Loyola Schools Bulletin Volume 2, Issue #4 & #5 - Ateneo de Manila ...

October 2006we build community we nurture hope15PHILIP SISON PHILIP SISONAteneo Blue Eagles Bid Adieu to UAAP Season 69 Dream (from page 16)Kramer says, “but we felt that thereferees were against us, and it isjust so hard to beat a team plusthe officiating.” “But we werereally excited, I was even able tosleep early the night before, notlike the previous games; I did notthink we would lose,” says Intal.In Game Three, emotions ranhigh in the Big Dome as bothteams refused to give an inch ofground to their opponents.Regulation time ended at 64apiece and both teams got readyfor extra time. Five minutes later,UST’s school song was sung first:the scoreboard read 74-76 infavor of the Tigers.“Even if UST wonthe UAAPchampionship, ourteam won thehearts of so manypeople and Iwouldn’t trade thatfor anything,”Applause for this year’schampions came from the Blueand White as UST gleefully sangtheir song. On court, someformer Eagles tried to comforttheir brokenhearted descendants.Escalona reveals, “Even up to thelast play I did not feel like we weregoing to lose, that is why I cannot explain what I felt at thatmoment. But it was definitelymore than disappointment—notjust for those of us graduatingthis year – but for the whole team,and the Ateneo.” “I could notbelieve it,” Kramer simply states.But as the Song for Maryresounded throughout Araneta,the Eagles sang with their fists inthe air and heads up, albeit maybewith tears in their eyes. “We knewwe gave it our all,” Escalona says.Kramer agrees and relates: “Iknew that our team did our best,and that I gave my all and my bestthroughout the series and theseason, but it still did not go ourway.” “Besides, they deserved towin,” says Intal, “this is theirCinderella story. No one evenexpected that they would reachthe Final Four, much more theFinals,” he gamely adds.“We are really sorry that we fellshort,” says Tiu, “but thanks forthe [Ateneo community’s]support, even during our lossesthey still believed in the team.”Co-Captain Escalona says,“Despite the loss, we feelappreciated; the support evenafter the season is over isamazing.” “Even if UST won theUAAP championship, our teamwon the hearts of so manypeople and I wouldn’t trade thatfor anything,” says Co-CaptainKramer, “I still believe that we arethe champions.”So where to now for the BlueEagles? Tiu, who is eligible to playat least one more year for theAteneo, may come back foranother year. “Not 100% sure,”he says, “but most probably.” Ofthe team he will “most probably”quarterback next year: “It will bea new team next year; we will haveto work even harder and gel evenearlier; maybe we can even exceedwhat this year’s team did,” hehopefully states. And he hasnothing but praise for theirmentor, “Coach Norman’s great,very dedicated. He’s like a dad andeveryone on the team respectshim. He exhausted everything totake us to the championships.”The three Co-Captains, the onlyremnants of the last AteneoUAAP Champion Team, are allgraduating from the Ateneo.Kramer and Escalona will beplaying for the Cebuana Lhuillerteam in the PBL, “with KenBono, so it will be an interestingPBL Conference,” Kramer jokes.Intal is taking a slightly differentpath. According to AteneoLegend and PBA mainstay OlsenRacela, Intal will be practicingwith their PBA team, whichalready boasts of four AteneoLegends (Racela, Gonzales, andLewis Alfred Tenorio, and CoachChot Reyes). Intal says that he willhopefully be able to play in thePBL’s second conference.Needless to say, all three have settheir eyes on joining next year’sPBA Draft.“Macky’s a great player; a gooddefender and he has made such aALYSON YAPhuge improvement this year,”says Intal of his Co-Captain andfriend. “And Doug, well, you cannot call Doug butterfingersanymore,” he says wryly, referringto Kramer’s nickname-of-sorts inhis first couple of years in theAteneo. “They’re both going tohave great futures in basketball.Who knows? We may even beable to play on the same team…”“To the Ateneo community,thank you very much for thesupport, the prayers, and thelove,” Intal says. Escalona, whohas spent nine years in theAteneo, says: “I never feel astaken care of than when I am inthe Ateneo. I am who I ambecause of my growth here.I wanted to give it all back bywinning the championship,” headds, “but I’ll make the schoolproud one way or another.”Kramer almost waxes emotionalwhen asked for a message for theAteneo community. “I love myschool, the community, and myteam. I would not exchangeanything in my five years here foranything. I will never forget thepride I have within me because Iplayed for such a prestigiousuniversity. I will be carrying thisfor the rest of my life.”ANIMO ATENEO! ONE BIGFIGHT!PHILIP SISONAteneo Blue Tankers splash to third (from page 16)400-meter freestyle relay, 400-meter medley relay, and 800-meterfreestyle relay).The women’s team medal countincluded six gold medals (50-meterfreestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, 400-meterfreestyle, 800-meter freestyle, and200-meter freestyle relay), sevensilvers (50-meter freestyle, 50-meter backstroke, 100-meterbackstroke, 100-meter freestyle,200-meter backstroke, 800-meterfreestyle, and 400-meter freestylerelay), and 11 bronze medals (50-meter backstroke, 50-meterbreaststroke, 50-meter freestyle,100-meter backstroke, 200-meterfreestyle, 200-meter backstroke,400-meter freestyle, 200-meterindividual medley, 200-metermedley relay, 400-meter medleyrelay, and 800-meter freestyleSCOTT KHOjoin the National Open in Cebu,which is the pre-qualifyingtournament for the next SoutheastAsian Games.A bright future lies ahead for theswimmers of Ateneo. For nextseason, the men’s team will try toplace again in the standings and thewomen’s team will aim for the firstplace, especially with the three topfemale swimmers in the countryexpressing their interest in joiningAteneo. There are also membersof the Juniors team, the back-tobackchampions for swimming,who will join the Men’s team nextyear.The Ateneo Swimming teamwould like to thank the Ateneocommunity for the support theyshowed to the teams this year.They would like to thank theAthletics Office, Mr. Alex Torresand the PE Department, and theLamoiyan Corporation with itsPresident, Mr. Cecilio K. Pedro.TJ PARPANrelay). In addition, Heidi Gem Ongreceived the Rookie of the Yearaward.SCOTT KHOAfter the UAAP season, theAteneo swimmers are preparingfor a couple of meets. Three of theLady Tankers and two of the BlueTankers will be sent to Hanoi,Vietnam in December for theASEAN University Games. InFebruary 2007, Ateneo will playhost to the NCAA-UAAPSwimming Meet. Then, in April2007, some of the swimmers will