By The Numbers

One clear-cut and near fool-proof basis of a team’s performance in most sports is through analysis of statistics. Numbers are incredibly significant in basketball since they accurately reflect, more often than not, the performance of players and teams. Coaches meticulously pore over game statistics to examine what they did right and what they did wrong. Numbers don’t lie as they say. Every week, we will collate numbers or statistics—either good or bad—that bore any significance during the past three playing dates of Season 73.

16

The number of three-pointers the University of Santo Tomas (UST) made in each of their last two games versus Adamson University and the University of the Philippines (UP). UST tied the record set, incidentally, by Adamson in 2006. The Growling Tigers shot an impressive average of 51.6% from rainbow country in those two games, which they split as they won over UP and lost to Adamson.

8

The number of three-pointers Jeric Fortuna made during UST’s overtime win over UP last Thursday. The third-year guard was two three-pointers short of the record set by National University’s (NU) Jeff Napa in 2001. Fortuna was unconscious from beyond the arc as he shot 8-of-10 and finished with a career-high 29 points. He followed up his amazing shooting game with five three-pointers versus Adamson yesterday.

1,028

The number of days that passed before De La Salle University won over Ateneo De Manila University again. The Green Archers defeated the Blue Eagles last Saturday, 66-63, to finally break the six-game drought. La Salle last won over their bitter rival on September 30, 2007 with a score of 65-60, which earned them a ticket to the Finals, where they swept erstwhile unbeaten University of the East (UE).

13,239

The number of paying patrons during the much-awaited Ateneo-La Salle game last Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum. It surpassed last year’s count of 12,547 during the first round of eliminations. Last Saturday’s tickets were tagged at P350 for Patron, P300 for Lower Box, P200 for Upper Box A, P100 for Upper Box B, and P50 for General Admission.

81.7

The average number of points allowed by UP in their first four games—the worst in the league. The Fighting Maroons have yet to win a single game this season after bowing to La Salle, 80-62, Adamson, 66-59, UST, 87-81 (OT), and Far Eastern University (FEU), 94-70. They have also been allowing their opponents to shoot at an average of 41.7% from the field.

9

The number of players from FEU averaging at least 16 minutes per game. The unbeaten Tamaraws are off to a blistering start this season thanks to their deep rotation. Head coach Glenn Capacio has the luxury of fielding in a slew of quality players every game, resulting into spread of production and prevention of fatigue. Sophomore star RR Garcia leads the team with 30.5 minutes per game, followed by Reil Cervantes (25., Aldrech Ramos (23.0), Chris Exciminiano (18.5), Pippo Noundou (17., Jens Knuttel and JR Cawaling (17.0), Paul Sanga (16., and Terrence Romeo (16.5).

Paolo Mariano, UAAP Sports