Stags on
the brink
San Sebastian seemed to be
coasting to another NCAA title. Now, the question is, can they even make it to
the Finals. By Rick Olivares with Diana Moraleda's photos.
It’s a cosmic joke. It has to be.
Calvin Abueva. He of the amazing
talent able to corral rebounds over the Sudan Daniels of this world in a single
bound. He who can string up points in bunches like it was going out of style.
He of the school of hard knocks whose elbow, shoulder, head(butt), knee, and
butt should be classified as a deadly weapon.
The San Sebastian Stag has been known
to push, shove, and clothesline foes over the landscape of college hardcourts
drawing the ire of the opposing team’s supporters – well, mostly San Beda’s.
But this year, he’s trying to be on his best behavior. And he’s been warned of
his foes trying to provoke him.
But to no avail.
With a minute and thirty left in the
game and the Stags down 60-67, the Knights’ Mark Cruz attempted a jumper from
the left elbow. The shot was long and Abueva, by his lonesome underneath the
basket, was ready to pluck down the brick. Only he never got to it.
Letran’s Junjun Alas put a hand on his
back and slightly pushed him. But no whistle was forthcoming.
Alas corralled the loose ball and
Letran went on to waste more precious seconds. Abueva shot the referee an
incredulous look and spread his arms demanding justice but the game had
continued.
Although Abueva induced Alas to commit
his fifth and last foul on San Sebastian’s next offensive (he also got Ray
Almazan and Jon Belorio to foul out), despite his two free throws, there wasn’t
a whole lot time left.
The season started as one for the
books. Now it bears some resemblance to the Boston Red Sox’ recent epic fail. The
high-flying dunks are gone. The laughter, smiles, showboating, and superb play
are close to a thing of the past. Just like the 15-game win streak that started
the season. Reeling doesn’t begin to describe the Stags.
From the team that could win it all,
they not only are teetering on the brink but rival San Beda booked the first
Finals seat ahead of them.
Inside the Stag’s dugout at the San
Juan Arena following the 70-62 loss to Letran in the first game of their Final
Four series, there was first silence. Then tempered rage from team management.
Boy, were there questions and statements. Bold ones that could elicit anger and
maybe start a mutiny. But after four losses in their last five matches, the
accusations were damning.
“You have no pride. You have no shame.
There is no leadership.”
The game was typical of when the two
meet. No quarter is given. Field goal percentage plummets lower than the stock
market. And matters on and off the court escalate to a boil.
With under two minutes to play, the
Stags’ Dexter Maiquez sneaked in a punch to Letran’s Kevin Alas. The Knight
point guard’s father and coach Louie Alas pointed at Maiquez in a rage and
hurled choice invectives at the Stag.
Seconds later, Abueva angrily warded
off Letran’s Jam Cortes. San Sebastian head coach Topex Robinson yelled at
Abueva, “What are you doing? Keep your head straight!” Abueva ignored him and
Robinson turned back to his bench where management and the team patrons sat.
“Did you see that?” he pleaded.
It’s been a tough week for the first
year San Sebastian head coach. He absorbed back-to-back loses to San Beda
stripping them of their cloak of invincibility. Although it was the Knights who
first opened the dam that has since become a Pandora’s box of problems, San
Sebastian figured their finals opponent all season long was San Beda. Now not
only were they in their customary place in the finals but their confidence has
increased manifold. In the meantime, Robinson’s Stags were floundering.
After Abueva went to the bench,
Robinson angrily confronted his star player. Abueva ignored him and he angrily
sat at the end of the bench mouthing off expletives.
Once the Knights went ahead with a
Kevin Alas buzzer beater to close the first half, the Stags were almost undone.
Not only did Letran overhaul an early deficit but they also bucked the pressure
and took San Sebastian’s best shot. From there on, it was Robinson’s squad
playing catch up.
Following two free throws by Ian
Sangalang that notched the count for the sixth and last time, Letran began to
methodically pull away.
The score stood at 53-46 in Letran’s
favor when the Stags came close to forcing a 24-second violation. Knights
forward-center Jonathan Belorio, the subject of so much verbal abuse from a San
Sebastian assistant coach and scorer, found himself with the ball just outside
the three-point arc with a second left. Belorio, who Louie Alas said at the
pre-game was a factor in his squad beating the Stags, threw up a trey that
found the bottom of the net.
Belorio’s trey made it 56-46 and his
detractors took a seat behind the bench. Before he fouled out, he also blocked
two Ronald Pascual shots that set the tone for a furious Letran finish.
With rookie point guard Mark Cruz
shredding Anthony del Rio’s defense (eight points in the fourth period) and the
Alas brothers combining for seven points, the Stags crashed.
Abueva was the lone Stag to put up a
fight in the fourth as he repeatedly drove to the basket and fished a foul. He
pulled down rebounds over his much taller Letran counterparts. But for all his
prodigious talent, the player nicknamed “the Beast” couldn’t do it alone. Sangalang
had only two points and Ronald Pascual three. Pascual’s production was limited
for the second consecutive match.
Letran finished off their 70-62
masterpiece with Kevin Racal scoring a bucket. With the seconds slipping away,
Abueva pulled Cruz hand and offered a friendly and respectful pat on the
youngster’s head. He then trooped over to his side of the floor and pulled off
the wraps from his hand.
Before the game, there was a feeling
that they would be able to check their skid. But now… well, there are plenty of
questions. The quick outburst of “no pride” rang in their ears. Robinson had
chosen to remain silent in this time. Instead, he gathered his team around in
prayer. This wasn’t the time for him to talk. Emotions were raw as was the
wound from this loss. Robinson thought he’d let everyone sleep on it, that is,
if they could get any sleep at all.
The no-tomorrow Game 2 match was less
than 48 hours away.
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