After a television appearance in a weekly noontime show, the newly-crowned UAAP champions trooped to the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and, just a few hours later, went on to beat St. Benilde, 79-68, at the start of the UAAP-NCAA Final Showdown single-round semifinals.
But the hardcourt victory was not to be the end of the day for the Blue Eagles who were then ordered to take a quick shower and get into their Sunday best, as they were to proceed to Malacanang for a rare evening with President Arroyo and her family.
"Cocktails daw with the First Family. I don’t even know who set it up but of course it’s an honor for us to be with the President," said Joel Banal, the rookie Ateneo coach who steered the Loyola-based squad to the UAAP crown at the expense of bitter rival La Salle, St. Benilde’s sister school.
President Arroyo was an economics professor at Ateneo during her younger years while the First Gentleman, Atty. Jose Miguel, was a school alumnus. Their three children, Mikey, Luli and Dato, also went to Ateneo.
"Medyo hectic day nga para sa amin. My players were even on TV kanina. Then we won the game," added Banal of the fun-filled television appearance of the Blue Eagles, a couple of whom even showing off their talents as singers along with some female hosts of the noontime show.
Earlier on the hardcourt, University of the East wasted no time beating reigning NCAA champion San Sebastian, 98-73, as the Warriors remained unbeaten after five games in this benefit series for Bantay Bata 163.
The Warriors never trailed after high-flying Ronald Tubid opened up the game with a one-handed breakaway dunk that triggered a 19-6 start. Paul Artadi scored 10 of those points as he scored twice on the fastbreak, a triple from the left side and a squeeze-in three-point play.
In the second quarter, it was the turn of James Yap to shine. He buried back-to-back triples to give the Warriors their first 20-point lead of the game at 49-29. There was nothing much the Stags could do for the rest of the first half which ended with UE way ahead, 55-35.
Olan Omiping then took over in the final 20 minutes where he struck hardest en route to a game-high 27 points. The Warriors simply couldn’t to anything wrong, never giving the Stags a chance to regroup while building their biggest lead at 88-61 with just a couple of minutes left.
The Stags never really knew what hit them although veteran Turo Valenzona had some things to say about the officiating. Late in the final quarter, he left the bench while the game was going on, approached Joe Lipa and was seen calmly pointing out, or at least explaining, some lapses on the officiating to the UAAP commissioner.