by Milo

“This year, they are JC Intal’s Blue Eagles”

Newspapers, columnists, students and more claim that about the Ateneo team this year since the departure of the Ateneo Blue Eagle’s star point guard, LA Tenorio.

I beg to differ.

After their first two games in the UAAP Season 69, the Ateneo Blue Eagles is not JC Intal’s team, but rather, it will be everyone’s team.

As much as it seems like JC Intal is the rightful heir to the “King Eagle” title left by Enrico Villanueva, Larry Fonacier, and LA Tenorio, I feel that Intal is too “weak” for the role.

Yes, Intal has dazzled spectators with his explosive first step, his gravity-defying dunks, and probably his one block a game last season, but those alone cannot fulfill the King Eagle status.

He may be co-captain this year, and led the Eagles during their first game against National University (NU) with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 assists, and 1 block, but he still lacks the leadership factor and the ability to take over a game to be King Eagle.

It’s still early to tell, but he somehow looks lost during their plays. I still often see him hanging around near the arc like a camper does in first-person shooting games, waiting for the ball to come to him instead of trying to get position to receive the ball and score easily.

He still emits an aura of “It’s just another game” rather than, “We have to win this one!” He still lacks that heart, that never-say-die attitude that Villanueva, Fonacier, and Tenorio had during their stints in the UAAP. Ateneo fans will remember Larry Fonacier’s breaking down into tears after the Blue Eagles bowed down to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in the finals. Fonacier was the only one left fighting as he dove for every ball, shot threes, made plays, and defended all five while the rest of the Eagles were dragging their feet. I cannot see JC Intal, in his current state, be that passionate in the game. A leader goes down fighting, but JC often gets frustrated when he’s doubled, or his shot does not fall most of the time.

It seems that he needs to push a button first (i.e. a dunk) before he turns into King Eagle. But it only lasts for a while, then he reverts back to normal mode as if his energy fluctuates from time to time.

People talk about game faces. If these were of any indication of the amount of passion a player is exerting in a game, then Intal will miserably fail. He often has a “We’re leading by 50 points” or a blank expression rather than a focused look calculating his next move.

Being toted as the King Eagle by everyone is probably hurting his play. He already has committed 10 turnovers in two games. The pressure has probably seeped into his nerves already, and Ateneo cannot afford a razzled JC Intal to be on the court. These turnovers might prove costly for the Blue Eagles in the future.

Actually, if I have to pick one right now, I will rather give it to Macky Escalona than JC intal. The evolution of Escalona simply has heart written all over it. Now that he is starting instead of being Tenorio’s sidekick, he brings down the ball with much oomph, barking or signaling out orders like a little general and makes that accurate pass for the basket. He is not the same Macky who gets pushed around and lives under LA’s shadow anymore.

I watched the game against the University of the Philippines (UP) earlier, and the look in his eyes says it all. He took care of the ball more, and his decisions were better this time around. Earlier, in a semi-fast break attack, Macky was left wide open inside the arc along the baseline. The old Macky would have taken the shot. However, the new Macky faked the shot and passed the ball to his teammate near the hoop for the easy two, and higher percentage shot.

When the UP threatened to blow the game wide during the first quarter earlier, Macky brought down the ball and led the attack, dishing out dimes to his teammates who easily converted their shots. If I remember correctly, he already had four assists near the end of the first. He finished with nine.

But no, I still will not give the title to Escalona. These two games have proven that these Blue Eagles are much different as the previous years. They do not have a “superstar” anymore. No more Villanuevas, Fonaciers and Tenorios to take over the game. The loss of Japeth Aguilar puts even more burden on Ateneo this year. The toted “the Future” of the Eagles, Aguilar flew to the United States in search for a stint in the NBA.

The Eagles are now 2-0 in the UAAP. It was not because someone has emerged as the new superstar of the Blue Eagles, but rather, it was because of the balanced attack they have been executing.

Everyone has suddenly become a threat.

The known “butterfingers” Doug Kramer is now emerging as a seemingly potent weapon as Rich Alvarez in his time sans the three point shot. He had 20 points earlier to go with 10 rebounds. Martin Quimson this year looked even stronger and more athletically fit than before. He scrambled for the ball in every possession, and is now turning to the “garbage man” of the Eagles, an ugly term, but fitting for his new breed of scrapiness. Hey, even Ateneo’s version of “Human Victory/Loss Cigar”, Rabeh Al-Hussaini is doing pretty good as well with a little extra on the boards. He had 8 points and 8 boards earlier.

Plus, their rookie, Eric Salamat, was astounding this time out. He was barely a presence in game one, but earlier against UP, he exploded for if I remember correctly, 17 points with 11-12 FT shooting, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. I can compare him to a young Topex Robinson of the Red Bull Barakos in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Everyone that was sent in earlier by Coach Norman Black, scored to win the game 98-89 against UP. And they didn’t even need JC Intal to lead the scoring.

Their new three guard lineup attack posed problems for the UP Fighting Maroons earlier. Jai Reyes, Macky Escalona, Yuri Escueta, Chris Tiu, Eric Salamat or Jai Reyes can compose this attack at one time. Anyone could bring down the ball, call the plays and lead the attack. This new Blue Eagles team could probably be faster than the previous teams. They ran on the fast break, and quickly came back and swarmed on defense more.

These new changes were not brought upon by JC alone, but by the whole team. The team is not dependent anymore on one Blue Eagle to take over and lead them to the promised land.

No King Eagle yet in this bunch, but this new batch may even be better than the Blue Eagle championship team before.