All’s well that ends well for Red Lions
Exactly a week after the San Beda Red Lions successfully defended their NCAA men's basketball crown against a gallant Letran Knights side, I can't help but ponder over the team's tumultuous journey this year. The victory on October 26 that gave San Beda a second three-peat in the last seven years, and a record-breaking 17th title over-all in the country's oldest cage league is a fitting reward to this young band of Bedans that had to endure so much mental agony since the beginning of this year.
Right after they won the NCAA crown last year, also in late October, things started to go downhill for the Lions. Just a week later, the Semerad twins, Anthony and David, packed their bags and were reportedly headed to the Ateneo Blue Eagles' camp. Anthony was an integral part of the team's offense, being among its top gunners. David was instrumental in Game 2 of the 2011 finals where he emerged the best player. The twins gave various reasons for leaving the team after two triumphant seasons.
Then on December 2, an ugly brawl erupted in the SBC gym during an NCAA volleyball game, which caused most of the damage to the Red Lions. A racial slur against Nigerian import Olaide Adeogun by members of the San Sebastian men's volleyball team reportedly ignited the fracas between then Red Lions coach Frankie Lim and SSC volleyball coach Roger Gorayeb. The incident caused a two-year ban on Lim and Gorayeb by the NCAA. Lim resigned shortly after the league announced the ban in March of this year. He led SBC to four championships in the NCAA.
And so, the Red Lions were like orphans for a time, just a few months before the 88th Season of the NCAA commenced. Top patron Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) and San Beda officials scampered to find an immediate replacement for Lim. Former Red Cub ace point guard Ronnie Magsanoc was the unanimous choice. Magsanoc also serves as first assistant coach in Pangilinan's Meralco Bolts PBA team.
Reluctant at first, Magsanoc took the challenge of leading the two-time defending champions. One of the greatest 25 PBA players of all time, Magsanoc had to make painstaking adjustments in his schedule to take care of the team. And so did the Red Lions. The daily practice was being held as early as 6:30 a.m. as Magsanoc and deputies Xavy Nunag and Patrick Fran needed to be at the Meralco gym by 9:00 a.m. for the Bolts' training.
The next two months would be tough as the team was still in the getting-to-know-you stage. Just two weeks after Magsanoc took over, the Red Lions already had to play in the Fil-Oil Cup pre-season tournament. He barely had time to introduce his system and coaching philosophy.
Then, in its annual training camp in the U.S., the team suffered another big blow. Fil-Am sensation Julius Armon, who was the Red Lions' top scorer in the Fil-Oil Cup, left the Los Angeles hotel where the team was billeted and never returned. Armon was supposed to be the next Garvo Lanete. He was a deadly sniper from downtown. He was a scoring machine. Without Lanete, Anthony Semerad, the sweet-shooting Mar Villahermosa, and Armon, the Lions looked feeble in offense. Combo guard Baser Amer would be the next best scoring option. But he is not known for his shooting.
Just a week before the opening of the NCAA season, long-time team manager Mike Advani, a successful businessman and former Red Lion, likewise resigned. His ever-growing businesses required more of his attention, and managing the team took a lot of his time. Again they needed an immediate replacement. While watching the opening game between the Knights and the Stags on TV, I got a call from MVP himself asking if I would be interested in the job. Honestly, I was hoping for another coaching stint in one of his teams, after serving as deputy to Serbian coach Rajko Toroman in the Smart Gilas National Team. But the opportunity to serve my alma mater once more presented itself. And you don't think twice when you get an offer from MVP.
The Red Lions, the defending champs in the last two years, did not see action on opening day for the first time since 2006. The league also slapped a one-game suspension on eight Lions, and a four-game ban on Adeogun, as a result of the brawl in December. So on the second day of the tournament, six Red Lions had to face a dangerous Arellano Chiefs team. But the "Super Six" defied the odds and scored an impressive 81-71 win to start the season for the Lions. It was unexpected, even unthinkable. But the team pulled through, despite playing with its third unit, and five rookies out of the six.
As expected, this season became the toughest for the Red Lions in the last seven years, even including the one they lost to San Sebastian in 2009. They still finished in first place after the elimination round, but this time with three losses. The Lions never had more than two defeats in the elims since 2006. This year, they lost once to the Perpetual Help Altas, and twice to the San Sebastian Stags. They also had several tight matches this season, including the second round encounters with Arellano and Emilio Aguinaldo. The semis game against the Altas was also a struggle, and the Lions barely escaped with the win.
Then came the big dance. Letran was on a hot eight-game winning streak, including back-to-back victories in the semis against the twice-to-beat San Sebastian. Game 1 was close, with San Beda narrowly edging the Knights, 62-60. But the Knights bounced back strong in Game 2, totally outplaying the Lions to even the series with a convincing 64-55 win. Now Letran gained the momentum heading into the winner-take-all match.
The pressure was overwhelming. That big Game 2 loss was devastating as everybody in Mendiola expected to party that day. But it was not meant to happen. Not yet. Over at Muralla, the spirit was high. The Knights finally solved the puzzle and beat the Lions after four tries.
A few days before the grand finale, MVP suggested for the team to stay together for a night. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Ortigas. That evening, the team went to see the movie "Argo" at nearby Galleria. It was a film about an almost impossible mission to get six U.S. diplomats out of Tehran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Like the story, the team also had its own tough mission to accomplish in a few days. MVP came later that night along with Maynilad president Ricky Vargas, Maynilad vice-president Patrick Gregorio and Smart Gilas coach Chot Reyes to see the boys.
In Game 3, the Lions were all fired-up. From the opening tip, they immediately seized control of the game and never looked back. The Lions scored their biggest win of the season via a surprising 28-point shellacking of the Knights, 67-39. In one fateful day, all the heartaches disappeared.
The struggles of the Red Lions in the last ten months are now part of history. In the end, these struggles just made the victory a lot sweeter. This 17th crown and third in a row is a tribute to the Lions' strong resolve and faith.
Now, the Red Lions can look forward to better days. With only Jake Pascual, Melo Lim and Anjo Caram graduating this year, the team remains competitive and capable of extending its dynasty in the NCAA.
And yes, the Semerads are back.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
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