The Eaglets are 7-0

I've been watching the Blue Eaglets since I started shooting in 2005. Well, to be honest, I watched their final game in 2005 when they lost the UPIS in the Final Four. Since then I've followed their campaigns and have seen them win and lose year in and year out. The great thing about it is that in each year after that, they made it to the finals. Their record in the last 4 championships have been 3-1, losing in 2007 to DLSZ who was coming back after serving their suspension (well, okay, their elder brother's suspension).

In the entire UAAP juniors division, the team has the most if not the only championship experience with Kiefer playing in 3 series and Chucky, Lambert, Von and Pao Romero playing in 2. All have experienced winning a championship. So they know how it is to win one. It's also good that the best player in the team knows how to lose one, as Kiefer was in the Season 70 team that lost to DLSZ.

They are now at 7-0. If you base everything on just looking at the past 7 games, their strongest competitor would be UST. They are the only team that the Eaglets didn't beat by double digits (UST lost by 4). They have Kevin Ferrer who is a do-it-all player. He can dribble, work for points inside and easily bring it beyond the arc. And he has a support shooter in Sarcia, a surprise player who drained too many threes that kept the Eaglets from blowing the game wide open. These are the two to watch in their next encounter, well aside from Rolly Manlapaz calling out UST's player Goo(ooooooooooo)h.

The other team I am wary of are the Bullpups. They are the most improved team this year. From a 1-6 first round to 5-2 this year. If that's not improvement, I don't know what is. Their only blowout loss was against the Eaglets. The other loss was to FEU-Fern. They are tied at second with UST. Their renewed offense may take them to the end this year.

I don't usually make predictions. But here's my wish list Final Four in the Juniors Division of the UAAP. This is based solely on how I watched them play in the short time I wait before Eaglet games:

1 - Ateneo
2 - NU
3 - UST
4 - Adamson

2 and 3 can actually go either way between UST and NU. I chose NU because I wanted them to get something out of their new and improved "bite". 4 can go to any of three teams, Adamson, FEU-Fern and DLSZ. Why Adamson? Aside from wanting to see Hector in a Final Four match, I liked how they played the Eaglets in the first round. It would lead to a fun Final Four encounter.

The Season 73 Eaglets (Blue Eaglets vs UE - - Filoil Arena, July 17, 2010)

So Ateneo has swept 50% of it's games so far. At this point a sweep would just be icing on the cake. I wouldn't really pray for a sweep. History has shown how sweeping teams tend to be rusty at the finals (2006 Juniors and UE in 2007). I'd still pray for the ultimate prize, because that's what the team would want in the first place. A sweep is nothing without the prize in the end. I believe with our crop of championship veterans and high potential newbies, we may well see a three peat in the making. So what do I expect? The same old, Blue Eaglet Basketball: hustle on defense, focus on team work and relentless discipline. And of course, nothing less than One Big Fight!

7 more games in the elims to be played... and if all goes well, 1 more in the Final Four and 2 in the Championship.

Go Ateneo!