Lucky 13 for Archers

La Salle assistant coach Allan Caidic said the other day the lucky number 13 loomed large in the Archers’ 71-69 victory over UST in Game 3 of the UAAP senior men’s basketball Finals at the Mall of Asia Arena last Saturday.

First, the return to the throne came in Season 76. If you add 7 and 6, you get 13. Second, Game 3 was played before a huge crowd of 23,305. If you add 2 plus 3 plus 3 plus 0 plus 5, you get 13. Third, the Archers submitted a lean 13-man roster for the season, composed of L. A. Revilla, Norbert Torres, Almond Vosotros, Oda Tampus, Jeron Teng, Arnold Van Opstal, Thomas Torres, Gabby Reyes, Luigi de la Paz, Jason Perkins, Matt Salem, Kib Montalbo and Robert Bolick. All other teams in the league had more players in their lineup.

Fourth, the win happened in 2013 and the color of the year is green. Fifth, the birthday of La Salle’s No. 1 patron and San Miguel Corp. chairman Eduardo (Danding) Cojuangco’s father Eduardo Sr. was Oct. 13. Sixth, there were 13 in the team’s working staff, namely, head coach Juno Sauler, assistants Allan Caidic and Jun Limpot, strength and conditioning coach Marlon Celis, video editor Paolo Sauler, Drs. Vince Gomez and Mark Castro, physical therapists Ted Fabian and Edward Bacason, referee Rey Baron and utility Obet Alberto, Resty Ortega and Branson Carmoc.

Seventh, the number of letters in team statistician Yutien Andrada’s name is 13. Andrada would’ve played his last year of UAAP eligibility this year but suffered an ACL tear in his right knee during the Filoil Flying V tournament a month before the season opened. Andrada will play out his eligibility with fellow San Sebastian high school teammate Vosotros next campaign. Eighth, the only Archer in the UAAP Mythical Five, Perkins, shot 13 points to go with 18 rebounds in Game 3. Finally, there were 13 in the team’s support group, namely, Ambassador Cojuangco, Rep. Henry Cojuangco, managers Terry Capistrano, Raffy Villavicencio and Eric Ongkauko, chief recruiter Dave Dichupa, Br. Ricky Laguda, Br. Bernie Oca, Br. Felipe Belleza, La Salle representatives in the UAAP Board of Trustees Henry Atayde and Edwin Reyes, Office of Sports Development head Nongnong Calanog and this writer.

Others who gave valuable assistance to the squad were courtside reporter Ina Ongsiako, Dr. Jan Dizon, Margot Subiaga-Mata, Jeng Reyes, Agno quarters manager Loumar Salvador, resident prefect/academic adviser Lodel Magbanua, Grace Cura, Minda Catule, Joy Lanting, Alex Depante, Marigin Gonzalez, Pong Enriquez, Gerry Achacoso and Bong Africa.

* * * *

The night before Game 3, former La Salle player Dino Aldeguer dropped by the Archers quarters on Agno adjacent to the Taft Avenue campus from the back street. He shared his experience in the 1999 UAAP Finals where La Salle came back from a Game 1 loss to win Games 2 and 3 for the championship.

Aldeguer, who played briefly for Alaska in the PBA, was the hero of La Salle’s title clincher in 1999. He hit a triple with 2.7 seconds left to knot the count and force overtime. UST’s Gilbert Lao missed two free throws to open the door for the Archers to tie the score. Aldeguer buried the trey falling down and was fouled in the process but missed the bonus charity. If Aldeguer completed the four-point play, La Salle would’ve won it in regulation.

In extension, Aldeguer shot four points before fouling out with 1:13 left. He finished with 21 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists. “Today, 14 years later, when they talk about the 1999 Finals, it’s still about the shot,” he said. “It was a tough season for me. I sat out a lot of games because Mac (Cuan) was playing so well and took over the starting point guard position. But coach Franz (Pumaren) told me to be ready. I waited for the opportunity. I didn’t want to lose, I wanted to leave a legacy at La Salle. I owe so much to my school.”

Aldeguer told the Archers to make the most of the opportunity to win a championship for La Salle because it’s a chance of a lifetime. The team heeded his call.

La Salle coach Juno Sauler put the 1999 experience into perspective. “I remember watching Game 3 that year,” he recalled to the Archers after Aldeguer’s inspirational talk. “While Dino made that big shot, I felt credit must be given to his teammate Ren-Ren Ritualo. In that situation, Ren-Ren was supposed to take the shot. He was our best three-point shooter. The ball went to Ren-Ren but he chose to pass it to Dino who was open. That’s the mark of a great player, a true hero. Ren-Ren passed up the chance to make the shot for the good of the team.”

History repeated itself in Game 3 this season. Like Lao in 1999, UST’s Kevin Ferrer missed two free throws which could’ve given the Tigers a huge cushion with four minutes left in regulation. And in the game-winning play, the Archers’ go-to guy Teng drove in, drew a swarm of defenders and passed up the chance to score the clincher by throwing it to a wide open Vosotros. Like Ritualo to Aldeguer, Teng found Vosotros who nailed the jumper to ice it.

Teng finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists while Vosotros compiled 16 points, five rebounds and one assist. Sauler’s lesson in teamwork made the difference in the end.