The FBL, sponsored by Primovit growth vitamins, was designed to be an introductory league to young children who wanted to get their feet wet in actual basketball competition.
The first title match was between traditional powers St. Scholastica’s College and Assumption College. St. Scho’s Scions had been on a tear, going undefeated in the eliminations, and surviving the semifinals the day before. The team was led by diminutive first-year high school student and Most Valuable Player Camille Ramos, daughter of former Indonesian national coach and current Talk N Text assistant coach Bong Ramos.
"When we were in Indonesia, she told me that when we got back to Manila, she wanted to study in a school that had a strong basketball team," Ramos told The STAR. "I was surprised, but I said okay."
The girls’ division has a cut-off age of 13. At the start of the championship game, Assumption’s size advantage helped them get a lot of rebounds and inside opportunities. St. Scho employed a swarming defense and great ball movement. Each team struggled in the beginning, obviously nervous. With time winding down, the Scions forced a couple of turnovers, with Ramos leading the break, and took the period, 12-10.
St. Scho used its quickness, and built a six-point lead. Assumption point guard Bea Daez started to make her presence felt, forcing the fastbreak and passing off to shooters. The lead was frozen at five by halftime.
But with Ramos creating, St. Scho gradually increased its lead, though it was never safe. The pressing defense and running game kept the bigger Assumption girls at bay, and, when time finally ran out, the Scions kept their unbeaten streak alive, and clinched their first FBL title.
In the Mini division (for boys eight to 10 years old), host Ateneo de Manila had been hostile to all visitors, scoring big wins every weekend to remain the top seed going into the playoffs. Division MVP Jay Javelosa was a runaway choice, as he single-handedly outshot the competition, especially in crunch time, on the very rare occasions that it ever came to that.
An addtional advantage was facing a tired Marist side. Marist had to run the gauntlet by going through a sudden death match with La Salle Greenhills, which they had to beat twice just the day before. Marist surprised the Green Archers in the first game, 37-33. After a brief rest, they had to play the sudden death match. The rules, as always, called for a different five in each of the first three quarters, and the coach’s best five in the fourth quarter.
In the sudden death, Marist raced off to an 8-0 lead, but LSGH kept it close. Marist led, 29-24, at the start of the fourth quarter, but it soon dwindled as their offense sputtered and La Salle got stronger. The Greenhills boys managed to send the game into overtime, and even led by three at the start of the extension. But with La Salle up by one in the final minute plus, Marist’s Axel Arroyo and Mikhail Tee scored back-to-back baskets, putting them up by three and winning the grueling contest.
Now, Marist had to face a fresher, undefeated Ateneo team that boasted sons of former Blue Eagle Jet Nieto and AdMU head coach Norman Black, the youngest members of the team. In the last two minutes of the first period, Ateneo struck, erecting an eight-point lead that would balloon to 19 by halftime. The lead reached 27 before Marist could make some headway. Needless to say, Ateneo managed to hold off their stiff challenge, 68-52.
San Beda Alabang had been running roughshod over the field in the Midgets division (boys aged 11 to 13). Coach Aldrin Morante, a point guard in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association, had molded a very coordinated offensive unit that ran the break very well. But he was up against an experienced Ateneo team. Midgets MVP Mark de Castro kept the Blue Eaglets close by scoring six points in the first period, though SBA held a four-point lead. In the second period, the teams answered each other, as Ateneo pulled abreast at 28 at halftime.
The third quarter saw an Ateneo meltdown in the face of the Red Cubs’ defense. Ateneo only scored six points, all from the free throw line, as San Beda built a 44-34 lead going into the fourth quarter. Though the Bedans were in penalty early in the fourth, Gio Marasigan asserted himself inside to keep Beda’s lead sturdy. Vincent Morante hit a three-pointer in the last three minutes to boost San Beda’s lead to 12. It was too much for Ateneo to overcome, and San Beda annexed its first FBL championship.
It’s refreshing to watch these young kids give their all in their first time out, as it was exciting to see the parents cheer their lungs out. The FBL plans a bigger second season, and an expansion into other sports this year.