Humblebola

By Karlo Lovenia

cin·e·ma

/ˈsinəmə/

• the production of movies as an art or industry.

UAAP basketball tends to be more abstract art rather than aesthetic masterpiece. It’s to be expected. After all, the league is filled with college kids who are still growing into their roles as professional basketball players. These kids are bound to make mistakes. We love them anyway, because as fans, we simply cannot get tired of watching potential superstars grow.

But there are rare instances when these kids put together a masterpiece for the ages. Even rarer is when both teams work together and produce content that can best be described with one word; cinema. 

UP-Ateneo Game 3 was Cinema. And just like any good film, it was divided into multiple chapters, with individual stories that further enriched the complete end product.

Malick Diouf’s main character moment 

For most of Season 84, Malick Diouf’s been relegated to the side. He’s been an integral part of their system thanks to his size and length, but if anything, he’s felt underwhelming in the eyes of most UP fans. With every rebound and block that he made, there would be moments where he’d commit a careless fullcourt pass, or worse, lose control of the ball during a pick and roll. As one friend said so himself, “Ito yung Diouf na pinagmamalaki nila galing CEU?”

During Game 3 of the Finals, we saw a different Malick Diouf for the Fighting Maroons. There would still be moments of carelessness, but for the most part, we saw a Diouf who could go toe-to-toe with potentially the greatest foreign student athlete in UAAP history. 

Tension was high and nerves were aplenty, but Diouf found a way to stand tall and dominate. He maximized his size and made life difficult for Angelo Kouame during the first half. He even disrupted Ateneo’s drives to the rim at times, stripping the ball out of their hands with his length.  Seemingly, there’s something about Ateneo and Angelo Kouame that flips the switch for Malick Diouf. 

To answer my friend, yes, ito nga yung Diouf na pinagmamalaki nila galing CEU. Solid. Steady. Clutch. Coming up big in the biggest moments. The first half was his main character moment for the Fighting Maroons. 

Finals SJ Belangel 

SJ Belangel felt caged during the entire season as he transitioned from sixth man to full-time court general for the Blue Eagles. During Season 84, we waited, and we waited. There would be glimpses of brilliance, but his game never materialized into one complete masterpiece. It turns out, he was just saving his best for last. If it weren’t for the ending of this film, Game 3 would have been remembered as the SJ Belangel game.

Right from the get-go, SJ came out as a man on a mission. During the first 14 games of the season, SJ would be satisfied with just setting teammates up and taking open shots when available. But this was different. In Game 3, he was manufacturing buckets from all circumstances; pick and rolls, uncomfortable drives to the rim, catch and shoots, everything. Belangel was showcasing the complete package in the biggest game of the season.

Most importantly, he was showcasing the clutch gene during the biggest game of the season. This was who Ateneo was missing after losing Thirdy Ravena to graduation. Who could be their flip the switch guy? Who could turn their game to another level when the Blue Eagles are pushed to the limit? Maybe it was Dave Ildefonso. Angelo Kouame was the easy pick. In Game 3, we were witness to the correct answer: it’s SJ Belangel.

SJ Belangel is THAT dude. Remember his name. He’ll be out for blood the next time Ateneo is put into a critical situation again.

Oh Captain, Mamu, My Captain 

Gian Mamuyac had some big shoes to fill coming into Season 84. Not only did he have to replace Adrian Wong as Ateneo’s chief wing player, but he also had to replace the leadership of Ateneo legend Mike Nieto. 

This was brand-new territory for him. During High School, he was never groomed as THE guy of the program. That went to the Jolo Mendozas and SJ Belangels of the world. Now in the Seniors division, he was expected to lead the way for the four-peat-seeking Blue Eagles.

It wasn’t a smooth journey, especially during the Finals. In Game 1, he couldn’t get the Blue Eagles to settle down during the overtime period. Game 2 was a tad different as he made critical defensive stops to secure the win for the Blue Eagles. 

Game 3 was a mixed bag again for Mamu. There would be moments of brilliance with his defense, but his offense lagged at times. But mixed bags don’t matter anymore during the clutch. In that time, what matters is the moment. It’s cliche, I know, but in a game of that magnitude, it boils down to the players who are willing to grab the game by its throat.

Gian Mamuyac nearly grabbed the game by its throat.

Off two sweet assists, Gian Mamuyac hit two monster threes during the overtime period to put the Ateneo Blue Eagles up by 5. At that moment, the missed rotations, the shot clock violations, all of the mistakes were forgotten. What mattered was how the captain of the Blue Eagles grabbed the game by its throat.

It was what we wanted from Mamu when he was named Team Captain. It was what Mamu gave us during his final game as a Blue Eagle.

Big Shot Cagulangan

It’s easy to just talk about THAT shot. How can you not? It’s arguably the biggest shot in UAAP modern history; a masterful finish to a story that truly deserves a coffee table book. But limiting the discourse around JD Cagulangan to just that shot feels like underselling his true value. Even without that bucket, Cagulangan should go down as a top-notch UAAP point guard of this era. It wasn’t just in the Finals where he stepped up, this went on this entire season.

In the middle of Ricci Rivero’s polarizing performances and Carl Tamayo’s brilliance was JD Cagulangan’s steady playmaking. UP hasn’t had a playmaker this good since Marvin Cruz (apologies to Jun Manzo and Mikee Reyes, probably, please don’t call me out in the Shoot First pod). Not only could he pass the rock with the best of them, but his sheer control of the game was close to best in the league levels. It takes a lot of talent to control a team this loaded as a point guard. JD Cagulangan has that talent.

That’s not to say he was perfect during the Finals, because even during some critical moments of Games 1 and 2, JD lost control of the Fighting Maroons. It happens to the best of them. Game 3, however, was a different story. With UP facing a five-point deficit, Cagulangan went on a run that spelled destiny.

With the shot clock running down, he hoisted up a three from the right wing which hit nothing but net. 69-67. Call it luck, call it destiny, whatever. The Fighting Maroons suddenly had a chance. 

On the next possession, after big misses from SJ Belangel and Angelo Kouame, Cagulangan called for a pick and roll with Malick Diouf. Ange and SJ blitzed, and it was an easy dish for JD. Malick slammed it home. 69-69. Nice. That play was a perfect microcosm of JD’s playmaking brilliance.

Then, the moment that will be talked about for decades to come. After a Dave Ildefonso brick, JD called for the basketball and ran down the clock. These are the moments that kids dream of when they play by the street.

Clock running down. Ball is in your hands. The moment is yours.

JD gets the Malick pick, Mamu gets hit. JD gets separation, and he steps back and kisses himself. 

JD Cagulangan. Cinema. Absolute. Cinema. pic.twitter.com/YpDg4ObogC

— Karlo Lovenia (@karlolovenia) May 13, 2022

Swish. JD grabbed the moment. The moment was his. This wasn’t abstract art, this was a masterpiece. This was cinema. 

By Karlo Lovenia

“At this point, Wala akong pake kung sino man manalo.”

May 11, 2022, 2:37 PM. 

After days of madness concerning the Philippine national elections, the HumbleBola team found time to talk about Game 2 of the UAAP Finals for a short while. At that moment, in what could have been an opportunity to discuss the crucial game at hand further, one of the most passionate Blue Eagle fans in the group could only say that he did not care anymore.   

Not caring about sports. Not caring about basketball. Not caring about your favorite sports team. In a vacuum, it seems blasphemous to have such thoughts. 

But we don’t live in a vacuum. Most of the readers of this article live in the Philippines, which will soon be led by Bongbong Marcos Jr., son of dictator and kleptocrat, Ferdinand Marcos. It probably sounds insane for foreigners that’s actually going to happen, but for Filipinos, this is the reality they’re in. So for less than half of the population, that stretch from May 9-11 was incredibly grim. The energy was dead. Basketball – even with a game involving their favorite sports team – was far from their minds. 

May 11, 2022, 8:08 PM.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles had just beaten the UP Fighting Maroons, 69-66, in an instant classic that had quite the memorable ending. The HumbleBola chat was alive. Despite the group being mixed with Ateneans, Iskos, Lasallians, and even one very passionate Adamson alumnus, they were united in that moment in doing one thing: slandering Ricci Rivero.

It was a hilarious scene that was both refreshing and comforting. But it wasn’t just that single scene that created this feeling. Slowly but surely, as the game progressed, the HB chat livened up and started to act the way you’d expect HumbleBola to act. 

Brash. Confident. Bold. Arrogant, even. Some might even say, we might have been acting like sadbois. But this is what HumbleBola was. During that game and the hours that followed, it felt like HumbleBola was normal.

Refreshing. Comforting. Normal. Everything felt right.

May 12, 2022, 10:05 AM.

Until I suddenly felt something was wrong. Things felt right… in the middle of the impending presidency of a Marcos. Was I supposed to feel this way, especially since 20 hours ago, all I felt was doom and gloom? 

I started to question the role sports played in the middle of such a historical event. I felt like everything was fine; did that mean basketball was a distraction from the reality we face off the court? 

And to be fair, I’m not the only person to feel these things. Even NBA players, during the 2020 NBA Playoffs, felt similar emotions in the middle of the Black Lives Matter movement and the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. They acted on these emotions, with one example being the Milwaukee Bucks opting to boycott Game 5 of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic due to the shooting of Jacob Blake. 

Playing basketball in the middle of a historical event felt wrong. Two years later, from the perspective of a fan at least, watching basketball in the middle of a historical event felt wrong. To feel normal felt wrong. I wasn’t supposed to feel normal.

The afternoon of May 12, 2022.

After a quick lunch and some reflection, things suddenly didn’t feel normal. Instead, things felt… balanced.

From 1:15-2:45, I held an important meeting with my team in my day job. It was the most animated I was the entire week. At that moment, I felt passionate.

After a few more meetings, I found some time to read posts about current events. I felt angry.

Then, as the day wrapped up, I talked to the HB team again about updates in the Philippine Basketball. I felt excited.

Passion. Anger. Excitement. They aren’t the same, but they also have their similarities. Those three feelings make you feel alive. 

Grief and darkness no longer dominated my thoughts. Instead, it was something I only felt whenever I’d think or consume something that triggered that emotion. 

It was the first time this whole week that I felt such. I had some form of control over what to feel and what to do. I felt alive. I felt balanced. That wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t watched and experienced Game 2 of the UAAP Finals.

Because basketball doesn’t have to be a distraction. Consuming it doesn’t have to be a privilege that is weaponized for evil. It doesn’t have to let you forget about the reality that’s happening outside the court. It can be fuel that injects life back into your system, especially when things are looking bleak. 

And there are times, just like now, when we need that fuel to remind us that you can feel alive, even in the middle of an impending Marcos presidency. 

One Big Fight on the court. An even bigger fight off it.

Matatapang, matatalino, walang takot, kahit kanino. Lalaban hanggang dulo, ganyan kaming, mga Pilipino, kahit pa si Marcos ang nakaupo.

Tuloy ang Laban.

By Eriko dela Cruz

No two ways about it.

Losing sucks.

I may sound like a spoiled asshole here. That’s because I, as well as so many other Ateneo fans, are. This team has made winning so much of a habit that everyone is so used to it. We’ve forgotten what losing feels like.

It’s been more than three years since I saw the Ateneo Blue Eagles lose. It was a winnable game against the FEU Tamaraws where the breaks of the game did not go Ateneo’s way. Some would even call losses like those character-building losses.

Either way, character or not, losing still friggin’ sucks.

This game felt the same way. It was a very winnable game for Ateneo. They started out flat-footed. At one point, The UP Fighting Maroons were leading by as much as 18 points. Malik Diouf showed everyone in the Arena why he was touted as a match to Ange Kouame. Carl Tamayo was a super rookie. Blythe’s boyfriend (sorry Ricci and UP fans, allow me to be bitter just for a bit here) was very steady, even hitting the clutch free throws that sealed UP’s win.

Coach Goldwyn Monteverde did his homework. The Fighting Maroon defense stopped Ateneo on its tracks early in the game and in key possessions at the end. The ball rotation was fluid, finding Ateneo late in the closeout. They were very steady every time Ateneo made a run, answering with very timely baskets.

It was a well-deserved win for the UP Fighting Maroons. They played very inspired basketball to close out the elimination round (maybe a lucky charm in the form of a video greeting, we don’t know). However, this does not mean that losing to them is in any way acceptable.

But it already happened. The game’s over. Knowing Coach Tab Baldwin and the Blue Eagles, they are already looking at the next game.

Ateneo has always been looked at as some machine that executes plays to perfection. Cool, calm, collected. They always find ways to get that W. For 39 games, that has always been the truth. It was a good run, and it had to end sometime.

These are human beings. No, scratch that. No matter how good the Ateneo Blue Eagles are, these are still COLLEGE kids. No matter how good of a system you have, preaching a great mentality, they are still susceptible to the pitfalls of a team nearing glory. There would always be missed shots and lapses on defense. No matter how much anyone says to not think about a sweep or a championship, there would still be times that they will think about it. Anything less than perfection is actually the norm rather than the exception.

This human weakness, however, can actually make the Blue Eagles be better. This loss is a reminder that no matter what heights they reached before, there are always taller mountains to climb. This loss is a wake-up call to close games out properly, something they’ve had trouble with this season. This loss can awaken the (almost very) cliche Atenean concept of Magis; to do more than what is expected.

I hate it, what I am about to say. A loss, character-building or not, is still a loss. But in this case, this loss is character-building. A character-building loss that can be used as fuel.

To the Blue Eagles, a short message. Losing sucks. Make sure you don’t feel that again.

Job’s not yet done, boys. Three more wins.

No mercy.

By Gio Gloria 

After five years, the DLSU Green Archers are back in the Final Four. 

The previous seasons were trying times to say the least and while La Salle was always talented on paper, translating that to success was easier said than done. A revolving door of coaches and players certainly didn’t help as the constant search for stability was in itself preventing the team from gaining any traction. 

Derrick Pumaren was hired in early 2020 for his second tour of duty as DLSU head coach, and after a two-year wait due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Green Archers ended their postseason drought under him and the return of the Pumaren press. Interestingly enough, this will be Pumaren’s first ever trip to the Final Four. 

This is the first time Coach Derrick Pumaren will coach in the Final Four

Format was still not yet there during his initial stint with DLSU. When he coached UE from 2014-2017, his highest finish was 5th.#UAAPSeason84 pic.twitter.com/DL79r5sivQ

— Take Aim (@TakeAimLS) April 28, 2022

As great as it is, making the Final Four isn’t enough for a program like that of DLSU. Championships have more often than not been their barometer for success and the fact that their archrivals, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, have been collecting titles in bunches again certainly stings. 

The Blue Eagles remain the favorites in Season 84, but like the other teams in the Final Four, La Salle still has a chance, no matter how much it turns out to be. Turning that dream into a reality, however, is another matter altogether as the Green Archers will try to get past the UP Fighting Maroons. 

Much of DLSU’s success this season can be attributed to their defense, which has been disruptive to say the least. La Salle leads the UAAP in turnovers forced (19.57 per game) and have more often than not been able to stymie teams until talent or better tactics win over. They’ve had some success against the Fighting Maroons, but they couldn’t finish the job in the first round. 

For them to get over the hump, though, they would have to address the offensive woes that have bogged down their late-game execution and prevented them from capitalizing on the stops and turnovers they produce on the other end. 

It was a common sight, especially early on to see players mishandle the ball or throw errant passes. Moreover, simple things such as proper screens weren’t really set well so shooters could not get as open as compared to other teams when they run their sets. It’s the simple things, when they pile up, that can turn into monumental mistakes that can cost games.  

Add to that their league-worst 58.74 percent free throw shooting and their 37.20 field goal percentage (third-worst in the UAAP) and converting on their shots will be the biggest key to victory against the Fighting Maroons. 

The potential is there as a few of their players have shown that they can heat up when the opportunity arises. 

Against UP, they were able to go on a run late in the fourth quarter, but Mark Nonoy missed the potential game-tying 3-pointer. 

Despite being the only team in the UAAP with two players (Justine Baltazar and Michael Phillips) averaging at least 10 rebounds per game, La Salle is only third in the league in rebounding at 45.71 per game. The energy they exert in crashing the boards usually leads to tipped balls and at times it lands in the hands of the opposing squad, which they convert into second-chance points. 

In the end, securing the ball on both ends of the floor will be crucial, especially considering how close things were in the endgame. Missed free throws, second chances, and points off turnovers could spell the difference between an early exit or a winner-take-all game. 

The DLSU Green Archers’ return to the Final Four fulfills one of the goals set by the team before UAAP Season 84 began, but an extended stay in the knockout rounds will largely boil down to execution. Facing a confident team in the UP Fighting Maroons won’t be an easy task, but they have what it takes. Putting it together is another matter altogether. 

Stats ℅ Stats By Ryan, Ryan Alba

By Pio Garcia

The Far Eastern University Tamaraws’ season has been one hell of a roller coaster ride. It’s like you were not sure which FEU team will show up for the jump ball: will it be the team that fulfills its scary potential from its touted recruits or will it be the infuriating ISO-ball team that has its… Tamaraw heads in front of headlights?

The young Tams have a tough task ahead of them in the Final Four, where they will meet Ateneo for the fifth time in six seasons (78, 79, 80, 81, 84). But how can they stack up against a methodical and consistent Blue Eagles squad when we don’t know which FEU will even show up?

The Tams have made us both gush in delight when they have their collective abilities harnessed and cry in anguish and frustration when they seemingly can’t muster an ounce of a set play to save their lives on the hardcourt against foes they should be crushing with ease.

We will have to admit that on paper, the Tams actually look good, great even, with their plethora of ball hawkers, shooters, and role players that can actually make a team shake in its pants. However, basketball will never be played on paper and if you can’t translate that to made baskets, then tough luck.

Imagine having a guard rotation of LJay Gonzales, Royce Alforque, Bryan Sajonia, Xyrus Torres, and Gilas standout RJ Abarrientos.  That’s a coach’s pipedream. A well-balanced guard rotation where each component perfectly complements whoever they are paired with save for an Alforque-Sajonia no offense backcourt. We’ve seen these boys grow up and move up from the juniors division, with FEU being one of the solid juniors-to-seniors elevation programs next to UAAP juggernaut Ateneo.

While RJ Abarrientos owns the season-high for points scored in a single game this season, the rookie has been inconsistent at times and despite leading the Tams in scoring (13.6 points per game), he has not shot the ball well from downtown, sitting at an ungodly 31.5%, and even in terms of overall field goal percentage at 32%. On the flipside, Xyrus Torres (10.6 points per game) has shot the three extremely well at 42.8% but could not maintain that level of accuracy when he is forced to put the ball down and manufacture his own shot, with a sub-30% output each game.

Now, Abarrientos and Torres are pretty much the barometers for this Tams iteration of Olsen Racela as their shooting opens up defenses, forcing them to extend their coverage, especially in horns attacks and high pick and roll situations. When the defenses open up, that’s when their best ball handler in LJay Gonzales can pounce on the open lanes for high percentage shots game in and game out. And those have been scarce to say the least when both gunners are misfiring from range, which happens quite often, unfortunately.

Another worrisome attribute that we have observed with the Tams throughout the season is their propensity to run ISO sets for RJ and LJay, relying on their talent and athleticism to put the ball in the hoop. With the lack of a true post option, it is quite understandable why the offense is run as such. However, all things considered, wouldn’t it be better if both Abarrientos and Gonzales are handed scoring opportunities when they are going downhill while the defense is forced to backpedal and unbalanced? Just a thought.

Against Ateneo, it’s almost impossible to tell Abarrientos and Torres to keep it locked and loaded with the Blue Eagles defensive scheme running them off the three-point line in their two meetings this season. They’d rather make the Tams beat them with contested middies and layups than letting them get hot from downtown.

But while the Tamaraw guard agency bears the brunt of the offensive workload, FEU’s frontline also needs to show up. Of their available forwards and lone center in Emman Ojoula (9.7 points per game, 11.5 rebounds per game), no one is averaging more than four points a game nor pulling more than three rebounds a game. Alforque and Gonzales are hauling in 5.5 and 5.7 boards and they’re supposed to be the ones receiving the outlet pass to jumpstart their offense. 

Ojoula may be getting gaudy rebound stats despite being ground-bound but he terribly needs help upfront as he will be fed a steady diet of Ange Kouame, Raffy Verano, Matthew Daves, and even Josh Lazaro to some extent. Rey Bienes needs to show up as he’s the lone notable frontline holdover from Season 82, while the Tams continue to reel from lack of depth upfront with Cholo Anonuevo still unavailable to them.

While they have their work totally cut out for them against the defending champions, who are probably smarting from their recent loss, we need the good FEU to show up and make things a little more exciting, per fans’ clamor. Abarrientos and Gonzales both need to cut down on the iso attempts if they want a shot at the twice to beat disadvantage. It has been the Tamaraws’ Achilles heel this year as they have a tendency to just let either one work the ball for 17 seconds before settling for an ill-advised shot to beat the buzzer.

Beating the defending champions may seem like a longshot and Mac Belo is surely not walking through that damn door for a last-second tip-in against the Blue Eagles, but the least we can have is a fight from the Tamaraws and show why their guard rotation is the scariest we’ve seen this side of Ateneo’s own rotation.

Give us the fireworks and make sure this return of the Final Four is worth it against two-storied champion schools that have pretty much been the cream of the crop when it comes to running actual successful basketball programs from the Juniors level up to the Seniors.