Victory Joe

(This story appears in today's issue -- October 3, 2007 -- of the Business Mirror)

Victory Joe
Ateneo’s John Flores dedicates Lady Eagles’ title also to axed-UP coach
by rick olivares

As the final seconds ticked away in the game clock of the second match of the Season 70 UAAP Women’s Basketball Championship, Ateneo Lady Eagles coach John Flores pumped his fist and exclaimed to himself, “Finally!”

He took a moment to savor steering the his team’s second crown in three years then made one more final note, “This is for you coach Joe!”

When Joe Lipa took over the Ateneo basketball program in 1998, he appointed Flores as one of his assistants and deputy program head of the Ateneo Basketball School. Flores not only learned from Lipa’s unorthodox coaching style that he parlayed into the Ateneo women’s team’s first title in 2005, but also from looking at the game from a different perspective.

During the celebrations for the Lady Eagles in 2005, the master had one final lesson for the pupil. “Your have to prepare for your greatest challenge,” said Lipa over a puff on one of his celebratory cigarettes.

“Defending the championship,” wondered the first time champion coach.

“No, it’s handling success.”

The program places a premium on the athletic and academic intelligence of the players as well as their strength of character. When UP took a three-point lead and stopped Ateneo on consecutive possessions with four minutes left, rather than opt for a timeout, Flores let his players soldier on. “I had four players on the floor who were a part of the 2005 title team, they know what it’s all about during crunchtime,” explained Flores after the game.

The girls repaid that trust by blanking UP in the final two minutes to overhaul the lead for a 62-58 win.

When the Ateneo crowd erupted into cheers after the Lady Eagles defeated the hard-fighting Lady Maroons, Flores raised his fist in tribute to his players and the school and the man who taught him the game.

“That’s for coach,” he told this writer. “Beating UP was satisfying on two levels: one, because they’re a very good team and I have the highest respect for Eric Castro who is a brilliant coach, and two, I wanted send a message to the people who didn’t treat him (Lipa) well that his system works.”

The Lady Eagles will be losing five players in Cassie Tioseco, Kat Quimpo, Cheryl Ngo, Carissa Javier, and Kathy Tan to graduation but Flores hopes to recruit from a shallow talent pool that will enable them to defend their crown.