Last dance for Eagles, Archers

It all boils down to a single game.

After everything’s been said and done, this year’s UAAP war between fierce rivals Ateneo and La Salle will come to an end today at the Araneta Coliseum where a sea of fans — decked in blue and green — will come to witness the highly-awaited winner-take-all encounter.

It will certainly be a match worth watching, and worth remembering, too, regardless of the outcome.

La Salle is eyeing a fourth straight crown under coach Franz Pumaren — a feat which has never been achieved in school history.

Ateneo, for its part, is in its first final appearance in 13 years, and is actually trying to duplicate its title victory over La Salle in 1988.

The series actually started 18 days ago with a 74-68 victory for La Salle. And after a one-week break during which a "mysterious virus" allegedly struck the Archers, the Eagles finally displayed the needed endgame resolve to post a 76-72 victory, tie the best-of-three series and forge a rubber match.

Twelve days had gone leading to today’s game, the long break only adding up to the hype and excitement of the series. This is the first time since 1988 that these two teams so rich in history and tradition have come to meet for the title.

"Some of my players have become restless because of the 12-day break. Medyo nakakainip din. And this is the first time for me as coach here at La Salle that we’ve gone on a break this long. It’s not easy," said Pumaren a few days ago.

What’s nice about the long rest, he added, is that it might have taken away the impact of Ateneo’s series-tying victory last Oct. 4. "I think no one has the upperhand now. Momentum? I don’t even know who’s got it," he said.

Ateneo coach Joe Lipa readily agreed. Or at least, he tried to.

"It’s anybody’s ballgame. And the momentum seemed to have died down after a 12-day break. But it will surely work for both teams. If La Salle is ready, so are we. I’m sure we’ll go on equal footing with them in today’s game," said Lipa in a phone interview yesterday.

There’ll be a lot of tearful goodbyes after the game, too.

For one, this will be Lipa’s final game with the Eagles since taking over the coaching chores from Mark Molina three years ago.

"Definitely, it’s going to be my last game with Ateneo. This will be our last game together. And my decision stands. Let’s just put it this way — that it’s time to give the others a chance," he said.

The game will also be the last game for Renren Ritualo as an Archer, giving the sweet-shooting former San Beda Red Cub another good reason to give it his best.

"Renren is so special to La Salle because in his four years with the team, we’ve always been in the final. His teammates know this so this game could serve as a big tribute to him," said Pumaren of his 6-foot-1 Archer.

"I can feel that the rest of my players want to give Renren a graceful exit," added the La Salle coach, who’d seen Ritualo blossom into one of the country’s finest collegiate players under his watch.