Ateneo enjoys record-setting year after PCCL title

MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Blue Eagles crushed outmatched University of Visayas, 95-81, to claim the Philippine Collegiate Championship Monday.

It was Ateneo’s fifth title in as many local tournaments. Prior to the UAAP Season 81 games, the Eagles ruled the City Hoops, Filoil Flying V Premier Cup and Breakdown Basketball Invitationals. Then they annexed their 10th UAAP seniors crown by defeating UP in the finals. In between those tournaments, there was their stellar William Jones Cup stint where the Blue Eagles narrowly missed on a podium finish. They ended up fourth in the nine-team standings (with a 5-3 record) that included club teams and national sides. Ateneo was the only team made up of collegians.

The five titles are perhaps the single most number of crowns won by a college team in one season, let alone by an Ateneo team.

In 2002, Ateneo, behind Joel Banal, won the Philippine Basketball League Chairman’s Cup, the UAAP title and the MICABA championship.

Under Norman Black, Ateneo accomplished three trebles or three major championships. 

In 2008, the Blue Eagles, with a lineup that included Enrico Villanueva, Wesley Gonzales, Rich Alvarez, Larry Fonacier and LA Tenorio to name a few stalwarts, bagged the Nike Summer League (that was once a top summer league before it was discontinued), UAAP and the University Games. 

Come 2010, Black, with studs Nico Salva, Ryan Buenafe, Eric Salamat, Kirk Long and Justin Chua leading the way, guided Ateneo to trophies in the Fr. Martin’s Cup, UAAP and PCCL. 

In 2011, Ateneo pocketed their first ever Filoil Premier Cup, UAAP and the University Games behind Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena.

It was in 2009 though where Ateneo went one better by copping four titles. Black’s troops brought home trophies in the Fr. Martin’s Cup, UAAP, University Games and PCCL. 

And incredibly, Ateneo smashed their record for trophies in one year with the recent PCCL title — their fourth. 

Said Baldwin of his team’s feat: “I didn’t realize that (we had the most successful year of any Ateneo basketball team). Well, I guess I should be proud, but really, I take my pleasure from the relationships that I have with the players and the joy I get watching them enjoy their successes. They have been and continue to be a special group of quality young men. Who would have thought they would be where they are today back in June of 2016 when we lost a bunch of players?”

The current PCCL triumph says something not only about Baldwin’s players, but Baldwin’s system. After losing the first game of their three-game semifinals series against NCAA champions San Beda (after only one practice after a long lay-off), they dressed up few players for a resounding Game Two win. In Game Three, they had even fewer players in uniform yet they still won.

In the finals game against the UV Green Lancers, during the round-robin, they only had six players. Come tip-off, they had eight. By the fourth quarter with the outcome already decided, a few more players arrived after having come from classes.