DESPITE THEIR conquest for glory on the court coming to a halt before they could hit the jackpot, the Ateneo Blue and Lady Eagles’ campaigns in the basketball and volleyball tournaments of Season 78 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) were nothing short of phenomenal.
King Eagle Kiefer Ravena led the league in statistics, captaining his team to a final four finish during his last stint for the Blue and White, only to be downed by a Mac Belo buzzer beater in the dying seconds of a heartbreaking semifinal. Meanwhile, on the volleyball court, Alyssa Valdez offered her last term of service while sporting the Ateneo jersey, by successfully defending her title as the league’s Most Valuable Player to secure the Lady Eagles a ticket to another UAAP final, where their attempt to snag a third consecutive crown was thwarted by rivals De La Salle University (DLSU).
However, in retrospect, the walk back to the locker room at the end of a long day hardly echoes in the silence of defeat. Although victory in the country’s most popular collegiate tournament is more often than not determined by the scoreboard and measured in medals, the bigger story that plays out at the end of this walk is a bittersweet tale that transcends the call of the referee and the white lines of the playing field. With the reigning “Phenoms” of the last five seasons hitting the final notes of their swan song, and fellow Eagles Amy Ahomiro, Von Pessumal, and Ysay Marasigan making a graceful landing from their final flight, the closing of the previous season and the dawning of the next represents not merely a teary farewell and the end of an era of dominance but, more significantly, the start of a period of tremendous change.
Changing the game
Disarmed by the departure of some of the teams’ most crucial sources of firepower, the Blue and Lady Eagles have responded to the daunting prospect of a new frontier ahead with several key recruits of their own on both the coaching staff and roster. With the absence of a single “Phenom” leaving a void of leadership on the floor, Ateneo’s game plan for the challenge of the coming season seems to be to utilize the remaining weaponry at their disposal and to make the most out of growing pains, proving that the teams’ response to drastic change isn’t simply to change itself, but rather to adapt to the situation.
Coming off a lackluster run for gold last year, the Ateneo men’s basketball team ended their campaign in defeat and goodbyes, with Ravena retiring his wings and head coach Bo Perasol announcing his resignation at the end of the season. But the departure of coach and captain was eventually rocked by a glimmer of hope as the arrival of a renowned name on both local and international basketball scenes brought with it years of experience and a steady change of pace as the Eagles open their next chapter on the basketball court.
The appointment of national team coach Tab Baldwin to the post vacated by Perasol serves as the first step of many on the road to rebuilding as a squad and a major investment for the Blue Eagles’ future. Only four upperclassmen will be donning the Blue and White in Season 79, putting the hopes for a championship on the shoulders of some new young names in a relatively unseasoned selection of players. As most have barely taken their first flights in school’s colors, the team’s next run for the crown turns into both a trial through fire and an invaluable learning experience for Blue Eagles to develop as a unit and reestablish their footing as a top contender in the league.
“We’ve been trying to build the team chemistry, understanding all the while that this is a very young team,” admits Baldwin. “One of the big things with young teams is that they’re going to make mistakes, so we’re trying to teach them how to minimize them and that’s a long process.”
With their ranks further thinned by academic ineligibility in the preseason, the Blue Eagles met the first test of their mettle last June at the 2016 FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup, which provided the squad with an early taste of the competition.
Despite finishing third behind rivals DLSU and Arellano University, the bronze medal exceeded the Eagles’ expectations, reflecting the new mentality of trusting in the new system and channeling effort into long-term goals instead of short-term glory.
“Our objective is to build something that is going to be lasting and sustainable around all of these young players,” says Baldwin. “We have a great future with this team, but we recognize that the short-term is going to have some bumps on the road.”
On the volleyball court, a similar predicament looms over the Lady Eagles, who will be playing without the command of Alyssa Valdez and Amy Ahomiro for the first time in four years. Despite lacking their main offensive engine, much of the previous season’s team still remains intact, as decorated veterans Bea de Leon, Jhoanna Maraguinot, and Michelle Morente look set to fuel the Eagles’ characteristic strength of heart as the tournament approaches. With the core of the championship squad leading the charge in Season 79, it seems that the Lady Eagles will be sailing into familiar territory, but without the guidance of their usual navigator.
However, the absence of one key player on the court may be the chink in their armor. Battered by multiple counts of injury resulting in gaping holes inside the court, the women’s volleyball team looked shaky entering the preseason, losing their first two matches of the 13th Shakey’s V-League to the Technological Institute of the Philippines and San Sebastian College.
Not off to the best start in the annual volleyball league, the ladies still seemed to be in the process of adjusting to holding down the fort with a Phenom-less six, which left the side vulnerable to opponents seeking to exploit the squad trying to dominate the boards without their leading scorer. But, apart from the difficulty of jumping the hurdles into the post-Alyssa Valdez era, another problem that still haunts the team is finding a player to assume the voice of command, according to junior Bea de Leon.
“One of our biggest problems is trying to look for that perfect leader that everyone has the same respect for and that everyone will follow,” shares de Leon. “Everyone’s still looking for who will speak up on the court or who will make the final call so that’s what makes it difficult.”
The game plan
However, although the Lady Eagles have met more than a few obstacles beyond the net, the team maintains a positive disposition in their period of regrowth to prepare for another shot at the gold that eluded their grasp last April. With their trademark strength of heart and never-say-die attitude on the court shining even in the shadow of defeat, the game plan stays as is – to trust the system and keep working towards the long run.
And perhaps it is this mentality that will make the difference come Season 79. With both Ateneo’s basketball and volleyball facing the odds in their next attempt to bag the UAAP crown as the tournament draws nearer, the game changer as the clock winds down could just be the attitude that distinguishes the Ateneo athlete – to keep strength of heart and to give that one big fight.
