UAAP Rookie Watch Week 2

With the second weekend of UAAP Seniors matches played (the Wednesday games were postponed due to Typhoon Glenda), we are once more taking a look at the rookie performances for all teams.

Unlike the opening weekend, some rookies did not see playing time while others saw their stat lines drop.

Here were the significant performers for the week though.

Diego Dario – I am not sure if I should say that it was a more efficient outing for the rookie out of UPIS. He might have not missed from the field in fewer minutes from opening day because the trade off in my opinion was the missing steals and assist. He had one assist and four steals in his seniors debut and none this weekend.

Prince Rivero – Without a doubt, this kid should get more minutes. Thus far, he is 3.0 points (3-5 from the field) and has picked up 2.0 rebounds per game in six minutes of action. He has only taken one shot from the perimeter and has shown a willingness to drive and play inside. Plays with a lot of energy. Just needs to learn how to control it. But tremendous upside.

Arvin Tolentino – If this were the old American Top 40, he would be the biggest mover on the charts. Got 10 more minutes and produced a double double. What was huge were his rebounds after not grabbing anything in his UAAP debut. Plus he’s got two assists. So far has been unsuccessful trying to beat his man off the dribble like he regularly did in high school. He’s up against better and taller defenders and more sophisticated coaching in the seniors division of Philippine college ball’s junior circuit (the senior circuit is the NCAA as they are older). Massive massive pick up for Ateneo.

A couple of people asked me if he was the second coming of Ryan Buenafe. Not at all. They play different positions and have a different skill set. What Tolentino is he is the third rookie to start for the blue and white in the last decade – Buenafe and Kiefer Ravena are the other two). If he learns to post better he will not be Ryan Buenafe but possibly the second coming of Ranidel De Ocampo.

Henri Subido – Like Diego Dario. Sure it looks better because he scored more but UST needs a point guard and not a points guard. Rebounds total dropped and still no assists. But this kid is fearless and will only get better. I understand that in DLSZ he was their main scorer too but in UST, they have Karim Abdul, Kevin Ferrer, Aljon Mariano, Louie Vigil, and Ed Daquiaog to put points on the board.

Maybe he is used differently so I can take that as well.

I’d like to illustrate it though with what happened during UST’s first game that ended with a loss to NU. In that match, they finished with three assists total! Three. What in the? They did better in their win over FEU with 14 but their top assist man was Vigil with four while Jon Sheriff and Abdul chipped in three dimes each. I do like Sheriff though who is putting up well-rounded numbers. He can only get better as the tournament goes on and his confidence soars.

Ivan Villanueva – His play dropped in his second outing. Massively. Against a taller team (UE), he struggled mightily as he missed more shots and didn’t do much inside the lane (rebounding and defense). Let’s see what he can do in Adamson’s next game against a resurgent UST. They’ll need him inside for sure.