Black magic
Ateneo 68 vs. Adamson 55
by rick olivares
pic by brosi
In 1969, the Boston Celtics were on the ropes. The new sexy cool Los Angeles Lakers were tabbed to overtake them and create a dynasty of their own in the doorsteps of Hollywood. Prior to the start of the season, opponents and basketball analysts predicted the decline of the Celtics at which Boston patriarch Red Auerbach dismissed while puffing on one of his victory cigar. “We’re still magic.” he said to Jack Kent Cooke, the owner of the Lakers prior to the start of the season.
Boston finished fourth in the Eastern Conference at 48-34, four less from the previous year. The Celtics’ coach was its all-star center Bill Russell who had only one goal in mind and that was to make the post-season where he thought that given the experience of his team that had won 10 titles in 12 years anything could happen.
On their way to the 1969 NBA championship, they beat three teams – Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles -- that not only had better season records but teams that also crushed them in the regular season.
When the balloons and confetti did not rain down from the Inglewood Forum’s rafters following a Game 7 victory by Boston, a jubilant Auerbach pronounced aloud to no one in particular, “We’re still magic.”
While it might sound preposterous to compare the Ateneo Blue Eagles to a Boston Celtics team that won 11 titles during Bill Russell’s 13-year career, the point being made is the champion may be on the ropes, they may be too young or too inexperienced, but until the final buzzer sounds then there’s still some black magic in the air for Ateneo.
The 2010 Ateneo Blue Eagles did not run roughshod over the UAAP this year. There was no 13-1 record behind overpowering players. Instead, they posted a 10-4 record in the eliminations and were saved on a couple of occasions by the final buzzer. And perhaps for the first time in recent memory, they have no players competing for the post-season awards.
But sans the superstars while running a proven system, the Blue Eagles led by Norman Black are back in the finals and that is all that matters now. A chance to defend the crown and bag the elusive third consecutive crown.
Prior to the game, Ateneo head coach Norman Black was hoping that his team could generate some offense too.
In the days prior to the match with Adamson, team practices were marked by defensive intensity that Black took for a good sign. “The problem was we couldn’t shoot,” noted the sixth-year mentor who believes that the practice before game day is always a good barometer of how the team will perform. “Hopefully, we could find the range today.”
During the first four minutes of the game, it was as the coaching staff feared -- the offense was sputtering as Kirk Long was 0-2 from three-point range and they had as many team fouls as points – two. But their defense held as the Falcons were up only by 5-2. That was the last the San Marcelino team would be in the driver’s seat.
In the next 67 seconds, Monfort drilled a triple to tie the match while Long scored five points including a trey following a steal by Ryan Buenafe. The Blue Eagles went up 10-5, the opening salvo of a fiery 20-7 first quarter wind-up that saw Ateneo on top 22-12.
Their defense fueled their offense where they duplicated the earlier feat by the Blue Eaglets whose fast start left the UST Tiger Cubs in the rearview mirror. Ateneo shot 53% while Adamson struggled to find leadership and points from main men Lester Alvarez and Alex Nuyles only hit 23% of their shots.
Come the second quarter, the Blue Eagles took the Falcons’ best shots of the game and matched them point for point to retain the ten-point lead at the half 39-29.
Then in the third, Ateneo behind the game-long brilliance of Monfort throttled the Falcons to the tune of 22 points while coach Leo Austria’s charges managed only 13. The Blue Eagles had built a 60-42 cushion.
Luckily for Ateneo they had built a sizeable lead for Adamson made a late charge behind two consecutive dunks by Austin Manyara and Nuyles that sparked their side.
But they could only muster five points in the last two minutes. Eric Salamat closed out the scoring with two free throws as Ateneo whooped it up in center court celebrating their third trip to the finals (and fourth in five years).
In the two teams’ elimination round games, the Falcons stayed close as they led in steals, blocked shots, and turnover points. In their third meeting of the season, they had pulled the rug from under Adamson by getting more steals (9-2), blocks (3-2), and turnover points (19-18). Alvarez and Nuyles who had been thorns in Ateneo’s side were held to 15 points; 20.5 below their 35.5 average against the Katipunan-based team.
The Ateneo duo of Monfort and Long who have averaged 18.5 against the Falcons broke out for 35 in the Final Four.
Said a happy Norman Black after the match: “I’m really happy for Eric Salamat and Jason Escueta who are in their last years with Ateneo. At least we were able to get back there. Now the challenge is to find a way to win it. But it’s been a long road and it hasn’t been as smooth as it was in the last two years. We’ve had our ups and downs but we still have a chance to win the championship which is the most important thing.”
The American mentor also paid tribute to Monfort who came up huge for Ateneo. “Emman did a great job of shooting the basketball and playing great defense,” ventured Black about his point guard who helped put the clamps on Alvarez.
Monfort deflected praise and said that he really just had to play his role. As the two got up from the post-game interview, there was one final question for the diminutive point guard. “What’s your height?”
“Again?” smiled Monfort. “Five-six. Five-seven with shoes."
Ateneo 68 – Monfort 22, Long 13, Salva 11, Escueta 7, Salamat 7, Golla 2, Chua 2, Buenafe 2, Austria 2, dela Cruz 0
Adamson 55 – Alvarez 11, Stinnett 7, Camson 7, Cabrera 7, Manyara 6, Colina 6, Nuyles 4, Lozada 4, Cañada 2, Galinato 1, Etrone 0
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