Yet another historic season came to a close last October 1, as the Ateneo Blue Eagles raised the UAAP Men’s Seniors Basketball Championship Trophy for the fourth consecutive year after sweeping the tough FEU Tamaraws in two games.
Season 74 was, arguably, one of the most exciting the league has ever seen. Fresh talents dominated the games, with NU first year player Ray-Ray Parks bagging the coveted regular season Most Valuable Player Award, and two more rookies, Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, in the Mythical Team.
Surely, this season was not without legal controversy. To refresh one’s memory as we know it in the law of evidence, the intramurals began with a tough boardroom battle even before the season began, with some teams challenging the eligibility of players who, after being cleared, showed the stuff they were made of.
Indeed, if players like Parks, Slaughter and Karim Abdul of the UST Tigers were disqualified to play, the viewing public would have been deprived of their constitutional right to enjoy the games, not to mention the positive effects of a well-attended UAAP season on the whole economy.
It was also a season of highs and lows for many.
The vaunted Green Archers were less than spectacular this year, leading to the departure en masse of their coaching staff at the final buzzer, so to speak. The factual and legal question is whether their exodus is really a voluntary resignation, or a constructive dismissal, as we know it in law.
At the very least, their sudden departure should not be misinterpreted as a wildcat labor strike (which is hitting the headlines on another national issue these days), as their lawyers would assert.
The valiant FEU Tamaraws deserve not only executive clemency from the FEU administration but, more importantly, admiration from the UAAP followers. Hobbled by serious physical injuries all year long and frustrated by the UP Maroons early in the season, they picked up at the right moment when it mattered the most. They went on to overcome the twice-to-beat advantage of the Adamson Falcons to force a Finals rematch with the Blue Eagles.
Winning the four-peat was by no means an easy task. There were roadblocks along the way, posted by no less than the league’s cellar dwellers, the UE Warriors and UP Maroons. In the end, however, the Blue Eagles overruled each and every objection to their go-four-glory quest with proof beyond reasonable doubt. Of particular judicial notice for being unquestionably demonstrated was the excellent coaching led by Norman Black and Sandy Arespacochaga and the exquisite team chemistry where no single player abused his dominance at the expense of the others.
The statistical data speak for themselves—res ipsa loquitur in legal lingo.
The Blue Eagles’ court general, Emman Mon4th, led the league in assists, exemplifying the Ateneo creed of being Emman for Others. Moreover, three Ateneo stalwarts—Greg Slaughter, Kiefer Ravena and Nico Salva—had identical point averages during the postseason, coming into the 2nd game of the Finals, and each received individual awards: Rookie of the Year, Mythical Five and Finals MVP. Not to mention the team’s impressive second unit, led by Justin Chua and the graduating Raymond Austria who brought home the bacon for the fourth consecutive year.
This year, the Ateneo community bids farewell to MonFourth, Austria and Long who outsKir(k)ted many challenges aLong the way to the four-peat. It has been an absolute delight to watch these young men play their heart out for the school.
A heartfelt Thank You from the Ateneo community, indeed!!!
The departure of these key cogs, notwithstanding, the Blue Eagles throng can rest easy knowing that the nucleus of the team will remain, and that the return of 2010-11 season’s savior—Ryan Buenafe—is expected. JP Erram, Tonino Gonzaga and Juami Tiongson also provided a glimpse of how the Blue Eagles will look like next season. Worthy of special mention is Kiefer of the Flame who has the makings of a King Eagle.
Indeed, the four-peat is a rarity in the UAAP Men’s Seniors Basketball. But given the undaunting support of the Ateneo society (of Jesus or S.J.) led by the newly installed Ateneo president, Fr. Jett Villarin, and new sports patron, Manny V. Pangilinan, with the tireless cheering by members of the Blue Babble Battalion, who looked amazing all year round with their Von Dutch uniforms, it definitely (at least to my simple mind) was a four-gone conclusion. Ateneo now joins DLSU, UST and UE in this exclusive club.
The Ateneo Four-peat is now a consummated act as we lawyers call it. The evidence on record is readily available for ocular inspection at www.fabilioh.com through photos tirelessly taken gratis by Philip Sison, Erwin Cabab, Nono Felipe, Arvin Lim and Alyson Yap.
The question is whether this Ateneo dynasty has already been fulfilled, or we are still in the process of witnessing it.
Let’s not argue on the merits of the case for now. In the meanwhile, let the Ateneo community savor and celebrate the four-peat with a big bonfire on Saturday, October 8, when the Atenean will stand on a hill where Loyola’s colors fly and shout out to the Hail Mary Team: “Give me five!!!” and who, in turn, will respond next season with a resounding: High Five!!!!!
(The author, a law professor at the Ateneo Law School, can be contacted at felim@accralaw.com.)