atenean_blooded
Dec 11, 2005, 03:56 AM
Today, December 10th, 2005, the 146th Anniversary of the Ateneo de Manila University, marks the revival of one of the most storied basketball rivalries in Philippine history: that of the Ateneo de Manila and San Beda College. At an exhibition game today at San Beda's St. Placid Gym, the Blue Eagles, after a wonderful game that went down the wire, overcame their rivals from Mendiola, 82-75.
Here, the game was played well on the court, and there was great support in the stands. The San Beda home crowd played a wonderful host--no heckling, no jeering. During the warm-ups, the bands exchanged cheers, and the large home and small visiting crowd from the Ateneo exchanged applause as the players treated everyone to an exhibition-filled warm-up routine. The game saw the bands going full blast, with both crowds not letting up. (Not even the referees were spared by both sides. Hehehehe.)
The Blue Eagles saw themselves trailing early in the first quarter, until the trio of Macky Escalona, Ronnie Bughao, and JC Intal conspired to grab the lead. San Beda's Ogie Menor showed why he was such a hot recruiting prospect, shooting 3s that kept the Blue Eagles from moving ahead. By the end of the first half, thanks to torrid shooting and smart play, the Blue Eagles found themselves up by an 18-point margin.
The halftime show was a treat. After the Blue Babble Battalion went through its routine, to the applause of the Bedan gallery, the Ateneans also applauded the entrance of the San Beda cheerleaders, red-and-white-plumed, as they performed their much-vaunted Indian Yell. In the end, again, applause from both squads.
The third quarter saw San Beda cut down the Blue Eagles' lead, and while the Ateneans struggled on offense, the Bedans and their supporters never let up. The lead was down to single digits by the time the fourth quarter began. Here, both crowds were into it. And when San Beda had cut the lead down to three, with the Indian Yell blaring from the stands, the Ateneo supporters rallied and met the Indian Yell head on with Go Ateneo and One Big Fight.
They say that there's such a thing as home court advantage. Macky Escalona, JC Intal, and the other players would have none of that. The Eagles brought the lead back up to 10, and could have kept the lead at that, but the Bedans, undaunted, rallied, and again cut the lead to three. Umpa umpa umpa umpa.
The endgame saw Ronnie Bughao, who was obviously familiar with the San Beda home court, taking to the line to take crucial free throws. Five seconds to go, and the Bedans were applauding their son, whose jersey now read a name with which their school had a shared history: Ateneo. Bughao's freethrows brought the lead back to seven, and when the final buzzer sounded, there was nothing but mutual applause from both sides and both teams. As the Song for Mary was sung by those clad in the Blue and White, the Bedans applauded and cheered. This great honor was returned by the Ateneo gallery, as the home crowd sang their alma mater hymn.
At the end, applause. A game well-played. A rivalry rekindled.
The night saw Ateneans and Bedans gathering over a dinner hosted by the San Beda Alumni Association, with all Ateneo supporters (not too many of us tonight, but enough to fill several tables) invited. The night wore on with blue and red intermingling, sharing stories, and remembering days gone by that will be revived.
The Ateneo-San Beda basketball rivalry's back, folks. And if this game is any indication, we won't be seeing any cheap shots. All is fair, after all, in love and war.
ANIMO ATENEO! ONE BIG FIGHT!
ANIMO SAN BEDA! GO SAN BEDA FIGHT!
Here, the game was played well on the court, and there was great support in the stands. The San Beda home crowd played a wonderful host--no heckling, no jeering. During the warm-ups, the bands exchanged cheers, and the large home and small visiting crowd from the Ateneo exchanged applause as the players treated everyone to an exhibition-filled warm-up routine. The game saw the bands going full blast, with both crowds not letting up. (Not even the referees were spared by both sides. Hehehehe.)
The Blue Eagles saw themselves trailing early in the first quarter, until the trio of Macky Escalona, Ronnie Bughao, and JC Intal conspired to grab the lead. San Beda's Ogie Menor showed why he was such a hot recruiting prospect, shooting 3s that kept the Blue Eagles from moving ahead. By the end of the first half, thanks to torrid shooting and smart play, the Blue Eagles found themselves up by an 18-point margin.
The halftime show was a treat. After the Blue Babble Battalion went through its routine, to the applause of the Bedan gallery, the Ateneans also applauded the entrance of the San Beda cheerleaders, red-and-white-plumed, as they performed their much-vaunted Indian Yell. In the end, again, applause from both squads.
The third quarter saw San Beda cut down the Blue Eagles' lead, and while the Ateneans struggled on offense, the Bedans and their supporters never let up. The lead was down to single digits by the time the fourth quarter began. Here, both crowds were into it. And when San Beda had cut the lead down to three, with the Indian Yell blaring from the stands, the Ateneo supporters rallied and met the Indian Yell head on with Go Ateneo and One Big Fight.
They say that there's such a thing as home court advantage. Macky Escalona, JC Intal, and the other players would have none of that. The Eagles brought the lead back up to 10, and could have kept the lead at that, but the Bedans, undaunted, rallied, and again cut the lead to three. Umpa umpa umpa umpa.
The endgame saw Ronnie Bughao, who was obviously familiar with the San Beda home court, taking to the line to take crucial free throws. Five seconds to go, and the Bedans were applauding their son, whose jersey now read a name with which their school had a shared history: Ateneo. Bughao's freethrows brought the lead back to seven, and when the final buzzer sounded, there was nothing but mutual applause from both sides and both teams. As the Song for Mary was sung by those clad in the Blue and White, the Bedans applauded and cheered. This great honor was returned by the Ateneo gallery, as the home crowd sang their alma mater hymn.
At the end, applause. A game well-played. A rivalry rekindled.
The night saw Ateneans and Bedans gathering over a dinner hosted by the San Beda Alumni Association, with all Ateneo supporters (not too many of us tonight, but enough to fill several tables) invited. The night wore on with blue and red intermingling, sharing stories, and remembering days gone by that will be revived.
The Ateneo-San Beda basketball rivalry's back, folks. And if this game is any indication, we won't be seeing any cheap shots. All is fair, after all, in love and war.
ANIMO ATENEO! ONE BIG FIGHT!
ANIMO SAN BEDA! GO SAN BEDA FIGHT!