The Final Score: In season's first Manila Clasico, Purefoods celebrates past as Ginebra dominates present

 

Every Manila Clasico should start the way it did last Sunday. With history. With pomp. With nostalgia. With a heartfelt nod to the players from before. With the rousing cheer for the games that leave us wanting for more. With a connection between what your parents watched, or what your older siblings watched, and what you’re watching now. With goosebumps. With kilabot vibes. With reminders of why we watch sports to begin with.

 

Fans saw the throwback jerseys of Purefoods. Purefoods and Ginebra fans alike applauded for Jerry Codiñera and Rey Evangelista whose jersey numbers were retired before the game. A big event became even bigger. A sporting event became so much larger than its most basic reality. 

 

A game with no fanfare whatsoever is still a game. But why not turn it into something more? It wasn’t about giving fans they need. Needs are relative. It was about giving fans, in the realm of providing experiential bliss, what they deserve.

 

If you’re a Purefoods fan, the only thing missing from Sunday night was a Purefoods victory. Knowing how superstitious players and coaches are, I hope they don’t believe such pregame pageantry brings sure misfortune. Nostalgia shouldn’t be blamed. Yet some probably will. It might be better to accredit the loss to Ginebra’s Joseph Yeo, who made 5-of-8 three-point shots, instead. Or how Purefoods’ James Yap, back from the injury list, went 2-of-14 from the field. Or how Ginebra tallied more assists, 22-9.

 

Purefoods has every reason to enjoy looking back. Codiñera. Evangelista. Jolas. Alvin Patrimonio, of course. Baby Dalupan. Denzel Bowles. Kerby Raymundo. The birth of Gaconatics. Four straight championships. The Grand Slam. I can go on and on. Honestly, team supporters shouldn’t grow tired of revisiting history. There’s so much heritage to celebrate.

 

 

Likewise, Ginebra will never run out of historical moments to commemorate. This is Ginebra, after all. Jaworski’s team. Billy Ray Bates. Dondon Ampalayo. The Loyzaga brothers. Michael “Mr. 103 points” Hackett. Bal David. The Skyscraper. The Tank. Did you know Jolly Escobar also played for Ginebra? I still can’t believe Philip Cezar played for Ginebra. Ronald Tubid. Wilmer Ong. Yes. Wilmer Ong. See, I can also go on and on. 

 

But while Purefoods has every reason to look back, especially look back at the previous four conferences, Ginebra understandably prefers to look ahead. Or look at the present. The now. The what-are-we-doing-today now. Forget yesterday. Focus on the current. Disregard what could’ve been. Look at what they can be. 

 

That Ginebra can play Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar (cue eyes widening open) at the same time. That Slaughter and Aguilar (cue eyes widening even more) are both averaging double-double in points and rebounds. That Ginebra is 4-1 and LA Tenorio hasn’t had to score in double figures in any of their games. That Jayjay Helterbrand has his goatee bundled up in a ponytail and it doesn’t seem to bother anyone. 

 

You get goosebumps when two legends emerge from the tunnel still looking like the players they once were. You get goose bumps when players hit the court wearing uniforms that bring back all the memories. 

 

From a Ginebra perspective, however, seeing Tenorio throw his fist in the air after two Ginebra big men pass to one another for a richly deserved lay-up, seeing Tenorio celebrate upon the execution of Coach Jeff Cariaso’s triangle-offense-inspired system, and seeing Tenorio jubilant as Ginebra beat Purefoods lead to a less-nostalgic but more up-to-the date case of the goosebumps as well. — JST, GMA News