A Golden Ending

A Golden Ending

by rick olivares

Martin Sadhwani leaped high in the air to corral a high forward pass. As he landed, he took one step then kissed the ball off the glass to give Xavier School its biggest lead of the match, 77-55, against Centerphil Montessori of Iloilo with time down to 1:24 in the Under-17 championship of the Smart Breakdown Basketball Invitationals Nationwide Battle of Champions.

The graduating Golden Stallion landed in a heap as cramps finally grounded him. It was his team’s second game of the day and like his other teammates, Sadhwani was tired, Earlier, his heroics saw Xavier squeak past tough Montessori De San Ildefonso of Bulacan in the semi-finals. Sadhwani, the son of entrepreneur and Ateneo Graduate School professor Rajan Sadhwani and fashion maven Apples Aberin, scored 13 points in the final period including the game-winning shot for Xavier that had to rally past the squad of head coach John Paul Magbitang.

As the seconds ticked away in the championship match against Iloilo, Sadhwani lay next to the Xavier bench and through gritted teeth, managed both a pained and joyous smile.

About three weeks ago, Sadhwani and his teammates stood in disbelief as they lost in the title game of the Breakdown Basketball Invitations U-17 championship to San Beda. Thrice they played the Red Cubs during the season. Three times they came away losers including two in title matches. San Beda was supposed to represent the National Capital Region in the BBI Nationwide Battle of Champions, but a scheduling conflict with the SM-NBTC National Finals saw them offer their slot to Xavier.

“It wasn’t easy for us to accept the spot because we didn’t earn it,” reflected Xavier head coach Carlo Tan. “But since San Beda wasn’t available, why not? The challenge was adjusting everyone’s mindset because they thought the season was over. Some were attending to retreats and graduation practice.”

For Sadhwani, it meant one more chance to go out a winner before college beckoned. This school year, the Golden Stallions had played in four championship games and came away with a winner’s medal once. “This would mean a lot to me if we win because this will be my last game in a Xavier uniform,” said Sadhwani before the match. He resisted moving to Ateneo a year before as he wanted to finish out his high school in the former’s brother Jesuit school. “It would make my last year in high school even more memorable.”

“I want to win this for the graduating seniors,” declared Xavier center Miguel Tan who still has a year left to play. “It would be a nice parting gift for them; for Martin, Steven Tiu, and Nathan Chan.”

During this end-of-the-season pocket tournament – the first nationwide championship series for BBI that involved six cities – Sadhwani missed two games; Tan, one, and Chan, the title match. For a while, Chan contemplated on missing one last school requirement to play, but school came first.

Yet when it was all said and done, the handsome trophy, medals as well as individual awards handed out, Tan had kept his promise. The Batang Gilas center scored 35 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked four shots to lead Xavier to a 79-60 triumph. Sadhwani finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists including two nifty passes to Tan that led to buckets.

“Promise kept,” quipped Tan who pocketed the Most Valuable Player Award in addition to a Mythical Five selection.

Over by the Xavier bench, Lance Alandy Dy who played stellar in Nathan Chan’s absence, gave Steven Tiu a tearful hug. Sadhwani and Tan shook hands.

Golden ending, Martin?

“Yeah,” he smiled. “Definitely, golden.”

Ateneo, LSGH hope to continue championship form for NBTC tourney

Ateneo, LSGH hope to continue championship form for NBTC tourney

by rick olivares

When the SM-NBTC National Finals tips off March 18, 2018 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, the champion teams from the NCAA and UAAP Juniors Division will feel a little pressure from their lay-off.

According to Ateneo Blue Eaglets coach Joe Silva whose wards capped off a memorable season with a nail-biting win over NU two weeks ago, he is going in with a pair of disadvantages. “When the UAAP ended two weeks ago, the boys immediately attended to their studies because it was finals week. And we haven’t practiced since then,” explained the two-time champion coach. “In fact, today (Thursday, March 15) will be our first and we won’t have Joaqui Manuel who is out with a fractured foot and Dave Ildefonso who is already practicing with NU.”

“We will be missing those two players but we are calling up Forthsky Padrigao to beef us up.”

Silva’s NCAA Juniors counterpart, Marvin Bienvenida of La Salle Greenhills, said that his team has been preparing for this tournament. “We have been preparing for this for the past two months,” admitted Bienvenida. “Honestly, we weren’t able to maintain our form after winning the NCAA. After a few weeks we were on a high. But we took losses in some other leagues and we needed that to get back on track. It has been an up and down journey for us but I am a little optimistic that we are slowly climbing up again.”

Reigning SM-NBTC champions San Beda are undergoing a massive facelift come tip-off time. “We are parading our Team B who will be moving up to the NCAA Team next season,” bared JB Sison. “This team were recently crowned as Breakdown Basketball Under-17 champions and although malaki yun, iba pa rin yung mayroon NCAA experience. Parang sila Sam Abuhijle and Evan Nelle years ago. When they started out sa NBTC, it was as Team B. Tatlong taon bago mag-champion dito sa NBTC so tignan natin.”

A returning squad to the annual high school national tournament that has adjusted its format similar to the US NCAA March Madness is Crossover Canada. Its Filipino head coach, Mike Cruz, hopes his team will perform better after not getting out of the first round in the past two years. “Of course, we expect to make a better show this year. We prepared longer although our problem is we do not have the core of the past few years, we hope the newcomers will make an impact.”

Only power forward Matthew Daves and guard Andrew Cruz remain from last year’s squad. “With the new format, hindi na kami mabibigla. We have time to adjust with the seeding then climb up the ladder.”

Profile: The UP Lady Fighting Maroons’ Marian Buitre

Profile: The UP Lady Fighting Maroons’ Marian Buitre

by rick olivares

If you have been following Marian Buitre’s career with the UPWVT, you will have noticed that she has played all three front court positions – open, utility, and middle. It was only in the last year where she has settled in nicely patrolling that middle.

Like her volleyball skills – and the lass is still working on improving her game – Marian has a myriad of talents.

Although she doesn’t play in bands nowadays, during her high school days at St. Scholastica’s Marikina, Marian played guitar and bass in a band for summer concerts. They covered songs from Narda and Orange and Lemons to name a few.

With a busier schedule for college owing to volleyball training and matches, Buitre can only concentrate on her school work where she is taking up landscape architecture.

“Bata pa talaga ako hindi ko alam kung ano gusto ko,” she said. “Ang alam ko is yung artistic side or anything that is about art ang gusto ko. So maybe interior design?”

While that is for the future, right now, it’s volleyball that is on her mind. After all, you cannot play forever. The sport is a means to get an education and well, to earn money when she pursues her license. “Feeling ko when I graduate, mag pro-volleyball muna ako bago mag board exam. Then to save money din.”

Outside the UP team, Marian has also suited up for a team in the Philippine Super Liga; an experience that she says has opened her eyes to higher competition. “Ang nakita ko sa PSL ay hindi palakasan but pagalingan ng diskarte kasi veterans and katapat mo. Sa talino ang labanan. Sa UAAP, sino mas mabilis at mas aggressive ang nananalo. Sa PSL, pagmatalino ka maglaro maylaban ka. It is about placing and a different approach sa attacking.”

As the saying goes, “sports is a metaphor for life.”

Buitre has experienced the full gamut of emotions while playing for UP. She went from teams that weren’t winning and where hardly anyone watched. “Siyempre parang fulfilling yung ngayon (despite the sub-.500 record). Naabutan ko yung walang walang panalo at kami nagbabayad ng jerseys namin. Nung dumating ang batch ni Tots (Carlos), dumami na rin supporters.”

“Yung expectations na yan (as a team that should contend), I take it as a motivation,” bared Buitre. “It is a good kind of pressure.”

In their recent match against Katipunan avenue neighbors Ateneo, the Fighting Lady Maroons put up a better fight despite falling in three sets.

“Sinabi ni (assistant) coach Joyce (Palad) na nakita niya ngayon kahit talo nagtatawan kami at hindi mabigat,” she revealed about the post-match locker room discussion. “Unlike yung games before Ateneo, lahat heads down at walang pansinan. It is okay to lose but at least you go down fighting. Kapag nag-error kami or kapag nalamangan kami, lahat na rattle and di na nag communicate. Against Ateneo, lahat chill lang at lahat kami composed.”

The UPWVT built on the momentum of the game against Ateneo against UST where they came away with a huge win and gamely battled NU for its final assignment of the first round before falling. “Malayo pa ito,” pointed out Buitre. “Hindi pa tapos ito. We’re not even halfway. May chance pa rin to be able to reach the semis.”

Despite all the challenges that have beset the UPWVT, Marian believes it is all part of the learning curve. “For me, ang pinakamagandang naidulot sa paglaro sa UP is to work under pressure and to perform what is expected of me. And to work with different people. At hindi lang under pressure not just in sports but also in academics.”

“No regrets about anything. It’s just moving forward.”