Wednesday, November 28, 2007 UV flirts with history
TODAY’s championship of the National Collegiate Champions’ League is a rematch that waited 50 years to happen.
University of the Visayas Green Lancers and Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles will take on each other at the San Juan Arena for the most coveted national title.
The two teams last battled each other for the intercollegiate national championships in 1957, which UV won.
Five decades ago and under a different name, current UV president Eddie Gullas called the shots from the sidelines and Eddie Cabahug skippered the team.
Fifty years later, it’s the turn of the skipper’s son to lead the team.
At UV’s helm now is Eddie’s son Elmer “Boy.” For five years, coach Cabahug has been hoping to get a national title and the chance finally came as UV barged into the final round of the National Collegiate Champions League against Ateneo.
Last Monday, UV won the semifinal against STI to grab the first finals berth. Ateneo, on the other hand, beat University of Sto. Tomas.
“We are praying that history will repeat itself,” said coach Cabahug.
Now, reliving that battle that happened in virtually another era is the new breed of collegiate stars from the south.
For the past few games of UV in the league, it was Ritchum Dennison, who carried the team’s scoring cudgels. When he faltered, big man Rino Berami stepped in and not only bore the scoring responsibilities by tallying 21 points but also controlled the boards with 17 rebounds in the semifinal.
Last year, the Green Lancers only lasted until quarterfinal round, where they lost to San Beda. For some, surpassing last year’s finish would have been enough. But not for Cabahug, who would not settle for anything less than a title.
To ensure that the national title goes out of imperial Manila, Cabahug and his Lancers need clamp down Blue Eagles’ big guns Clifford Arao, Kirk Long and Chris Tiu, who is also suiting up for the national team.
If they would be unable to shut down the trio, the Green Lancers should limit the offensive threat.
“We need to limit their top three scorers—Arao, Long and Tiu. They are our priority in defense,” said Cabahug.
If it comes a little harder for UV, they need to answer Ateneo’s arsenal toe-to-toe. Berami should cancel out Arao’s tenacity in both defense and offense.
Von Lañete, Chris Diputado and Dennison should also equalize Tiu and Long on the offensive end, while Mepaña and Luga need to earn their dough to keep UV afloat.
Six-foot-eleven behemoth Greg Slaughter also needs to impose his hulking size and might to give Ateneo a harder route to the basket. (MCB)
