After four games in Season 75 of the UAAP, the DLSU Green Archers have found themselves at fourth place with the National University Bulldogs, with both teams nursing a 2-2 record.
The players donning the green and white jerseys have since improved after Head Coach Gee Abanilla implemented a system that would tap every player’s potential to its maximum extent.
“So I think it is more of a buy-in. I think one of the jobs of a coach is that we have to make them dream, we have to make them believe in a system that they could be good in the system: it is a work in progress, I think we are still trying to sell it to the players, but I think they have some improvement already and we’re very happy about it,” expressed Coach Abanilla.
Coming off their bridesmaid finish against the National University Bulldogs in the recent FilOil Preseason Cup, La Salle has continued its momentum in the UAAP.
Their opening match against the gritty UP Fighting Maroons showed their potential. Though the team blew a 15-point lead, Jeron Teng made a lasting mark in his UAAP debut by cashing in a crucial three-point play during crunch time for a hard fought, 78-63, win.
The Archers also capitalized with their crunch time strategy as they fended off the UE Red Warriors’ late comeback attempt, relying again on the heroics of Teng. Even though they struggled in shooting the ball, they went on with a 67-59 victory.
The real test eventually came when the team faced last season’s runner-up the FEU Tamaraws. Without team captain LA Revilla, the Archers made the Tamaraw work hard for their points; the Green-and-White eventually lost the game, 48-46.
If the Tamaraws were tough for them, the team faced bigger walls after losing to rival Ateneo. The Eagles’ Salva and Ravena gave the Archers problems as the team struggled to maintain a dwindling lead, eventually leading to a painful 71-61 loss, tying their encounters on a neutral 34-34 win record since the two started to compete in the UAAP.
After four games, what could be said about this reformed squad?
Dominating the boards
Rebounding is an essential in basketball; it dictates the tempo and flow of the game.
Supplied with a bevy of quick and agile big men to crash the boards, the Archers currently averaged an astounding 48 rebounds per game.
Burly center Norbert Torres leads the team, averaging 9 rebounds per contest while 5-foot-7 LA Revilla has 7.3 caroms per game, including an impressive 11 boards against the UP Fighting Maroons.
So far, Torres has the best rebounding stat line in the team, after grabbing a total of 14 boards in the team’s 73-68 win against the Maroons.
In their matches against UP, UE and FEU, they have managed to outrebound their competitors, which proved to be vital in dictating the game’s tempo.
Defending the buckets
La Salle is currently the top team in the UAAP in holding the opposition to only 61.5 markers per game.
The Archers have also dominated assists and field goals allowed, and fouls committed per game.
The Green Archers’ best game when it comes to dishing dimes is the team’s game against the Maroons; they dished out 16 assists while limiting the opposition assists to 10.
Gee Abanilla’s cagers also had an impressive defensive display against archrival Ateneo; the team held the defending champions on a rough 37 percent shooting in the field despite a loss.
“Alam naman ng mga bata yung defensive game plan, na-eexcute naman nila (The boys knew the defensive game plan, and they exeuted it well),” adds Abanilla.
Foul shooting epidemic
The Green-and-White has always been criticized for having a mediocre foul-shooting team.
Coach Gee stresses the importance in addressing this problem; he maintains that it is a composure problem.
“So ang sinasabi namin sa kanila (We are telling them that), you don’t have to bother yourself on the outcome. Just focus on what’s the task at hand,” he said.
Setting aside their anemic 40 percent shooting against UE, the Green-and-White players have been improving at a steady rate. Against the Maroons, the team shot 40 percent; against the Tams, they tallied in 62 percent; and against Ateneo they shot at the 75 percent mark.
LA Revilla
LA Revilla has been the glue that has kept the team together with his on-court IQ, passing skills, shooting touch and many more.
The former San Beda Red Cub has been averaging 14 points, 7 caroms and 6 dimes per game, which makes him a threat to any team.
His absence was felt during the team’s loss against FEU. Mac Tallo tried to fill the void, but the game did not run as smoothly as planned. During the last possession and dying seconds of regulation, Tallo could not handle the pressure; he lacked the experience, and DLSU ended the game with an Almond Vosotros desperation shot.
“It’s a good thing that LA stepped up. I think the team really needs a leader,” shared coach Abanillia.
Struggles from rainbow country
The departure of marksmen Simon Atkins and Sam Marata created a big gap; the team became incomplete, leaving Luigi Dela Paz, Almond Vosotros and LA Revilla to make another bid in season 75.
As a unit, the team shoots 21 percent from beyond the arc connecting 10 out of 48 attempts.
So far, LA Revilla is the top long distance threat, shooting at around 50 percent.
Looking ahead
This is not the end for this bunch of Archers, as the team will set out to face other opponents in the coming days.
Expect them to improve as the team plays one game after another to gauge strengths and weaknesses while the Archers put emphasis on work ethic and fighting spirit.
In an earlier interview with him prior to the start of the UAAP Season, Coach Abanilla said, “Right now our goal for the UAAP is really just like when we started: we wanted our goal to be part of the Final Four. If we achieve that, we’re going to be happy. We want to be the most hardworking, most disciplined and we want a team with good character. Those are the three things we keep on stressing to the boys.”
The Archers will face UST, NU, and AdU in the following games; the team needs manage these challenges to hang on to the University’s goal to reach the Final Four.
The long road to glory has just begun.
