SIMOUN SAYS: You Can’t Win in the UAAP Without Elite Shot-Making

Did you see Jorick Bautista going supernova this past Saturday?

Maybe he has a thing against winged adversaries. Maybe he has an ax to grind with universities that begin with the letter “A.” For whatever reason, the sophomore FEU guard turned up his intensity in overtime to steer the Tamaraws to a 76-72 win over Adamson.

As Bautista poured in 21 points off fearless drives and big shots from distance—including that trey that tied the game with 15 seconds left—I was thinking of two things. One, this young dude’s clutch gene is extremely fun to watch. Two, Bautista’s performance underscores the one element that clearly sets winning teams apart in the UAAP this season.

It’s called elite shot-making.

While each university program has a distinct style shaped by coaching philosophy and roster construction, UAAP teams have—more often than not—sealed the deal when a shot-maker turns the tide. The more shot-makers show up, the better the chances of winning.

When I say “shot-maker,” I’m talking about players with tremendous versatility on offense—in other words, three-level scorers who can adeptly finish at the rim, stroke it from deep, and master the midrange. On top of that, elite shot-makers show up when their team is behind, when the game clock is winding down, and even when the opposing team is mounting a comeback.

It’s easy to slap on the label of buwakaw on shot-makers in a game that emphasizes impeccable teamwork. But, time and again, shot-makers have proven to be the difference when defensive schemes clamp down on a team’s offensive sets in crucial stretches. They are, in a word, script-flippers.

Why are DLSU and UP on top of the team standings at the onset of Round 2? Because they have multiple shot-makers that come through in a timely fashion. 

• The defending champions have Kevin Quiambao, yet again an MVP contender who keeps defenders guessing with his lethal three ball and clutch baseline jumpers. And, as I pointed out in last week’s column, the Green Archers have a number of other scorers that can manufacture their own shot: JC Macalalag, EJ Gollena, Earl Abadam, Andrei Dungo, and Lian Ramiro. (Don’t forget about CJ Austria, a two-way menace who’s making up for lost time after being out with an injury.)

• The Fighting Maroons’ six-game winning streak in the previous round was thanks in large part to JD Cagulangan, who became a legitimate three-level threat this season by unlocking his midrange game. Here’s one more reason why UP absorbed their solitary loss at the end of Round 1: Against La Salle, Harold Alarcon couldn’t sustain his hot hand in the fourth quarter while Gerry Abadiano couldn’t get going, period. Both longtime Goldwin proteges have proven to be elite shot-makers in the past, and an off-night from either or both of them significantly impacts UP’s chances of winning.

Consider the teams that have won at least three games thus far, and you’ll see more proof of shot-makers’ value. Though the UE Red Warriors—or, should I say, Season 87’s sentimental favorites—led the league in three-point and free throw percentage at the end of Round 1, their wins were undeniably sealed by the audacity of John Abate, Gjerard Wilson, and Wello Lingolingo. (Is Precious Momowei an elite shot-maker? This may be a matter of semantics, but to be clear, he’s an MVP candidate.) The UST Growling Tigers are topnotch when it comes to perimeter scoring and starters’ points, but in the endgame, they achieve success when Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabañero do their thing. As for FEU, while I sang the praises of Jorick Bautista earlier, we do have to bear in mind that Royce Alforque is a battle-tested veteran who isn’t afraid of the big moment.

RELATED: We Believe: Why the UE Red Warriors are the UAAP’s best story

That leaves us with the two teams at the bottom of the standings. As delightful as it is to watch the intricate systems designed by Tab Baldwin and Jeff Napa, Ateneo and NU frequently fall apart in the second half. Though there are other factors at play—these two teams are dead last in terms of inside points allowed and three-point field goal percentage allowed, respectively—the lack of a clear go-to guy hurts the Blue Eagles and Bulldogs big time. Jared Bahay is getting there and Jake Figueroa has shown glimpses, but by and large, these two teams need huge doses of three-level scoring to stay afloat in Round 2.

As Season 87 progresses, I’ll be keeping a close eye on the elite shot-makers of the league. I have a feeling that the Finals of the men’s basketball tournament will come down to a shootout between two superb scorers who will go supernova—possibly for the very last time in the UAAP.

By the Numbers

1,629

The number of games (covering both regular season and playoffs) that Vince Carter played in his NBA career. Across a whopping 22 seasons, Carter made indelible memories by rattling rims with ferocious dunks and hitting clutch shots with the smoothest of ease. Without a doubt, Carter’s recent induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame is well-deserved.

7

The record-setting number of times Breanna Stewart stole the ball in Game 2 of the 2024 WNBA Finals. Stewart’s defensive prowess helped the New York Liberty defeat the Minnesota Lynx 80-66 to tie up the championship series. All game long, Stewart—who also finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, and five assists—showed active hands and impressive footwork to keep Minnesota’s scorers at bay.

256

The combined number of points that San Miguel and Ginebra put up on the scoreboard in Game 2 of their semifinal series. The Beermen chipped in 131 points while the Barangay accounted for 125. I can only imagine the reaction of coach Tim Cone—who’s known for keeping final scores notoriously low through masterful control of game pace—once he allowed the headline on the stat sheet to sink in.

Tweet of the Week

I like this pic.twitter.com/Hspuq23Rse

— Charles Tiu (@charlestiu) October 10, 2024

CSB head coach Charles Tiu is a savant of the social media platform X. I wonder what he’s trying to say here?