Lady Eagles annex 2nd UAAP Crown

Simply amazing! That would describe the conquest by the Ateneo Lady Eagles of the UP Lady Maroons in their final matchup for the Women’s basketball crown of UAAP Season 70. With the 62-58 win over the Lady Maroons, the Lady Eagles, mentored by John Flores, clinched their second UAAP crown in three years.

Bringing with them the confidence brought about by their 64-60 win in Game 1 of the finals, the Lady Eagles went into Game 2 ready and focused on the goal of ending the series and not giving the Lady Maroons an opportunity to extend the series to a third game. That goal did not come easily for the Lady Eagles as they faced the gritty Lady Maroons who led at halftime, 23-20, and at the end of the third, 45-39.

The Lady Maroons finally got the needed points from their primary scorers, Fats Tolentino, Sil Marasigan, Anna Asistio and Sai Sadora, which were missed in all their three previous meetings with the Lady Eagles. The scorers enabled UP to dictate the tempo for most of the game. The Lady Eagles felt as if they were playing against different UP team and even saw the Lady Maroons going up by as much as 11 points midway into the third quarter.

Even with the renewed confidence of the Lady Maroons, the Lady Eagles refused to fold and accept the option of going into a Game 3 and getting the job done there. The Lady Eagles pulled off what could be described as a truly amazing effort and a show of character as they slowly worked their way into UP’s lead. Back-to-back baskets by rookie Crystal Ballentyne at the start of the fourth quarter trimmed the lead of UP to just two points, 45-43. But even with the Lady Eagles trimming the lead, UP still managed to control the situation on the offensive efforts of its primary scorer Sai Sadora, but it was already clear that UP’s confidence was waning and the Lady Eagles’, soaring.

The Lady Eagles' confidence stunned the Lady Maroons in the last three minutes of the game as Ateneo’s tri-captains Che Ngo, Cassy Tioseco and Kat Quimpo and the speedy Treena Limgenco buckled down to work in offense and defense. Hustle plays from Cassy Tioseco (12 points 13 rebounds), Kat Quimpo and Treena Limgenco resulted in steals and defensive stops for Ateneo that clearly dazed the Lady Maroons. Free throws awarded to Kat Quimpo in the last two minutes of play and a Treena Limgenco steal and layup gave Ateneo a slim lead but it clearly brought down the Lady Maroons who were not able to recover from the three-minute blitz of the Lady Eagles

It was a fitting finale to a truly amazing season for the Lady Eagles as they dominated the Lady Maroons all season. Coach John Flores gave credit to the fighting hearts of the Lady Eagles by saying that, in the last three minutes, it was not about what the Lady Eagles know of the X’s and O’s of the game but the character and heart needed to justify what they have worked and strived for all season long. To make his point, he turned around to show what was printed on his shirt, “Pusong Atenista”… simply amazing.

Box scores:

ADMU 62:

Limgenco 16, Tioseco 12, Quimpo 10, Barracoso 10, Ballentyne 8, Ngo 4, Mercado 2, Santos 0, Indigne 0.

UP 58:

Tolentino 14, Sadora 12, Asistio 12, Marasigan 10, Tomelden 6, Molina 2, Bautista 2, Paz 0, Cainglet 0.

Scoring by quarters:

9-9, 20-23, 39-45, Final 62-58

Sidelights:

Seconds before the game ended, championship t-shirts were already being given away to team members, staff and supporters. The front reads “Ateneo Lady Eagles UAAP Champions Season 70.” At the back, a big letter A is formed with the words “For the greater glory of God” and the names of the players and staff.

High emotion was seen throughout the game, especially after the final buzzer sounded. The Blue and White faithful jumped in jubilation while players, staff and supporters cried tears of joy.

After the game, the Lady Eagles headed straight to the Church of the Gesù inside the Ateneo campus for the Thanksgiving Mass officiated by Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ. The Mass was followed by a simple dinner for the members of the team, staff, alumni, family and friends.

Plans are being made for a bigger celebration of the Lady Eagles’ victory in the UAAP.

Story by Benjamin Jose A. Sipin III

2005 UAAP Women's Basketball Champions

This video is a tribute to

the 2005 UAAP

Women's Basketball Champion

The Ateneo de Manila University

Lady Eagles

The Ateneo Blue Eagles

Sports has always been the favorite pastime of many Filipinos and one of the sports closest to our hearts is the game of basketball. Many many years ago the Ateneo de Manila was at the forefront of College basketball as their teams would play basketball games against other schools in the early part of the 20^th century. Those dual meets would eventually become the backbone of the National Collegiate Athletic Association which they co-founded together with the University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle College, University of Manila, National University, Institute of Account (FEU) and San Beda College. During that time, the Ateneo adopted the colors Blue and White as its official school colors. This was the Ateneo’s way of showing their support to Mother Mary most specially to Maria Purissima Queen of the Ateneo. In the 1930’s interest in basketball was getting higher and a lot of schools then were naming mascots to their respective schools. It was at that time when the Ateneo adopted their mascot – the Eagle.

In On Wings of Blue, a booklet of Ateneo traditions, songs, and cheers published in the 1950’s, Lamberto Javellana writes:

“The Eagle—fiery, majestic, whose kingdom is the virgin sky, is swift in pursuit, terrible in battle. He is a king—a fighting king… And thus he was chosen—to soar with scholar’s thought and word high into the regions of truth and excellence, to flap his glorious wings and cast his ominous shadow below, even as the student crusader would instill fear in those who would battle against the Cross. And so he was chosen—to fly with the fleet limbs of the cinder pacer, to swoop down with the Blue gladiator into the arena of sporting combat and with him to fight—and keep on fighting till brilliant victory, or honorable defeat. And so he was chosen—to perch on the Shield of Loyola, to be the symbol of all things honorable, even as the Great Eagle is perched on the American escutcheon, to be the guardian of liberty. And so he was chosen—and he lives, not only in body to soar over his campus aerie, but in spirit, in the Ateneo Spirit… For he flies high, and he is a fighter, and he is King!”

The eagle also appears in the standards of many organizations, schools, and nations as a "guardian of freedom and truth." Dante in his Divine Comedy uses the Eagle as a symbol of the Roman Empire, which used the bird as part of its standard. The ancient Romans considered the eagle sacred to Jupiter himself. The eagle is often seen as the bird of God, the only bird that can fly above the clouds and stare directly at the sun. This is also why it represents St. John the Evangelist, in honor of the "soaring spirit and penetrating vision of his gospel."

The word blue was then added to the eagle since the school colors were blue. That was the birth of the ATENEO BLUE EAGLES.

References: Blue Eagle, the King

The Home of the Blue Eagles

When Katipunan Avenue was still a vast grassland, the Blue Eagle Gym was the proudest landmark in the area. The gymnasium was the first building to rise on the Loyola Heights campus in 1949, three years before the college and high school units of the Ateneo were transferred there from Padre Faura. According to historical records, the gym was constructed under the direction of Ateneo Rector William F. Masterson, S.J., to be an alternative venue to the Rizal Stadium for the National Collegiate Athletic Association games.

It was viewed as a spectacular development for the university whose student population included many sports enthusiasts, particularly basketball fanatics. Its inauguration on 3 December 1949 was graced by esteemed alumni such as former Senator Ambrosio Padilla, who was then a member of the Ateneo Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Luis "Moro"Lorenzo, who represented the student body.

Complete article about the Blue Eagle Gym can be found at the Ateneo Website: http://www.ateneo.edu/?p=120&type=2&aid=1325

View Blue Eagle Gym in a larger map

Blue Eagles win fifth UAAP Title

Chot, Len, Mike, Jun and Billy, they are the Reyes brothers of the Ateneo who honed their basketball skill in the Ateneo but unfortunately took different basketball paths in College. A lot say Chot is the brainy one, Len the scorer, Mike the shooter, Jun the most prolific and Billy the most versatile. Chot would become a champion mentor while Jun would lead the Blue Eagles to back to back championships. Twenty one years later, Len’s son would duplicate the feat as Jai Reyes together with Rabah Al-Husaini and Nonoy Baclao led the Ateneo Blue Eagles to back to back titles after upending the gallant stand of the University of the East Red Warriors 71-58.After getting blown away by the Warriors in game 1, the Blue Eagles were all business as Rabah Al-Husainin scored 11 first quarter points to lead the Blue Eagles to a 21-17 lead. The UE big guns tried to match the fire power of the Blue Eagles who had six fastrbreak points in the opening 5 minutes with Kirk Long getting two and 1 plays but muffing two gift free throws after the foul and Nonoy Baclao streaking to the hole. UE would lead 8-6 but when the Blue Eagles equalized there was no more token resistance from the Warriors. It was an all Rabah quarter with Jai Reyes missing his shots.

Come the second quarter the complexion of the game suddenly turned to the side of the Blue Eagles who used a paralyzing 12 -0 run to end the half. After Paul Lee scored on a drive with 6:05 left in the second quarter, the Eagles went to work by shutting down the Warriors and scoring almost at will. Ryan Buenafe scored 4 points, while Jai and Kirk scored three apiece while Jai dished out his fourth assist on Rabah Al-Husaini to give the Blue Eagles a 40-25 advantage come halftime. The Blue Eagles set the tone early with their defense as they held the Warriors to 29% shooting and led UE in almost every statistical category. The most telling among them is the 7-1 assist disparity and the 30 -16 edge on inside points. That alone signaled the downfall of the Warriors in the second quarter. The quarter ended with Ateneo scoring 19 points and the Warriors could only muster only 8.After the break the UE Warriors started the quarter with two three pointers courtesy of Elmer Espiritu and Val Acuña. This signaled the surge of the UE Warriors as they tried gallantly to rally their team, unfortunately for them the Blue Eagles were not about to let them come back.

Enter the gunslinger Jai Reyes who showed that his misses in the first half was just his way of sizing up his shots as he rattled three three pointers that eventually broke the backs of the Warriors. Jai’s third three pointer with 58 seconds left gave the Blue Eagles a commanding 57- 39 lead while their defense was on 24-7 which led to a 57-41 lead at the end of the third quarter.Come the fourth quarter everyone was waiting for a final push by the Warriors but unfortunately it did not come. In the four previous games of this two teams UE had a big run in each of the games. This time, the Blue Eagles made sure it will never happen. Suddenly the top gunners of UE were stifled and could not get its act together. Ryan Buenafe stole the ball and even blocked Paul Lee who was shut down in the first few minutes of the fourth. Val ACuña was hot and cold, Elmer Espirtu was worn out come the fourth quarter, Rudy Lingannay was firing blanks, Raphy Reyes never got anything going and the big story was Pari Llagas who ended his UAAP career with a 0 for 7 shooting from the field. In the end , the Blue Eagles showed that they are indeed the best team in the UAAP by coming back and frustrating the Warriors. Coach Norman Black’s post game remarks described the team very well he said “This team handled adversity well and they showed that they knew how to come back” at the same time he added “Experience is the best teacher. The loss in 2006 was something we did not want the others to feel that is why they did their best to win the title!” For the record, this is the first time that a double championship went back to back! Now that this is all over , lets all dream of a double three-peat! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ATENEO BLUE EAGLES! ONE BIG FIGHT!!!

ATENEO (71)

Al-Husaini 21, Reyes 16, Buenafe 10, Baclao 8, Salamat 8, Long 7, Salva 2, Monrfort 0, Austria 0

UE (58)

Lee 21, Espiritu 16, Acuña 8, Lingganay 5, Zamar 3, Llagas 3. Reyes 0, Ayala 0, Duran 0,

Quarter scores: 21-17, 40-25, 57-41, 71-58

(Photos by Aaron Vicencio)

Blue Eaglets win Back to Back Junior Titles

The Blue Eaglets were leading by seven points with less than three minutes left and was ready for the victory against the De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers. Unfortunately, the Eaglets were forced to turnovers, bad shots and eventually lost to overtime 98-92 as the de La Salle Zobel Junior Archers won their second UAAP Juniors title. That was the end of season 70 which was two years ago and that was the game that was still in the back of the minds of sophomore relievers Ael Banal, Al Bugarin, Tim Capacio and Freshman phenom Kiefer Ravena. That year, Ateneo was out to defend it title and win back to back while DLS-Z was back to get some respect since they did not play in the 2006 season.

The Blue Eaglets of season 70 was out to win the title against a gritty DLS-Z squad but unfortunately, overconfidence got the best out of the Blue Eaglets who beat the Junior Archers twice in the eliminations. Hard to say but the Junior Archers got the better ending. Come season 71, both squads were hyped to meet once again in the finals as both schools ended the eliminations with the Blue Eaglets in the number one spot while the Junior Archers occupying the second spot. The Blue Eaglets have leaned their lessons and were ready to exact revenge, but alas, the Junior Archers were beaten by the no. 3 seeded FEU Baby Tamaraws which eventually lost to the Blue Eaglets in two games. Fate has a different way of showing things since the Blue Eaglets lost out to the UPIS Junior squad in 2005 which paved the way for the first title of the DLS-Z Junior Archers. Exit the four veterans who came out winners but had the sting of that DLS-Z 2007 loss.

Come Season 72 the Blue Eaglets and the Junior Archers were predicted to meet in the finals once again, This time the favorites to win was the team from Alabang who is returning with a rejuvenated squad that featured 6-3 forward Gwyne Capacio, 6-7 center Arnold Van Opstal, 6-3 Forward Aiki Herrera do it all point guard Nico Elorde and sweet shooting Luigi dela Paz. In their first encounter at the start of the season, Gwyne Capacio scored 29 points and hauled down 11 rebounds to give the Junior Archers a 80-58 win. After that loss, the Blue Eaglets were clawed by the UST Tiger Cubs 82-73. The Eaglets definitely regrouped, racked up the needed wins against the other squads and more importantly beat the undefeated DLS-Z Junior Archers 84-78 for their seventh straight win. This win gave them the needed confidence that was not there in their game 1 loss to the Junior Archers. The Eaglets marched on to the final four and faced the only team they have not beaten, the UST Tiger Cubs. The Eaglets needed to beat them twice and twice they did as the Blue Eaglets became the hottest team to make It to the 2009 juniors finals.

The Blue Eaglets won game 1 and lost game 2 and all they needed was to remind them of the heartbreaking setback they had in 2007 to give the DLSU Team their first double championship. Kiefer Ravena scored 20 points in that game and Ael Banal never found his range. This time, Banal made sure that when Kiefer cannot get his game going, the Blue Eaglets have what it takes to win. Banal scored 16 points and most it came in the first half with the rest of the Eaglets helping out on defense and also on offense. Paolo Romero and Von Pessumal, the two other national team players of the Blue Eaglets came in the clutch to help out an offense starved Kiefer Ravena.

Romero for his part was seldom used in game 1 and was error prone in game 2 but when he was needed In the clutch he definitely delivered. Romero scored six of his 12 points in the last three minutes as Ravena played decoy and fed off his team mates who delivered well for the Blue Eaglets. Pessumal on the other hand shackled Gwyne Capacio who was held down to only 15 points and had a hard time with the Blue Eaglets defense.

The Blue Eaglets has done it. This victory is for the 2007 team that needed a chance to redeem themselves and it was sweeter than ever since it was done in the fashion that most Ateneans are famous for- triumph of the competitive spirit against the toughest adversity. To the 10 Senior Blue Eaglets, your contributions will never be forgotten and you will forever be remembered as the Green Slayers in Ateneo High School history. For the Blue Eaglets who will return next year, Kiefer, Von, Paolo – the journey begins once again for another historic feat.

Ateneo (61)

Banal 16, Romero 12, Pessumal 10, Ravena 9, Sinco 3, Pe 3, Capacio 3, Dumrique 2, Bugarin 2, Reyes 1,

DLS-Z (56)

Capacio 15, de la Paz 14, Van Opstal 9, Elorde 8, Herrera 6, Roxas 2, Park 2, Sevilla 0,

Quarterscores: 14-8, 22-all, 42-41, 61-56

The Blue Babble Battalion

The Ateneo de Manila was successful in athletics even before the NCAA began. To help cheer the Ateneo squad on, the Jesuits decided that the Ateneo ought to have some sort of organization in its cheering. The Ateneo then introduced organized cheering to the country by fielding the first-ever cheering squad in the Philippines, which is now known as the Blue Babble Battalion.

The Ateneo claims that its brand of cheering is both unique and rooted in classical antiquity. In the 1959 Ateneo Aegis (the college yearbook), alumnus Art Borjal explained:

It all started about 2,000 years ago along the Via Appia in Rome. The deafening cheers of Roman citizens, lined along the way, thundered in the sky as the returning victorious warriors passed by...The type of cheering that the Ateneo introduced was, in a way, quite different from that of the Romans. When the warriors came home in defeat, the citizens shouted in derision and screamed for the soldiers’ blood. To the Atenean, victory and defeat do not matter much. To cheer for a losing team that had fought fairly and well is as noble, if not nobler, than cheering for a victorious squad

The words of some of the cheers seem incomprehensible or derived from an exotic language. Loud, rapid yells of "fabilioh" and "halikinu" are used intimidate and confuse the enemy gallery. Meanwhile, fighting songs help inspire the team to "roll out a victory"

The new BBB

During one of the Ateneo- Lasalle games in 1986, the Ateneo introduced something new to the cheering world - a combination of male and female cheerdancers. It was the first time the UAAP has seen such. Because of the rising popularity of the UAAP in the 1990's the league started the UAAP cheerdance competition. Late in the century there was a squabble on the Blue Babble accepting female cheerleaders. The Ateneo tradition never had female cheerdancers but at that time the other schools have already caught up on the ateneo since it was one of the last institutions that does not have female cheerleaders. Eventually the Ateneo decided to add female cheerleaders to the Blue Babble Battalion. The group is now composed of cheerleaders, cheer dancers, the band and brass group.

References: Blue Babble Battalion