By Marc Anthony Reyes
Published on page A22 of the September 24, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
SAN
BEDA coach Koy Banal thanked just about everybody after winning the
NCAA men’s basketball crown Friday night. But he singled out Philippine
Christian for “testing” their maturity.
The Red Lions indeed went through the wringer when the Dolphins
refused to fold up and fought back from 20 points down to move just a
point away with just seconds left in the game.
“PCU is the best example of the maxim, ‘it’s not over till it’s
over,”’ said Banal after coming out of San Beda’s ecstatic dugout still
drenched in water. “We know that they won’t give it to us that easily.”
With scoring dynamo Jason Castro hitting 14 of his 25 points in the
fourth quarter, the Dolphins unloaded 23 points in that crucial period,
mostly on fastbreaks off steals and blocks from key SBC men like Finals
MVP Yousif Aljamal.
The 6-foot-4 Aljamal didn’t score in three attempts in the last
period, including one at close range that was swatted away by Gabby
Espinas. San Beda was by then holding a 64-55 lead, five minutes
remaining.
SBC rookie Pong Escobal managed to slipped in four points during the
siege. But he almost blew everything away with an errant pass to Samuel
Ekwe at midcourt time down to 17.1 seconds and the score at 68-67.
“I’d be a hypocrite if I tell you that I didn’t feel it,” said Banal
recalling the game’s excruciating final moments. “When PCU was making a
rally, all I had to do was motivate the boys.”
But right now, Banal said, let the new NCAA champs savor the
triumph. He said the team is on its way to Hong Kong as bonus for
ending a 28-year title hunt.
“It was an experience. An adversity. And we as a team face adversity
as just another phase we have to go through,” said Banal. “That only
means, we will be going into the next phase.”
The Lions, he added, will now face the next season not only with an
intact lineup but with a “lot of experience,” particularly in facing
situations similar to that Game 3 thriller.
