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Why Schools won’t give student-athletes “that bag”
Every time there’s recruitment news about a student-athlete transferring to a school with a known wealthy sponsor, two questions immediately enter the minds of fans everywhere: 1) How much money was offered for them to make the transfer; 2) How much will they be earning to play for that school program.
No school will admit to flashing cash at a recruit for them to transfer and play for them. The official stance of the schools and the leagues they are a part of, is that collegiate leagues are amateur leagues, hence, there is a need to uphold the spirit of “amateurism” within it. This means turning a blind eye, or simply refusing to acknowledge reports of student-athletes getting hefty sums of money, properties and consideration in exchange for their commitment to the school.
To this end, there’s a significant portion of the vocal online space that believes college sports has long abandoned the spirit of amateurism, and that it is already a de facto commercial enterprise, and so, they can just drop the veil of amateurism. Embracing its commercial nature will allow leagues to create policies that allow all teams to engage in these highly commercialized practices and regulate them, evening the playing field for all (except for those who have less resources).
Unfortunately for this crowd, the schools can’t, and the schools wouldn’t want to.
Educational institutions cannot declare that they are commercializing their sports programs because it would be unlawful. The Student-Athletes Protection Act of 2014 provides in its declaration of policy that:
“SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Article XIV, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution recognizes the role of the State to protect and promote the right of all the citizens to quality education at all levels, and to take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. Further, Section 19(1) of the same Article provides that the State shall promote physical education, sports programs and competitions alongside training for international competitions to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the attainment of a healthy and alert citizenry. Thus, the State shall recognize and uphold the rights of student-athletes to further hone their skills and abilities in their respective fields of amateur sports without neglecting their education and general well-being.
It is the intention of this Act to protect and promote the rights of the student-athlete, who is, first and foremost, a student. To this end, the rights guaranteed by this Act and the obligations imposed on schools and athletic associations and their officials, athletic directors, coaches, members of the coaching staff, administrators, alumni, and representatives shall seek to ensure that the student-athlete attains quality education while honing his/her skill and reaching his/her full potential as an athlete in an amateur sports setting.”Republic Act No. 10676 – Student Athlete Protection Act of 2014
As such, educational institutions are required by law to maintain an “amateur sports setting” for the benefit of their student-athletes.
But aren’t student-athletes already earning from their play? No, not in the way you think at least.
According to the same law, student-athletes are allowed to receive reasonable allowances and support from their schools in order to train and compete. The UAAP for example, has fixed maximum allowances for athletes to be Php15,000 a month. This is hardly a living wage, especially as compensation for such valuable talents as theirs. In theory, these benefits are the means by which the schools can support their students that compete for them, because competing is hard.
This is a far cry from the supposed Php10-million, houses and lots offered to some student-athletes to compete for a school– the supposed “bag” that is supposed to be okay for them to “get”.
While student-athletes are overtly being given support to allow them to train and compete, they are not (as far as the public is concerned) directly compensated for their play. Even in the USA where the US-NCAA has lifted the iron grip on student-athletes being paid because of their status on the team, directly paying them is still prohibited. The US-Supreme Court ruling only opened the gates to athletes earning through their name, image and likeness (N.I.L.). This means they’re allowed to profit from the use of their likeness and name, meaning they can be on commercials, do events in their names, do paid endorsements of products and the like but not to be paid to play.
Being paid to play is what separates a professional athlete from an amateur. Being a professional athlete is also what separates an employee from a student.
This is why schools cannot “give” student-athletes “their bag”. They are mandated by law and State policy to maintain the amateur environment for their students to compete in. More than that, it would be against their interests to commercialize their leagues and their athletes.
Allowing for the explicit commercialization of student-athletes means that they cease to become student-athletes and instead become employees-of-the-school-who-also-happen-to-be-students. This drastically changes the dynamics because employees have different rights from that of a student-athlete.
One of the rights of an employee is security of tenure, which means their spot on the team cannot be whimsically taken from them without just or authorized cause. This was demonstrated when Alvin Teng successfully sued the Negros Slashers after they terminated him for calling in sick during the 2000 MBA Championship Round. This would mean schools cannot cut an athlete for performing poorly academically since their scholastic performance is not a valid condition for maintaining continuous employment.
Treating athletes as employees rather than students takes away the ability of schools to teach them discipline at best, and prevents them from focusing on anything other than their sport at worst.
More importantly, the engaging of professional athletes to represent a school in competition runs counter to the objectives of an educational institution. Ask yourself, “What good reason does a school have to spend tuition money or donor money to pay professional athletes to compete in their name?” This is different from funding a sports program where its students will have a chance to engage in different disciplines, part of the holistic development of students.
If we are to accept that the engagement of professional athletes by schools is in order to turn a profit through marketing or advertising revenue or sponsorship deals, then the next logical steps will be for them to maximize this model and continue to focus on commercializing not only their athletes, but the school itself. It won’t be long when schools cease to be educational institutions and become enterprises for the sale of exposure generated by their teams.
While it is only right for athletes to be able to profit from their play, looking at schools to open the floodgates toward explicitly giving them their bag might not be feasible for the foreseeable future. The status quo relies on the participants continuing to hold up the veil of amateurism, no matter how fictitious it may or may not be. Openly recognizing and embracing the commercialization of the leagues will have sweeping effects on all the stakeholders, the schools, the student-athletes, the boosters, the students and even the fans. Are they- nay- we ready for that change?
The trend of using what should be an amateur endeavor in order to earn a living is less indicative of the character of the athletes and schools that participate in the practice, but instead is more a telling symptom of the professional sports landscape– that there aren’t enough opportunities for athletes to make a living playing their sport.
Fans should rightfully call for athletes to be well compensated for their efforts, however that call for compensation should be hurled toward the professional leagues. Athletes who are deemed worthy of being compensated for their play should have more leagues, more options, to make this choice for themselves when they feel they are ready.
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An Open Letter to LA Tenorio
Eriko dela Cruz
Dear LA,
I was in Grade 6 when I first saw you play. You were fresh off dropping 30 points on your rookie year… IN THE FINALS– Against a stacked La Salle Green Archers. In your second year, you were the clear cut starting point guard for the Blue Eagles contending for the title. Things didn’t go your way in the middle of the season, hurting your wrist, sidelining you from the final four. When you made your comeback you helped lead Ateneo to its first title in 14 years. You were so good that I even had your jersey and wanted a pair of the Nike VC 1s and the Zoom Flight Turbine.
I was in high school when you played your last game in the Blue and White. It was against– again, La Salle. You carried that Ateneo team on your strong unbreakable back, but ultimately came a bit short in the second half. You were frustrated, you were hurting, and I felt it too. I knew however, that this was temporary. I knew that you would be a winner in every level you played in.
You won with Harbour Centre, with probably the cream of the crop of college recruits in the land that time. You won with Alaska, where you won Finals MVP with Cyrus Baguio. You won against Korea for the first time in ages with Gilas, on our home floor no less. You won with Ginebra, ending the Kangkong tag that plagued the organization for what felt like a lifetime. You battled it out against the best, whether it be in the Philippines or internationally.
Now, it’s time for a different, much bigger battle.
The basketball world was shocked when news broke out that you were diagnosed with Stage III Colon cancer. As a wannabe doctor, I know that this type of cancer gets diagnosed in the latter stages. But as someone who followed your career since college, I know what kind of heart you have. I know that you will give your heart and soul in beating this. Know that your family, friends and fans will be with you every single step of the way. More than touching a basketball again, I hope you get to touch more lives with your generosity, kindness, and fighting spirit.
One Big Fight, LA. Never Say Die.
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Can they do that? The UAAP and its copyright issue
By: Toby Pavon
On March 19, 2023, UAAP Twitter was sent into a frenzy, not because of a big win in the volleyball tournament, or a key recruit announcement, but because of an email sent by the UAAP Media Team to the different media partners.
The email read:
“Dear valued media partners,
We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to inform you of a new policy regarding the recording of games for the UAAP Season 85.
Effective immediately, we regret to inform you that recording of games, whether in short clips or in full, will no longer be allowed. This decision was made in compliance with the request of our broadcast partner, Cignal.
Please be advised that the only area within the game venue that will allow recording is during the post-game interviews at the media room. All other interviews with UAAP personalities should be conducted outside the venue.
We understand that there may be a need for game clips in your reports. If so, we kindly ask that you send an email to [redacted] to request for the necessary footage.
Moreover, we would like to remind you that Cignal holds the exclusive copyright of the UAAP videos. Hence, they reserve the right to issue copyright strikes on any UAAP videos posted on social media accounts.
We appeal for your utmost cooperation and understanding in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the UAAP Season 85 Media Team.
Thank you for your unwavering support and cooperation.
Sincerely,
UAAP Season 85 Media Team.”
The uproar on social media stems from the implication in the letter that Cignal, the current copyright owner of the UAAP, is banning people, members of the media, from taking their own videos while inside the game venue, except inside of the media room.
This essentially means, no highlight reels, no cinematic reels, no sideline videos, no crowd reaction videos, no scrum interviews outside of the media room, no personal reaction videos while inside of the venue and no to a lot more video content.
But why?
The email reasserts the purpose for this policy, Cignal’s copyright as the exclusive broadcast partner of the UAAP. After the loss of ABS-CBN’s broadcast franchise, the rights to broadcast UAAP games was awarded to Cignal, granting them exclusive copyright. As the copyright owner, Cignal can use the broadcast for profit, and regulate or prevent other persons from doing the same. It is normal and understandable for a corporation to want to protect their intellectual property especially when they would have had to pay millions of pesos to acquire it.
The law is clear with regard to what rights Cignal may exercise with regard to the UAAP:
“Copyright or Economic Rights
SECTION 177. Copyright or Economic Rights. ‑ Subject to the provisions of Chapter VIII, copyright or economic rights shall consist of the exclusive right to carry out, authorize or prevent the following acts:
177.1. Reproduction of the work or substantial portion of the work;
177.2. Dramatization, translation, adaptation, abridgment, arrangement or other transformation of the work;
177.3. The first public distribution of the original and each copy of the work by sale or other forms of transfer of ownership;
177.4. Rental of the original or a copy of an audiovisual or cinematographic work, a work embodied in a sound recording, a computer program, a compilation of data and other materials or a musical work in graphic form, irrespective of the ownership of the original or the copy which is the subject of the rental; (n)
177.5. Public display of the original or a copy of the work;
177.6. Public performance of the work; and
177.7. Other communication to the public of the work.
Under Section 177 only Cignal may reproduce its copyrighted work, both in whole or in part, only Cignal may broadcast their work, only Cignal may display their work. This much is clear. But it begs the question, is a UAAP game a piece of “work” contemplated under the Intellectual Property Code?
Section 172 of the Intellectual Property Code lists what constitutes “work” subject to copyright:
Original Works
SECTION 172. Literary and Artistic Works. ‑ 172.1. Literary and artistic works, hereinafter referred to as “works”, are original intellectual creations in the literary and artistic domain protected from the moment of their creation and shall include in particular:
(a) Books, pamphlets, articles and other writings;
(b) Periodicals and newspapers;
(c) Lectures, sermons, addresses, dissertations prepared for oral delivery, whether or not reduced in writing or other material form;
(d) Letters;
(e) Dramatic or dramatico-musical compositions; choreographic works or entertainment in dumb shows;
(f) Musical compositions, with or without words;
(g) Works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving, lithography or other works of art; models or designs for works of art;
(h) Original ornamental designs or models for articles of manufacture, whether or not registrable as an industrial design, and other works of applied art;
(i) Illustrations, maps, plans, sketches, charts and three-dimensional works relative to geography, topography, architecture or science;
(j) Drawings or plastic works of a scientific or technical character;
(k) Photographic works including works produced by a process analogous to photography; lantern slides;
(l) Audiovisual works and cinematographic works and works produced by a process analogous to cinematography or any process for making audio-visual recordings;
(m) Pictorial illustrations and advertisements;
(n) Computer programs; and
(o) Other literary, scholarly, scientific and artistic works.
172.2. Works are protected by the sole fact of their creation, irrespective of their mode or form of expression, as well as of their content, quality and purpose. (Sec. 2, P.D. No. 49a)
CHAPTER III
Derivative Works
SECTION 173. Derivative Works. ‑ 173.1. The following derivative works shall also be protected by copyright:
(a) Dramatizations, translations, adaptations, abridgments, arrangements, and other alterations of literary or artistic works; and
(b) Collections of literary, scholarly or artistic works, and compilations of data and other materials which are original by reason of the selection or coordination or arrangement of their contents. (Sec. 2, (P) and (Q), P.D. No. 49)
Nowhere in the list of what constitutes Original Works, and Derivative Works, can we find an athletic competition. The broadcast of an athletic competition is copyrighted work under letter (l) of the enumeration of Original Work, so it is clear as day, that what Cignal creates through its broadcast team is considered their Original Work, and they have the exclusive right to distribute it. But not the contest itself, not the game itself, not whatever organic interaction happens inside the game arena. Surely, Cignal and the UAAP would not argue that their games fall under paragraph (e), right?
If there is a right for Cignal to restrict members of the media from taking videos of the game, videos during the game and videos at the game venue, it does not come from the Intellectual Property Code. If there is a right for Cignal to restrict members of the media from posting videos they took in the venue onto their own websites, social media pages or outlets, it does not come from the Intellectual Property Code.
One of the biggest concerns when the email made the rounds on social media, was that Cignal would be going after social media accounts that use snippets of their broadcast to post play breakdowns, highlights and replays of significant events. Are these forms of media violations of Cignal’s copyrights?
Section 184 of the Intellectual Property Code provides for the limitations on copyright:
“SECTION 184. Limitations on Copyright. ‑ 184.1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter V, the following acts shall not constitute infringement of copyright:
(a) The recitation or performance of a work, once it has been lawfully made accessible to the public, if done privately and free of charge or if made strictly for a charitable or religious institution or society; (Sec. 10(1), P.D. No. 49)
(b) The making of quotations from a published work if they are compatible with fair use and only to the extent justified for the purpose, including quotations from newspaper articles and periodicals in the form of press summaries: Provided, That the source and the name of the author, if appearing on the work, are mentioned; (Sec. 11, third par., P.D. No. 49)
(c) The reproduction or communication to the public by mass media of articles on current political, social, economic, scientific or religious topic, lectures, addresses and other works of the same nature, which are delivered in public if such use is for information purposes and has not been expressly reserved: Provided, That the source is clearly indicated; (Sec. 11, P.D. No. 49)
(d) The reproduction and communication to the public of literary, scientific or artistic works as part of reports of current events by means of photography, cinematography or broadcasting to the extent necessary for the purpose; (Sec. 12, P.D. No. 49)
(e) The inclusion of a work in a publication, broadcast, or other communication to the public, sound recording or film, if such inclusion is made by way of illustration for teaching purposes and is compatible with fair use: Provided, That the source and the name of the author, if appearing in the work, are mentioned;
(f) The recording made in schools, universities, or educational institutions of a work included in a broadcast for the use of such schools, universities or educational institutions: Provided, That such recording must be deleted within a reasonable period after they were first broadcast: Provided, further, That such recording may not be made from audiovisual works which are part of the general cinema repertoire of feature films except for brief excerpts of the work;
(g) The making of ephemeral recordings by a broadcasting organization by means of its own facilities and for use in its own broadcast;
(h) The use made of a work by or under the direction or control of the Government, by the National Library or by educational, scientific or professional institutions where such use is in the public interest and is compatible with fair use;
(i) The public performance or the communication to the public of a work, in a place where no admission fee is charged in respect of such public performance or communication, by a club or institution for charitable or educational purpose only, whose aim is not profit making, subject to such other limitations as may be provided in the Regulations; (n)
(j) Public display of the original or a copy of the work not made by means of a film, slide, television image or otherwise on screen or by means of any other device or process: Provided, That either the work has been published, or, that the original or the copy displayed has been sold, given away or otherwise transferred to another person by the author or his successor in title; and
(k) Any use made of a work for the purpose of any judicial proceedings or for the giving of professional advice by a legal practitioner.
184.2. The provisions of this section shall be interpreted in such a way as to allow the work to be used in a manner which does not conflict with the normal exploitation of the work and does not unreasonably prejudice the right holder’s legitimate interests.
SECTION 185. Fair Use of a Copyrighted Work. ‑ 185.1. The fair use of a copyrighted work for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching including multiple copies for classroom use, scholarship, research, and similar purposes is not an infringement of copyright. Decompilation, which is understood here to be the reproduction of the code and translation of the forms of the computer program to achieve the inter-operability of an independently created computer program with other programs may also constitute fair use. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is fair use, the factors to be considered shall include:
(a) The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for non-profit educational purposes;
(b) The nature of the copyrighted work;
(c) The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(d) The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
Under the law, there are several instances where copyrighted materials may be used without violating the copyright owner’s rights, these include instances of free private performance, quotation in news, for teaching or illustrative purposes in a broadcast—or quite simply, any use that would fall under fair use.
With these definitions, compiling snippets to use as illustrations in a breakdown video or Twitter thread would count as fair use as they are providing commentary on the subject of the copyright. They would not and should not be seen as violations of Cignal’s copyrights.
So, what CAN Cignal assert their copyrights against?
Cignal has the right to stop other persons attempting to re-upload whole or substantial portions of their broadcast. Cignal also has the right to stop people from simultaneously broadcasting or re-broadcasting their broadcast. Cignal has a right to stop people from uploading non-transformative snippets of their broadcast attempting to profit from them.
Not so much an assertion of their exclusive copyright over the UAAP, but Cignal also has the right not to accredit members of the media it deems undesirable and too uncooperative, barring them access from coverage of the games. Cignal, through the UAAP and the venue coordinators, also has the right to refuse entry to people they deem undesirable and uncooperative.
In conclusion, it can be seen through a reading of the UAAP Media Team’s email that Cignal’s assertion of its rights is not based solely on law. Cignal is, after all, a corporation, one that is obligated to turn a profit for its shareholders. What is unfortunate in the revelation of this policy is the idea that the people making the decisions at Cignal do not see the wealth of fan-generated, and other outlet generated content as adding to the value of their intellectual property, the UAAP, but instead, sees them, no matter how small, as competitors.
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Tatay Brand of Coaching
By: Toby Pavon
Ask the players who have been under him, one of the most common descriptions you will get for Coach Leo Austria is, “Parang tatay.” He cares and teaches his players with a fatherly touch that is starting to make an impact in the Philippine basketball scene.
His mind and heart coaching has already gotten him pages in the history of Philippine basketball. From ending Adamson’s decades long losing streak to Ateneo, to winning two PBA championships on his first year with the team and even coaching the first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit.
But what makes his method so different?
Care and compassion for constituents can be displayed in so many different ways. Coach Pido Jarencio is notorious for his expletive laden practices, but during game time he’s one of the first to rush to the aid and defense of his players. Coach Yeng Guiao is a known task master, openly scolding his players even during games, but in effect he can afford to blow his top and get ejected in their defense, knowing that the players will trust his system enough to run it without him.
But as for Coach Leo, he’s the cool calm voice of reason, both in and off the court.
So, what’s his secret to his almost-immediate success in the professional leagues?
During my undergraduate years in Adamson University, even as a rookie sports writer I never had a problem digging deep into the Falcons team for soundbites and interviews. Coach Leo was one of the most accommodating people I’ve ever seen. He welcomed me in practice, he welcomed me on the team bus and definitely welcomed me in the locker room.
His “welcomeness” allowed me to see how he treats, not only his players, but everyone around him.
In the locker room, he ends the weekday post-game victory wrap up with, “Masarap mag-aral, guys.” Encouraging his players to make the most of the athletic scholarships they have. At the back of his mind, it’s probably the same advice he would like his own son, Bacon who played for Ateneo, to hear from his coach.
One of Adamson’s school officials even recounted the early days of Coach Leo’s tenure in Adamson. He sat out key players after catching wind that they failed to attend class. He later apologized for the loss that ensued, but of course the school officials were more than understanding.
During the semis of the last Philippine Cup we got headlines quoting Coach Leo around the lines of, “Don’t wait for me to get angry.” It speaks to the kind of leadership he employs. In the college level he respected his players like his sons, in the professional leagues he treated them all as professionals.
It even came to the point that at the tail end of Season 76, when news broke out of Adamson not renewing his contract, ABL San Miguel Beerman Asi Taulava who just had his career resurrected because of Coach Leo’s ability to use him in the post, was very vocal on Twitter about his disappointment at the way the champion mentor was being treated. “You don’t deserve him,” posted Asi, pertaining to Adamson’s then management.
It’s tempting to compare this form of coaching and leadership to the fabled Wu Chi of the Warring States Era of China. A general who knew his soldiers by name, mourned their loss with their families and treated them as more than mere pawns on the battlefield.
His patience with his players has already reaped the fruits of success. Despite not coming up with any college trophies, he now has *four championships in the professional leagues, including the ABL. He did this while employing one of the most patient offensive systems in the leagues he has coached in.
His trademark is the high efficiency offense that delivers such a high rating that it more than makes up for his teams’ lack of pace. For this to happen, every player on the roster has to buy into the system and be willing to go against the grain of their personal desire and slow their own game down and go with the flow. And as Coach Leo has shown with his three PBA championships in four seasons with the San Miguel Beermen, it’s possible to do all that without the crack of the whip.
Greatness does not have to be squeezed out by “rushing or dragging”; and it’s okay to say, “Good job.”
Coach Leo is an example of how care and compassion fits into being a successful leader. Respect and motivation can reap the same benefits as nearly decapitating your drummer with a cymbal. Hopefully more leaders, even outside of basketball will trade in their whips for compassion; heavens know we don’t need more slave drivers in our society.
*as of February 1, 2026 this number has since risen to 12 (1 x ABL, 8 x PBA Philippine Cup, 2 x PBA Commissioner’s Cup, 1 x Governor’s Cup)
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From Undesirable to Undeniable: The Underdog story of the Ateneo Blue Eagles
By Eriko dela Cruz
Moments before taking the floor for game three, a voice rang through the South Gate hallway:
“We have a chance to make our own story today.”
After losing the UAAP season 84 title in a heartbreaking fashion, the Ateneo Blue Eagles suddenly encountered its very first crossroads; a huge chunk of the people who made the program very successful decided to move on. SJ Belangel, Tyler Tio, Raffy Verano, Gian Mamuyac, and Jolo Mendoza all decided to forgo their remaining years to search for greener pastures (and rightfully so).
BJ Andrade, who initially decided to call it a career as a Blue Eagle, reneged and played his final year as captain. A giant hurdle however, faced his captainship.
For the first time since Season 81, the Ateneo Blue Eagles were no longer the favorites to win the championship. Some of their opponents did not even respect them enough to include them in their Final Four predictions. In the eyes of the people, this was probably the weakest Blue Eagle team in quite a while.
Other people were starting to make stories.
Ateneo did not get to participate in local pre-season leagues, due to prior commitments. One of those commitments was the World University Basketball Series in Japan. People had their questions on the motive of joining the league. “Why are they joining a league overseas and not in the Philippines? They have to prepare the Fil-Ams for the Pinoy game!” This is a rather fair take, since local basketball is a tad more physical than overseas. Still, it seems like the narrative was not controlled by the Blue Eagles.
As the first round progressed, Ateneo was showing glimpses of being a good team. However, there was still a question mark hanging around as they lost to La Salle and UP. A semifinal stint was in the cards, but is that the farthest they could go? Mamarus and analysts alike had their takes. Ateneo is good but might come up short. The Blue Eagles are very top heavy; they have an immensely talented starting unit but the bench isn’t as productive. Even with the Ateneo faithful themselves, there was some doubt creeping in. The only ones who truly believed they could make it were the ones taking the court everyday.
The start of the second round saw Ateneo lose another game, this time to the up-and-coming NU Bulldogs. The doubts that people had with this team suddenly heightened. People were already pressing the panic button.
And then the Blue Eagles won against La Salle. And then they won more. And more. They even won a highly physical and emotional game against UP in the second round. At the end of the second round, Ateneo was on a six game win streak and in first place. Even then, people believed that the UP Fighting Maroons were still heavily favored to repeat. After all, Ateneo has finished many elimination rounds at number one and failed to get the title. To get to the finals, they had to beat an Adamson team who captured the minds and hearts of the UAAP faithful. Safe to say that it was Ateneo against the world in the Final Four.
Too bad for Jerom Lastimosa and the Soaring Falcons, Ateneo were looking at their own destiny. Buoyed by torrid shooting in the third quarter, they finished the Final Four in one game, setting up a date with the defending champions.
At the post-game press conference, Coach Tab Baldwin came up with two quotes that rocked social media. The first one was when he called his team the underdogs coming into the finals. As much as UP fans did not want to admit it, there was truth to what the man said. As much as Ateneo has made 15 finals appearances in the past 25 years, the present was what mattered. In season 85, UP was the machine. They were the top dogs of the UAAP. They had the deepest team in the league, with third stringers even possible starters in other universities. In short, the Fighting Maroons were in Ateneo’s position years ago.
The second was this. “I want the Ateneo faithful behind this team because this team has already surpassed a lot of the expectations of them, and even to be fair, of the coaching staff. But the good thing is they haven’t surpassed their own. And that’s a credit to them.”
This was very telling. For Coach Tab and the coaching staff, they were not expecting the team to be back in the finals but took on the challenge to get these young men to where they wanted to go. Now, the revenge tour begins. Time to get back what they lost in May.
In game one, The Blue Eagles kept in step with the Fighting Maroons. The major problem for them was their shooting, as it was very difficult for them to buy a basket. Call it finals jitters, or maybe reaching their ceiling too soon, it was a difficult day for Ateneo. Zavier Lucero, a guy who they limited to a 0/11 outing in the second round, became a problem on both ends of the floor. He was making his shots, crashing the boards, even getting two blocks on Chris Koon and Ange Kouame. Kai Ballungay did not have a lot of opportunities, and in the end Ateneo buckled 72-66.
Just like last season, Ateneo had their backs against the wall. Fortunately, the Blue Eagles from the not-so-distant past gave the current team a visit to get their heads back in the game, as well as remind them what BEBOB really meant.. Having the best coach when it comes to game adjustments can also pay a lot of dividends.
In game two, the Blue Eagles looked more like brothers on the floor. They were playing a little more loosely. No excessive celebrations. One can see the determination in their eyes. When things got chippy, they had each other’s backs and simply got going. Every play they executed said We will see you guys on Monday. They looked like the elite team that they were before Coronavirus. The crowd, who has been generally stoic all season, matched the rabid UP fans.
Kai Ballungay mentioned in his post-game interview that seeing the brotherhood that the BEBOB has forged through the years inspired him to play better.
“I really took that to heart and wanted to show that type of brotherhood, something we can look up to, with what they’ve built from years past. Game 1 didn’t go the way I wanted it, the way this team wanted it, but coming in tonight, I just wanted to get back in whatever way I could.”
According to statistics savant and friend of site Ryan Alba, prior to Season 85, the team that won game one had an 81.5% chance to win the title. According to UAAP’s statistics king Pong Ducanes, Ateneo has never won a title after losing game one. Safe to say, history and statistics were not on Ateneo’s side. But to quote Team Captain and King Eagle BJ Andrade, hindi pa ‘to tapos. Statistics be damned. Ateneo went go for glory.
As the Blue Eagles equalized, the doubts were slowly being eased. There was a sense of anticipation in the air. There was an energy of “Wow we can actually win this thing.” Did Lucero’s injury have anything to do with it? Partly, yes. Zav was a very crucial part in Coach Gold’s rotation, and missing him for the final game would mean a lot of changes to the preparation. More of the feeling of a victory being possible comes from the confidence being exuded by the team. Now, people are rallying behind the story the Ateneo Blue Eagles were writing.
In game three, Coach Tab and the team knew the UP Fighting Maroons like the back of their hands. They started like a house on fire and never looked back. If Geo Chiu can hit a step-in three-pointer on your team, best believe that the Ateneo Blue Eagles knew they were hot. For every run that UP made, Ateneo had a counter-run that closed the door. Even if the Fighting Maroons were clawing their way back into the game, Ateneo had great defensive stops that stopped the bleeding.
Credit to coach Gold for having the presence of mind to field Lucero in and shoot the technical free throw. It was a great way to get his flowers from the UP and Ateneo crowd, and a fitting way to send him off to wherever he goes next.
As the final buzzer sounded, the revenge season was complete. No one expected them to be there but themselves, yet there they were. Like a few months ago tears flowed, but these tears are not of joy. For Jacob Lao, BJ Andrade, Dave Ildefonso, and Ange Kouame, it was a perfect end to their UAAP careers. One set of seniors had to take home silver, and it wasn’t them.
The pandemic has changed the dynamic of how camaraderie is formed in these Blue Eagles. Before the ‘Rona, the Blue Eagles would go to Baler, Aurora for what coach Tab calls a “bootcamp”. This is the time when the Blue Eagles go through tribulations that if one asks the players, would be more than the season itself. It was from this bootcamp that the Blue Eagle Band of Brothers (BEBOB) was formed.
BEBOB is not just a term. It’s not just a moniker by the team. It is a name forged through difficulties, and as a result, they have reached the mountaintop of the UAAP several times. Before the season ended, this current iteration of Blue Eagles learned what BEBOB really meant, and they now have something to show for it.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles wrote their own story, and could not have written a better ending for themselves.
They got adrenaline in their soul, molded by the Atenean dreams of those that came before them. From getting counted out, to being the Elite. From undesirable to un-goddamn-deniable. They are the Ateneo Blue Eagle Band of Brothers, Champions of UAAP Season 85.
But the job does not end there. Next season, Batang Gilas wunderkind Mason Amos and (potentially) human highlight reel Francis Lopez join the fold. More recruits are expected to make their debuts. After a few months being underdogs, the Atenean Nightmare that plagued the league will be back.
For this season at least, we bid you adieu. Goodbye, *blows a kiss*, AND GOOD NIGHT, BANG.
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