Last time, I went about the reasons why I tend to favor college basketball more than the professional, semi-professional leagues out there. But I believe I haven’t explained myself fully... yet.
I mentioned unpredictability, rivalries that are of legendary proprtions. However, I have neglected to mention, or talk about, the heart and soul of the matter: the players themselves. You may ask, what about these players? Some would be stars but wouldn’t pan out in the professional level. Some would be role players but eventually would find a niche for themselves and become stars. Some would be coming from small schools yet they defy all odds and become a household name nationwide. Or, they could be 5-star recruits who justify their status and go on to be superstars. Or, one could be a hotly recruited high school standout but would find himself floundering and eventually washing out.
Those are but a few reasons to love college hoops. You do not know who will show up, or who will give up. The professionals of course show up but because it’s their salary that’s at stake. No play, no pay Jose. College players? Even if they play, say for some simple Jack, 2 minutes in a game, he’ll give his all. 100 percent, or maybe even more. Why is that? He’s fighting for his school. The mere fact that he won a roster spot and got a jersey with his school’s name emblazoned on his chest, he’s got a lot to prove that the coach was not wrong in giving him a chance.
But then again, while there may be hardworking players, there will be rotten tomatoes as well. And much more confounding is, if the said player is the star of the team. It is really irritating to see a college player who has the talent, the skill, just throw it away. Be it in his demeanor on the floor, or cheapshot tactics some employ, or worse, disregarding the head coach’s orders and decides to forage on his own. It is very heartbreaking to his school’s community, if I may add. When one player abides by his God-given talent alone, and doesn’t do anything to better himself, it’s his team that takes the fall. They say one diamond-in-the-rough will make a team, while a bright coal may destroy a team. That used to be applied to the professional level. However, with the clout of college stars nowadays, the same can be said for them.
Imagine, if Nonoy Baclao decided to go his own way during his stay in Ateneo, things might’vve gone sour and they wouldn’t be celebrating a four-peat. Again, if Sam Ekwe or Sudan Daniel decided that hey, they didn’t recruit me for nothing so I should hog the ball since I am a winner, San Beda would not be champions for five of the last six years. However, the guys mentioned above played their roles to the hilt. And with the exception of Sudan, were diamonds in the rough at the start. And look what their schools reaped. Ho-hum championships left and right.
It is in stark contrast to probably the poster boy for disobeying coaches, at least in the country, Calvin Abueva. It was very evident that he doesn’t agree what Topex Robinson tried to employ with the San Sebastian Stags so he went his own way. It is shocking considering that with the way he has been playing, his talent brimming and his effort unquestionable, he decides to break loose from the system at an inopportune time. Be it as you may, but he is the reason the Stags lost any fighting chance in the recent NCAA Finals.
Then again, he is a young player. And no, do not even think about cracking the age joke as much as it was heaped on Greg Oden and LeBron James who looked a bit more older than they are among their peers. He may learn from that. And that is the last thing why I love college basketball in particular. The kids learn. Coaches who go to the college ranks nowadays are teachers of the game. Be it Norman Black, Eric Altamirano, Frankie Lim, Manny Dandan, Pido Jarencio, etc. Then you have legendary hoops professors in Joe Lipa, Baby Dalupan among others. They taught players how to play. They taught them how to win. They taught them how to be a very effective player on the hardwood. That is one thing that is missing in the professional ranks. Professional coaches always look for the next big buck deal from another team composed of megastars. College coaches? They look for the next athlete who is willing to learn and blossom to be a star.
And that is why I love college hoops.