Ateneo Blue Eagles celebrate 3-peat heat at Fiamma

MANILA, Philippines - Manny V. Pangilinan, the man who built the Ateneo basketball program, said it best at the Church of Gesu thanksgiving mass last week right after the Blue Eagles won the Season 73 UAAP championship.

This may not be the strongest team but this is the bravest and toughest team I have seen.”

It was a dream season for an underrated squad. After losing four games in the eliminations, the team continued to work harder and improve with each and every game. In the end, defense, poise, heart and championship experience led them to victory. This year’s team has been all about teamwork.

Despite having no mythical five awardees and a different high scorer in each of the games, many felt there was no legitimate superstar. Having no clear-cut go-to guy was seen as a weakness but in the end,

Fiamma friends: Raymond Gutierrez, Michael Concepcion, Solenn Heussaff, Bubbles Paraiso, Carlo Trillo, Anne Curtis and Erwan Heussaff

that was the team’s strength. It was not necessarily one go-to guy — instead it was a go-to team.

To celebrate, the 3-peat champions had their official victory party at Fiamma in Makati. Coach Norman Black, the coaching staff and players enjoyed the night together with the team’s inner circle and friends. With both floors packed, the Blue Eagles partied to the hiphop and mash-up hits of the weekly Saturday Night Live at Fiamma. At the peak of the party, the DJ gave a shout-out to congratulate the team, even playing a mix of We Are the Champions together with Ateneo’s alma mater song. It was like being on center court all over again after the final buzzer. There’s no better way to fly high!