Beauty of sports

It didn’t matter which side you were on. Last Wednesday, fans – regardless of age, color or creed – got a big treat watching FEU’s 71-70 win over La Salle in a do-or-die contest for the last ticket to the UAAP men’s basketball Final Four at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The game was a showcase of the beauty of basketball and the wonder of varsity sports.

As expected, the contest went down to the wire. The Tamaraws led by a point at the end of the first quarter. The Archers were on top by two at the half. FEU was in the driver’s seat, sitting on a three-point cushion starting the fourth period. And when the smoke cleared, the Tamaraws had sealed it by a point.

La Salle opened a four-point advantage with a little over a minute left then Ken Tuffin hit a long two-pointer for FEU, La Salle rookie Joaqui Manuel missed a jumper and Arvin Tolentino rattled in a three as the Tamaraws seized the lead with 3.1 seconds left. After a timeout, the Archers ran a play for Dodong Santillan to take a shot from close range. It was a perfect plan. La Salle coach Louie Gonzalez created a diversion by bringing in slasher Encho Serrano for the final play and FEU probably thought Aljun Melecio, the Archers’ top clutch shooter, would take the make-or-break shot. Instead, the inbound pass sailed over to Santillan who got off a shot at a difficult angle. The outcome was settled only at the final buzzer.

FEU team owner Anton Montinola consoled the Archers and said it just “tsamba” that the Tamaraws pulled off the victory. But it was more than luck that advanced FEU to the Final Four. FEU showed poise and composure down the stretch, never panicked and left its fate to what the Tamaraws do best – shooting the long ball. FEU, the league’s No. 1 three-point shooting team, wound up with nine triples, three by Tolentino, and La Salle, six. The Tamaraws took 34 tries from beyond the arc and La Salle, 19.

Tolentino shot 10 points in the first half but was only 2-of-9 from the field in the second half. He saved his best for the clincher.  FEU coach Olsen Racela had experience on his side with 14 holdovers from last season’s lineup compared to seven for La Salle. It showed in the Tamaraws’ balanced attack as four players finished in double figure points while only Santillan was in twin digits for the Archers. Kevin Ebona was a major force for FEU, compiling 12 points and 16 rebounds, including 10 offensive. With Prince Orizu hampered by early foul trouble and fouling out after only eight minutes of action, Ebona stepped up to hold his own in the interior.

What killed La Salle was FEU’s dominance off the glass. The Tamaraws had more rebounds, 54-41 and enjoyed a huge advantage, 27-11, in offensive boards. That allowed FEU to take 24 more field goal attempts so even as the Tamaraws shot a poor 28.6 percent from the floor, they made up for it in volume shooting.

At the end of the game, players and coaches from both teams embraced. Supporters from both schools applauded when the rival anthems were played. La Salle assistant coach Glenn Capacio, an FEU legend, raised his arm to join the singing of the Tamaraws hymn. An FEU alumnus went to La Salle’s Kib Montalbo, sitting on the court in tears with head bowed, and consoled him. There was no sign of animosity. The players battled fiercely for 40 minutes but when it was all over, they shook hands and wished each other well. The teams deserved congratulations – to FEU for the victory and to La Salle for never giving up.

In the lockerroom, La Salle’s team managers Terry Capistrano, Raffy Villavicencio and Justice Andy Reyes took turns to honor the Archers for playing their hearts out. Nothing to be ashamed of, said Capistrano who has been supporting the team for 17 years. Hold your head up because you made La Salle proud, said Villavicencio. Reyes thanked Montalbo and Santillan for giving their all as they played their last UAAP game. The graduating players plan to apply for the coming PBA D-League draft then join the PBA draft next year.

If FEU displayed style in showing how to win, La Salle exhibited class in showing how to lose. In the end, at the final buzzer, that’s really what sports is all about – fighting the good fight.