Varsity Sports Updates (Sportswriter’s Notebook)- A Record-Breaking Perfect Season: NU Bullpups wins historic UAAP junior basketball crown, and memories of the past Oct 9, 2013 Wednesday 2:30 p.m. FilOil-Flying V Arena San Juan How historic for the National University Bullpups, and how nostalgic for me. Only Chot Reyes’ crew of Ateneo Blue Eaglets can achieve such a season, and it last happened in 1986. On Day 1 of season 49 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Junior Basketball tournament, I had an opportunity to speak with Chot Reyes and his crew, which was then led by Roman Cruz III. Oct10Cani Oct10Cani2 Oct10Chot (Clockwise from left: Hubert Cani goes for a drive, UAAP Sports.tv; MVP Hubert Cani and the NU Bullpups celebrate, UAAP Sports.TV, coach Chot Reyes , courtesy of Jerome Ascano of Spin.ph). They will eventually claim a rare 14-0 sweep to win the junior plum. It was a feat which no other squad would duplicate for the next 27 years. I remember myself shaking on my first interview with Mr. Reyes, and writing my first article about him for the Philippine News Agency, and then I followed the campaign of the Blue Eaglets, Roman Cruz III and his big threes throughout the season. Then, finally doing a championship story at the comfort of the airconned newsroom of PNA at a booth which now belongs to DZMM in the former Bohol Ave.(the staff of Fr. Raymund Holscher called in the stats because I could not watch the game. I got sick for three weeks, so they just dictated the results, and most of the games were always at the Blue Eagle gym). Those were the years when there were computerized stats sheets that we have today, no cellphones, no wifi, no laptops, no Facebook, no Twitter, no fax machine and no internet. Just your trusty landline phone box and manual typewriter. -FAST FORWARD TO SEASON 76 Finals MVP Hubert Cani made it possible in the dying seconds with his big plays which carried the National University Bullpups to an 81-74 triumph over the Ateneo Blue Eaglets yesterday at the Arena in San Juan. For the 17-year old Cani, this title conquest is a big reason for a double celebration for the Cani family. Oct10NU Oct10NU2 Oct10NU3 (photos courtesy of UAAP Sports.TV). His dad Lito is an assistant coach to Macky Torres, who coaches the La Salle-Dasmarinas Patriots. A few hours before the 1 p.m. gametime, and a few kilometers away, the Patriots were able to grab third place in the 12th Universities and Colleges Athletic Association (UCAA) men’s basketball tournament at the Rizal Technological University gymnasium in Mandaluyong. Clifford Castro made 29 points, including two free throws in the last 11 seconds which carried the La Salle-Dasmarinas Patriots to an 88-85 win over the Philippine School of Business Administration Jaguars. When it was over, Mr. Cani immediately made his way to the Arena. His dad cheered him on as Hubert canned in 25 points, including two winning free throws in the last 50.5 seconds. His charities gave the Bullpups a pivotal seven-point advantage in the remaining time. “He is so focused in this game,” said Mr. Cani as the NU community celebrated after the game. The young Cani’s charities propelled NU to their second title in three years when they finished the best-of-three finals of the 76th University Athletic Association of the Philippine Junior Basketball Tournament with a two-game sweep. Oct10Thirdy (Tight defense on Thirdy Ravena by Michael Battad, photo courtesy of Arvin Lim, UAAP Sports.tv) Bullpups coach Jeff Napa said their sweep was an historic moment for the team. No high school cage team has ever swept their 14-game elimination assignment since 1986. It was a batch of Ateneo Blue Eaglets under former coach Chot Reyes which did it. They also became the first squad to complete a 16-0 sweep from elimination to finals. “Masaya ito, at nakapagbigay kami ng history at glory na naman sa NU community. Mas masarap kasi, Ateneo ang dating mayroon nito,” said Napa. The Blue Eaglets, who took a 93-101 setback in Game 1 to the Bullpups, kept matters close in the last 2:28 off Thirdy Ravena’s drive past John Cauilan, 72-74. They slowly moved out of range on Michael Battad’s triple, 77-72, in the last 74 seconds. The Blue Eaglets turned the ball over twice on misses by Aaron Black and Jose Escaler, and Cani sank his charities off Matthew Nieto’s foul in the next play. On Cani’s performance, coach Jeff said he can never be a dad to him. He is too young to be one for Hubert. But, as a big brother, coach Jeff quipped that it is normal for him to have constant arguments with Cani over what he needed to do make his game better. Cauilan made 18 points and 15 rebounds for the Bullpups while Carlos Lopena struck with 10. The Blue Eaglets drew 27 points and 13 boards from Ravena while Jose Mendoza and Black had 15 and 12. THE SCORES: NU 81- Cani 25, Cauilan 18, Lopena 10, Battad 9, Dyke 8, Mosqueda 6, Go 5. Ateneo 74- Ravena 27, Mendoza 15, Black 12. M. Nieto 10, Matthew Nieto 6. Magpoc 2, Calilung 2. Quarterscores: 27-20, 40-38, 63-58, 81-74.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 02:17:10 +0000
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