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(Conclusion)
TELEVISION coverage made the University Athletic
Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) popularity surge.
The
collegiate community loved the fact that they could, for
once, watch the UAAP action live from their homes. The
athletes were thrilled that their hard-court exploits
could be seen by a greater number. Fans looked forward
to being caught by the camera’s roving eye. The TV
experience was a pepper-upper that made the league
throb, beat and bebop.
It
helped, too, that on the very first year that Silverstar
covered the league, the basketball season ended on a
controversial note. The finals—then being contested by a
De La Salle University (DLSU) team seeking a rare Grand
Slam against a Far Eastern University (FEU) squad that
had beef like Victor Pablo and Johnny Abarrientos on its
roster—ended in a question mark. The championship game
was ordered into a replay after table officials ruled
that then DLSU coach Derrick Pumaren had fielded an
already disqualified player (Tony Boy Espinosa) into the
fray. Much sturm und drang resulted from the
technicality and its dire consequences for De La Salle.
The Archers refused to do the replay and the Tamaraws
won the 1991 crown by default.
The
focus of eyes, ears and energy on the UAAP reached
phenomenal heights. The De La Salle community went up in
arms over the UAAP board’s decision on the replay. On
the FEU side, the Tams felt a deep need to assert
themselves and show that the 1991 title had not been
simply handed over to them by La Salle via a no-show.
Besides, it was a fact that at the time the game was
stopped by the technical committee, FEU was leading La
Salle by seven on the clock.
The next
year FEU was back with a vengeance. Still riding on the
strong backs of Pablo, Abarrientos, Nestor Echano and
Arnold Padaong, the Tams proved to all and sundry that
the ‘91 title was no fluke. Memorable scenes of that ‘92
championship had the Tam Twins of Echano and Padaong
doing high-fives with their chests and heads after every
scored basket. It was a strong statement that the Tams
sent out to De La Salle and to the bigger UAAP
community.
Television also brought the rare, first-time-in-history
achievement of the University of Santo Tomas (UST)
Growling Tigers to basketball homes in 1993. It was the
year the Tigers (who had just a year ago changed their
names from Glowing Goldies to Growling Tigers)
accomplished a rare sweep—14-0—in the UAAP.
At that
time, the UAAP format dictated that any UAAP team that
scored a sweep in the eliminations would be the outright
UAAP champion. It was exactly what UST became.
“Great
feat, but sayang,” Louie Kierulf, Silverstar
Communications and the UAAP’s marketing whiz, said in
the face of UST’s rare accomplishment. What he meant was
that league competitions could be extended further, and
more revenue could come into the league’s coffers if
seasons did not end abruptly when rare 14-0s were
scored.
“There
should be a Final Four,” Louie said. “And if another
team makes another sweep in the future, it should not be
handed the UAAP championship trophy outright. It should
only give it an edge—outright entry into the finals. But
a finals series must be played. That’s what will make
this league even more exciting than it already is.”
Thus,
UAAP history was made. And Silverstar Communications
brought the action and passion beyond the four walls and
rounded domes of the playing arenas. From 1993 to 1996,
collegiate basketball fans saw the UST Tigers color the
league black, gold and white. From that long reign came
shakers like Bal David, Dale Singson, Chris Cantonjos,
Richard Yee, Dennis Espino and Rey Evangelista, among
others.
The
Tamaraws recaptured the jungle anew in 1997 (this was
the era of Ronald Magtulis, Edwin Bacani and Robin
Mendoza). Then it was De La Salle’s turn again to strut
its stuff. Failing to pull off a Grand Slam in ‘91, the
Archers started from scratch in 1998 and made it all the
way to 2001, contributing collegiate stars like Ren Ren
Ritualo, Don Allado, Dino Aldeguer, Mike Cortes, Mac Mac
Cardona and Joseph Yeo to the UAAP firmament. Grand Slam
And1!
Finally,
in 2002, Ateneo did it—scored a sweet one against
archrival De La Salle—beneath the wings of Rich Alvarez,
Larry Fonacier, Enrico Villanueva and LA Tenorio. But
the Tams wrested the title away quickly in 2003 (say
hello to the triumvirate of Arwind Santos, Mark Isip and
Denok Miranda), and De La Salle snatched it back in ‘04
(this time with fresh marksmen like TY Tang, Mark
Benitez and Junjun Cabatu). FEU played another game of
push me-pull you in 2005 (still all Arwind Santos and
Mark Isip) before handing the title over to UST in ‘06,
the year Uste made that Cinderella finish against seeded
teams, sweeping Ateneo on the year coach Pido Jarencio
made his debut on the UAAP hard court.
In 2007,
La Salle claimed the UAAP crown anew—in no less
miraculous fashion—when the Archers defeated and totally
deflated the UE Red Warriors, who achieved another 14-0
run in the eliminations last year.
This
year, the UAAP finals is a marketer’s dream, a scalper’s
heaven, a TV network’s fantasy: another Ateneo-La Salle
battle.
Tickets
for this Battle Royale have been sold out or spoken for
since the lights went out on the Final Four last Sunday.
Television (Silverstar, then Studio 23), a more
interesting format, improved team lineups, more
competitive games, superb side shows (the cheer dance
competition), rabid rivalries and league credibility
have made the UAAP the big success and SRO event that it
is.
If only
we can find some tickets! |
