The Green Archers started off their UAAP S88 finals redemption series with a hard-fought win in Game 1, outlasting the defending champions UP Maroons 74-70 at the MOA Arena this afternoon. It was a resounding victory, notable by the way the Taft team controlled what UP was able to do in the closing minutes.
When is 21 > 34?
When you make your points when it really matters. When 3 of those 21 points sealed the game for DLSU. When the opponents’ top scorer (34 points) made mincemeat of the Archer defense earlier, but couldn’t get it done during crunch time when it mattered most.
Jacob Cortez willed the Green Archers to the win, sinking a cold-blooded triple with 30 seconds left to effectively put the game to bed. UP never recovered from the shock, frantically hoisting shots to try to narrow the gap, but the Archer defense held firm.
The Archers took a slim 25-24 lead after the first quarter, but UP turned the tables and controlled the middle quarters, 33-36 at the half, and 53-58 after three quarters. UP supporters expected the Maroons to apply their usual pressure game on both ends, which typically causes their opponents to crumble under the sustained onslaught.
Sorry, not this opponent.
The Taft team dominated the 4th quarter, holding UP to just 12 points through a masterful defensive effort that discombobulated the usually steady Maroons. Alarcon still managed 8 points, but FSA Nnoruka was limited to just 2 points and nothing else in the last 10 minutes and Fortea just scored 2.
“Coolest Cat” Jacob Cortez had his minutes effectively managed, ensuring he was fresh for the endgame when he was subbed in with just 48 seconds left, and made that killer trey 18 seconds later.
Doy Dungo was fielded in for just 15 minutes, but contributed significantly by scoring 15 points on a variety of 3s, mid-range jumpers, and drives. Kean Baclaan provided ample scoring support with 9 points and 6 assists, as well as court generalship when he spelled Cortez.
The defending champions looked well on the way to victory when they built a 9 point lead, 49-58 with 1:26 left in the 3rd quarter. Undaunted, the green-and-white fought back with a 5-point run to cut the deficit to 53-58 at the end of the period.
In the final quarter, the Archers took the kid gloves off and went for the kill. Playing flawless ball (no turnovers in the 4th), the Archers executed well, not forcing their shots and patiently using the shot clock to set up properly. It slowed the game down, and prevented UP from turning the remainder of the match into a running game.
And having seen what UP was trying to do, the Archers quietly shut down the passing lanes, switched on the ball screens then switched back to their original assignment as quickly as possible, all the while keeping an eye on potential penetrations. UP couldn’t get an open shot up; everything was contested. The Maroons weren’t used to that kind of relentless pressure. They became tentative, and repeatedly went to their lone play – give the ball to Alarcon and let him manufacture his shot. It worked to the tune of 34 points, but by the end of the game he had to be tired.
What was notable was how the Archers managed their emotions as the game went on. Finals jitters showed up in the first half, but by the 3rd quarter, the Archers had seen the best of what the Maroons had to dish out, and that allowed them to steady their nerves and impose their game in the 4th.
Surprise! The Maroons discovered that they couldn’t throttle our sets because they didn’t know what was coming from our offensive thrusts. And when they found out, they couldn’t stop Jacob on that clinching play.
At the other end, a mix of zones, full-court presses, and man-to-man defenses defused the well-prepared plans of UP, forcing them into relying almost exclusively on Alarcon’s hot game today. He got his points, but his teammates were turned into mere spectators. It was a rude surprise when Pablo entered his defensive beast-mode in the 4th. The Archers’ collective defensive effort, led by team captain Mike Phillips, coupled with the aggressive rebounding on both ends, wore down the Maroons at the end.
What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger
The Archers had a so-so start to the season, losing winnable games and stumbling to a 4-3 record at the end of the first round; the only interesting game was an ‘upset’ win over UP. Mistakes and poor play plagued the team, and the inconsistency continued into the second round, but a repeat against UP, and victories over first round tormentors Ateneo and UST gave a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, injuries and suspensions prevented the coaches from fielding a complete team until the playoffs.
It turns out that the investments made in experimentation with different lineup combos and schemes was effective. By the playoffs, the rotation had stabilized, roles were defined, and players knew the system and what they could expect from each other.
And the coaches dared experiment throughout the season, despite the attendant risks. They had to find out what worked best, and what didn’t. The only real way to prove anything was to try it out. That learning from the school of hard knocks was absorbed by both the coaches and the players, and they parlayed that knowledge into an effective system that maximized the players’ strengths and tendencies, all woven into a cohesive system that neutralized the opponents’ game. It also translated into a variety of offensive patterns and defensive schemes that were not seen during the eliminations, and therefore could not be scouted. NU found that out the hard way. And in the first game of the finals, so did UP.
The ability of the Archers to control the pace of the game is the key to success in the finals. UP likes to run and score in bunches, and the Archers made them struggle for every point, limiting UP to just 5 fastbreak points and not gifting them with turnovers late in the game. By making them work hard to set up plays, it’s messing up their rhythm. It seems they’re not used to working this hard to get their points.
The tough medicine the Archers took earlier is now manifesting itself in the confidence exuded by the team today, something that was not lost on the other team.
As long as the Archers can control the pace of the game, we will win and take the title home this weekend.
ANIMO!
