DLSU seeks first win against unbeaten Bulldogs

UAAP Season 77 has so far been a tough one for the DLSU Green Archers as they have suffered two gut-wrenching defeats at the hands of FEU and Ateneo. The “team-to-beat” label seems to be fading away and with an upcoming match against league-leader NU, things will only get tougher for DLSU.

The Bulldogs on the other hand, have been looking like a team that isn’t reeling from the loss of Bobby Ray Parks and Jean Mbe, as they have been racking up crushing and convincing wins against UST and UP on the way to a spotless record.

Flashback

Back in Season 76, both teams not only split the season series but also shared the top spot in the standings. NU came out on top in their first game, 63-56, not only sending the Green Archers to a 3-4 record, but also arousing panic among the Lasallian community. In the second round, La Salle came away with not only the victory, but also forced the Bulldogs to share the top seed with them and FEU.

Despite their identical 10-4 records, it was NU’s superior quotient that gave them the top seed, one they would fail to utilize against eventual runner-up UST. The Green Archers on the other hand, settled for the second seed and slipped past FEU on the way to their first championship since 2007.

Back to the future With Parks and Mbe gone, the biggest concern for the Bulldogs was how to replace the 33.2 points and nearly 20 rebounds both players produced in every game. Two games into the season however have proven that their presence was only a thing of the past. Gelo Alolino has led the team in scoring, while Troy Rosario and Alfred Aroga have been controlling the paint on both ends.

The Green Archers on the other hand, have been struggling to rack up a win in two contests despite retaining the core members of its championship team. One of the few bright spots have been Jason Perkins, who is currently averaging 18 points and 10.5 rebounds, Almond Vosotros, who is also averaging 18 points, and Jeron Teng, who is currently averaging 14.5 points and eight rebounds. Their efforts haven’t been enough as DLSU has had trouble containing their opponents’ backcourts as Mike Tolomia and Kiefer Ravena lit up the Green Archers for 52 points and nine three pointers in just two contests.

Keys to the game For the Green Archers to finally notch that first win, look for them to milk the post as Perkins will continue to be the force down low, with Arnold van Opstal and Norbert Torres hoping to make it tougher for NU’s Aroga and Rosario, who combined for 33 points and 20 rebounds in their win against UP. DLSU will have its hands full as they will face a backcourt headlined by Alolino, who lit up UP for 20 points, on four of seven shooting from the three point line.

NU will look to rely on its trio of Alolino, Aroga, and Rosario to stay undefeated, with Alolino taking charge, as the former RP Youth team member is currently shooting 50 percent from behind the arc two games into the season. Look for the Bulldogs to crash the boards as well as they are currently averaging 43.5 rebounds a game, which is a shade over what DLSU allows its opponents, which stands at 42.5.

Both teams are heading into this game from different directions; DLSU is raring to barge into the win column while NU is trying to solidify its spot atop the league standings. This is different from what many projected as the former was seen to be a budding dynasty while the other was a team trying to rebuild itself. Come Wednesday though at 4 pm in the Mall of Asia Arena, things could change for both teams.