In images & words: An Ateneo championship run for the ages
MANILA, Philippines – There’s a song that goes this way: “memories…. Light the corner of my mind. Misty colored memories of the way we were.”
What memories or images come to mind? There are plenty that define these last few months.
You could begin with SJ Belangel saying that he will not forget Season 84’s heartbreak after UP toppled Ateneo’s four-peat ambition, while an anguished Raffy Verano slumped by the baseline crying his heart out in what became his final season.
You could see second-year guard Chris Koon rubbing head coach Tab Baldwin’s head after the victory ride.
You could see Angelo Kouame swatting Henry Galinato’s under goal attempt like it was a volleyball.
You could hear a tearful Matthew Daves hugging Kai Ballungay on center court and saying, “I told you this feels great. This feels great.”
You could see assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga hugging back-up guard Jacob Lao and saying, “Thank you for being a part of this” to which the latter beamed, then hopped and skipped, “I got one. I got one” while referring to the chip.
You could see the great Norman Black on the court by the sidelines, next to his son and former Blue Eagle guard Aaron. He has not stepped on that UAAP court since the five-peat. And Black was smiling. Grinning from ear to ear. Happy to be a spectator.
And the Blacks weren’t the only ones. There was Anton Asistio, brothers Matt and Mike Nieto, Tyler Tio, Isaac Go and Gian Mamuyac. “I tell you it was tense,” related Matt Nieto. “It is more stressful being in the crowd than on the court. When I am on the court, I hear nothing. In the stands, you hear everything.”
You could see Daves giving Carl Tamayo a dose of his own medicine by twisting him into a pretzel on the post for an and-one.
You could see Gio Chiu in motion nail a deadeye triple with an aghast Tamayo looking on.
Oh, Chiu. The much-maligned Chiu and Ateneo’s bench stepped up big time (28-27 in bench points). Although they have in recent games, this says something.
And this was a rebuilding year.
For the second time in six years, the Blue Eagles, under head coach Tab Baldwin, have slayed a giant.
The first was in 2017 when they defeated a juggernaut of a La Salle team that had a Ben Mbala. And now, they took down a UP team that had some of the best position players in college basketball.
Granted that UP lost Zav Lucero to injury. But injuries are part of the game. And yet, there was that poignant and bittersweet moment when UP allowed him to take the free throw after Ateneo was whistled for a late technical foul after they rushed to the court with 0.7 seconds left. It was not the send-off he wanted, but it will be treated with respect.
Ateneo, perhaps taking a cue from Argentina during the FIFA World Cup Finals where the Albiceleste overwhelmed France for much of the first 80 minutes, jumped all over UP from the get-go and put up a sizeable lead, beat back rallies. They even posted higher leads.
Like France, the inevitable UP run came.
However, Ateneo, like Argentina, found a higher gear and like they did for the first 25 minutes, played flat out suffocating defense to win, 75-68, to take back the title they lost in devastating fashion in Season 84. They blitzed UP right from the start and never allowed the Fighting Maroons to dictate the tempo.
You know what they say about payback.
Ateneo began to play much better in the second round after the loss to National University.
What made this feat incredible is this was an Ateneo team that was significantly weaker and less experienced from the Season 84 squad. The Blue Eagles played the underdog role to the hilt. And it isn’t every day Ateneo is labelled as one.
Like the win against Mbala and company, this was a true One Big Fight.
This was the first Ateneo team to lose their defense of a championship and return the next season to win it all.
Ateneo is the first team since National University to lose Game One of the finals series and comeback to win it all (the Bulldogs turned the trick in Season 77).
Like in 1988, when La Salle was making noises about snatching the crown atop Ateneo’s head, the season ended with the blue and white on top and a long banner unfurled that read; “Look who’s number one.”
Number one indeed.
This was for the faithful and the unbelievers like me.
This is to reinforce that saying “Trust in Tab” and I never will question that hereafter. He has taken the team to six consecutive finals and won four. He repaid his losses to Aldin Ayo and now, Goldwyn Monteverde, in spades.
With the trophy back in Loyola Heights — the 12th UAAP hardware that goes with the 14 seniors crowns won in the NCAA — forevermore, Blue Eagle the King.
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