When I was watching the Ateneo Blue Eagles from afar during the summer, I was worried by the interior defense. Nevertheless, I still liked what I saw in them. They had some cagey veterans, new pieces to the puzzle, and Norman Black. It wasn't as strong as it once was but they had a chance. Their performance in the pre-season validated that. When they were dropped by Adamson in Fil-Oil, they had just arrived from the US and they didn't have their legs yet. So I wasn't worried.
While doing my pre-season rankings for Rebound, I tabbed Ateneo to win it all. I put FEU at second, DLSU and AdU at third and fourth respectively. Many asked me about why I ranked it that way. Biased was what they said. I replied, "you'll see and eat crow." But privately, I thought they didn't read teams that well. I didn't go with FEU because I thought that they had not gotten over the mental hump. The pre-season showed that. You can't simply say, it's the pre-season. They tried their darn best to beat San Sebastian but they didn't. They also didn't get the job done in the Fr. Martin Cup. And this despite crushing the Blue Eagles in the eliminations.
Ateneo beat them in the games that mattered. Even during the PCCL last year -- they played an Ateneo team that was without Rabeh Al-Hussaini and they still got beat. In the second round of Season 73, the cracks and strain was beginning to show in FEU's players and in their coaching staff. Yet they still beat Ateneo. Barely. The same can be said about the Blue Eagles since they had some terrible games. Incredibly, Ateneo does better in the second round yet they still had yet to hit their stride. But slowly, you could see them coming together held by an iron will to win.
In the pre-Norman Black years, the Blue Eagles would sweep the first round then crumble in the second and Final Four. When Norm arrived it changed. They began to peak better and furthermore at the right time.
I seeded DLSU third because I thought that their team was beginning to find its groove and I could see the positive changes being made by Dindo Pumaren. But that wasn't what made them go in my mind. I thought it was that feeling of pride that only few schools can really claim that was going to give them a boost. They were of course, embarrassed by the previous season and they sought redemption for that. Some may say that they didn't have a go to player. That's bunk because it was the same with Ateneo. Many others were saying they'd be hard-pressed to win a game. Were they watching this team in the pre-season? They got better along the way. Talking to some DLSU officials, they thought they get a fifth or sixth place finish. I was aghast at that. It's not kowtowing to the Green Archers but maybe because I've had the opportunity to talk to many of them and watch them, I knew they'd play good enough to get into the Final Four.
Adamson might be an obvious choice for many and that's because of their height, athleticism, veterans and depth. They are, in my opinion, a mirror image of FEU. The problem of this team is their basketball IQ. This is not to say that they are dumb. But they do have to be mentally strong. Coach Leo Austria oft talks about that. They'll (the Falcons) be handful, I figured, but when push comes to shove, they get shoved. And they did.
People often toss in the words "heart" and "pride" like it's such a tangible thing. But really? Do people live that? Breathe that? Imbibe it even? It's something serious and akin to religious fanaticism.
I think I'm the only one to get the four teams right in the UAAP Final Four in any pre-season ranking. Over at the NCAA, I figured Letran to make it but the Mapua Cardinals instead are in the Final Four but I did figure SBC to win it all. They built a team to beat the defending champions San Sebastian.
I thought that following Season 70, Ateneo played with a different composure and a sense of mission. That also applied to this season when I also said that once they get into the Final Four they will be dangerous. I tried to be prudent but I had a feeling that one of the games would be a blowout. They always have that yearly skinning of a foe. Remember when they scorched UE in the Final Four of Season 71? So why shouldn't it happen again?
Others will credit the win to championship experience. I don't believe in that entirely. Let me qualify that.
In 2003, Ateneo had the experience borne from two consecutive Finals appearances. But still we lost to FEU. In 2008, DLSU had that championship experience but they still lost. I said, it will boil down to heart, desire, defense, and pride. Of course, FEU has pride. But that school spirit that I constantly harp about fuels teams like Ateneo, La Salle, and San Beda. You see that in the crowd that watches the games. In the cheering. When the teams take to the court. The way they win and they way they lose. Heart is what pushed the upstart Houston Rockets to upend four teams with superior records to them en route to the 1995 NBA title. Didn't Rudy Tomjanovich say, "Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion." In case their memories are short or they aren't knowledgable, the Rockets beat four teams with superior records to them. Something that sports analysts fail to notice.
In 1991, the Los Angeles Lakers were said to have that championship experience over the young Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan then wasn't the Michael Jordan we'd all know after 1998. But they put the Lakers "in a ditch" as LA coach Mike Dunleavy said. And remember what MJ said (let me paraphrase him here), "Give me five players with no talent but are all heart and we will beat those five guys with talent anytime.
Game 2 of the UAAP Finals was another matter. That wasn't only heart but here's where championship experience came to play. Dikdikan na yung laban, as we say in local parlance. And with that, we won it. Even with bad shooting from most of the Blue Eagles, you could see that they wanted to stop FEU.
I told my colleagues in media (who didn't believe me then) that when Ateneo gets into the Final Four -- they will be dangerous. They sure kicked it up several notches higher that both Adamson and FEU were outcoached, outhustled, outworked, outcheered, and outmaneuvered. The other teams kept it to the same level while the Blue Eagles flew higher.
I felt bad for FEU. It was a double blackeye for them as the Lady Tamaraws lost to the Adamson Lady Falcons on the same day. As it is, all the basketball champions defended their titles. Marami rin naman tayong kaibigan sa FEU so I feel bad for them. I thought that last season was going to be something that they could rebound from but this one is more painful.
People who say that they are more talented man for man and simply because of that deduce that it translates into a title do not know their basketball. Games aren't won on paper. FEU's Glenn Capacio constantly harps about that -- the pressure heaped on them by the media that anointed them champs when they haven't won anything yet.
These people probably never watched the 2002 UAAP season when Ateneo had to go through the wringer of a 4-5 record, then preventing DLSU from a eliminations sweep, taking two from UE in the Final Four before shooting down the Archers in the finals.
With that, I'd like to leave you with a line from Star Wars when Yoda lifted Luke Skywalker's X-Wing from the swamps of Dagobah. "I do not believe, master." said the young Jedi.
"That is why you fail." said Yoda.
No comments:
Post a Comment