and 2 bigs? Ateneo has had a history of match-up problems, especially against Adamson, when their opponents go big. The main concern of FEU is that they have a lot of talented guards but will they match Ateneo man for man or go big and play a defensive game? In my opinion, FEU should go and try to defend Ateneo because no team can out-gun the Blue Eagles especially in championship games such as these. It is better for them to keep the game close rather than let the Blue Eagles run away at the start.

ATENEO BLUE EAGLES

Keys For Success:

Give the ball to Greg

Most championship teams build around a solid big man down low and Ateneo has that in Greg Slaughter. When Slaughter has the ball down low, everyone is watching his every move. He can either go up for that seemingly unblockable hook shot of his, turn around and shoot over his opponent, or dribble the ball and go up strong. Slaughter causes many match-up problems because he draws so much attention on offense. If Ateneo is able to make a consistent effort in feeding the ball to him, it almost guarantees them a victory. Slaughter is also able to kick the ball out once he sees double team and Ateneo should make FEU pay.

Bench Play

Ateneo’s bench this seasonhas been inconsistent. To me, this second unit lacks a scoring threat but makes up for it through defense. The key of the series will be if Ateneo’s bench can sustain the lead its starters made. Justin Chua should step-up big time just as he did all of last season and be the main man in the second unit. We’ll see if Tonito Gonzaga, arguably the most improved player on the Ateneo side, can continue his torrid shooting ways and defend the opponent’s best scoring threat.

Go 4 Glory

Does Ateneo still have the determination and drive to go for a rare 4-peat? I believe they do. Being the best team in the elimination round, they have showed that they still have heart and what it takes to bring back another championship to Loyola Heights. Amidst times of struggle, this is where they will dig deep and fight for what they believe is their championship.

Now that we have talked about both team’s keys for victory, let us put them head-to-head and from there, let us predict on who will bring the bacon.

Starters:

Both team’s starting units are topnotch. Both of them can score at any given moment and both teams possess offensive threats that they can go to. FEU will dictate on the game based on the starting unit. It is either they play 2 guards to create defensive mismatches on the other end or will they decide to place 3 guards and match Ateneo’s scoring prowess? Nevertheless, Ateneo’s starting unit boasts a great offensive-defensive line-up which can match any teams.

Slight Advantage: Ateneo

Guard Play:

FEU is a guard-oriented team led by last season’s MVP, RR Garcia. The Tamaraws have Terrence Romeo, Ping Exciminiano, Mike Tolomia, Jens Knuttel, and Roger Pugoy in the mix and any one of them can score in any given moment. For Ateneo, they have this season’s Rookie of the Year in Kiefer Ravena, Emman Monfort, Juami Tiongson, Kirk Long, Tonito Gonzaga, and Von Pessumal. FEU’s guards are more offensive minded and can easily take over the game while Ateneo has a steady scorer in Ravena but more defensive guards on their team.

Advantage: FEU

Big Men:

The 3-time defending champions can field in the likes of Greg Slaughter, Nico Salva, Bacon Austria, Justin Chua, Frank Golla, JP Erram, and Oping Sumalinog. For FEU, they have Aldrech Ramos, Russell Escoto, Carl Bryan Cruz, John Foronda, JR Cawaling*, Pipo Noundou*, and Christian Sentchu*. Ateneo has a big advantage down low because they are the taller team and second, FEU is hurt big time. Ateneo’s big men are more offensive minded compared to the defensive mindset the Tamaraws bigs have.

Advantage: Ateneo

Bench Play:

To me both benches are polar opposites. FEU’s bench often provides offensive firepower but on the contrary, Ateneo’s bench is a more defensive minded unit. When the game or championship is hanging on the balance, which bench prevails?

Advantage: Even

Coaching:

Both coaches from both teams are great coaches. Coach Norman Black has won 10 PBA Titles in the PBA including a rare grand slam plus his 3 UAAP championships. On the other hand, Bert Flores steered FEU to its last championship in 2005. Not taking anything away from Coach Bert, Coach Norman is a true preacher of the game. He has won in all levels and he is able to motivate players excellently and even with all the championships, they still remain hardworkers and continue to play their brand of basketball.

Advantage: Ateneo

Defense:

Ateneo is the league’s best defensive team but FEU has pushed all the right buttons if defeating the Adamson Falcons in the Final Four, twice, considering that Adamson is one of the best teams, if not the best UAAP team in executing in the halfcourt. Defense can’t be judged on a series of games but its how you play the whole season and Ateneo has done that which led them to the best record in the season.

Advantage: Ateneo

Championship Experience:

No questions asked.

Advantage: Ateneo

Heart and Desire:

It all boils down to which team wants it more. Numbers and statistics are all forgotten in games such as these. It’s your heart and determination that makes you prevail in championship games. The game of basketball is played with many dependent variables but the only constant variable in the game is how much effort you give.

Advantage: To be decided by the winner of the series. (EVEN)

Prediction:

            From the many things I’ve written and explained above, it looks like the Blue Eagles are going to win their fourth championship in a row but not without a fight. FEU is playing with everything to lose since it will lose many key players next year due to graduation. I expect an exciting championship game showcasing both teams’ strengths. Ateneo will win Game 1 because of their championship experience but FEU will come back and steal Game 2. In the all important and deciding Game 3, both teams will give a good fight but Ateneo will prevail. The Finals MVP will be a toss-up between Greg Slaughter and the Phenom, Kiefer Ravena. 

Photo Credits: fabilioh.com and uaapsports.com

What Should Be The Criteria For A MVP

In light of the debate on whether or not Greg Slaughter of Ateneo should have been named MVP instead of National U's Ray Ray Parks since the later's team didn't make it to the Final 4, let us take into consideration on the definition of the Most Valuable Player award. 

For this topic, let us consult the Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, in his book, The Book of Basketball. 

"Question no. 1: If you replaced each MVP candidate with a decent player at his position for the entire season, what would be the hypothetical effect on his team's records?"

If Greg Slaughter were to be replaced with a Alinko Mbah, Ateneo's record of 13-1, will definitely drop but not too much since in Slaughter's "absence", we expect Nico Salva and Kiefer Ravena to carry more of the scoring. (We could have included Ryan Buenafe if he had not left the team) Justin Chua will man the middle more for the team but still come of the bench. Chua will have more touches and continue to thrive under Coach Norman's system. Ateneo will still have one of those twice to beat slots in the Final 4 but with a chance of sliding to #2. 

If Ray Ray Parks were to be replaced with Joseph Marata, minus of course the slashing and athletic ability, NU would be way below the their current standing. Parks not only gives NU a legitimate scoring option but he is versatile enough to help in the other departments. Ray Ray also has the ability to create shots for himself and his teammates thus making NU a much more deadly team. If Marata were there in NU, we expect Emmanuel Mbe's numbers to go up but it won't make much of a difference and NU will remain in the lower part of the standings, just like last year. 

"Question no. 2: In a giant pickup game with every NBA player available and two knowledgeable fans forced to pick five-man teams, with their lives depending on the game's outcome, who would be the first player picked based on how everyone played that season". 

We have to give credit where credit is due and Slaughter played a magnificently for the Blue Eagles but sadly played below my expectations. I expected Slaughter to churn a near double-double every game. I expected around a 20-9 with 2-3 blocks. Hey, he's 7 feet with international experience with the Smart Gilas National Team and he should be heads and shoulders above the rest, not just in height but also skill. Slaughter at times was a beast just like in their first game against Adamson where he single-handedly led the Blue Eagles to victory but at times, you just shake your head in disappointment when he doesn't dominate the game. 

On the other hand, Ray Ray never seems to disappoint me. I'd be lying if I said that since he technically lost 2 games for NU, the one against UE where he missed the free throw and the putback, and the game against FEU where he just didn't want to take it strong to the rack despite scoring over 30+ points before the second overtime. More often that not, Ray Ray will torch the opposition with 20+ points, 8 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals and blocks. He's a stat sheet stuffer and you would want him if your life depended on it. You would want a player who can give you a lot of everything rather than a player on who you are uncertain with their production. 

"Question no. 3: Ten years from now, who will be the first player from that season who pops into your head." 

This season would have to be one of the best, if not the best, in recent memory for the UAAP. You would remember a lot, the strong rookie class, the close games, the surprises etc. You would most likely remember three players, in no particular order, Kiefer "The Phenom" Ravena, Greg Slaughter, and Ray Ray Parks. 

Ravena will be most remembered as "The Phenom" who played like a savvy 5-year veteran and not a rookie. You would remember Greg Slaughter as the 7'0 who consistently forced the opposition to double team him and his "thunderous dunks". As for Parks, you would remember him as the guy who nailed the behind-the-back no look shot in his final game. 

To me, Parks had more impact this season than Slaughter. Slaughter relied on his height to dominate the paint and make opponents shake their head but Ray Ray dazzled his foes with moves. You couldn't stop him since he could drive to the rack or nail his silky smooth jumper. 

"Question no. 4: If you're explaining your MVP pick to someone who has a favorite player in the race-a player you didn't pick-will he at least say something like, "Yeah, I don't like it, but I can see how you arrived at your choice". 

To me this would be the most difficult point to prove since biases and binaries exists in this world. One could say that Greg Slaughter deserved it since Ateneo had the better record but as you ponder, Ray Ray almost single-handedly led NU to the Final Four despite having an off year from Emmanuel Mbe, no consistent play from their Point Guard and no legitimate back-up scorer. Now tell me, whose more valuable. 

This can be all open to interpretation but as we use Simmons's guidelines, we can see that Parks really emerges as the Most Valuable Player. Yes I know his team didn't qualify for the Final Four and to this very day we use Statistical Points to determine the MVP but he exemplifies on what the word valuable means. Without Ray Ray, NU will probably be in the 7th in the standings with only UE and UP behind them and with his play. 

Haters can continue to hate but its just my interpretation, just live with it.