after overtime, the score was 76-74. the ateneo blue eagles lost the championship to the UST growling tigers.

despite all the [emotional] stress yesterday, i don't feel as bad as i expected. after the game, we went straight to the church of the gesu-- like we always do :) and somehow, being with the ateneo community and listening to fr. ben makes it all better. somehow, the atmosphere was transformed from disappointment to thanksgiving. by the time the mass ended, it was as if the fact of the loss was put aside, and everyone was congratulating the players for a wonderful job this season and wishing them luck for the next.

the team and coach norman black apoligized for the loss. but honestly, i think that for us true blue fans, it doesn't matter, because we know how hard they've worked throughout the season and how much everyone's performance has improved. i hate it when i hear others putting the blame on the players, and not just this season. in this case, some are blaming JC intal, who missed crucial layups in the last minutes of the game, and ford arao, for his performance (or lack thereof). i think it's really sad that some people do not realize how much effort these people have given throughout the season. nobody is perfect. players cannot be at their best all the time. to all blamers: can you do better then them? probably not.

i understand sir rono when he said that it's just a game; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. it all boils down on how you played the game. yes, we were all sad and disappointed, but this year's team showed heart we haven't seen after the championship in 2002. they all did their very best, especially captains JC intal (intal inside), doug kramer (who let the doug out?) and macky escalona (i *heart* macky). it's also great to see other players step up, like chris tiu (it's tiu-sday) and zion laterre (laterre-minator). and with this, i really can't be bitter about the loss. it was a good fight. and more than that, this team, this band of brothers, made me fall in love with UAAP basketball all over again. ONE BIG FIGHT!

sabi ni JC, "keep the faith."
i just love this pic. sino ang mukhang fan? hehehe. and i quote coach, "JC, in my heart, you're the MVP." naks. more pics and videos in my multiply account.

and a nice read to end the season: Final Blue Eagles Bulletin: The Season That Was