(Author's note: This article first appeared at The Philippine Online Chronicles)
When the final buzzer rang on the 2010 Philippine college basketball season last December 6, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) came out on top, capturing their second straight national title on top of their third straight UAAP conference crown.
UAAP Season 73: Three's the charm
Curiously, the now three-time defending champions were not the ones favored entering this year's University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) tournament.
The pre-season saw the spotlights squared on the heads of the futile University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, bannered by highly touted Fil-Am rookie Mike Silungan, and flanked by seniors Woody Co and national team mainstay Magi King Sison.
However, the magic wore off three games into the season, when the team had three losses in tow. Maroons head coach Aboy Castro was temporarily replaced by top assistant Potit de Vera, reminiscent of when he took over from Joe Lipa in 2008. The team was ultimately handled by "consultant" and former Sta. Lucia Realtors head coach Boyet Fernandez. The coaching change seemed to have worsened the situation and eventually led to the team's second winless season in the last five years.
Unheralded University of Santo Tomas (UST) tried to be the spoilers by initially beating out more fancied squads, before their fuel ran out in the second round. University of the East (UE), who lost key players in their upset run to the Finals last season, made a huge drop from title contenders to wildcard entries to the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL).
The biggest surprise of the season was Adamson University (AdU) and National University (NU). The Falcons made their second conference Final Four appearance under coach Leo Austria, their first since 2007, and a unit of unheralded role players molded as go-to guys. The Bulldogs, under Eric Gonzales, were a rag-tag unit headed by leading MVP candidate Emmanuel Mbe and highly touted rookie Glenn Khobuntin.
De La Salle University (DLSU), meanwhile, returned after missing out on the Final Four for the first time since 2006. Former Letran Squire Jarelan Tampus, captain Simon Atkins, and Sam Marata held the fort in their run.
Far Eastern University (FEU) started out their season on a seven-game winning streak, until AdU and DLSU upended them in the second round, denting a perfect season to finish with a 12-2 card. They eventually ousted DLSU in a close Final Four encounter that required an extra session to decide.
ADMU, like UE, also lost key players from their title run from last season such as Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao, and Jai Reyes. The Blue Eagles quietly finished with a 10-4 mark to end the double-round elimination. In the Final Four, they easily beat AdU, who didn't put much of a fight in their do-or-die matchup.
In Game 1 of the conference finals, Ateneo easily ran away with a 72-49 win that was not even close from the opening period.
However, with the title on the balance, FEU kept the game close until Ryan Buenafe made crucial baskets late in the game to seal their third consecutive UAAP crown, joining the elite club of UST and DLSU as teams who have nabbed the title in three or more consecutive years since the Final Four format was introduced in 1994.
NCAA Season 86: 'Sweep 18' to REDemption
Last year's loss fueled San Beda's "Mighty Kid" Borgie Hermida's drive to bring his team to victory. Playing in his 16th and last season in a Red and White uniform, he teamed up with eventual season and finals Most Valuable Player Sudan Daniel to create an unprecedented run to the title.
Except for their last game, the Red Lions won all their elimination round games by double digits.
Making a bold statement immediately after their 16-game sweep of the double-round eliminations against finals foe San Sebastian College (SBC), Daniel said, "We sweep on 16, win the title at 18. Borgie's number, my number."
And sweep they did.
2010 PCCL: A 'battle of the birds'
Entering this year's PCCL tournament, fanatics of both Manny Pangilinan-backed squads SBC and ADMU were abuzz with their impending matchup.
The two teams, among the most storied teams in college basketball, never met each other in the post-season since the ill-fated 1974 National Collegiate Athletic Association championship, after which the Eagles withdrew from the league and joined the fledging UAAP.
This year's field of 16 featured six squads from the UAAP (ADMU, FEU, DLSU, AdU, UE, NU), five from the NCAA (SBC, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Jose Rizal University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Letran College), and three Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Incorporated (CESAFI) squads (University of Cebu, University of Visayas, University of San Carlos).
Meanwhile, only two schools (University of Iloilo and Lyceum of the Philippines) did not come from any of the three major collegiate conferences and captured a wildcard slot to qualify in the Round of 16.
In the round of 16, AdU and San Carlos proved to be the only spoilers within the bunch of Elite Eight qualifiers, ousting a shorthanded SSC-R and a once-dominant University of Visayas early in the tournament.
CESAFI titleholders University of Cebu, UAAP champion Ateneo, Mapua, NCAA champion San Beda, De La Salle, and Far Eastern Univeristy rounded out the Round of Eight qualifiers.
In the round of eight, University of Cebu and Ateneo de Manila University went on as expected, although the Blue Eagles were still very much "not in UAAP shape" according to Coach Norman Black. Adamson University put away an already-rebuilding Far Eastern University steered by former Ateneo star Richie Ticzon.
The biggest upset of the tournament was pulled off by an undermanned De La Salle University squad, who only had 11 out of their 15-man UAAP roster on hand due to various players begging off for various reasons and injuries, in a classic game that saw the Green Archers pull away in the fourth quarter in an emotionally-charged meeting between schools that foiled a highly anticipated matchup between the NCAA and UAAP titleholders.
Despite the imposing presence of the 6-foot-10 Junmar Fajardo, ADMU took the game to advance to the national championship for the fourth consecutive year.
Adamson University won their semi-final game and advanced to the title series for the first time in the history of the tournament.
Despite a Game One upset by Adamson on a controversial ending, ADMU repeated history by nabbing their third PCCL crown in four years.
Along with the distinction of being national champions, the Katipunan squad also netted an appearance at the ongoing 18th Super Kung Sheung Cup in Hong Kong.
The future: Blue chip recruits
With the teams now developing new talent in minor leagues, such as the ongoing Father Martin's Cup, we can soon see who will emerge as the next blue chip recruit.
Contrary to initial reports, UAAP Season 73 juniors finals MVP Kiefer Ravena has not decided where he will go to school in 2011. His UST nemesis, Kevin Ferrer, is rumored to have landed in Eric Altamirano's program in NU, but no confirmation has been made.
In the NCAA, Baser Amer has already made up his mind and decided to grow his mane to join the Red Lions in Mendiola. His future mentor, Frankie Lim, has explicitly stated immediately after their 18-game sweep of the NCAA season in October that he wants to see Amer, guard Von Chavez, with big men Chis Javier and Alfonso Gotladera in the Mendiola gym come December.
Gotladera, meanwhile, may as well end up in the program of Coach Norman Black in Ateneo, along with fellow former Red Cubs Nico Salva and Arthur Dela Cruz in the fold. If he decides to reconsider and follow Amer to Mendiola, he would have to share playing time with other big men such as Kyle Pascual, Jake Pascual, and Dave Marcelo.
Wherever they may end up, the 2011 college basketball season will be interesting to watch out for.
No comments:
Post a Comment