In collegiate basketball, green and blue are two colors that reflect the storied rivalry between two schools. It’s a rivalry that isn’t only emotional but also fierce. Almost like the blue and grey rivalry between the North and South in the US Civil War.
The rivalry has transcended the collegiate ranks and now is in the PBA although because of the nature of the pro game, Blue Eagles from Ateneo and Green Archers from La Salle often find themselves curious teammates.
At Red Bull, for instance, Ateneo’s Rich Alvarez, Paolo Bugia and Magnum Membrere play alongside Archer Carlo Sharma with La Salle alumni Yeng Guiao as head coach and Gee Abanilla (now St. Benilde mentor) as chief assistant. Another cross-mixed team is Magnolia with La Salle’s Mike Cortez and Willie Wilson joining Ateneo’s Enrico Villanueva, Wesley Gonzales and Olsen Racela.
Alaska also has its share of Archers and Eagles as Ateneo’s L. A. Tenorio and Larry Fonacier and La Salle’s JunJun Cabatu are now in the same camp with Archers Dickie Bachmann and Luigi Trillo and Eagle Jojo Lastimosa in Tim Cone’s coaching staff. At Talk ‘N’ Text, La Salle’s Ren-Ren Ritualo, Don Allado and Mac-Mac Cardona are combining forces with Ateneo’s Gec Chia and coach Chot Reyes. Air21 finds La Salle’s Mark Telan and Ateneo’s Doug Kramer and J. C. Intal locking arms while Ginebra unites Archer J. R. Aquino and Eagle Macky Escalona.
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Two years ago, a benefit game pitting former Ateneo and La Salle stars was played before a packed Araneta Coliseum crowd of school diehards. The action got so intense that La Salle’s Joseph Yeo whacked Villanueva on the nose during the so-called “friendly.” Villanueva turned out to be the hero as he knocked down the marginal triple that lifted Ateneo to an 88-85 win.
Today, PBA cagers from La Salle and Ateneo converge on opposite sides to renew their rivalry at the Big Dome, this time to raise a cushion for the Players Trust Fund. More than a treat for the fans, it’s a game “for the boys.”
Not too many know that it was Ateneo booster and shipping magnate Arben Santos who broached the idea of staging the benefit exhibition to PBA chairman Tony Chua. Santos, Chua and Bobong Velez – who attended both La Salle and Ateneo – then got together to push the project through.
“We thought of riding on the popularity of the Ateneo and La Salle players in the PBA,” said Santos who deals in overseas shipping services with offices in Manila and Tokyo. “From my point of view, the PBA’s fan base is mainly C and D. But if we tap the huge fan base of the UAAP and NCAA, we could enlarge the PBA’s fan base to A and B.”
Santos’ primary motivation, however, is to help out the players in their future.
“We’re looking to expand the scope of the Trust Fund beyond education,” continued Santos, a former Ateneo varsity player whose passion for sports is as legendary as his unflinching support for his alma mater. “Maybe, it’s time someone advises the players on a meaningful direction to put a clear vision for the future. One idea is to build a provident fund where players set aside perhaps, five percent of their income with the league matching the contribution in a counterpart arrangement for a pension plan.”
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In the NBA, the Players Association is headed by a professional manager, usually a lawyer, appointed by the cagers themselves. Santos said the concept is not to set up a union as a pressure or lobby group but an organization to look out for the players’ future with support from the league.
“There are two things to do before making it happen,” explained Santos. “First, we’ve got to think of ways to raise funds so we have something to fall back on. Second, we’ve got to develop programs to disburse the funds for the benefit of the players. The first priority is to raise funds and that’s why we’re doing the Ateneo-La Salle game.”
Santos, who advises Ateneo players like Villanueva, Alvarez and Fonacier on their PBA careers at no charge, said the benefit game will be a can’t-afford-to-miss duel.
La Salle is out to avenge its painful loss the last time out with Ginebra’s Joseph Uichico calling the shots. The Green Archers lineup is composed of Yeo, Cardona, Ritualo, Allado, Sharma, Cortez, Telan, Ryan Arana, Cabatu, Wilson, Adonis Sta. Maria and Aquino.
Ateneo’s cast consists of Villanueva, Fonacier, Alvarez, Gonzales, Bugia, Tenorio, Chia, Kramer,. Intal, Escalona, Membrere and Racela.
The game will be shown live at 4 this afternoon on Studio 23 with Sev Sarmenta of Ateneo and Andy Jao of La Salle on the broadcast panel.
By the way, Santos and his wife were in Las Vegas to witness the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez rematch last weekend. He bought four $600 tickets as soon as they went on sale last New Year’s Eve and rejected offers to resell them for $2,500 apiece in the black market.
