WITH THE Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team on the cusp of achieving a four-peat and their 12th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) championship, the University has emerged as one of the best collegiate basketball programs in the country. However, behind the program were great players who established a winning culture for the Blue and White.

As this pandemic-plagued year comes to an end, The GUIDON Sports revisits five of the greatest cagers who elevated Ateneo basketball into an elite basketball program. Their championship titles, individual awards, and impact on the team’s performance laid the foundation in establishing Ateneo as a perennial powerhouse in UAAP Men’s Basketball.

Jun Reyes

In Seasons 50 and 51, the Ateneo Blue Eagles won their first two UAAP championships since transferring from the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1978. Leading those championship teams was Jun Reyes, a crafty 5’7” guard who consistently created numerous scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Following an impressive senior year in the UAAP Juniors’ Division where he won the  championship and Season MVP, Reyes remained loyal to the Blue and White in Season 48. Upon moving up to the senior’s division, Reyes’ success doubled as he took home back-to-back MVP awards and championship titles in Seasons 50 and 51.

Reyes fully cemented his legacy with the Blue Eagles in Season 51 after stringing together brilliant games that helped the Blue Eagles clinch the championship. Entering the last game of the elimination round, Ateneo faced fellow league leader De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers for the twice-to-beat advantage in the finals. Ateneo memorably won the game in the final possession behind Reyes’s driving finish with six seconds remaining, 73-72. Five days later, the stage was set for a rematch in the finals. Despite having a fever, Reyes valiantly played through his ailment to lead the Blue Eagles in scoring with 19 points to clinch their second straight crown, 76-70.

In his final playing year, the Blue Eagles failed to defend the title after finishing fourth in the elimination round. However, what stands tall in the history of Ateneo basketball is Reyes’s impact on the Blue Eagles’ first two titles in the UAAP.

LA Tenorio

Since Reyes’ departure, Ateneo had been unable to fill the void at the point guard spot. However, the team’s fortunes turned in Season 64 when Ateneo recruited the highly touted LA Tenorio from the San Beda Red Cubs. After a decade of disappointing results in the 1990s, Tenorio was the final piece to turn Ateneo into a championship contender, bolstering a veteran team led by Rich Alvarez, Enrico Villanueva, and Larry Fonacier. 

As early as his rookie year, Tenorio was a key cog in Ateneo’s first finals appearance since Season 51. With Tenorio scoring 30 big points in Game 2, the Blue Eagles evened the series and were on the cusp of winning it all. However, the team’s lack of championship experience proved lethal as they crumbled in Game 3 and lost to the three-time defending champions DLSU. Despite his valiant efforts that year, Tenorio lost the Rookie of the Year award to DLSU’s Mac Cardona.

Following their bridesmaid finish, Ateneo decided to move in another direction and hired Joel Banal as their new head coach in Season 65. Despite a new coach and system, Tenorio and the Blue Eagles failed to string together consistent games throughout the elimination round.

However, when the stakes mattered the most, Tenorio did not back down. Facing a star-studded University of the East (UE) team in the semis that featured James Yap, Paul Artadi, and Ronald Tubid, Tenorio willed the Blue Eagles to overcome UE’s twice-to-beat advantage. With the score tied at 70 apiece in the dying seconds of Game 2, Tenorio whipped a beautiful skip pass to Gec Chia who hit the game-winning jump shot that sent Ateneo to the finals.

Insert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7keraEtBds

After Ateneo snatched the first game of the Finals via Villanueva’s game-sealing free throw, 72-70, the defending champions took control of Game 2. In a tightly-contested Game 3, Ateneo was able to get the upper hand late in the fourth quarter behind Tenorio’s back-to-back three-point shots and Wesley Gonzales’ layup, giving them a 10-point lead. Despite a late rally by DLSU, the lead was enough as Ateneo bagged their first title since Season 51 and successfully ended DLSUs dynasty.

Tenorio went on to lead Ateneo to the Final Four in all of his college years, eventually moving on to become a star in the Philippine Basketball Association.  

Rich Alvarez

A rangy and athletic 6’4” power forward, Rich Alvarez donned the Blue and White from Seasons 62 to 66. Possessing the skill set of a modern big man, Alvarez could shoot from the outside, beat defenders off the dribble, and finish around the basket with ease. Apart from his versatile offensive repertoire, Alvarez was also a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end, protecting the rim with his length and athleticism while supplementing it with his high motor for grabbing rebounds and loose balls.

The Japan-born forward’s talent and consistency resulted in a successful collegiate career. Alvarez won back-to-back MVP awards in Seasons 63 and 64, bagged the Defensive Player of the Year award in Season 64, and made four Mythical Five teams from Seasons 63 to 66. On the other hand, Alvarez also enjoyed a lot of team success, as the Blue Eagles made three consecutive finals appearances from Seasons 64 to 66, highlighted by a championship in Season 65.

Overall, Alvarez’s stint with Ateneo reinvigorated the University’s basketball program after the Blue Eagles missed the Final Four for eight straight seasons prior. With his impact in reviving the Blue Eagles’ winning culture and the individual awards he won in the UAAP, Alvarez left that he is undoubtedly one of the best players to ever don the Blue and White.

Rabeh Al-Hussaini

Season 68 saw the arrival of Rabeh Al-Hussaini in Ateneo. Possessing a chiseled 6-foot-7 frame, Al-Hussaini clearly had the physical tools to dominate in the UAAP. However, the Filipino-Kuwaiti center needed more time to improve his skills and was sparingly used behind established veterans such as Doug Kramer and Ford Arao.

Under the mentorship of Head Coach Norman Black—who has a pedigree in developing big men such as Doug Kramer, Ford Arao, and Nonoy Baclao—the Filipino-Kuwaiti center progressed immensely. In his first three years, Al-Hussaini developed a reliable face-up game in the post, improved his consistency to finish in the low block, and evolved into a reliable pick-and-roll threat.

During his fourth year in Season 71, Al-Hussaini finally earned the starting center spot for Ateneo and ultimately bagged the MVP award with near double-double averages of 18.0 points and 9.6 rebounds. On top of this individual accolade, the talented big man also led Ateneo to their first title since Season 65, highlighted by his 31-point outing in Game 1 of the finals.

Following his MVP season, Al-Hussaini continued his stellar play albeit with lesser averages of 16.3 points and 7.0 boards. Despite failing to repeat as Season MVP, Al-Hussaini once again elevated his game in the finals to lead Ateneo to their second championship in the five-peat era. After missing out on the Finals MVP in the previous year, Al-Hussaini won the award after stuffing the stat sheet with averages of 22.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in the series.

In his time with Ateneo, Al-Hussaini transformed himself from a seldom-used player to an MVP who led his team to back-to-back titles. However, what stands out is that Al-Hussaini waited, improved, and capitalized on his opportunity to play, setting an example for his younger teammates who won the latter three championships in the five-peat era.

Kiefer Ravena

Possessing superb athleticism and a lethal offensive skill set, Kiefer Ravena was already making headlines in his basketball career with the Ateneo de Manila High School. During his run with the Blue Eaglets, the Phenom garnered two MVP awards and three championship titles for the Blue and White.

Following a successful stint in the UAAP Juniors’ Division, Ravena joined the Blue Eagles at the height of Ateneo’s UAAP basketball dynasty in Season 74, teaming up with veterans such as Nico Salva, Ryan Buenafe, and Juami Tiongson. In his first year, Ravena was an immediate contributor as he averaged 13.65 points to bag the Rookie of the Year award.

Building off his successful rookie campaign, Ravena elevated his game in his sophomore year, emerging as one of Ateneo’s best players. In Game 2 of the finals, Ravena led the team with 22 points, five rebounds, and three assists to complete the finals sweep against University of Santo Tomas and notch the Blue and White’s fifth straight title.

In his last two years with Ateneo, Ravena continued to showcase his immense talent. In his fourth year, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals in 36 minutes of play to bag his first MVP award. The following year, Ravena joined the likes of Reyes and Alvarez as the only Ateneans to receive back-to-back season MVP titles.

Apart from individual awards, Ravena also achieved numerous impressive scoring feats. In his fourth year, Ravena notched a career-high 38 points to help Ateneo score a  come-from-behind win against UE. The Phenom is also known for scoring the most points in a first half after compiling 26 points against the defending champions National University Bulldogs in Season 78. The record for most free throws taken in a single game was also set by Ravena with 25, surpassing Chris Tiu’s Season 71 record of 19.

Building a legacy

Among the many great Atenean players in history, these five players built their legacies through their immense contributions to Ateneo’s 11 UAAP championships. As the Blue Eagles gun for title number 12 next season, expect the current crop of Blue Eagles to continue the legacies of these five Ateneo basketball greats.