This reflection was published in the November issue of Living with Christ (Philippine Edition).
In this time and age, kings belong to the realm of the imaginary, of fairy tales and legendary stories. Rarely do we encounter kings who rule over people in terms of civil governance and political power. Nonetheless, we have a classic image of what a king is: a crown on gold on his head, a royal staff in his hands, fine garments decked with jewels as his dress, and a lofty regal throne as his seat of influence and authority.
But Jesus had a different understanding of what it means to be a king. On his head was a crown of thorns, not of gold. In his hands were nails pierced to his flesh, not a royal staff. In his body was blood poured for our salvation, not fine garments decked with jewels. Behind him was a heavy wooden cross, not a lofty regal throne. In his kingdom, compassion and salvation were prime priorities, not the expansion of territory or material prosperity. He came to serve, not to be served. He was available to all, not to a chosen few.
The life, mission, and message of Jesus, which culminated in his passion, death, and resurrection, portray what a true king does and lives by: defending the dignity of the human person, standing for the truth, and serving with integrity and fidelity. The real king is not adorned in gold, but Christ on the cross.
as seen from print ads in today's newspapers. uploaded in bleachersbrew by sir rick olivares. photo by sir philip sison. when everything has been said and done, what matters in the end are the things left unsaid and undone. no long sentences. no cliches. no mottoes and slogans. just five championships in five consecutive years.
Pope Benedict XVI has named Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle and five other prelates from Lebanon, Nigeria, Colombia, India and the United States as new cardinals.
The Pope made the surprise announcement during his weekly general audience Wednesday and said they would be elevated at a consistory November 24. At 55, Tagle is currently the world’s youngest cardinal.
I am very proud to be Cardinal Tagle's student in Holy Orders last semester in the Loyola School of Theology as well as his fellow Josefino, a son of San Jose Seminary. Truly, the Philippine Church rejoices in this announcement, following the canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod last Sunday.
In this year of faith, we strive to truly witness to the faith entrusted to us by Christ in our words and deeds. May it enflame our hearts to be instruments of love and service to God and His people.
Nakatingin lamang sa Diyos... Tangan ang palmera na sumisimbolo ng tagumpay, hindi niya kundi ni Kristo... Hawak ang Doctrina Christiana na siyang isinabuhay niya bilang saksi sa Katoliko Kristiyanong pananampalataya... at handang humakbang kung saan man ipadala... Ngayong taon ng pananampalataya at pandaigdigang linggo ng misyon, nagagalak tayong mga Pilipino sa pagsasabilang kay Pedro Calungsod sa mga hanay ng mga santo.
Nawa ay magsilbi siyang halimbawa ng kabanalan, pagsasakripisyo, paghihirap para sa pananampalataya, at pagtataya ng buong sarili para sa Diyos. San Pedro Calungsod, ipanalangin mo kami!
SAN PEDRO CALUNGSOD, HUWARAN NG MGA KABATAAN
Titik ni Timoteo M. Ofrasio, SJ -- Musika ni Arnel Aquino, SJ
Inawit ng Tinig San Jose at Himig Heswita
1. Sa 'yo'y pagpupúgay handóg nami't álay
Sántong kaláhì at aming kabánay ,
Huwárang tángì ng mga kabatáan,
Magíting na anák ng kabísayáan.
2. Pagsisilbíng ganáp ang tánging hangád,
Átas ni Cristo'y tapát na tinupád,
Maáyong Balitâ ay ipínamanság,
Kaháyag ni Cristo ay iyong pinasínag.
KORO:
San Pedro Calúngsod, túnay na huwáran
San Pedro Calúngsod, angay pagasúndon
sa mga kabatáan.
3. Nahímong katábang ng páring butíhin
Na si Diego Luís, sa kanyang gawáin
Sa maláyong dapít piníli n'yang itanghál
Kaligtásan ng táong sa Diyos ay mahál.
4. Hindi ka nasindák sa lupít at dahás
Na dúlot ng bangís ng imbíng kaáway
Sa baybáyin ng Tumhón sa pulóng Mariánas
Gawásnon n'yang gihálad ang sarili n'yang búhay. (Koro)
CODA:
Pedro Calúngsod, isa kang huwáran
Ng mga kabatáan sa panínindígan
Panig-íngnan ikaw sa 'yong katátagán
Sa 'yo nawa'y matúlad ang aming kabatáan! (Koro)
this video reminds me that i have been supporting the blue eagles for a very long time already.
5 titles,
4 championship clinching games (only missed game 2 of season 71 against la salle due to xavier's a-day that year),
3 bonfires (missed 2nd and 3rd bonfires, but i was there during the first one aka mud party in bellarmine field),
all witnessed by 2 san carlos-ateneo hybrids in me and ian.
in the end, it's about being number 1... ONE BIG FIGHT!
for poy. for MVP. for graduating players: greg, nico, justin, zags, and oping. for coach norman. for the blue eagles sixth man, for all the lemons, for those who witnessed and bore the pain of 2006.
MISSION ACCOMPLI5HED. FIVE STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS. BLUE EAGLE THE KING!
three points on the blue eagles' win against the growling tigers to take game 1 of the uaap season 75 men's basketball finals. in this match-up against katipunan and espana for pride and glory that uaap basketball has to offer for a season, ateneo has a game left to win for a historic five-peat, but still nothing is safe for them as the dangerous ust team is out to give their best try to bounce back and level the series.
1. 3rd quarter storm... again. looking at the first half of play, it seemed that the blue eagles were falling into a trap that no one from the blue side of the arena wants to see: a 0-1 hole against the growling tigers. they were missing from close range, turnovers were abounding, and the team, except nico salva who was stellar in the entire game with his career high 30 points, were sinking instead of swimming against the giant waves (oh yes, the yellow colored crowd did the infamous "jeje-wave" for most of the game) of the squad from espana. but the third quarter showed flashes of the blue eagles of old, especially that patented third quarter storm that turned the tides of numerous games during the championship era. a 17-0 run that silenced the noisy ust gallery as well as their team for more than 7 minutes made the difference for the blue eagles. clearly, their third quarter play was way different than that of the first half: they were more aggressive in the paint, they distributed the ball efficiently, and defended better against ust. time and again, the adjustment from the halftime break made wonders for ateneo, and with a pivotal second game coming up, they must use it hopefully to sustain a big lead they made in the first half and "finish what they have started" come thursday.
2. game ending heroics... again. just when ust threatened to take the game away with a furious comeback from a 10 point deficit, ateneo's finishers did what they do best: end the game right. aljon mariano found his range early in the fourth quarter and that karim abdul dunk on the break brought the ust crowd back on their feet. when a team goes up against ust, the players must always remember that no lead is safe against them as they have the ability to come back strong. but juami tiongson, ryan buenafe, and kiefer ravena had something else in mind. tiongson, who was steady in this game with his ball-handling and three-point shooting, made a magical lay-up courtesy of the open lane that ust interestingly gave him when they were starting to mount a rally for a furious finish. buenafe, whom coach norman black described as a "money player", came once again with a crucial three pointer plus a foul to somehow douse cold water on ust's "firemen" who wanted to keep the game more interesting. and ravena, who played distributor in the first half, made a final jumper to drive the nail in the coffin and take the first game. as much as these end-game heroics were a delight to the eyes of the blue eagles sixth man, they cannot wait for that moment when they can go hero-ball like other players from other teams love to do. they have to play hero all throughout the game with their execution, teamwork, and intensity in all forty minutes of basketball.
3. here we go... again. we've gone this far this season, and with a victory left to claim, the blue eagles have to treat their game on thursday "like there's no tomorrow." for the past championship seasons, i've been using that phrase as a reminder that every game should be taken with an "elimination game" mindset, as if we are the ones trailing and at the brink of going home for good. much has been said about 2006 and season 69, but like the last four championship seasons, the blue eagles are back in that scenario where they lead 1-0 and are just 40 game minutes away from a championship. they must not let complacency and overconfidence ruin their game. they should not think of the bonfire yet, or the hefty rewards that would come to what could be the last season where they would enjoy these perks. they ought not to give ust an inch lest they put another playing date this coming weekend. the enemy is dangerous, and the blue eagles know that very well. if they want to keep the title in katipunan, they must give their all and consider thursday as their last game of the season.
exactly six years ago, the ateneo blue eagles lost to the ust growling tigers in game 3 of the finals, which gave the espana-based squad the men's basketball championship in uaap season 69. of course, the pain of 2006 might still linger for long-time fans of the blue eagles, myself included. despite the recent success of the blue eagles in the past four championship runs, i still feel that 2006 is a matter to be avenged as the finals for season 75 begins in 5 days. here is part of a blog post i made six years ago (no editing, so typos and grammatical errors might still be flying around it), breaking down that fateful game on that very riveting season, which could have been ateneo's first championship since 2002.
ALMOST BUT NOT QUITE
(photo taken from fabilioh.com)
yesterday,
though it was rather uneventful that our school failed to secure its
fourth seniors men's title (yes, it should just have been only the
fourth for ateneo), will definitely go down the drain as one of the
"should have been" moments of school history, and even perhaps my own
life. yes, it was marked by a lot of crazed up moments that could have
delivered clinchers all throughout. the game was tight, with no team
leading more than double digits (if i'm not mistaken, UST led by 7 at
one point, while ateneo's largest lead was 5), plenty of lead changes,
and a lot of drama in a tightly contested game. it was rather fortunate
that allan evangelista and jervy cruz fouled out of the game, which
could have made things easier for the blue eagles - if they didn't
really run out of luck in the end game. the tigers were big and mean,
literally, as the eagles were outrebounded and outmatched by their
height and "gulang" advantage.
all the while, we thought that it was a won game in the dying minutes
with jc burying that trey that gave them a five point cushion. well,
almost but not quite. the tigers gave that last ditch effort that sent
the game into overtime. all the while, i had this premonition that when
the game goes to overtime, the eagles are doomed. chris was out due to
foul trouble, the big men were ganged up inside, jc was placed in
handcuffs, and the rest had to ride from the bench all throughout. in
the midst of these odds, macky simply brought the team on his back.
hands down, macky made things happen. but it wasn't really enough.
when
dylan ababou made that free throw with 12 seconds left, i told myself
that there's still hope for the title. but in the dying five seconds of
overtime, jc missed the banker that could have brought the title back to
katipunan. and yes, with the jumpball occuring and the freaking
possession arrow almost at the side of the tigers all game long, the
defeat was made visible as jun cortez nailed his first free throw and
bungled the second one, which led to a lose ball scramble and jai
throwing that desperation shot that didn't hit the mark. it's over - the
tigers won their first title after a decade, and the eagles are going
home to katipunan with no bacon. it's just disappointing that the blue
eagles, amidst sailing by the eliminations with a 10-2 mark, seeding
first in the final four and getting ample rest by dispatching the
adamson falcons, and taking that first game with doug's undergoal buzzer
beater, blew their title chances by literally running out of luck in
the end game. that's why i share the same sentiment with jc, who fell to
tears when the game was sealed in favor of the tigers. sayang.sayang talaga.
though the title will go to espana this year, he and the rest of the
eagles have practically nothing to be ashamed of, considering the
above-mentioned feats that would definitely be sterling moments in
school basketball history. yes, i still give the championship to the
blue eagles, not because i belong to the school, but because they were
consistent all throughout.
on a personal level, i
really rooted for ateneo from the very beginning, for reasons beyond
just such being my school at present. i've watched two games this season
- first at ninoy aquino stadium where ateneo won against adamson by a
solitary point courtesy of a trey by chris, and second was that
sensational triumph over feu where jc drove that left-handed lay-up with
1.2 seconds remaining which in turn booted out the defending champions
from final four action. and in all these games, i was wearing my "lucky
outfit" (blue shirt, jeans, rubber shoes). i tried doing the same thing,
but it didn't quite work out this time. i also tried praying in the
coliseum during certain breaks of the game, but it seems to me that god
is telling me to do it at san jose instead! but for me, the most
striking scene on that game was the entire ateneo side singing "song to
mary" with much grace and confidence despite losing. it was remarkable
that the supporters never really left as a sign of encouragement to the
players who were simply unbelievable all game long just to play for
school pride. indeed, being there at the biggest stage of them all at
perhaps the biggest ateneo game this season was indeed a different
experience. and even if the school lost the game, i am proud to say that
the entire team, and even the alumni, students, and staunch supporters
of the school, have fought the good fight.
QUINITO, IS THAT YOU?
ok, i know i am not quinito henson, but here are three points that were crucial in the turn-out of events in game three:
black magic gone.
yes, ateneo was a team known for being lucky, sometimes too much, in
very close games. they have won through clutch shots and a lot of
decisive plays in the end game - the most notorious of which is that 1.0
second shot of doug kramer that sent game one to the bag of the blue
eagles. unfortunately, in game 3, the blue eagles simply ran out of
luck. jc intal missed two potential game clinchers - one before the end
of regulation and the other one at 5 seconds left in overtime. like jc,
the rest of the eagles were on handcuffs, except macky escalona who
torched the ring with drives and treys for a 28 point output. and yes,
just when the eagles needed that "black magic" running the show, it went
to the other side of the court. the tigers were just lucky, if i may
say, to survive game 3. they had the breaks all throughout the game.
espiritu's trey and canlas' putback as well as ababou and cortez's free
throws were not the only tangible proofs of such luck. with 3.7 seconds
left in overtime, it was a jumpball between a tiger and doug kramer, and
guess what: the possession arrow was at the side of UST! and yes, with
cruz and evangelista at bay due to graduation from fouls, pido jarencio
must have found unlikely heroes in his second stringers. it really
doesn't matter now if he looks like jose manalo or allan k. he's
champion coach for motivating the unseeded tigers very well. and we also
have to incude for getting all the luck he needed to get the tigers
from a 2-5 first round start to a roaring championship finish. let's
just say that he got his own fair share of "black magic" used at the
right place and time.
too much complacency.
here, the eagles would have to learn their lesson. the reason why their
games all throughout the season were very close was because of too much
complacency on their part - on protecting the lead, on securing the
leather, on dictating the tempo, and on selecting better shots. yes,
they were known for winning in close games, but when the game breaks
open, it becomes harder for them to catch up and even take the game
home. true, they have "black magic" on their sleeves, but when they run
out of it, they have to go BACK TO BASICS - tempo, hustle, rebounding,
shot selection. they had a five point lead in the closing minutes of the
game, but they relaxed too early, which paved way for UST to barge into
the game and send it to overtime. and in overtime, they had chances on
taking the lead, but their shots were not falling and they failed to
secure the boards from the tall tigers. a lot of people have been
questioning certain calls from our dear referees, but i think that it's
beyond our control now. with the game decided and the championship
already in espana, what the eagles could do is to learn their lesson -
focus on rebounding, selecting and taking better shots, protecting the
lead from brief spurts, and dictating the tempo all throughout the
ballgame.
japeth aguilar.
obviously, this factor has been the big difference all throughout the
blue eagle's season. the 6'7'' behemoth was the biggest blow to the
basketball team as he left for greener pastures in the US NCAA. that
left the middle without the once dominant presence of the monster shot
blocker and rebounder. true enough, the absence of japeth was very
evident in the entire season, as centers rabeh al-hussaini and ford arao
tried filling the gap on his behalf. yes, there were stellar
performances of these two centers, but nothing perhaps beats the
towering presence of japeth aguilar in the paint. and i have to say that
ateneo needs japeth aguilar to stop jervy cruz from being a monster
down the middle. yes, japeth may not have the heft unlike jervy, but he
has the quickness and leaping ability to outmatch him in his staple food
- rebounding. and i think that in order for ateneo to win titles
without japeth, it has to train rabeh, drop ford to team B, and lure a
new center to the eagle's lair. a guy named kevin crisostomo perhaps?
hahaha. kidding aside, if japeth was there in the blue eagles roster,
then the championship was surely money in the bank for the cagers from
katipunan. and too bad he won't be in the ateneo line-up very soon -
even in UAAP-NCAA live 06.
well,
next year will be an entirely different story for the blue eagles. jc,
macky, and doug have played their final year. without the main men and
with japeth aguilar in distant shores, the carry-overs from this
runner-up season would pin have to work harder, especially with chris,
martin, and zion playing their final year next year. eric and jai are
the future of the team, and they have to mature just in time for next
season. as i said earlier, rabeh has to be trained well since he has the
potential to take over japeth's place, while ford has to be dropped to
team B for further training. ken might take over the place of jc in the
line-up, so he has to prove why he's former junior's mvp before entering
the collegiate league. emman, the spitfirish point guard will hopefully
see more playing time next season, since he has proven that he can play
with the big boys. how about coach norman? rumors have it that he might
be replaced next season as his contract is expiring soon. but it makes
me wonder if ateneo needs a pido jarencio to do the job if we have a ten
time grandslam coach in norman black. unless we can get chot reyes, who
used to be a blue eagle too, to coach the eagles next year. or better
yet, take the living legend himself - robert jaworski!para patas lang laban. ginebra! ginebra!
to
end this rather long analysis, i think that the ateneo-ust clash was
expected to usher in a new rivalry in collge basketball. i think
otherwise. it is obvious that nothing can still beat the blue-and-green
rivarly, which we would be (again) seeing next year. if there's
something between these two institutions, it has to be their religious
orders - the dominicans and the jesuits - who have been "at clash" all
throughout world and even philippine church history. well, just a
reminder to all die hard USTe fans: yes, the dominicans may be ubiquitous, but without the jesuits, there would be no UST hospital and college of pharmacy! so let the two religious orders pull each other's hair. for sure, ignatius of loyola and his first companions are cheering "one big fight" while dominic and thomas aquinas are chanting "go USTe" while dwelling among the communion of saints in heaven.
with the championship series between the ateneo blue eagles and the ust growling tigers still six days away, i revisited my old blog to look at some of the posts i had then about that ill-fated title run in season 69. there were plenty of interesting and at times "revealing" posts back then, but with the blog shut down for good, i just left them as they are, save for a few posts that i will be re-blogging here. first of them is this quote which i got from my sister's bulletin board post in friendster (which was still the "in thing" in 2006) that somehow gave color to the final second of game 1 of the finals. of course, everyone knows what happened then. if not, the video below may be of great help.
To realize the value of one year, ask a student who failed a
grade. To realize the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to
a premature baby. To realize the value of one week, ask the editor of a
weekly newspaper. To realize the value of one hour, ask the lovers who
are waiting to meet. To realize the value of one minute, ask a person
who just missed the train. To realize the value of one second, ask UST
(University of Santo Tomas) coach Pido Jarencio and the UST Tigers who
lost a game to Ateneo. Treasure every moment! Don't just read, reflect
on it and share. Go blue eagles!
three points on the blue eagles' win against green archers in their final four encounter in season 75. in yet another classic encounter between the arch-rivals, the blue eagles weathered a double digit deficit in the fourth quarter to book a finals match-up with the growling tigers - the team that denied coach norman black of what could have been his first championship in the uaap in season 69.
1. mythical. kiefer ravena might have missed the mythical five this season due to a tight statistical race, but his 28 points-12 rebounds-7 assists performance can surely be defined in one word: mythical. last season's top rookie and member of the mythical five connected 8-14 from the field, including four three pointers that changed the game for the blue eagles. despite getting plagued by foul trouble in the first three quarters, the "phenom" stepped up in the fourth quarter to ignite a run that snatched this game from upset-seeking la salle. though he would finish the season without an individual award, ravena's eyes remain fixed on the prize: the fifth consecutive championship for the blue eagles and even a personal five-peat for himself, having won three straight titles in high school and nailing one more in his maiden season in college. his task is far from done and i hope he remains reliable and mythical in the championship round.
2. finisher. just when everyone thought that there would be a knock-out match in a few days, the blue eagles once again did what they do best: coming from behind and getting the win. ravena's heroics in this game showed his ability to take over when his performance matters. despite greg slaughter having a bad game (4 points on 2-9 from the field and 0-3 in the free throw line), other vital cogs in the team like nico salva (12 points on 6-11 shooting) and ryan buenafe (10 points, including that go-ahead three pointer that gave the lead back to ateneo with less than a minute left and two free throws that sealed the game) gave the much needed lift for the blue eagles.
the team did not only face a tough la salle team but even horrendous officiating and some underhanded tactics from the other side of the court. the la salle coaching staff contested one of ravena's three pointers that somehow took the momentum away from the blue eagles, who might have taken the game away had greg slaughter competed his three-point play. as assistant jun limpot stormed to the referee to complain, la salle was able to create a time out out of nothing that enabled them to draw a play on that juncture of the game. fortunately, luck was not on their side as the blue eagles managed to hold on to the lead in the dying seconds. officiating will definitely be crucial in the finals, and if the referees let these little things go, it will surely make the up-hill climb tougher for the blue and white.
3. revenge. the cast is complete for the biggest stage this season, and ateneo is facing a very dangerous opponent in ust for the championship. however, if the blue eagles will perform the way they did in the third quarter and the early goings of the fourth, they will not have a chance against the growling tigers especially if the latter's confidence level shoots up and lady luck begins to smile at them in the game. expect the tigers and their coach pido jarencio to study the blue eagles well and make things difficult for the them in the finals. but then again, this title showdown between ateneo and ust is surely a perfect way to end coach norman black's coaching stint with the blue eagles and in college basketball in general. everything now comes in full circle as he gets into a coaching chess battle with jarencio, who took away the title in season 69 against his heavily-favored team that comprised jc intal, doug kramer, and macky escalona. and what way to avenge that lost championship by salvaging this season's crown at the expense of ust. it won't be a walk in the park as much work has yet to be done heading into the last few games of the season for the blue eagles.
the most storied rivalry in collegiate basketball returns to the basketball court for perhaps one last time this season as the ateneo blue eagles, armed with a twice-to-beat advantage, squares off against resurgent la salle green archers in the final four of uaap season 75.
the blue eagles, who last played almost two weeks ago in that highly emotional game against ust growling tigers, look to move forward in their drive for five consecutive championships under outgoing coach norman black at the expense of the green archers, who won their last three outings including a come-from-behind victory against the feu tamaraws in the knock-out game for the last seat in the final four.
in what is expected to be another classic battle between two of the elite teams in the uaap, here are five keys that may come in handy for the blue eagles:
1. shrug away the distractions. the "total disengagement" between mvp and ateneo is surely a big blow not only to the blue eagles but to the entire ateneo community. fine, we will not be able to see the "smart" logo in their jerseys next year or even see the prominent ateneo alum in his ringside seat for the rest of the season, but there's more to this than mvp telling fr. jet villarin that it is "time to call it a day." we almost saw coach norman black leaving the team out of courtesy, being an "employee" of the ateneo's most influential benefactor. but everyone had that collective sigh of relief after hearing the news that the team will get to finish what they have begun and hopefully bring it to fulfillment in three games. i have no idea of the atmosphere in the blue eagles locker room and even in their practices for the past two weeks, but it is my hope that the team is able to shrug away these distractions and keep their eyes on the prize. no one knows what the future holds, so we might as well focus on the present and defend the title this season.
2. shake off the cobwebs. lately, the four-time defending champions have been away from competitive uaap action - 14 days to be exact by the time they face the fourth seed green archers on saturday. their last game against ust wasn't exactly a convincing win for many, but a win is still a win and such is good enough to nail the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage in the final four. but more than that last game, this lay-off could bring some ring rust to those fiery hands or even withered feathers to wings ready to take flight. though the blue eagles have been used to this kind of scheme where they play consecutive games and take a really long break from league games, i hope they made the most of it: resting their bodies, healing some injuries, drawing up some new plays, perfecting old ones, studying game tapes, and getting back that winning edge that makes their team a cut above the rest.
3. surprise the opponent. ateneo-la salle games have been the venue for players to play big in front of a jam-packed coliseum crowd, showing why they belong to their school color of choice. last game, ryan buenafe reminded the blue and green crowd that he belongs to the school whose name is imprinted in his jersey. during their first round game last season, kiefer ravena sent his message across the league that the phenom has landed in ateneo. year after year, we have seen players from both sides showing who they are and displaying their talents to the delight of the supporters of their respective teams. in this final four match-up, i ask: who could be one who would "surprise" us with his stellar performance on the court? ateneo-la salle games are truly memorable for every player on the roster, and i hope that whoever is given that opportunity to shine in this game will make the most of it.
4. show some support. it is a fact that the blue eagles cannot simply depend on our "big 3" of ravena, greg slaughter, and nico salva to claim the victory. but lately, most of the offensive load have been on the shoulders of slaughter and ravena. salva had a rather forgetful performance against ust after pouring it all against nu. oping sumalinog has been a big factor in defense and those uncontested corner threes would surely help the cause. for sure, buenafe won't have those open lanes as before, so he better know when to distribute the ball or take it strong to the hole. juami tiongson and nico elorde must be more consistent in handling the ball and continue firing sure shots from long range. graduating seniors justin chua and tonino gonzaga have yet to make an impact in their final season wearing blue and white. frank golla must get rid of those butterfingers especially in handling the rock. finally, gwyne capacio and von pessumal can make the most of his playing time they might be given in this game.
5. seal the deal. having a twice-to-beat advantage may be a two-edged sword for any team. it can truly be an advantage as the opponent has to beat you twice to advance to the next round. it can also be an insurance in the very unfortunate case of the lower team snatching a victory from them. but it could and should never be an excuse for relaxing a single moment in this game. this championship run has not been easy for them, and letting go of this very precious opportunity to return to the finals and defend the championship for the fifth straight season should never be an option. with a lot of things happening in the background, this might just be the last decent run that the blue eagles will be having, as next season will be a big question for most of their players and even the coaching staff and recruits. if there's one important key for the blue eagles in this game, it has to be their ability to seal the deal in games that matter and move forward in that quest to make history for their alma mater.
PREDICTION: ateneo in 1 game by 7 points FLY HIGH! ONE BIG FIGHT! BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!
photos from sirs philip sison, arvin lim, yohan janeo, and erwin cabbab of fabilioh.com
three points on blue eagles' heart-stopping victory over the growling tigers, avenging their first round defeat and giving them the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage in the final four.
1. black magic vs. pido power. going up against ust is like going up against the ginebra team of the mid til late 90's. that "never say die" attitude and coach pido jarencio's "fireman" moniker perfectly describe this ust squad. they have the ability to catch up big leads, as we have seen in the first round encounter between the tigers and the blue eagles where they erased a 19 point lead to even enjoy the lead in the fourth quarter and snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. a bunch of cold blooded three-point shooters in coach pido's image and likeness, add them up with the improved game of karim abdul in the paint, and you've got a perfect recipe for pido power. having the likes of jeric fortuna, jeric teng, aljon mariano, tata bautista is like having four "firemen" on your line-up, ready to pluck and fire from all sides of the court without conscience. and on an extremely lucky day like most, of not all their come from behind victories this season, the chances of ust winning the game are quite high. for sure, the sixth man has not forgotten the terrible feeling of losing the championship in season 69 where pido power was on full swing.
in this game, it seems that pido power is once more working wonders. ateneo erected a 13 point lead early in the fourth quarter, only to be countered with a blistering 20-5 run for ust to grab the lead with less than two minutes remaining! with atrocious officiating dictating the tempo of the game, it was a scary sight for the blue and white side of the moa arena as an ateneo victory is once more put in jeopardy. but here is where the wisdom of coach norman black comes into picture. the composure, discipline, and patience that basically defined his system through his tenure as ateneo head coach came into fore in the dying seconds of the game - with a bit of luck courtesy of abdul, the same guy who made the mid-range jumper a few seconds earlier yet also goal-tended ryan buenafe's desperation heap as it came down from its apex. buenafe calmly sank the bonus free throw, and coach norman also drew a tight defensive ploy that made mariano miss what could have been a game-clinching three-pointer to seal the victory for ateneo.
someone from season 69 coined the term "black magic" to pertain to that
last second play that found doug kramer open underneath the basket in
game 1 of the finals. but through the four-year title reign of the blue
eagles, winning comes not much in the form of sheer luck but in a system
that works in a variety of situations. once more, this is a challenge
of consistency and sustainability on the part of the blue eagles: uaap
basketball is played for four quarters of ten minutes each quarter, and
there should be no letting up especially against a team that makes shots
when it matters, especially at the nick of time. if the blue eagles
truly want to make history this season with their fifth consecutive
championship, they must execute coach norman black's system from the
opening until the final buzzer.
2. be careful with the ball. the stat that actually kept ust in this game was ateneo's turnovers. they committed a total of 19 turnovers, half of them coming from the blue eagles' big men greg slaughter and nico salva with five turnovers each. more so, that final run of ust in the fourth quarter became possible because of a slew of turnovers from ateneo, which the tigers gladly took to their advantage. this has become a common sight in ateneo's close games and even in those two defeats during the elimination round. turning the ball over frequently, whether forced by the opposing team's well-prepared defensive set or just plain carelessness on the part of the players, truly hurt the chances of putting the win on the bag. taking care of the ball is very essential in ateneo's execution. the more they turn the ball over, the greater the chance of the opponent to come from behind or even pull away. in fact, ust employed a 1-3-1 trap for most part of the fourth quarter - something that perhaps caught ateneo's ball handlers by surprise. but the turnover that hurt the blue eagles the most if the one that led to a kevin ferrer steal and abdul's jumper to give the lead back to ust when the game was nearly coming to a close.
the inbound play in the last seventeen seconds of the game could have really gone either way. if those referees had their eyes checked and cured before the match, they would have seen buenafe literally getting molested (yes, i used that term) by ferrer and fortuna and would have called a foul that would send him to the line. ateneo escaped not only from a loss to ust but also from really bad officiating by the three blind mice in gray and black. but this play, just like abdul's goal-tend on buenafe's shot, is subject to their judgment call. actually, the game is filled with judgment calls from left to right, and it is
highly probable that these calls would be the points of contention to be
used in filing protests that decides the game from the board room instead of the playing court. but still, that is no excuse for ateneo not to secure the leather when the pendulum could actually swing to the other side. this might be one of the things that ateneo's coaching staff might want to pay attention to as they start their build up for the final four.
3. keep calm and fly high. the blue eagles are headed to the final four as the top seed and with the valuable twice-to-beat advantage over the team who will squeak into the last seat depending on the outcome of the final few games of the season. at this point, anything can happen. neither ust nor feu is assured yet of the second seed in the final four, considering that dlsu and nu still have the chance to make a four-team logjam at 9-5 provided that dlsu and nu win all their remaining games and feu and ust drop theirs. in any case, another very challenging scenario awaits the blue eagles: a long lay-off from this day until the beginning of the final four is very likely to happen. as mentioned in my recap of the game against nu, whoever made the second round schedule is truly out to screw the blue eagles from their drive for five. but we've seen these scenes from the past: tight scheduling, ring rust from a long lull of competitive action, injuries to key players in the rotation, and more. but the blue eagles' resilience has kept them fighting and flying in the past six seasons under coach norman black. the real battle begins when the final four seats are all occupied. until then, the blue eagles have to keep calm yet not overconfident, stay focused but not too aggressive, and fly high.
a final reminder: no yabang. the drive for five has so far been long and dangerous. this has to be the toughest campaign i have witnessed as a fan of the blue eagles. yes, this is tougher than their season 73 championship (where they had no marquee players to boot) because opposing teams have gone and given all out every time they face ateneo on the playing court. moreover, the competitive level of the league has truly gone higher this
season especially with teams beefing up their rosters with imports,
transferees, and sponsors. and with matches being brought to the board
room due to protests, this season has truly become unpredictable for the
blue eagles. their finesse has been put into test by the physicality of
play that opponents throw at them. being on top of the standings is truly a delight and a sight to behold for followers of the blue eagles, but the work is not yet done. yes, this is an important part in the drive for five, but then again, this is just a part of it. the blue eagles have three more wins to claim, and the road gets treacherous from this moment until the gold is finally at sight. as in the previous years, we are reminded of the already familiar dictum "no yabang." the bragging rights belong to the one standing jubilant on center court when the smoke has cleared and the dust has settled. until then, the blue eagle sixth man has to remember three things: keep cheering, keep supporting, and keep flying with the team on this very special quest.
three points on blue eagles' win against the bulldogs in their second round encounter in uaap season 75. the victory solidified ateneo at the top of the standings but a win in their elimination round finale against ust will give them the number 1 seed and twice-to-beat advantage. nu, who last beat ateneo in season 70, is the only team that has not beaten the blue eagles in the "championship era."
1. to "better" the "best." the blue eagles had a hard time getting their act done this game as the bulldogs kept the game close and even led during the halftime break. the loss of jp erram to injury disabled ateneo's twin tower combination of him and greg slaughter, which in effect gave emmanuel mbe better looks and wider space to operate. yet our big men responded to the challenge, as slaugther and nico salva combined for 36 points and helped spread the floor for the ateneo offense to find its range. three-point baskets from nico elorde, kiefer ravena, and ryan buenafe were the telling blows in that blistering fourth quarter run that made the blue eagles pull away from the bulldogs. like in our first round meeting, second half adjustments once again worked for ateneo. but if they really want to get that number one seed and the twice-to-beat advantage, they should not wait for the fourth quarter to pull away. opposing teams will always do their best against them, and they have to "better" the "best" especially with the final four race looking to be a tight battle.
2. oping to the rescue. as slaughter's back-up and front court partner, erram is considered as one of the crucial anchors of the vaunted ateneo defense. but with him out due to a season-ending acl injury, someone has to step up to fill jp's big shoes. this game, oping sumalinog grabbed the opportunity and proved why he belongs to the blue and white. he may not have posted big numbers this game (only two points off a fast break lay-up) but he made mbe's offensive production miserable in the second half. he blocked the nu center thrice (the refs called a foul on one of them...they better have their eyes checked), tapped the ball on defense leading to steals, and provided the intangibles that may not appear on the stat sheet but definitely gives a big lift for the team. his three point shooting particularly in the corner has been tried and tested. if this was nba live 07, he would have been this game's x-factor player. sumalinog is expected to take a bigger role, perhaps to guard jeric teng in their next game against ust. and i just hope he will deliver big on that game as he did against nu.
3. brace yourselves for a tough grind ahead. it seems to me that the person behind the second round schedule is really out to screw ateneo's season. in this juncture of the season, ateneo is bound to play three straight games on three straight playing dates - sunday against adamson, thursday against nu, and saturday against ust. from there, they will have a long lay-off waiting for their final four match-up in what could be an intriguing scenario involving feu, ust, dlsu, and nu. their wait could be longer if uaap would decide on putting playoff games to determine seeding. after that controversial decision to re-play the nu-feu game this round, anything seems possible inside the board room. nonetheless, ateneo should better brace themselves for a tough grind ahead. ust has often been sensed as ateneo's contrapelo, having inflicted that first loss of the season and almost coming from behind a large margin to snatch a game in the final four last season. and of course, who wouldn't forget the painful memories of season 69 in 2006? the blue eagles' next game will be for the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage. with those marbles on the line and the unfavorable schedule at hand, there's no more room for complacency and overconfidence. it has to be one big fight if they do not want to suffer one big bite.
three points on blue eagles' two games in the last three days: a defeat against the red warriors last september 6, 2012 that snapped their eight game winning run, and a win against the falcons last september 9, 2012 that clinched their 14th consecutive final four appearance in uaap men's basketball tournament.
1. on experimentation. facing teams already eliminated from final four contention on a particular stretch of the season can actually be translated into opportunities to run plays that were created to add variety to the usual mix of offensive and defensive sets of a team. it seems that such is the case in the past two games of the blue eagles. there were new offensive sets as well as different combinations on the rotation seen in these games. some of them actually worked, others still on their way to completion. trusting in the wisdom of coach norman black, this is a very welcome sight especially with the final four at hand, perhaps to keep opposing teams guessing what could be in the blue eagles' playbook and to give the team additional patterns to employ depending on the situation at hand. but with experimentation comes two other essential aspects of the game: execution and effort.
2. on execution. a key ingredient in the ten ateneo wins so far this season has been their ability to execute plays as designed on the drawing board and perfected during practices. the past two games of the blue eagles have been scary of sorts because they seem to have been executing less on their usual and even the new sets of plays. the games against ue and adamson can actually be perceived as lessons on execution especially down the stretch - when the game is on the line.
the game against the red warriors could have been a blowout, but much credit goes to them as they were the ones who actually kept the blue eagles struggling on the floor with their shots. there were too much outside shooting for ateneo in the game, perhaps to remedy the double and even triple-team defense on greg slaughter. kiefer ravena, juami tiongson, and nico salva were not in their usual "sure-shot" mode that we witnessed in their performance against la salle. they also had too many turnovers to count which ue successfully capitalized down the stretch. the stellar play of roi sumang, gene belleza, and chris javier showed how much promise this "all-filipino" team can actually fair against traditional league powerhouses. had the blue eagles' big men switched properly and contested that javier jump shot with 0.4 seconds left, the result of the game could have changed in overtime. but then again, that ateneo defeat is a necessary loss for the team going into the post season. it should keep them humble as well as hungry as their next few games would be against "surprise" teams jockeying for position in the final four like ust and nu.
against the adamson falcons, the ateneo blue eagles were caught flat footed by eric camson's hot shooting from long range. but salva willingly rose to the occasion, scoring 24 points that mostly came from outside the shaded lane. adamson would have been much scarier as an opponent if a healthy alex
nuyles was on the floor, as he has the ability to drive and dish to an
open man under the basket or even finish the drive while absorbing
contact. the win became rather difficult as the adjustments only worked during the fourth quarter as ravena, salva, and slaughter got their acts going on both offense and defense. a pleasant surprise in the game was nico elorde, who provided some scoring punch for the blue eagles especially as the falcons were keeping the game close. as a bounce-back game, the blue eagles could have performed better by truly showing why they are on top of the standings. though salva was on target and some of our outside bombs found their way to the bottom of the net, they still need to be more consistent in taking care of the ball, rebounding, and even scoring from the mid-range. there is still much work to be done with two games left in the elimination round.
3. on effort. looking at the two remaining games for the blue eagles, there's no more reason for them to relax and to be tentative on court. both ue and adamson played with much energy and gusto in terms of offense and defense. there were certain parts of both games when it looked like ateneo did not have the same fire and intensity that they had during their winning streak this season. could it be overconfidence or just plain lack of effort from the players? not reaaly. what the blue eagles need in these final games of the second round is to play the type of game they are actually known for in the league: disciplined, composed, determined, and competitive. that missing edge in their past two games might be something worth finding and bringing into fore as the twice-to-beat advantage and the number one seed are at stake in their games against nu and ust.
here's another video on the ateneo blue eagles' drive for five, this time with a dramatic voice over along a series of clips during the past championship runs. true enough, this video, in the words of adrian dy, is "like a trailer for the series finale of a tv show."
a recap of the blue eagles' first round victories (missing in this video was their defeat against ust) in uaap season 75. the journey continues in the second round as they move closer along the road for their "drive for five." GO ATENEO! ONE BIG FIGHT!
the future of philippine basketball in different school colors (photo source)
three points on the blue eagles' trimuph against the green archers in their second round encounter in uaap season 75.
in front of more than 17,000 spectators inside the jam-packed araneta
coliseum, the cagers from katipunan won against their taft avenue
counterparts in a game considered as the biggest and most prominent
rivalry in philippine sports to give them their eight straight win, a
9-1 record to maintain their lead in the standings, and a step closer to
clinching a final four berth for this season.
1. the "other" high school phenom. in the past few seasons, ateneo-la salle games have become a showcase of highly-touted recruits who hope to leave a mark to the team and showcase some of their talents in front of a mammoth crowd. the green archers' prized rookie jeron teng continued to amaze basketball fans with a solid performance (22 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) against the blue eagles. kiefer ravena, last year's top recruit for ateneo, pitched in 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists for the winning team. these two players are considered the future of philippine basketball and their match-up this year has shown that there's more to expect from them in the coming uaap seasons and even in professional and international competitions. yet, not to be overshadowed by these two young guns of today is ryan buenafe, who was the most sought-after high school player way back in 2008.
after a year away from the varsity team, buenafe proved that he belongs to the roster and deserves a spot in the rotation. in his second start of the season (his first was against feu where he got thrown out because of a foul early in the first quarter), he contributed 24 points, 8 rebounds, and a clean turnover slate to keep ateneo's dominance over la salle. he had the confidence to shoot threes (he made 3-9 from downtown), hustled relentlessly for the loose ball, and displayed that ridiculous hang time to draw fouls and eventually make the basket. since the la salle defense focused more on greg slaughter, nico salva, and ravena, buenafe had the open lane to slice in the paint and a clear view to make long range shots. his resurgence in previous games gives the blue eagles another option to score and opposing teams another poison to pick. we have not forgotten about his heroics in the finals of season 73, and this memorable game of his gives us more reasons to remember the "other" high school phenom on the blue side of the court.
2. different animal.as mentioned in my recap of their last game against feu, the blue eagles' resident outside shooters have yet to find their range this season. in that game, the basket was a bit more friendly for the team as they drained a total of seven three pointers that somehow gave another dimension to the ateneo offense. in this game against la salle, their guns were once more on target as they made seven shots from beyond the arc (7-17 for 41.2%): three for buenafe and one each for ravena, salva, juami tiongson, and oping sumalinog. if a team has a seven foot behemoth like greg slaughter in the middle and a couple of driving dynamos in salva and ravena along the lanes, it becomes a rule of thumb for opposing teams to congest the middle and in effect neglect the outside shots. but the past two games show that the blue eagles are now a different animal in terms of offense: it can hover close to the basket for the easy bucket or fly the ball from the rainbow country for the three point shot. this added dimension to the blue eagles' offensive arsenal should make opposing teams think twice of what to focus on defense and who to guard in the next possession. ateneo's three point shooting can still improve but game like these would hopefully keep their outside shooters ready for the kick out and the long distance shot.
3. same beast. nonetheless, it was still ateneo's defense that gave them the win against a tough la salle team. they limited la salle to 34% shooting, a percentage that could have gone lower if jarelan tampus did not make all his shots on the court. much credit goes to slaughter in this game for safeguarding the ateneo basket. he struggled on offense (just 4 points on 1-5 shooting) but heavily contributed in rebounding (11), blocks (4), and limiting the production of la salle's big men (norbert torres and arnold van opstal collectively shot 6-15 in the field with torres just making 4 points in the game). despite teng's 22 point output, he was 6-21 in the field throughout the game as buenafe, teng, sumalinog, and gonzaga took turns in guarding him. almond vosotros, whose 4 three pointers for la salle brought some scare to ateneo fans, eventually had to take contested shots from his range as the defense picked up for the blue eagles. true enough, the blue eagles are still the same animal on defense, and if they want to win their fifth consecutive championship, they have to keep up and even intensify their defense as the road to the final four progresses.
three points on the blue eagles' win against the tamaraws in the second round of uaap season 75. this highly physical game that the blue
eagles won notched their seventh consecutive victory this season and their eighth in nine games.
1. mental toughness above physical toughness. ateneo-feu games have become intensely physical in nature, and their second meeting this season was surely a brutal one from the jump ball until the final buzzer. in their last meeting, greg slaughter was on the receiving end of all the derailing brought about by the bringas brothers, nico salva received some blows and elbows from his defenders, and kiefer ravena struggled to find his shot as bigger defenders hounded him on the floor. as the intensity of the game went to a higher level, its physical brutality naturally followed suit: holds became grapples, boxing out converted into hidden closed fists behind the referees' backs, and trash talking turned into spit firing. three players even had to be sent out of the playing court, including ryan buenafe who had his first starting stint this season but had to watch the remainder of the game on the press room. feu might have had these as part of the ploy to distract the blue eagles with their physical might, but ateneo had other things in mind. they continued to share the ball and find the open man, defend and force terrence romeo to be trigger happy, and limit the usual production of feu's scorers like rr gracia and anthony hargrove.
mind games are part of any competitive sport. there's always an advantage to a player or team to get into the head of the opponent and in turn distract or even put him or her out of the game. but hurting the opponent. especially if it is deliberate, is a disgrace to the sport. and when the other team desires to beat you by beating you up, this is where mental toughness comes to the rescue. no matter what kind of acts the other team brings on court, if you keep your focus on the game and deliver more than what is expected of you, a victory is close at hand. the blue eagles proved that against the tamaraws in this highly physical encounter. as long as they stick on the game plan and execute the plays as done in practice, they will find their shots and increase their chance of winning.
2. connecting from way downtown. one thing that we rarely see in an ateneo game this season is draining a three-point shot. the blue eagles were second to the last in the league in terms of three point shooting, as seen in previous games. in recent memory and history, ateneo has produced players who have a knack of hitting shots from beyond the arc: larry fonacier, la tenorio, magnum membrere, chris tiu, jai reyes, kirk long, and emman monfort, to name a few. in the first two championships, three pointers played a crucial role in the offensive attack, as it gave guards an open look as their defenders had to contain big men like enrico villanueva, rich alvarez, rabah al-hussaini, and nonoy baclao in the shaded area. with slaugther inside, finding an open man to hit from downtown should be easy, but it seems that our resident shooters have yet to find their range this season. but in this game, ateneo netted a total of seven three pointers this game: four
from juami tiongson, two from ravena, and one from von pessumal. this is a very welcome development for the blue eagles as it adds another facet to their game. it is my hope though to see more of this in the coming games.
3. composure, class, conduct. it has been a game laced with commotions and filled with fireworks, but in the end, the true winner is the team who acts will composure, class, and conduct. acts like spitting on the opponent, inflicting blows and elbows in an
occult manner, cornering a player to the side while planting an elbow
somewhere in his body, and instigating a fight are acts truly unbecoming
of an athlete, or even as a part or member of a particular institution.
it is very unfortunate to have such a scene come into picture during
this game. suspensions might have already been given but i think there
is much work to be done not only in disciplining players but even
coaches and other bench personnel. moreover, referees have to assert
themselves more to gain control over the game. overall, this game is not only a test for ateneo if they are still the best team in the league, but also a testimony of their guts and nerves of steel as well as a mark of class that is proper to student athletes whom people look up to as models and idols.
