The Ateneo Dynasty

“Basta, ang alam ko three-peat next year.” – Ryan Buenafe from Ateneo Bonfire 2009

Last year, I laughed at Ryan’s fearless prediction when I heard that. Deep inside, I had some doubts. Ateneo was about to lose the three vital cogs of their back-to-back title run. FEU is supposed to get stronger after a year of experience. Then, 2010 arrived. Experts tagged FEU to win it all, while Ateneo was branded as has-beens. The elimination round resulted to what they expected. FEU was first while Ateneo had more regular season losses than the past two years combined. I was not able to blog my thoughts about the UAAP season before it started as I was busy studying then. But contrary to my doubts last year, I had special confidence in the Blue Eagles.

Me and my Playoff Beard

I knew the team was relatively weak this year, but I have learned to trust them because they have won back-to-back. For years, seeing Ateneo repeat was the huge monkey in my back. This was because the 2003 debacle against FEU was the turning point that led to the six year drought. The Blue Eagles lost a potential back-to-back championship then and it was also the time when I realized that outside of Ateneo’s Fab Four (Alvarez-Gonzales-Fonacier-Tenorio), none of the newbies developed. This was obviously not the case this year.

Ever since Chris Tiu took the leadership helm in 2007, I always saw young players exhibit flashes of brilliance from time to time. Kirk Long was the revelation in beating the Green Archer press in his rookie year. Of course, he had that huge buzzer beater that broke UST’s hearts that year. Ryan Buenafe was the huge role player with his boards and nifty passes when Ateneo swept La Salle in 2008. In 2009, Nico Salva emerged as the Most Improved Player. There was a continuation, so I knew that Ateneo had a good chance. I just did not know if it was enough.

Time to shave!

When the eliminations rolled, I had some concerns with the team (i.e., choking in the final two minutes). But, I still blogged that I liked Ateneo’s chances the most. It was because we have Norman Black. It was because the team still possesses their disciplined fundamental defense. Championship experience also matters (lacking such was very evident in FEU’s Game 1 implosion). Lastly, the games that Ateneo lost were never blow-outs. These were games that could have gone the either way. One thing I learned from John Hollinger’s analysis of which team will be the most likely to win the championship is that, teams that win with a huge margin are often the most successful ones. A blow-out win is an indication that the team was not just lucky in winning – they wholly deserved the game.

I maintained that silent confidence and boy, it paid off big time! Ateneo pulverized Adamson in the Final Four. I blogged that Ateneo just went on Keyser Soze mode. At that time, my confidence level on the three-peat went high. After all, we have Norman Black while FEU’s strategy has been the same old “we only utilize RR and Romeo and we forget that Aldrech Ramos can be a strong inside threat” throughout the season.

At the Gesu

In Game 1, it was like Keyser Soze unleashed. The Blue Eagles murdered – no, massacred – the Tamaraws. It was the largest beatdown I have witnessed. Game 1 was Ateneo’s Eff You Game to all the pundits who confidently declared that FEU will win it all. As for me, I was starting to feel that my Keyser Soze theory is true. Norman Black hid his aces all year long just in time to unleash it in the Finals. Erram was a revelation and Ateneo’s running game became deadlier. The game already ended in the first quarter. I can still remember my friend Jam asking me during the game, “ano kaya nasa isip nung mga taga-FEU?” (What are on the minds of the FEU fans that are watching?) I told him, “here we go again!” Seeing the looks of the Tamaraws, it seemed to be that way. They were in “Oh no! Here we go again! We are losing another crucial game!*” Mode. The loss of confidence was apparent in their body language.

* - FEU is 0-4 in Final Four games for the past two years before entering this year’s Final Four.

Fortunately for the Tamaraws, they improved several notches in Game 2. They showed why they were the best team in the eliminations by their offensive display in the first quarter. When I watched that happen, I took it without any anxiety. I was confident that Ateneo can still pull it off. After being spoiled for two years, I have lost the Murphy’s Law Emotion of a Fan.

Off Topic: What is the Fan’s Murphy’s Law Emotion? It is as its name suggests. It is the feeling that you have gained after several traumatic sports experiences have accumulated in the past. In my experience, I get “cold legs” when a looming endgame disaster happens. This occurred in 2007 whenever I watch Ateneo-La Salle games live. There are moments when Ateneo’s lead starts to dwindle. My legs get cold (probably because of the aircon and the crowd getting less frenetic) and I suddenly witness my team lose the game. Usually, this scenario happens when you are in a comfortable lead and you start to experience the worst. I would have used the first regular season game against La Salle as a good example, but I was too pampered the past two years that I just shrugged it off easily. Winning a lot gives you the confidence that everything will eventually turn out to be right. This is why I lost my Murphy’s Law Emotion.

Of course, having the feeling that everything will turn out fine had some basis. Ateneo has disciplined defense so I knew that the game was still up for grabs. Lo and behold! Ateneo sliced the lead to just one by the end of the first half. (Sidenote: I thought the referees were too “friendly” to Ateneo in Game 2. I complained when the refs made the wrong call against FEU – yes, you read it right: Against FEU. The calls pretty much went Ateneo’s way. I would have understood if FEU chanted “Luto!” but their team imploded when they had their chances, so I guess they did not deserve to win.)

Jumbo's farewell message

The remarkable second quarter effort by the Hail Mary Squad paved way to the intense second half. This climaxed with Ryan Buenafe pulling up the killer three. Finally, Norman Black used Ryan Buenafe in the crunchtime! For the majority of the year, that was my (minor) complaint. I always trusted Buenafe’s clutch skills ever since he defeated UE in an overtime elimination round game in 2008. However, I trust Norman Black more. I had the feeling that Norman was not fielding Buenafe in crunchtime situations because he was Coach Black’s ace. He waited for this final and crucial moment before revealing the secret that Buenafe is Ateneo’s Mr. Clutch. Ryan was like Keyser Soze’s fake injured leg. People underestimated Ryan because he was fat and slow, but they forgot that he is a winner (3 for 3) all these years. And just like in “The Usual Suspects,” Norman Black revealed how potent Ryan Buenafe is in the final moment. This is why I trust Norman Black.

This brings me to my main point…

“Players win games. Coaches lose them.”

WRONG! In collegiate basketball, coaches win games. Let me correct that further: Coaches win tournaments. Just imagine if Coach Norman Black is not in our team this year. Do you think Ateneo will achieve its three-peat? If you compare the players of our team to FEU’s, they are better on paper because of the MVP, Rookie of the Year and the Smart Gilas players that they have. But because Norman Black was able to map out the long term growth of this team, Ateneo was able to succeed. As the presentation in this year’s Bonfire showed, the Ateneo Blue Eagles had defense, teamwork and heart. Norman Black was responsible on building all of those.

Defense has always been the main emphasis of Norman Black’s coaching strategy. We saw Norman Black bench key players (like Buenafe) if they fail to defend properly. Coach Black sacrificed Eric Salamat in the Finals so that Eman Monfort can chase down RR Garcia. This is why Ateneo ‘s theme has always been “Defend the Crown.”

At the Bonfire

Team play has been evident for Ateneo since I started following the Blue Eagles. However, it was further emphasized when Coach Norman took the helm. Eric Salamat, no matter how potentially good he was in his rookie year, accepted his role as a sixth man for quite some time. Up to his final UAAP games, he has accepted what Coach Norman asked him to do. When we see the Blue Eagles execute in both offense and defense, teamwork was very apparent. The Blue Eagles adjust when defending their area whenever someone gambles. Ateneo’s offensive execution heavily relies on ball rotation. The players will pass if they think that there is a much better shot. Rarely do we see Blue Eagles pull up a jumper hastily. This is why there was no Blue Eagle receiving a major award (except for Most Improved Player) this year. Everyone knows his role and each player takes one for the team in order for them to succeed. Teamwork, even if it is inherent to some players (like Ryan Buenafe), won’t function well if there is no good orchestration among all the players. The person responsible for this? You guess it right, it is Norman Black. He instilled it in each player.

We'll miss you, Fr. Ben!

As regards to heart, it is rarely taught. However, it could be influenced. I actually want to revise this to “peaking at the right time.” This year, Norman Black exhibited his mastery of peaking at the right time by how he managed the team. During the eliminations, Ateneo struggled for a number of games. This was expected because of the nerfed lineup. Norman Black, however, was able to utilize it properly. In Ateneo’s loss to La Salle, Ryan Buenafe was not fielded in the crucial times. We lost the game the hard way. At that time, I felt the Blue Eagles had a complacent attitude. The players learned the lesson the hard way as they were left to try and win the game in crunchtime. It was tough but it was necessary. After all, most of the Blue Eagles were riding along Chris Tiu’s and Jai Reyes’ endgame heroics the past few years. They need to experience it. The lessons on complacency continued with the losses to UE and FEU. These were crunchtime meltdowns but these were also valuable experiences for them to learn from. By the time they faced FEU in Game 2, the Blue Eagles were prepared. I had a feeling that whenever Coach Black fields a relatively weaker lineup in endgame situations, he was trying to teach them lessons on composure and humility. By the time Ateneo reached the Final Four, haters and pundits were taking the team for granted. This fueled the Blue Eagles to prove them wrong. This made the Hail Mary Team peak at the right time. All of these situations were influenced by Coach Norman Black in some ways.

And, that is why we have a dynasty. Norman Black was the architect of this dynasty. This is a dynasty which put Ateneo back on top of collegiate basketball. Because of this, Ateneo holds the record of most collegiate championships of a school (20).

With Dad

To end this writeup, I will be giving my personal thanks to each pivotal member of the team. I have witnessed players thank fans and their closed ones for the achievement that they had. It is now my turn as a fan to thank them.

To Eric Salamat:

Maraming Salamat! I may have cringed at the sight of you forcing shots and over-gambling on defense in Game 2, but I will always be thankful to what you have done to the team. After all, you sacrificed your starting job for the sake of the team. Through the years, you were always that role player who set aside his starting job for the sake of the team. Your sweet message to Norman Black in the Final Mass which is, “if it is only possible, I will still play for you, Coach Norman” earned my utmost respect to you. I always thought that if there’s one player who might have been pissed that he used his last playing year (instead of going pro), it would be Eric Salamat. Your message in the Final Mass revealed that you were never that selfish guy that most players are. And with that, I hope you get drafted high next year. The professional league needs players who care for their team.

To Ryan Buenafe:

I never doubted you because I always thought that you are a special player (especially given the fact that you have significantly contributed in the past three championships). I just hope that we get to see more of your heroic play next year.

To Eman Monfort:

Thanks for making me eat my words. I have tweeted several times in the elimination round that I disliked your playmaking abilities. I did not like your shooting accuracy and I always thought that you were impulsive and boneheaded (although that is still true at times). Nevertheless, I am glad that you proved me wrong. You have improved significantly and you have shown that you are not just a spot-up shooter – you are a big-time winner. Your swagger is also awesome. Your way at getting back at FEU after you were hurt in Game 1 was spectacular. It was like McHale clotheslining a Laker way back in the 1980s (even if I was still a baby when that happened). Even if I do not want the Eagles to be over-cocky and complacent, I still want them to have swagger. You have that and I am happy for that. Again, I apologize. You’re the man, Eman!

To Justin Chua:

Thanks for proving me wrong. I was supposed to poke Justin Chua jokes to my buddy Ferdie (who believed in you all the way), but I just cannot do it anymore. You have shown that you are for real. Honestly though, I have seen your flashes of brilliance even last year(remember the elimination game against Adamson?) I just did not know if you could sustain it at a consistent level. Thank God, you were able to do it this year. From a second unit guy who does not have that much of a height advantage, you have vastly improved by being an above average shot blocker and by being a dependable inside scorer. Because of players like you, I do not have worries on Ateneo’s future.

P.S. Sorry if I once tweeted “Ateneo has used the Justin Chua card.” Well, I did not know that there were limitless Justin Chua cards.

To Bakon Austria:

Please do not mind the haters. When you choked against DLSU in the 1st round, I was easy to forgive you. After all, you contributed in Ateneo’s past two championships. Any player who has contributed in a past championship should never be bashed hard. Fans should show some gratitude. This is why I happily cheered when you scored a three-point play in the 2nd round game against DLSU. Even if you have a lesser role than you had in high school, I can fully say that I still appreciated you. This is because you are – just like Eric – a testament of how a player should accept his role and care for the overall goal of the team.

To Kirk Long:

You are, hands down, the most valuable player of the team. You are the best lockdown player and you are steady on offense. You have developed from a tentative shooter to a fearless slasher. On the defensive end, you are the Shane Battier of the UAAP. Please continue to improve next year. I want to see you win the Finals MVP in your last year.

To Jessica Mendoza:

Jessica, you are our lucky charm!

I have forgotten to blog about the courtside reporter rankings this year (because I never got to blog a lot anyway) but it does not matter – you still are the best. I would like to thank you for pursuing the courtside reporter job this year even if you have graduated. It was a treat to us, Jessica Mendoza fans. I used to be one of the first few last year (if I recall correctly, you had less than a hundred followers when I started following you in Twitter) but that fan number has grown exponentially by now. I have said my good luck message last year so I do not know what to add from that. I do not know if I am going to miss you though. There is "Top 5@5" every weekday (except on Fridays) after all. Either way, thanks for being awesome.

To Lasallians and the Green Archers:

If I am not mistaken, I have not bashed any of you in a writeup this year (but I did in Twitter). Is it uncharacteristic of me? Probably. I should be making fun of the greenies, right? Hmmm…

All I can say is this: I guess I do not need to bash you. Why? Because even if the Green Archers “over-achieved,” they do not need to be bashed.

There you go.

Oh wait, it was not blatant enough?

I did not feel the need to bash La Salle because even if they “over-achieved,” they are still weak. No effin’ threat at all. I even rooted for them to beat FEU in the Final Four. I was even cheering “Go Lasal!” when they scored a bucket in the dying seconds of Ateneo’s lopsided win in the second round of eliminations this year.

Is it now obvious that bashing DLSU should at least be an annual thing? Yes. It’s because that’s what makes the rivalry fun.

To the rest of the Blue Eagles:

Congratulations! Stay humble. The biggest detriment to our title bid next year is ourselves. Let’s prove all the haters wrong by winning the historic four-peat. Eyes on another prize! One Big Fight!

To Norman Black:

Thanks for shaking my hands in the Final Mass. I will always remember that moment when I got to feel greatness.

Norman Black before shaking hands with me

Thanks for building this dynasty. Hopefully, it grows stronger next year as we vie for our fourth straight championship. Because of this dynasty, watching UAAP has grown from “Depressing Septembers” to “Instant Motivations.” I had a crappy day last week but after watching Ateneo win its three-peat, my day suddenly got brighter. I even said to my friend, “I’ll take a crappy day any time if that is what I need to sacrifice in order to witness Ateneo winning a championship.”

Thanks for reminding us, fans, why we love sports.

Magis!

+ Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam