Eagles see loss as lesson

MANILA, Philippines - Just as they magnanimously basked in glory during their five-year reign, the Ateneo Blue Eagles are graciously accepting their setback in the UAAP Season 76 men’s basketball tournament and charging this all to experience as they move on with life away from the throne.

“Of course it’s a tough loss for us,” Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga said after their numbing 74-82 loss – to University of Santo Tomas – that ended their dynasty. “But we’re still proud of our players, the way they fought and played with their hearts out until the very last second.”

The Eagles are on unfamiliar ground at this stage of the tourney, on the outside looking in, relegated to spectators as four other teams engage in a free-for-all for the crown they have held the last five years. From being first, the Eagles plummeted to fifth overall, which is somehow too much to take for those so used to winning.

“As team manager Paolo Trillo told the players, make sure you keep your heads high. You give your best, sometimes you end up on top, sometimes you end up in the bottom. The most important thing is you don’t let bad things define who you are; you improve and learn from it,” said Arespacochaga, who filled in for suspended coach Bo Perasol in the crucial game.

“Life goes on. We are humble enough to be magnanimous for past victories, we’re gracious enough to accept this loss. And hats off to UST, they played very well,” he added.

Instead of sulking after the debacle, the Eagles prefer to take the positives out of this.

“You could see that in all of our games, except for one game wherein it’s really a blowout against NU, which was our first game, we actually had the chance to win. We were in the thick of things, it’s just a matter of a couple of free throws, possessions, breaks along the way. But that’s basketball,” said Arespacochaga.

Four more key players in Ateneo’s glory years – Ryan Buenafe, Juami Tiongson, JP Erram and Frank Golla – will leave the fold after the season.

“Ganyan talaga ang buhay, minsan nananalo, minsan natatalo pero okay lang, at least four years na champion. Siguro, lesson ito para maging malakas pa sa future (That’s life, you win some, you lose some. At least I experienced winning in four years, that’s something to cherish and maybe it’s also a lesson),” said a teary-eyed Buenafe.

The former champs took some time leaving their dugout, shedding a tear or two for this missed chance. They decided to have dinner together – with Perasol following suit from wherever he stayed during the game – to cap this season. There will be no bonfire on the campus this time but the team will hear Mass together on Sunday.