IN A season so aptly themed as “Where Heroes are Made,” the Ateneo Blue Eagles found their own hero in the dying moments of the season closer.  After Paul Sanga hit a free throw to pull the FEU Tamaraws to within two points, enigmatic forward Ryan Buenafe called his own number, isolating his defender.  With time running down many expected Buenafe to make his move to the hole—having made seven of nine shots within the arc—but with two seconds remaining on the shot clock, the nine percent three-point shooter dialed a shot in from deep, nailing the biggest three pointer of the season.  The five point margin was too much of a deficit for the Tamaraws to make up, bowing to the Blue Eagles 65-62, before an announced crowd of 17,215 on September 30 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Having arrived on Katipunan as the most exciting prospect in recent school history, many expected great things from Buenafe but after capturing the Season 71 Rookie of the Year Award he has largely disappointed.  Conditioning issues and questions about his commitment to his craft have followed the former San Sebastian standout; but on this night, his talent would prove too much for the Tamaraws to handle, scoring 23 points on a hyper efficient 75% clip and throwing in six rebounds to boot.

As the Tamaraws cracked down on the Blue Eagles’ transition attack, the Ateneo offense focused on half court execution, allowing Buenafe’s post brilliance to take center stage.  As a result, FEU found themselves short on available wings in the late game as rotation players JR Cawaling, Chris Exciminiano, Terrence Romeo and Sanga were in deep foul trouble—the latter three fouling out in the clutch.

FEU let the Blue Eagles know that this game would be no repeat of Game 1’s blowout victory, jumping out to an early 22-13 lead. Sanga led the way, blistering the Eagles for three triples in the opening quarter.

The game would turn when Sanga picked up his third foul of the game with 7:37 left in the second quarter, cooling the FEU offense just as Buenafe began taking over the game.  Buoyed by Buenafe’s seven first half points, Ateneo answered with a 15-6 run to close out the half, pulling within one, 31-30 heading into the break.

The game see-sawed in the third, neither team managing to build a significant lead hamstringed by shoddy free throw shooting—Ateneo making a dismal 66.7% of freebies only to be shown up by FEU’s 52.4%.  As time expired, a Reil Cervantes missed a pull up three preserved a two point Ateneo lead heading into the final quarter.

Having suffered heartbreakers to La Salle, UE and two to the Tamaraws, the clutch has been a period of uncertainty for the Blue Eagles. This game, however, saw the Blue Eagles fight to contain FEU’s offensive force. Buenafe in particular scored seven points in the first six minutes of the fourth, but the Morayta cagers stayed within striking distance never letting the lead balloon to more than five points.

Sanga had a chance to knot the game at 61 after getting fouled on a three point attempt, but missed two of the three subsequent free throws, allowing Buenafe’s three to push the lead to an insurmountable five points with 22.1 seconds remaining.  Raymond Austria split a pair of free throws and Reil Cervantes banked in a meaningless three pointer to wrap the scoring.

On a night where Ateneo needed a hero to step up, very few thought that Ryan Buenafe would answer that call. Buenafe has heard the pundits call out his weight issues and question his commitment to the game. Many see his play on court and see someone coasting on his natural abilities; making passes very few can replicate in practice, in the heat of battle; finishing lay ups from impossible angles, making the game seem all too easy. But on a team boasting energy players like Frank Golla, Kirk Long and Emman Monfort, it was Buenafe who reigned in the hustle boards, scrapping and clawing his way to a career defining game, garnering himself a Finals MVP triumph, and ultimately bringing the Eagles to new heights, perched on top of the UAAP for a third time.

The championship seals Ateneo’s first three-peat in the UAAP and Justin Chua, Kirk Long, Eric Salamat, Tonino Gonzaga, Nico Salva, Raymond Austria and Buenafe become the first Blue Eagles to achieve the accolade; all of whom save for Salamat are returning for a four-peat campaign in Season 74 with Ateneo as UAAP hosts.

Boxscore:

ADMU 65: Buenafe 23, Monfort 10, Salva 9, Long 7, Chua 7, Salamat 3, Golla 3, Escueta 2, Austria 1

FEU: 62: Cervantes 15, Sanga 13, Ramos 9, Cawaling 8, Nondou 6, Garcia 6, Romeo 2, Exciminiano 2, Bringas 1

Quarter Scoring 13-22, 30-31, 52-50, 65-62