Top 10: Overtimes and more

Great week of college basketball had passed, with 6 overtime periods alone in the UAAP and the NCAA. Let's count them down:

• CSB Blazers 117, Arellano Chiefs 107 in 3 overtimes
• UE Red Warriors 95, Adamson Falcons 91 in 2 overtimes
• La Salle Green Archers 101, UST Growling Tigers 92 in 2 overtimes

Now too bad we didn't have a single game with six overtimes. But heck, 7 overtimes in three games? It's like a Michael Jackson concert. Everyone's exhausted after the game is over.

On with the top 10.

10. EAC Generals
I'd have to give these guests a top 10 mention, for they were the first NCAA guest team to register a winning streak. And with names such as Argel, Cubo and the Yaya brothers, the Generals are in for the long ride.

9. UP Fighting Maroons
Despite a 77-65 loss to the FEU Tamaraws, the Fighting Maroons hung around until the very end where UP had one bad break after another.

8. CSB Blazers
Whoa, who thought that the Blazers had heart? Birthday boy Jeff Morial and Angelo Montecastro made sure the Blazers crept up upstarts AU with one three-point dagger, then a blazing drive underneath the hoop. Now if the Blazers can translate their 3OT-win to the next round, we'd probably see CSB back in the Final Four after the Sunday Salvacion days.

7. UST Growling Tigers
The Tigers almost had it, but they let it slip away with faulty defense, leaving La Salle's gunners open for threes that forced overtime. Can the Tigers rebound as the first round winds up?

6. JRU Heavy Bombers
When UST had a "secret weapon" in 2006, it seems that the Bombers will have their own this year. Last year's team captain Jayson Nocom will make sure he'll help in any way possible to break JRU's 37-year championship drought.

5. FEU Tamaraws
The Tamaraws are on a rampage beating UP in a hard-fought game. Babyface Mark Barocca is on his way to an MVP season, unless Rabah is serious on defending his plum.

4. La Salle Green Archers
La Salle is back. And for good. The young guns of the teams responded big time when their veterans just sucked. This is where La Salle's program, actually recruitment, pays dividends, and these young guys are sure to improve as the season progresses.

3. San Beda Red Lions
San Beda almost had it coming when EAC led by 2 (yes, the "other" red and white team led) late in the second quarter, but the Red Lions won as expectedly. Sudan Daniel almost got angry for the wrong reason, causing Frankie Lim to be even more livid.

2. San Sebastian Stags
The Stags are on their way for an undefeated first round, if they win against fellow undefeated team JRU in what could be the game of the season for both teams. Who thought Ato Agustin is this good?

1. Ateneo Blue Eagles
The Eagles reclaim the #1 spot with a trashing of the NU Bulldogs. Rabah is getting ample support from Eric Salamat and the comebacking Eman Monfort.

Bubbling under:
Arellano Chiefs (2-4): The Chiefs ran out of players, literally, as they were decimated by foul troubles. It didn't help when Gio Ciriacruz got cold in the second half.
UE Red Warriors (3-2): UE almost had it with a 20T win with Adamson, and it seems that they'll have a tough time this season once La Salle heats up.
Adamson Falcons (1-5): The heartbreak kids of the UAAP just can't catch a break. Too bad basketball doesn't count overtime losses as a part of the standings or else the Falcons would've been ranked a little bit higher.
Mapua Cardinals (1-5): The Cards almost won. Too bad an unseen force helped the Bombers win.

Co-players of the week: Angelo Montecastro and Jeff Morial - we'd have to give Montecastroa a mention since if it weren't for his hard drives to the basket and superb ballhandling in the overtime periods, Jeff Morial wouldn't be able to save CSB with his treys.