MANILA, Philippines – Hard and loud, the then high-flying Ateneo Blue Eagles tripped crashing back to the ground in an end of a three-year reign at the hands of new king University of the Philippines just last May.
All signs pointed to a transition of power — a changing of the guard — in the UAAP echelon following a downfall of the once impenetrable, mighty Blue Eagles dynasty in a bloody Battle of Katipunan with the Fighting Maroons as the expected heir ruler for the years to come.
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Apparently, those doubts and questions were all the motivation needed by Ateneo to reclaim the crown and restore order only seven months after being dethroned.
And to achieve redemption, the Blue Eagles had to do things they’ve never done before while sitting comfortably on the throne without any legitimate resistance in the past.
“It’s very welcome to be back on top. I don't want to say it was a surprise, but I think this team had to work harder than the previous versions of Blue Eagle champions. We did things that we've never done before,” said Tab Baldwin as Ateneo got the better of UP in another thrilling winner-take-all duel this time, 75-68, to win UAAP Season 85.
In Season 84, even with a stronger roster, the Blue Eagles surrendered their crown in a heartbreaking, nerve-wracking defeat at the buzzer following JD Cagulangan’s game-winner for UP, which ended its 36-year drought in the process.
Ateneo regrouped, even with a young squad with Ange Kouame, Dave Ildefonso and BJ Andrade as the only key holdovers, and regained its footing before slowly but surely spreading its wings and taking flight. Like an eagle in the sky, they covered all the bases and prudently plotted their attack before discovering “The Buffaloes” that somehow served as the key in hunting down the Fighting Maroons later on.
“We call them ‘The Buffaloes’. You can't imagine the roles they played every day, every practice,” said Baldwin, referring to Ateneo’s stringers led by Jacob Lao and Inand Fornillos who would simulate every play of their opponents all season long, especially of UP.
“They simulated every opponent and they didn't even run our stuff in practice. They would dedicate themselves to that. We never did that before and it’s because we felt so powerful and so strong that we sort of discounted our opponent. And this year, we didn't believe that,” he added.
From Finals MVP Kouame to Andrade to Ildefonso and to more, a bevy of protagonists could be credited to this championship run but “The Buffaloes” — unheralded and all — deserved the Blue Eagles’ caps, too, as the unsung heroes that made it happen for the return of UAAP crown to Loyola.
“Never have I ever coached a championship team where it was truer that every single player (in and outside the roster) deserves a piece of that trophy. They will not be heralded so I can't laud them enough and I will leave it up to their great teammates. Look what they did,” concluded Baldwin.