UAAP Power Rankings: Eagles return to top spot

Ateneo reclaims the top spot in this week’s UAAP Power Rankings. The Eagles needed a last-second choke from Mikee Reyes to keep a perfect week and a half to get going against the Adamson Falcons. It’s too late to change the team to a defensive unit, and head coach Bo Perasol should stop experimenting and just go with the offense that has the Blue Eagles flying high.

1		Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles (10-3) (Week 7 rank: 2) Bo’s supposed experimental genius almost cost the Blue Eagles a Final four seat and an inside track to the twice-to-beat advantage. Also, Bo and the rest of the Blue Eagles already knew what they were going to get from rookie Arvin Tolentino. Why the continued limit on the minutes? Defenses still key on him even if he just sits on the corner (because there’s just nothing designed for him). #FreeAT we say. This week: vs. FEU
Last week: 2
2		De La Salle University Green Archers (9-3) (Week 7 rank: 3) Well, Jeron Teng is one bad, bad man. The King Archer has now reclaimed his title against Jason Perkins, who has been quite invisible the past games. When Gang Green needed a bucket against UST, RoboSon drove time and again to the hole. Our #Back2BackArchers campaign is still ongoing and may look like for real this time. This week: vs. UE, NU
Last week: 3
3		Far Eastern University Tamaraws (10-3) (Week 7 rank: 1) Mike Tolomia’s passing hasn’t just been on target all week long. Against Adamson, it took the Tamaraws three quarters to get going and Tolomia finished the game with three dimes. This goes one short for our Tolomia Passing Theory (TPT), which requires at least four nifty dimes in a game. Against the Red Warriors, he only coughed up a single dime against six, SIX, turnovers. So that TPT record is now down to 8-5 if our math is right. Achie Inigo has been a nice surprise though. Good to see Mac Belo again after disappearing the past week or so. This week: vs. ADMU
Last week: 1
4		National University Bulldogs (8-4) (Week 7 rank: 4) NU got sort of a “bye” this week against UP. Alfred Aroga did not let a back problem hamper him. MVP candidate Troy Rosario had a nice bounce-back game in his most sterling all-around performance yet. The Bulldogs have to stop getting predictable with the Gelo Alolino-Aroga-Rosario trio though. This week: vs. UST, DLSU
Last week: 4
5		University of the East Red Warriors (7-5) (Week 7 rank: 5) Well, see what happens when UE just plays sound basketball and stop looking to the refs for calls? Last night’s successful Tamaraw hunt is their best performance yet (kindly disregard the massacres of the Fighting Maroons and the Adamson Falcons) as they make it back to back against Final Four contenders to keep their own dreams alive. At least they are now seeing sense when it comes to dumping the leather to Charles Mammie first before firing away from 20-feet out. This week: vs. DLSU, UST
Last week: 5
6		University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (5-7) (Week 7 rank: 6) No Louie Vigil means no consistent sidekick for Karim Abdul. It was nice to see forgotten man Kent Lao coming through with 14 points with three triples though. But the NU win against UP pretty much shuts the door for UST’s Final Four dream. What a way to flame out eh, Karim? Who do we call out this time? This week: vs. NU, UE
Last week: 6
7		University of the Philippine Fighting Maroons (1-12) (Week 7 rank: 7) A Mikee Reyes choke on the free throw line made hearts in Diliman break. However, it’s good to see the point guard playing crazy-insane out there. Where was this during the start of the season? This week: vs. Adamson
Last week: 7
8		Adamson University Falcons (0-13) Sad to see Don Trollano graduate on a very weak Adamson squad. Sad to see Jansen Rios play hard and his rookies play soft. Sad to see Matt Aquino channel his inner Marlou and refrain from hard banging in the paint. Just, sad. This week: vs. UP
Last week: 8

Line of the Week

We’ll be handing out this award to players who garnered the most eye-popping stats for the week. Drumroll please as we hand it to...

Jeron Teng, DLSU Green Archers: 26 points, 6-15 FG, 7 rebounds, 2 assists versus UST

Surely, we have consolation prizes! And they are...

Mac Belo, FEU Tamaraws: 17 points, 6-17 FG, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block

Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles: 18 points, 5-14 FG, 5 rebounds, 7 assists

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Player of the Week

Our Player of the Week is judged not only on numbers but overall performance in helping his team win. Quality of opponent is also added for heavy consideration. The Player of the Week goes to...

Mac Belo, FEU Tamaraws: 16.5ppg, 10.0rpg, 3.5apg, 1.0bpg, 2.5topg, 35.7% FG, 0% 3FG, 81.3% FT

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#NgiwingDeAndre Player of the Weak

A revamped weekly award that we give, with all chagrin, to a pair of Red Warriors...

Aljon Mariano, UST Growling Tigers

Is he being under-utilized by Bong Dela Cruz? Or is he just plain sucking since sucking in last year’s Finals? Gone is the Aljon Mariano that was once a match-up nightmare. If we’re tallying this award, none has won it more than Mariano himself. And on this, DeAndre says:

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MVP Watch

It won’t be as good if we don’t have an MVP watch as well seeing as we have many great players doing a lot for their teams! So, did your team’s top gun make it this week? Let’s see who we got.

1. Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles (Week 7 rank: 1)

This week: 17.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 5.5apg, 0.5spg, 1.0topg, 32.1% FG, 42.9% 3FG, 65% FT

Season: 21.1ppg, 6.0rpg, 5.6apg, 1.5spg, 2.5topg, 36.7% FG, 30.3% 3FG, 73% FT

The King Eagle’s shooting has gone sour since a blistering start. It has plateaued at around 36-37 percent and whatever happens, Blue Eagle faithful will just have to live or die with Kiefer at the helm. He abandoned his probing tendencies before attacking as Ateneo just looked out of sorts against the league doormats. If they want the twice-to-beat advantage, they have to play like mad men against FEU.

2. Jeron Teng, DLSU Green Archers (Week 7 rank: 2)

This week: 26ppg, 7.0rpg, 2.0apg, 5.0topg, 40% FG, 0% 3FG, 82%FT

Season: 18.4ppg, 7.2rpg, 4.0apg, 0.4spg, 0.5bpg, 2.9topg, 37.6% FG, 27.6% 3FG, 76.2% FT

What can we say? At the start of the season, everybody doubted whether Jeron Teng had “it.” You know that special sauce that the superstars tend to have. Now, we’re being treated to transcendental games. And we think Gang Green should thank the Thomas Torres injury for that. Without it, we may not be able to witness at RoboSon’s all-around game. Look, he’s leading the team in assists. And scoring! And free throw percentage! You can’t do hack-a-Teng anymore.

3. Mac Belo, FEU Tamaraws (Week 7 rank: 4)

This week: 16.5ppg, 10.0rpg, 3.5apg, 1.0bpg, 2.5topg, 35.7% FG, 0% 3FG, 81.3% FT

Season: 16.0ppg, 7.0rpg, 2.5apg, 0.3spg, 0.8bpg, 3.0topg, 56.7% FG, 30.4% 3FG, 69.8% FT

Belo’s shooting needs some help from Doctora Vicki now. The forward has been shooting it ugly from the field and has been out of position for his shots. Teams are doing a better job at denying his sweet spots. If Belo wants to succeed for the Tamaraws, he has to learn how to counter and get back to his spots.

4. Mike Tolomia, FEU Tamaraws (Week 7 rank: 3)

This week: 14.0ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.0apg, 4.0topg, 40% FG, 23% 3FG, 75% FT

Season: 15.6ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.2apg, 0.2spg, 3.5topg, 41.6% FG, 23.2% 3FG, 64.9% FT

Mike was nowhere in sight against the red-hot UE side yesterday. He was just throwing the ball aimlessly leading to six turnovers. Did everyone else get the memo of taking the ball out of his hands?

5. Troy Rosario, NU Bulldogs (Week 7: 5)

This week: 9.0ppg, 10.0rpg, 5.0apg, 57% FG, 0% FT

Season: 11.2ppg, 8.4rpg, 2.3apg, 0.3spg, 0.6bpg, 2.5topg, 44.2% FG, 19.0% 3FG, 55.2% FT

Rosario has to get to the line more. Well, at least the Bulldogs need to find him more as much as they want Alfred Aroga with the ball in the post. He had his best all-around game against UP going for five dimes against no turnovers.

Almost made the cut: Chris Newsome, Charles Mammie

Dropped out of MVP race: n/a

urprise of the week

UE goes back-to-back against Final Four teams to keep its dreams alive. Apparently, it was less of Sumang and more of Mammie to help them get going. Now that they are feeding Mammie in the paint, it just seems to look so easy for them now. Wait, we’ve been preaching this all season long, yeah?

Team of the Week

UE gets our nod for Team of the Week since they finally figured out how to play beautiful basketball. Oh, and no more whining it seems.

Team of the Weak

How do we do this? UST again gets our Team of the Weak as they are finally kicked out of the Final Four thanks to the NU win over the Fighting Maroons.

File your comments, complaints, protests, and blind hate to @PioVGarcia.

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Editor's note: Pio Garcia is a blogger for Unblogged Sports. His views are purely his own.