by Migs

Where were you last Monday, October 2nd? I, for one, found myself at work, in front of my PC, adjacent to a broken television.

I know what you’re thinking.

“What a time to have your television break down on you!!!”

Indeed it was, but, as luck would have it, I had a friend who was home, logged on to Yahoo Messenger, and who decided to help me watch (literally just “watch” and not “hear”, as the crude “webcast” had no audio) Game 3 of the UAAP Finals via placing her PC’s webcam in front of her living room TV. Yes, I felt fortunate to have been able to, in some shape or form, catch what eventually turned out to be one of the greatest games in UAAP history, but what made things even more thrilling was the fact that I had studied in one of the competing universities.

My affiliations aside, though, Game 3 of the UAAP Men’s Seniors Finals between the University of Santo Tomas and Ateneo De Manila University was everything we hoped it would be, and then some. Although JC Intal shot a dismal 4-18 from the floor, he managed to rebound somehow and still net 16 pts, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 5 assists, and 1 shot block. Macky Escalona booked a performance that harkened back to the showing of then rookie LA Tenorio during Game 3 of the 2001 UAAP Finals, scoring 28 pts, and chalking up 2 takeaways. On the UST side, eventual finals MVP Jojo Duncil wrecked havoc on the oft-porous Atenean defense with 18 pts and 4 boards, and Jervy Cruz was once again a one-man carom machine, grabbing 13, and depositing 9 pts to boot. Additionally, Game 3 produced a 4th quarter that featured a potential game-winning runner by JC Intal which clunked out and led to an overtime session, which consequently saw Chris Tiu tie things up with a 3 with under a minute to go, Dylan Ababou score on a go ahead foul shot for the Growling Tigers, JC Intal missing on yet another fate altering jumper, possession going to UST with 4 ticks left as a result of a jump ball forced by Japs Cuan, and possession arrows, and Jai Reyes heaving up a desperation shot from halfcourt as time expired. In the end, as tears flowed and cheers continued to fill the air, you couldn’t help but feel proud of the men who had done battle for 45 minutes, whether you were an Atenean, a Thomasian, or somewhere in between. The gladiators in this bout had gone head to head in a beautiful display of desire, and ultimately, sportsmanship.

(RELIVE 3RD AND 4TH QUARTER GAME III HIGHLIGHTS HERE)

For Coach Pido Jarencio, Monday’s win was the culmination of a long, dry, road that had begun in the 1980’s when he was a member of the UST Glowing Goldies. For Ateneo’s mentor Norman Black, it was letdown that he, like his players and the entire Atenean community, would remember for some time to come. Such is not a startling fact, as I think that when you get that close to glory, then suddenly falter, it doesn’t matter who you are. You will feel blue.

After the game, empassioned fans from both schools continued to jeer at one another as they filed out of the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao. Beyond the jeering, though, which is sure to dissipate with time, comes one very clear reality- everyone that night had come out winners. The boys from Espana had risen from perennial underdogs to the level of kings. The boys from Katipunan had netted the silver medal, and had done so with grit and guts that knew no surcease. Fanatics from both sides of the fence had been treated to a show with a brand of impact certain to stay in their hearts, maybe, for the rest of their lives, and had seen themselves metamorphose into the very definition of faith and loyalty towards something representative of their chosen creed. I could get into how endorsers and those on the marketing end of the last 2 weeks have more or less reaped hefty benefits from the UAAP finals, but I don’t think have to. Such gains need not be stated. In memory’s slideshow, what people will recall is heart. What folks will reflect upon is sheer skill and motivation untainted by material corruption. What we will all be able to smile upon years from today are the cheers, the streamers, the balloons, the posters, the classes we cut, the teachers who gave free cuts on game day, the clothes we wore, and the shortness of breath we all felt on September 24th, 30th, and October 2nd. All of the aformentioned details, we will invariably lump up into the tenth and eleventh months of the 6 year of the new millennium, into the annals of local basketball lore as a whole, and, into the pinnultimate moments of the season that was, the 69th for the U-Double-A-P.

(RELIVE HIGHLIGHTS FROM GAME 3′S OVERTIME PERIOD HERE)

Congratulations to the UST Growling Tigers for bagging their 19th UAAP Basketball Title! And to the Blue Eagles, thank you for leaving it all out on the hardwood each and every time battles have had to be waged. Go USTE! Animo Ateneo!

(RELIVE UST’S 2006 UAAP MEN’S SENIORS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP POSTGAME CELEBRATION HERE)

I can’t wait for what Season 70 has in store for us all. Despite the evident eagerness I exude as I look ahead, I say we revel in the multifaceted splendor the past UAAP campaign has brought forth, at least for the meantime.

Another year done, another increment of time offered up, hopefully, in the name of everyone’s “holistic growth” (*smile*). =)