The Last Great Blue Dynasty Part 1

Part 1: Signs of the times

Maybe it was a sign of the turbulent times. The country was a few years into Martial Rule and if the unrest and demonstrations that opened the decade was swept off the streets, it was plainly evident on the basketball court. While unintelligible to most, the Ateneo cheer was as Fr. Bert Ampil S.J. put it, “as literate and meaningful an expression of human passion as the choicest lines from Catullus, Cicero, or Virgil.” So hearing Ateneans cheer “Halikinu banatan niyo” was not only heresy but was akin to hurling a pillbox at Metrocom cops. If this was in reply to Letran’s “manalo matalo bugbog kayo,” then consider the gauntlet thrown.

Matthew “Fritz” Gaston learned the rules and nuances of the game from the Maestro, Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan. He played at a time when fights on and off the court bordered on the routine. Former Blue Eagle guard Gregorio “Ogie” Narvasa succinctly described roundball action in the 70’s when he said, “Pagkatapos ng laban sa court, maghahanda ka pa sa ibang laban… laban sa bleachers, laban sa parking lot. Habulan.”

Gaston won two championships during the mid-70s and lost an epic one to San Beda one year later to close out his playing years for Ateneo. He then went on to have a stellar career in the pros with the U-Tex Wranglers forming an awesome triumvirate with his erstwhile college foe, Lim Eng Beng of De La Salle and former UST hotshot Bogs Adornado, the refugee from Dalupan’s dynastic Crispa Redmanizers. Together they won a championship series for the ages against the Toyota Super Corollas of Dante Silverio (which prominently featured another Blue Eagle, Francis Arnaiz). Throughout his playing career, the hallmark of Gaston’s game was his toughness. He took immense pride in his court leadership and his defense. He may have not been the most talented player on the floor but he outworked his opponent on the strength of his mental and physical preparation for the game. His collegiate teammate, Steve Watson recalled “Fritz was a conditioning freak even back then. If you’d look at him now, he’s probably even more fit than many of the guys in the pros today.” However, a persistent knee injury cut short his professional career. Frustrated at suddenly finding himself out of the game he had so loved, he threw himself into his studies at the Asian Institute of Management.

During a chance meeting with then-Ateneo basketball patron Ernest Escaler, he was offered the vacant slot of head coach of the Ateneo Blue Eagles. The outgoing coach, Cris Calilan who had led Ateneo to its first UAAP title was headed for the PBA and the team needed someone to prepare them for the defense of the title the school had fought long and hard for. After some reflection, Gaston seized upon the opportunity to get back into the game.

The summer of 1988 found the Blue Eagles in the beaches of Batangas not for frolicking and lazy lounging in the sun, but for killer drills that brought a boot camp mentality to the pre-season preparations. Danny Francisco, the team’s sophomore sensation had just arrived back from a vacation in America and introduced himself to the new coach. “Hi, Coach. I’m Danny Francisco,” the 6’-6” beanpole warmly introduced himself as he extended a hand.

The 6’1” Gaston shook Francisco’s hands then looked the slotman in the eye and dryly said, “That’s nice, Danny. Now why don’t you go run some laps?”

“Here I was battling jetlag and was obviously not in shape and Coach has me running laps all day,” remembered the son of former Blue Eagle great Ric “Carding” Francisco. “If only for the preparations, I told myself it was going to be a memorable season.”

Forward Jet Nieto recalled doing tiring rowing drills then engaging in back-breaking sprints all the way up to what they dubbed as “Cardiac Hill.” “Nanginginig pa yung legs namin sa rowing then you have to run up this steep off-road hill,” remarked Nieto with a shake of his head.

“We went for days without touching a basketball,” remembered third-year center Alex Araneta. “Coach told us that we were going to be the best conditioned team that year but at some point we were all tired and beaten that we wondered if we were doing the right thing.”

When Gaston took the job, he noted that this team was even more talented and athletically gifted than the champion teams he himself played on. “But mentally and physically,” he paused to stress his point, “The ‘75 and ‘76 team will win hands down. So we have to work on those aspects.”

Enter Joseph “Iceman” Canlas. The Blue Eagles’ captain had earned a fearsome reputation as a tough player; an enforcer who liked to mix it up inside and who feared no one. In years past, Iceman, who got his nickname for his steady outside shooting, was suspended for impaling Red Warriors point guard Boysie Zamar to the basket’s trunk support during a rough game against the Recto-based squad. In his high school days at the Ateneo, he and best friend Jay Gayoso alternated at forward and center to form a bruising frontline with Nieto.

“Ice was a leader in every sense of the word,” said second-year guard Olsen Racela with a touch of reverence. “He made sure that everyone was on the same page. He got us through boot camp and every season that we played together. May reputation siya as a wild player but that was far from the truth. He was disciplined and set an example for the team on and off the court during the season. He made sure that we weren’t overconfident and was the coach’s extension on the floor.”

While the Blue Eagles possessed the deepest team in the league there were going to be no cake walks that season. FEU still had hulking giants Jack Tanuan and Dodong Polistico, a certified star in Dodong Postanes, and the high-leaping Andy De Guzman. UST despite losing ace guard Alfrancis Chua still had a potent starting five that included Bobby Jose, Julian Rabbi Tomacruz, Gido Babilonia and Joel Tabora. UE had the exciting Bong Ravena, sharp shooting Vernie Villarias, and the heady Boysie Zamar. UP still had Benjie Paras, Joey Guanio, Ramil Cruz and former Eaglet Alfie Manlulo. Adamson had the high-scoring duo of Nandy Garcia and Mulong Orillosa. NU got by with its lone star in Chris Bolado. But the biggest threat was a resurgent DLSU team that was just as deep and maybe even more talented. It was the last year for star guard Dindo Pumaren and he wanted nothing more than to bring back La Salle to cage dominance years after playing in lesser leagues after the school bolted the NCAA following a full-scale war against Letran. Ably backing him up were Teddy Monasterio, Jonas Mariano, John Edel Cardel, Dickie Bachmann, Joey Sta. Maria, the vastly-improved Eddie Viaplana, and key pick-ups George Peralta (from PATS) and a gangly six-foot-six slotman from Surigao named Zandro Limpot. Since following their long-time rivals to the UAAP, Ateneo owned the Green Archers. But this year, the cry from Taft was, “no more.”

Ateneo was the prohibitive favorite to win it all and to defend its title. The team was more or less intact save for the loss of its captain and deadly shooter Nonoy Chuatico and the feisty Haj Jeongco. They had Francisco, Alex Araneta, Eric Reyes, Albert Mendoza and Rico Santiago to patrol the lane. Swingmen Jayvee Gayoso, team captain Canlas, Nieto and Mel Basa brought awesome firepower that was difficult to match. And they had the league’s reigning MVP Jun Reyes and Olsen Racela to man the backcourt. The returning Gene Afable led a corps of back-ups that included Raymond Morales, Jojo Habana, and rookie Darren Javier.

The pre-season Metro Manila Basketball Tournament (MMBL) was a harbinger of the season to come. The Blue Eagles beat the UP Maroons for the title but La Salle cried foul. The Green Archers paced the league but was knocked out in the sudden death semi-finals. Ateneo on the other hand, suffered two losses in the elims but hit its stride in the later games to blitz teams on its way to its first MMBL crown. Gaston downplayed the loss to DLSU as he chalked it up to a freak win by their rivals. DLSU Coach Derek Pumaren bristled at the lack of respect accorded to his team and vowed to make the Eagles pay.

July 16, 1988. For the first time since 1977 NCAA Season (that was Ateneo’s last in the old league), the blue and white took to the floor as defending champs. Their opening defense of the crown was a rematch with last year’s finals protagonists, the UE Red Warriors. With their pride and honor restored, a confident (or over-confident as some said in hindsight) Blue Eagles ran their warm up drills sans excessive pomp and circumstance. In last season’s opener, the Blue Babble Battalion took to the floor and formed “#1.” The blue and white gallery sensing that their time as champs was nigh chimed in by chanting, “We’re number one!” The galleries of the seven other schools took affront the Loyolans’ arrogance and chanted in unison “Beat Ateneo! Beat Ateneo!” It was college basketball at its finest: the then-defending champs UP Maroons versus old nemesis Ateneo, there were cheers and jeers, and sideline theatrics. Ateneo in their brand new Converse Weapons lost and the league laughed. But the blues rallied and blitzed their foes for 13 straight wins en route to its 14th cage crown over-all.

The Atenean gallery had learned their lesson. There were no “We’re No.1” chants this time around. Instead they came armed with their Fabiliohs and Halikinus (with a cameo of Fundador that was struck up by alumni). The Warriors were sans Jerry Codinera was wearing the blue and white of the Purefoods TJ Hotdogs in the PBA, but they had the exciting Ravena who almost single-handedly won the game for UE. This was a time when you could waive off your free throws to milk the precious seconds off the clock (provided for you had a substantial lead). Gaston banked on his boys’ ability to protect the ball and to make their shots when it mattered. Four points in the endgame from Joseph Canlas and Jun Reyes allowed Ateneo to squeak past UE 75-73 for their first win of the season.

As soon as the singing of the alma mater ended, the cocky Atenean gallery threw caution to the win and chanted “We want La Salle. We want La Salle” as the Green Archers took to the floor for their own warm-ups. The Green Gallery shot back, “We want Ateneo! We want Ateneo.”

And the tone was set for a most memorable season.