Ateneo goes back-to-back!

We were nervous, but we were expecting the same thing. Confirmation came by the middle of the third quarter.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles grabbed their second straight championship by beating UE in the do-or-die game, 73-51. The Katipunan destruction squad played perhaps their best team game, shrugging off the 88-68 Game 2 loss and did a good job on both sides of the court, even declaring the game over a little beet sooner than expected.

And of course, we had to congratulate everyone from Coach Norman to the sixth men and women of Ateneo, both inside and outside the Coliseum. First dibs goes to Rabeh Al-Hussaini, the main man of the game who garnered as well the Finals MVP Award, who kept his cool in the game and scored when it mattered most. And there is Jai Reyes whose treys kept Ateneo very much afloat in the second half, as well as Nonoy Baclao who did his role as the defensive brick wall of the Eagles. As much as they are leaving, the incoming role players of the Eagles have already asserted their roles. Upcoming King Eagle Eric Salamat was there with his same pesky antics (including crucial steals and one And-1 spin move that brought Ateneo basketball fans wild). Kirk Long (in spite of two missed reversals, one coming from an alley oop attempt) with a good job defensively, Ryan Buenafe and Nico Salva who provided extra firepower, and of course the rest of the team whose presence lifted the spirits of everyone. Credit also goes to the loud cheering team who shouted their hearts out in every moment of the game, from the jump ball to the last ball (with special mention to the loud and proud Blue Babble Battalion who led the Loyola Heights crowd in providing the best support possible).

And what did the team exactly do? Nothing save good ball rotation, timing, scoring, and proper execution of the zone. They scored important treys, scored points off turnovers and second-chance points, and held the Red Warriors back. Surprisingly, Elmer Espiritu and Pari Llagas were non-factors in the game, while Paul Lee's scores were only out of fastbreaks, and Val Acuna couldn't make much. A bad day for UE perhaps, and also good defense for Ateneo. Such perfect gameplay merits not only the championship, but the cheers of everyone in the blue crew (not Mike Baldos alone, no pun intended), plus a five-minute garbage time.

One big fight! See you all in the Saturday bonfire!