THE BUILD-UP: The 1983 - 1984 Blue Eaglets

1983 Opening Ceremonies

If there was demoralization in the Senior’s team when the switch to the UAAP happened, it was hardly felt in the Juniors team because in the first three years that the Blue Eaglets played, the teams then won three straight juniors titles. The Blue Eaglets eventually lost in 1981 and 1982 with the defending champion UST Golden Nuggets favored to repeat because of an intact line-up.  In the years leading to the 1987 UAAP Season, the core of the team would come from the four different juniors teams that represented the Blue and White from 1983 to 1986.

Bibo Pefianco (13) is taken out of position

THE 1983 ATENEO BLUE EAGLETS

On the other side of the campus, the Blue Eaglets were just coming to their own once again as the new crop of exciting and promising players were elevated to the Juniors program. Just three years ago, the Blue Eaglets won their third straight juniors title and now that the core of that team is in the Seniors Division, it is time for the junior’s basketball program to make a comeback. Leading the team were two juniors that revitalized the sleeping Ateneo Basketball program and gave it the needed jumpstart that would eventually lead to glory in the late 80s. Jaime Vicente "JV" Gayoso is a dynamo and he was then known as “The man with a thousand moves!” He can score from almost everywhere on the court and he is so strong that even if you ride his back on a lay-up he will surely score with a foul to boot. He is an inside – outside scorer with a decent defensive game. Gilbert "Jun"Reyes Jr. is an example of a thinking point guard. He knows exactly when to orchestrate, when to score and when to put on some tough defense. Don’t let that 5’8 height fool you because if you take him for granted he might as well score a jumper in your face. Back then Alejandro "Alex" Araneta was a work in progress. But definitely a risk the team is willing to take. Its not often that the rebounds fall in the hands of a high leaping 6’6 center and he is most effective in countering the big guys of the other schools. Complementing the three were battle-scarred seniors with Captain Emmanuel “Nolet” Puno, Bibo Pefianco, Louie Bonoan, Pancho TIzon, Raffy Veloso, Romulo Ramos, Mike Agleron and Roberto Liamzon. Completing the team were Germz Sanchez, Chim Sison and Randy Sevilla. The Ateneo had three pairs of brothers playing in both the seniors and juniors with Chot and Jun Reyes, Vince and Alex Araneta and Franco and Randy Sevilla.

Action under the goal

That season the defending champion UST Golden Nuggets were on their way to sweep the UAAP Juniors tournament when the never say die Blue Eaglets weaved their magic to accomplish the impossible.  Imagine having to beat a team they have never beaten for three straight games to be able to annex the title the Blue Eaglets last held in 1980. First to avert a 12 game sweep then negate their twice to beat advantage in the finals. Leading the Golden Nuggets were 2 big frontline players in 6-3 Rene “Bong” Hawkins and 6-6 Julian Rabbi Tomacruz.  Hawkins was a force inside as he led UST by scoring 44 points against Adamson in one of their games.

Rebound play

Just like any championship, the first is always the hardest one to get but the Blue Eaglets were not one to surrender right away as Jun Reyes and JV Gayoso combined with their more senior players Nolet Puno, Bibo Pefianco and Louie Bonoan to beat the Nuggets in three straight games including the title clinching game to the score of 94 – 85 to win the 1983 UAAP Juniors title. This year also marked the rise of an Ateneo star in Jayvee Gayoso who won the UAAP-Celtics one on one competition by edging out Rene Hawkins of the Golden nuggets. JV Gayoso, the man with a thousand moves,  put more than a thousand moves on display to come out victorious. He literally toiled hard to bring the title back to Katipunan as he shot the ball well and barrelled his way inside the paint to no avail. Jun Reyes on the other hand combined his speed, with his impeccable shooting and his excellent leadership earned him the finals MVP. This team would pave the way for greater things to come.

One of the best if not the Best Ateneo Juniors team ever

THE 1984 ATENEO BLUE EAGLETS

After threading the needle the year before, the 1984 Ateneo Blue Eaglets were optimistic that the 47^th season of the UAAP Juniors Basketball were theirs to dominate. Coming back was team captain Jayvee Gayoso together with co-captains Jun Reyes and Germz Sanchez. Alex Araneta would also return that year together and another star on the rise Randy Sevilla who as a rookie contributed well. Joining them after getting more seasoned from the PRADA and PAYA teams were Joseph Canlas, Joseph Kenneth Nieto, Albert Nolido, Juluis Cendana add to that defensive specialists Bing Arroyo and Jun Oledan, bruisers Juergen Facundo and Albert Mendoza and the sharp shooting Robbie Tanjuatco.  Back then the Ateneo Juniors team was called “The Super team” since it is probably one of the most complete teams assembled.

 

Joseph “ICEMAN” Canlas is one of big guns that eventually made it to the senior’s team. One doesn’t get to be called Iceman if you are not a cool and no one gets to be called Iceman if you are not as good as George Gervin. Seph is on the same mold minus the finger roll. Seph can play both forward positions, can slash to middle and can shoot the ball from afar. Seph can be a lockdown defender and will not back down from any rough sailing that any opposing player will do. 

 

The 1984 Blue Eaglets in one of their practice games

Joseph Canlas and Jet Nieto are made in the same mold for they can play both ways as they paralyze you on offense and shut you down on defense. A natural power forward, Jet loves to mix it up inside, grab rebounds and shoot the ball from afar. When he was still a kid in Claret he never knew where basketball will take him but since he loved the game he played the game with passion. When he transferred to the Ateneo High School he got to play in the PAYA juniors team coached by the very outspoken Dondi Baltazar. His flexibility on both ends of the court will is another asset that returning Coach Rafael Dimalanta will surely take advantage to the hilt.

 

For the second straight year, the Blue Eaglets were King!

This team was deep to the core and even the best of the UST Golden Nuggets and Adamson Baby Falcons were no match. A lot of Ateneans were saying that this team is the best in their era and they did not disappoint as they ran rings around every opponent enroute to a 12 – 0 slate and not even the Baby Falcons trio of scoring machine Romulo Orillosa, Rolando Cupcupin and Teddy Naluz could derail the team’s date for destiny. There were no empty seats this time and the game was played at the Araneta Coliseum and was televised. At the end of it all, the Blue Eaglets captured their fifth title in outstanding fashion. The season was the baptism of fire of the fab -5 Jun Reyes, JV Gayoso, Joseph Canlas, Jet Nieto and Alex Araneta that will go on to be the core of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

 

 next blog entry: A NEW HOPE: Rising from the Ashes 1985 - 1986

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A NEW HOPE: Rising from the Ashes 1983 - 1984

Colorful Opening ceremonies at the RMC

My first foray as a Blue Eagle fan was in 1983 when I was a freshman in High School. The previous school year, the Blue Eagles had a promising season that saw them win six games and lose six for the third time in four seasons. For Team Ateneo, everything was now pointing for them to go above the .500 mark. Leading the Hail Mary squad was the do it all point guard in Vincent “Chot” Reyes, skipper Jerick Hechanova and finally a serviceable center in the hulking Michael Facundo. As a fan i heard that the Ateneo were once the kings of the NCAA and transfered to the UAAP. That's when i realized that all those Basketball players coming in and out of the Loyola center were Atreneo stars and i didn't even know who they were unlike now where grade school students are immersed in the games of the Blue Eagles. 

 1983 opening Ceremonies, all teams performed

THE 1983 ATENEO BLUE EAGLES

The Blue Eagles on the other hand started the tournament strong with  five players averaging double figures after the first round as the Blue and White ended up tied for first with FEU and UST with similar 4- 2 win loss cards. Chot Reyes (21.0 ppg), Jeric Hechanova (15.83 ppg), Center Mike Facundo (14.67 ppg.), Tino Estela (12.5 ppg) and Frank Orena (10.5) tore the tournament apart as the Blue Eagles surprised the league with their high-octane offense. The Blue Eagles beat the defending champion UE Red Warriors with Jeric Hechanova providing the winning free throws and Chot Reyes erupting for 32 points in their 109-107 win. Another team that the Blue Eagles brought down were FEU Tamaraws 101 -93 with Hechanova going for 19 points. It was the first time in five years that the Eagles defeated the Tamaraws. To underscore the firepower of the Blue Eagles, the team annihilated the NU Bulldogs to the tune of 140-63 with three players scoring 20 pts and six players scoring double digits and  all 12 players scoring a least a point. This record still stands as the biggest points scored by Blue Eagles to this day. Unfortunately, in the second round, the league adjusted to the sudden rise of the Blue Eagles and one by one the Eagles fell prey to the other teams and lost five of their last six games and the only team they beat was the NU Bulldogs to end the season with a 5-7 card and another sub . 500 season.  The FEU Tamaraws won the title by beating the UP maroons. This year San Beda left the NCAA and wanted to concentrate on their intramurals that left the once glamorous NCAA with only five teams.

Led by Glen Capacio the Tamaraws win title #13

THE 1984 ATENEO BLUE EAGLES

The 1983 season was just a peek of good things to come. Although the dream season turned out to be a nightmare, the Blue Eagles bucked playing in gyms with empty seats and minimal school support by beating the big guns in UE and FEU. The year 1984 proved to be another heart breaker for the Blue Eagles and not even the super human efforts done by Chot Reyes and center Mike Facundo could suffice as the team lingered in the cellar once again. Unlike in previous years, the Blue Eagles were able to surprise other teams because no one took them seriously and those teams paid dearly. Now the other teams are starting to notice and practically preparing for the Blue Eagles.  This year, the UAAP was gaining ground and popularity and was somehow distancing itself from the NCAA with the rise of Allan Caidic and Pido Jarencio as the stars of the UAAP. The UAAP had more teams than the NCAA and some of the High school stars of the NCAA are shifting to the UAAP.

The UAAP Stars take your pick Caidic vs. Jarencio

Two years ago Pido Jarencio scored 50 pts against the NU Bulldogs and if given the chance he can do more. The epic 1984 UAAP season witnessed the mano-a-mano battle of Caidic and Jarencio as both shooters established a finals record of scoring 44 and 48 points respectively. That year the three-point line was not yet in play so for Jarencio to score 48 points and Caidic 44 was already a feat in itself that sent waves around the country of the next stars of Philippine Basketball. However, for Ateneo basketball their story that year did not evolve around their senior’s team but more on the junior’s squad. The Blue Eagles could only muster three wins in this season as the teams they beat before took notice and got stronger. UE had Caidic and Jerry Codinera, UST had Pido Jarencio and Bennet Palad, UP had Ronnie Magsanoc and Eric Altamirano, FEU had Glen Capacio and Harmon Codinera while Adamson had Louie Alas and Elmo Ledesma. The other teams kept on getting better while the Blue Eagles became stagnant and needed a new lease on of life.

NEXT BLOG: THE BUILD-UP: THE 1983 - 1984 BLUE EAGLETS

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STI NBT Second round results

 

Global City Cagers stay in second

Wynald Sultan of Global City scores

Forward Chris Becares scored three points in the dying seconds as the STI College Global City basketball team squeaked past last year's second placers, STI College Quezon Avenue 69 - 67. The win put the Global City dribblers in solo second place ahead of STI College Balagtas which opened the first quarter with a 31 - 3 lead and cruised by the rest of the way to repulse a hard fighting STI College Las Pinas team 113-60. League leader STI College Sta. Rosa likewise won by a big margin as they murdered an undermanned STI College Taft team 122 - 55.

Jhay Ar Avila shows his strength

STI College Global City was comfortably ahead in the third period as they erected a 49 - 33 lead on the strength of their superb defense and flawless offense. Point Guards Mark Acuna and former Junior Olympian Arvin Sarmiento presided over the run and gun offense of the Global City squad that put them ahead by as much as fourteen points. After three quarters it looked like the Global City cagers were on their way to duplicate their first round win against the STI College Quezon Avenue team.

Charlon Untalan orchestrates

STI College Quezon Avenue does not have the strong line up that they had in previous years. Gone are former Olympians Macky Macabasco and former STI Showdown MVP William Vasallo who were both instrumental to their second place finish last year. Tasked to lead the Quezon Avenue squad is forward Ervin Magistrado who fueled the amazing Quezon avenue comeback. The Quezon ave full court press worked wonders as Magistrado together with junior Olympian Charlon Untalan, Paolo Zabala and Eldrick Jamero unleashed a paralyzing full court press that made the Taguig based dribblers commit mistakes. The Quezon ave team crawled back to 64 -65 with less than a minute left until Becares scored on free throw and put back to seal the win for the host team.

Eldrick Jamero floats in mid-air

After six days of the 11th STI Basketball Showdown, defending champion STI College Sta. Rosa is still on top sporting an immaculate 6 - 0 slate and are poised to make it to the finals. The Global City dribblers are in second place with a 5 win one loss slate with their only loss coming at the hands of the defending champs. STI College Balagtas is in third place with two wins and two losses while last year's runner up STI College Quezon Avenue is in fourth with a 2 win four loss slate. STI College Las Pinas has one win and five losses while STI College Taft is the only "non-defeated" team in the league.

Pascual of Balagtas is fouled

by Sta. maria of Las Pinas

Scores

STI COLLEGE GLOBAL CITY (69)

Avila 19 , W. Sultan 14, Lontoc 7, Becares 7, Acuña 6, de Belen 6, Lagrimas 3, Sarmiento 2, Jimenez 2, Reyes 2, Magsalos 1, F. Sultan 0, Manalad 0, Elumba 0, Baquiran 0,

STI COLLEGE QUEZON AVENUE (67)

Magistrado 19, Zabala 17, Ragundiaz 12, Jamero 7, Cervantes 5, Untalan 5, Daclitaan 2, Araos 0, Zapanza 0, Magno 0

Coach E Basketball School

Coach E (#11) & the 1986 UAAP Champs

I remember going to the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and watching the opening of the UAAP season 48 of the UAAP which pitted the University of the Philippines Maroons and the Far Eastern University Tamaraws. The game featured the debut of one of the country's most talked about center - Benjie Paras. Paras made mincemeat of his opponents that had PBA bound players in Andy de Guzman , Jack Tanuan and Dodong Postanes. Ably supporting the Tower of Power was the most feared back court tandem during that time, Ronnie Magsanoc and Eric Altamirano. In that game I got to idolize the way Eric Altamirano carried himself and played for the Maroons. He was the X-factor of the Maroons who later on captured their first UAAP crown that season. He was also name MVP of the UAAP that season.

Coach E showing how it is done properly

Altamirano later on moved on to the PBA and played for Alaska, Pepsi and SHell. After his playing career he took to the court once again as a head coach first for his alma mater UP and then the PBA. His experiences as a champion in all levels of basketball propelled him to put up a basketball clinic to be able to create opportunities for kids to learn the game that he loves. The Coach E Basketball clinic aims to give total development to its students in terms of skills and character molding through its dynamic, value-oriented, skill-based progressive training programs. It also seeks to increase awareness and appreciate basketball as a sport that will inspire individuals to have a positive healthy lifestyle. To be able to give each student better supervision Coach E said that his one coach to 5 players ratio defiinitely

Nokia Team Pilipinas 16 & Under Coaches

Joey Guanio, Mon Jose, Coach E. & Vic Ycasiano

Just recently, Coach Eric Altamirano was named the head coach of the Philippine Team of players 16 and under. In his team of coaches are one of former team mates Joey Guanio, former DLSU player and new CEU head Coach Mon Jose and STI College Head Coach Vic Ycasiano. Coach Vic paved the way for STI executives and Coach E to meet and explore other countless possibilities in making sure that the Coach E. basketball clinic will reach greater heights.

The Nokia 16 and under Basketball Team

The STI Education Services Group has moved to its new office at the fort and fortunately on top of their office is a new maple floored basketball court that will be the new attraction for people inside Global City. In launching its new basketball court, the Coach E. basketball clinic has found a new partner in making sure that the youth will continue to learn proper basketball through this basketball school. Yes, the Coach E Basketball school will be at the STI College Academic Center's top floor and it will be its new home. Stay tuned for further stories.

TEAM USA: Meet the Scoring Guards

Will his MVP numbers come out?
Kobe or not Kobe
That is the question?

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

ALL-NBA, All- Planet, ALL- UNIVERSE! Probably the Best Player in the Universe today. He averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game during the regular season. In the playoffs, it became 30.1 ppg. 5.7 rpg., 5.6 apg., and 1.7 spg. During his FIBA tour last year he averaged 15.3 ppg, third to Anthony and James. With him in the line up, scoring won’t be any a problem.

In his second season in the NBA Kobe was voted a starter for the 1998 All-Star Game, becoming at 19 the youngest All-Star in NBA history. He was chosen to the 1996-1997 NBA All-Rookie Second Team and also became the youngest player to ever start an NBA game on January 28 at Dallas, when he was 18 years, five months and five days. He also became the first Laker ever to win the Nestle Crunch Slam Dunk, posting a score of 49 out of a possible 50 in the final round . He teamed up with Shaquille O’Neal to bring three championships to LA from 2000-2002. He was voted to the ALL-NBA first team for the sixth consecutive season. This season he is the League MVP.

Will his jumper be his "Redd and Butter" Play?

Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks)

He averaged 14.4 points per game in last year’s FIBA tournament on 53% FG shooting and 45.3% from beyond the arc where he sank 29 threes in 10 games. He averaged 22.7 points this season and has a career average of 20.5 ppg. He is the second Buck in history to score 2000 points in one season, has a career high of 57 points in one game and once sank 9 three pointers against Houston. He once had a streak of 50 straight free throws without a miss. His scoring average improved during his first seven seasons in the NBA. A lot of NBA players say that his middle name is Shooter.

His scoring will always be there
Here's hoping that his D won't wane!

Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)

Wade scored 32 points in the Bronze medal game against Argentina in 2006. He was injured last year so he wasn’t part of the team that won against Argentina. He was also the finals MVP of the 2006 NBA finals. Wade is a three-time All-Star and owns the HEAT single-season records for points scored, scoring average, field goals made and free throws made and attempted. He finished the 2007 postseason with 1,366 career points in postseason play, ranking as the third highest total by an NBA player in his first four postseason appearances. He was a member of the bronze-medal winning USA Basketball Senior National Team and appeared in all eight games during the Olympics and averaged 7.3 points (38.2 FG%, 69.6 FT%), 2.4 assists, a team-high 2.13 steals, 1.9 rebounds and 17.5 minutes.