Ateneo-UST postscript: Black, Blue and the Yellow Ghost of 2006

 

He entered the picture as a consultant but was later elevated to head coach. He started his reign by recruiting Eric Salamat from the San Sebastian Staglets and Nonoy Baclao from West Negros. But his crown jewel was the recruitment class five years ago composed of Nico Salva, Justin Chua, and Ryan Buenafe.

 

“2006 was a long time ago,” Black would say in interviews when asked about the last time Ateneo and UST met in the UAAP Finals. He tried to brush it off. He tried to play it down. But deep inside that loss still stung. He just didn’t want his players to feel any sort of pressure.

 

The Blue Eagles won the first game but the Tigers remained defiant. They came from behind back in 2006. They felt they could do it again six years after. A war of words was exchanged between Black and UST head coach Pido Jarencio, which made the battle even more intense.

 

The first half of Game 2 was tight. Both teams made runs but neither got a comfortable lead. In the second half, frustration mounted in the faces of Ateneo’s fans because they just can’t seem to shake off a pesky UST team. The tight fourth quarter must have felt like getting a quadruple bypass surgery for the Blue and White gallery as the ghosts of  2006 continued to haunt them but this time they managed to pull through. A Jordan-esque jumper from Kiefer Ravena and a Havlicek-like steal from Juami Tiongson sealed the deal for the Blue Eagles.

 

Together Black and the Blue and White exorcised the Yellow ghost of 2006.

 

“I think he is the best coach in the Philippines,” said the graduating Justin Chua after their Thanksgiving Mass at the Church of the Gesu. But he was quickly rebuffed by Tonino Gonzaga who said that Black was “the best coach in the world.” This too was one-upped by Finals MVP Nico Salva who said that their coach is “the best in the universe.” When it was his turn to speak, Greg Slaughter, who did not know how to top universe, simply said “you’re the man.”

 

When it was his time to talk, everyone inside the church stood up to give their head coach a standing ovation for the last time. He started with sharing stories about the graduating players. He commended Gonzaga for doing whatever was asked of him. “His role back then was to beat up Chris Tiu,” Black said. “He did not play a lot of minutes but he was important to that team.”

 

“Justin is a champion starting center,” Black reminded everyone. “He along with Frank Golla were our starting center and power forward after Rabeh and before Greg.”

 

“Salva,” Black joked, “finally learn how to pass, but not so much.” He also thanked Slaughter for staying one more year when he could have easily applied for the PBA draft. “Oping (Sumalinog) has been with the team as long as I have,” joked Black. But he commended the Cebuano for bouncing back from and ACL injury and helping the team out.

 

Black thanked all of the people who helped him out in his stay but more importantly he walked away with a promise. “I would like to continue helping out the Ateneo as a consultant or in any capacity, that’s if you would have me,” Black said to the Ateneo community who of course answered in the affirmative.

 

As a parting gift, members of the Ateneo community raised 2.8 million pesos for the Norman Black Athletic Scholarship fund. “I promised myself I won’t cry so I won’t,” said Black. The mutli-titled head coach also admitted that he was in the verge of tears during the last training session with his beloved Eagles. “I got emotional so I had to separate myself from the group,” he added. Now, the separation will be more permanent.

 

Black was Ateneo's security blanket. Every time a batch of players would move on from college ball, the Blue and White faithful would always comfort themselves with the thought that Norman Black would simply discover and train more talented players. When the Blue Eagles were down at the half, the Ateneo fans stayed calm and collected knowing that the best tactician in the UAAP will figure it out and adjust accordingly. They won most of their games, they lost some, but with Black at the helm, Ateneo always had a legitimate shot at winning everything.

 

Now that the Black era has ended, there is sorrow among the players and the fans of Ateneo but it is overshadowed by overwhelming joy. Black rebuilt this Ateneo team and reinstalled pride and a winning attitude to the basketball program.

 

Sure, the championships may not come as easily as in the past five years for Ateneo. But because of what Black has installed, these Blue Eagles will always have a shot. - OMG, GMA News