Thursday, November 29, 2007 Lancers feel the blues By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
IN THE biggest game of their lives, the University of the Visayas Green Lancers succumbed to jitters and lost a chance to even fight for the title of the 2007 Collegiate Champions League (CCL) against Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, 54-71, yesterday at the San Juan Arena.
“Na-blanko gyud sila during the first period. We were just in disarray. Naunhan man hinuon mi and nakalitan sila,” UV head coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug said.
He added that Ateneo’s crowd was a huge factor in their losing focus.
UV, always a crowd-favorite here, missed the comforts of a noisy backer that has always been there to egg them on. Yesterday, Ateneo brought a house-full of supporters against UV—something the Lancers are not accustomed to.
“We were dumbfounded because it was very noisy here. This is, after all, their home court,” said Cabahug, who added that the cheers from their handful of supporters’ cheers were drowned by Ateneo’s.
It was a meaningful win for Ateneo as it finally avenged a 50-year-old loss to UV. The last time the two teams clashed for a national title was in 1957, which UV won. Ateneo finally hit pay dirt with yesterday’s lopsided win.
Cabahug said before the game that he wanted to win and to mirror the 1957 triumph, which was spearheaded by then UV head coach and now Rep. Eduardo Gullas and skippered by Cabahug’s dad Eddie.
Things did not come out as planned but losing the title in his fifth attempt is something that Cabahug took in stride.
“I wanted this title so badly. I supposed my son will have to be the one to continue this legacy,” quipped Cabahug.
Collection
Cabahug said the title would have completed his collection of national trophies. “I have won a national title in high school and the national collegiate championship in college. This would have been my national trophy as coach,” Cabahug said.
The former PBA star, however, said that not all is lost in their failed bid in the CCL as his talented wards received recognition by the whole nation.
“I am thankful still that we reached this point. It is a good experience for the boys. Also as an added reward, three of my players will be playing for the Philippine Basketball League next season,” he added.
Behemoth center Rino Berami was tapped to play for Toyota Balintawak, while UV captain Ariel Mepaña and Michael Luga were picked by Harbour Centre.
In the game, UV was able to equalize with ADMU for the first and last time in the first two minutes of the game at 2-all behind the two pointer of rookie Sylvester Tancongco.
15 missed shots
This was followed right away by a 15-0 run, spiked by a back-to-back triples from Chris Tiu and Kirk Long, as Ateneo moved ahead 17-2.
In a span of six minutes, the Lancers failed to convert a single basket, missing 15 attempts and allowed Ateneo to pull away for good.
“That really did us in. It was bad start because they got ahead right away, but we recuperated,” Cabahug said referring to a furious rally led by Chris Diputado, who shot a buzzer-beating trey fired from more than 50 feet away from the basket.
In the second period, five missed shots from Ateneo’s main gunner Chris Tiu coupled with a handful of turnovers allowed UV to slice the deficit by just three points, 18-23 behind Von Lañete, Berami and Tancongo.
This forced ADMU coach Norman Black to call a time out. When they came back, they gave UV another surprise when they changed their defensive strategy and Ateneo got back on track and ended the first half ahead, 32-26.
The Lancers were in high spirits going into the third with Lañete striking first to come closer, 28-32. However, Ateneo’s 6-foot-7 pivotman Rabah Al-Hussaini, doused all the fire left in the Lancers.
Without anyone to challenge him, Hussaini was unstoppable from the shaded lane. Hussaini scattered 15 points in this quarter alone to single-handedly stretch Ateneo’s lead back to double digits.
The match got heated in the final period with Mepaña getting in foul trouble, Berami fouled out following an unsportsmanlike conduct and Lañete was slapped with a double technical after a brief scuffle with Ateneo’s Yuri Escueta.
With too much time wasted, catching up was becoming impossible for the Lancers.
In the end, the runnerup will go home with the P200,000 cash prize, which according to Cabahug will go to UV’s sports program and equipment, not just for basketball, but will be shared with the other sports.
Mepaña and Diputado joined three other players in the Mythical Team B, while Berami joined eventual MVP Nonoy Baclao, Al-Hussaini and Tiu in the Mythical five A. Coach Black was named the best coach, while ADMU was named the Best Defensive team. ADMU went home with P500,000 for the victory.
