THERE’S been no dominant force in collegiate basketball stronger than the San Beda Red Lions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) this season.
The Red Lions ran roughshod over competition from Day 1, abusing them with double digit leads, averaging 20 points per. Even the Ateneo Blue Eagles—the lords of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) basketball tournament—did not have that kind of absolute power over their opponents.
But well, we know now how the Season 95 NCAA Season ended. The absolute power that the Red Lions commanded in the eliminations went poof in the last two chapters. In Game one of the much-awaited finals, the San Juan de Letran Knights dealt San Beda only its first loss of the season, stunning the whole San Beda gallery from bench to bleacher crowd. The unkindest cut of all came two games later—in the decisive Game Three—when the Knights erased all the advantage San Beda ever held from June to November.
Since 2006, the Red Lions have been the ruling class in the NCAA, allowing just two schools—San Sebastian College and San Juan de Letran to steal some thunder from Mendiola in 2009 and 2011 (San Sebastian), then 2015 (Letran).
This year, the Letran Knights wrote a new chapter in their history and the NCAA’s own. They toppled the mighty Lions anew using a blitzkrieg attack in the finals—in a season when the erstwhile champs seemed at their strongest ever. They delivered the knockout punch that dethroned the winningest team in the NCAA for several decades now in a real steal of a ball game. Nay, of the season.
With the final outcome, we have some takeaways from the season to share with you.
1. Anything is possible.
KG said it best after the Celtics won Banner No.17 back in ’08. No matter how the odds may look, no matter how big the obstacles may seem, you can create your own outcome and own the world, the moon and the stars. San Beda was 18-0 in the elims, Letran a much humbler 12-6 when they collided with the San Sebastian Stags (11-7), whom they defeated in the stepladder semis. Then the Knights took on the higher-ranking 13-5 Lyceum Pirates, whom they defeated, as well. And when they bumped against the imposing, undefeated 18-0 wall of San Beda, they scaled it and went over it, simple as that. The Lions, true champions that they are, came back in Game two to show everyone who’s boss. But in Game three, the school from Intramuros rewrote history and showed you can steal the rug from under anyone. You just have to want it more.
2. You can reinvent yourself
Bonbon Batiller and Fran Yu played for the University of the East Red Warriors in the UAAP. Larry Muyang was a Green Archer before he was Knighted. Jerrick Balanza had a brain tumor that many thought would end his playing career. But did they stop searching for the pot of gold? Nope. All four had a rebirth and a second chance at greatness with the Letran Knights, and did they shine like gold in their new situations. Yu shot the daylights out of the MOA Arena in Games One to Three and was responsible for the two charities that placed Letran ahead by 5, 15.9 seconds left in the ball game. Batiller contributed 19 points and left it all on the floor. Muyang made the points that wrested the lead away from San Beda in their early game domination. Balanza held the team together and hurt the Lions most in the shooting exchange. There’s always a second chance and more for anybody who dares to dream.
3. It takes a village
Much has been said about the coterie of coaches and board of advisers of the Letran Knights—the presence of big names in basketball from different benches and playing courts. It really did look like it was San Beda against the world, with the Letran bench sporting some former Bedans in its fold, who were, let’s accept it, just doing jobs that they couldn’t not do. Had San Beda won, it would have been a big moral victory for them to win against all the odds the opponent stacked against them. But in the end, the whole Letran community—not just the stellar names in the coaching staff or the coaching board—enabled the Knights to take the trophy home to Intramuros. The Letran energy overpowered the Bedans in this one. Some would call it moral bullying. But others would call it a successful formula for winning all the marbles.
4. The basketball Gods decide everything
Honestly, Game Three could have gone either way. Despite the fact that the Blue and Red carried the game for most of its stretch, the Mighty Lions and their big hearts willed a comeback in the fourth and had fans of both sides biting their nails and sending urgent prayers to gain favor from heaven. The end game could have been San Beda’s. But it turned out to be Letran’s. Every turnover, every missed foul shot, every uncollected rebound and referee’s call add up to determine the ultimate result of the ball game. The basketball gods always speak, and they have spoken.
5. Basketball fans won
Letran fan or Beda fan, it doesn’t matter. The winner in Game Three was basketball and the Pinoy basketball fan. From start to finish, it was a classic rivalry that has taken center stage once more. The odds were enormous, the pride at stake more so. The tit-for-tat battle left everyone guessing from Game One to Game Three, with the outcome only being decided at the last minute. It was the greatest show on earth that will be remembered for many years to come. Congratulations, Letran, and it’s not the end of the world, San Beda. See you next season!
4 comments
Very nice write up and a very good read Tessa. Cheers to the best woman sports reporter I have ever known. Arriba !
San Beda against the world??? Come on. They have imports and everything. Theyve won all 32 games before losing to Letran. How can they be against the world.
People sided with Letran bec they were the underdogs. People root for underdogs., Thats about it.
And nobody likes “boring” beda who cannot win anything without imports.
I hope to see other teams next season, beda is just plain boring.
Great article. One of Letranista share this to letran fb group acct. God Bless God Bless Tessa, ARRIBA Letran…
I have shared this article regarding the Letran-San Beda 2019 championship series to so many friends and read it a hundred times. I leafed through almost all comments and analysis but this one truly stands and will long be remembered. I hope it’s not too late, but thank you Tessa.