This is an excerpt from:
SBC CHAMPIONSHIP BOOK (not official title)
By Jude P. Roque and the San Beda Boosters Club, with foreword from Rene A.V. Saguisag

Note: The book plus other memorabilia will be available for sale on:
Red and White Ball
May 27, 2007, Sunday, 6 p.m.
Embassay Suites Hotel near Disneyland in Anaheim

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CHAPTER VI: HAIL THE NEW KINGS

On September 22, 2006, history was made. San Beda returns to a familiar territory - the zenith of NCAA men’s basketball. It now owns twelve NCAA seniors basketball crowns, third only to Letran’s fifteen and Ateneo’s fourteen. But the 12^th title came after 28 excruciating years. Before this, the last time the Bedan community celebrated a champion team in men’s basketball was in 1978, after a successful defense of the 1977 crown. Coach Loreto “Bonnie” Carbonell piloted the Red and White team to back-to-back titles, with winsome players namely Chito Loyzaga, Chuck Barreiro, Jayvee Yango, twins Noel and Joel Guzman, skipper Ding Castaneda, Ali Alipante, Ber Martin, Cholo Martin, Frankie Lim, Rolando Evangelista, Albert Bregendahl and Glenn Manzano. These were the last celebrated heroes of San Beda’s elite basketball heritage.

Year after year after year, since 1979, several batches of Lions attempted to duplicate the exploits of the 1977 and 1978 teams. But all their efforts went for naught. Some of them came close, like in ’91, ’96 and ’97. But they still came home empty handed.

And each year, the thousands of Bedans aching to relive the glory days of the once-mighty Red Lion hoped, watched, waited, agonized, then hoped again. Then waited and waited and waited.

In 2006, during the NCAA’s 82^nd year, the wait finally came to an end. A new breed of Red Lions attained what 27 batches that had come before them failed to accomplish. The 2006 Red Lions conquered the NCAA in Men’s Basketball once again after 28 years, putting a halt to the long wait of the Bedan faithful.

Fifteen players were assembled to form a formidable line-up that would carry out the Herculean task of bringing home the NCAA’s top prize. Of the fifteen, ten were recruited under the leadership of Coach Nash Racela – Rogemar Menor, Jay-Ar Taganas, Eduardo Tecson, Riego Gamalinda, John Paul Escobal, Eduardo Canlas, Kevin Espinosa, Micah Evangelista, Kristoffer Taupa and Samuel Ekwe. Also acquired under Racela are Enrico Tirona, Erwin Castillo and Eric Suguitan. Meanwhile, Martin Antonio, Yousif Aljamal and Raymund Maggay came during the time of Coach Jonathan “Badel” Reyes. Red Cubs’ scoring leader Borgie Hermida entered the Lions’ den with Coach Enrico “Koy” Banal at the helm. Skipper Alex Angeles landed in SBC when the Lions were under the tutelage of Coach Rene Baena.

But I believe it was God Himself who brought them all together. Each of them has an interesting story of how they ended up in the Red Lions’ Den.

Alexander Angeles (Team Captain)

When I was hired as assistant coach in 2001, Alex was already part of the Red Lions’ training team along with Jeff Chan (now playing for FEU and Magnolia), Joseph Retaga (PCU), Victor Maneclang (San Sebastian) and Mark Loyola (University of Vizayas). Alex was among the few who immediately caught my attention because of his skills and good attitude. He already had his shooting touch, even from long distance. He had superior ball-handling skills. And he was quick. Very quick. And athletic too. He could hang in the air and come up with fantastic shots.

Before Alex transferred to Mendiola, he was the top scorer of the Philippine College of Criminology. He played in the PBL Juniors after a brilliant playing career in the PCCR high school team. He has had several games against the Red Cubs, and he would prove to be the high school Bedans’ biggest headache. Cubs’ coach Ato Badolato became impressed and had him invited to try out for the Lions. As soon as Alex showed up, he was never asked to leave.

In 2002, this stand-out from Laguna finally made his debut. He instantly earned the starting point guard position under newly-appointed coach Badel Reyes. Alex had a respectable rookie season even when the team finished last place that year. But one of his problems is his lack of confidence. He was not too comfortable taking charge already in his maiden year, even when he was given the green light to lead the embattled San Beda squad.

Slowly, Alex matured into a more stable point guard. He spent countless of hours practicing his shooting until it became more natural for him. He also challenged his teammates to one-on-one contests to hone his scoring skills.

In 2004, under Nash, Alex became one of the steadiest outside gunners in the NCAA. He was also instrumental in the Lions’ Final Four stint that year. Nash’s motion offense compelled him to develop a quicker shot-release. And fortunately for him, the multiple screens provided by the offense gave him numerous opportunities for a wide-open shot.

The next year, Alex developed into a more potent shooter. He became one of the leading scorers for the Red Lions. During the NCAA-UAAP All-Star Games that year, he won the Three-Point Shootout contest, besting the best bets from the other NCAA and UAAP teams. He got a big break when Magnolia coach Koy Banal included him in the PBL line-up. He gave the San Miguel team quality minutes, and was instrumental in a couple of wins. Alex helped the Magnolia team win a championship in the PBL in 2005.

In his fifth and final year with the Red Lions, he became the logical team captain and his leadership played a vital role in San Beda’s conquest of the 82^nd NCAA.

Yousif Aljamal

I was celebrating a fifth straight Inter-MBA Friendship Games basketball title with the rest of my Ateneo de Manila players when one of them asked me if his Pampanga teammate could try-out for the Red Lions. He said that this teammate of his stood around 6’4”, was bull-strong, and had a good outside touch. I thought to myself that a player with those features would not escape college basketball scouts. It’s either my friend is exaggerating or this kid must be at least 25 years old. But then I said, what the heck, send him over.

A few days later, I conducted a tryout for my Team B at the RFM gym. About fifteen showed up and only four of them stood above 6’2”. One of them approached me after asking Ronnie Bughao where I was. He was quite slender for the big-forward position and it’s hard to believe that he would be “bull-strong.” And then he uttered, “Kayo po ba si coach Jude? Ako po yung pinapunta ni kuya Sonny. Ako po si Yousif”. I paused for a few seconds before responding. I totally forgot about this kid coming over. When I remembered, I told him how Sonny Catacutan, my friend and player from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, described him and that I expected so much from him. I did not know if what I said inspired him.

Since there were only four potential “big men” who showed up, I attentively observed all of them. The tryout was really intended to get players to fill the big man position. Among the four, Yousif Aljamal was the least impressive. He tried miserably to shoot from the outside, got badly outrebounded by the smaller aspirants, and had poor stamina. It was not hard to give him his walking papers. But since he was referred by a friend, I asked him to come back for the second day of tryouts.

When my friend asked how Aljamal faired, I readily replied, “Nagkalat ang bata mo.” But I said I would give him another chance.

The next day, Yousif showed up like a new man. He was every bit my friend said he would be. Sonny must have given him some tips, or tongue-lashing. At least this time, he outplayed the other guy; he became third best among the four! The one most impressive was Raymund Maggay followed by Howard Flor, who now plays for the National University.

I found out soon that Aljamal traveled all the way from Apalit, Pampanga then back. The long drive must have taken its toll on him especially during the first day. But he got better and better until we were finally convinced that he would be a welcome addition to the Red Lion family.

Yousif’s grandfather, Aquino Binuya, is his biggest inspiration and motivator. Lolo Aquino helped him travel to Manila and egged him to persevere. His grandfather was thrilled upon the thought of Yousif trying out for SBC. Aljamal grew up with his grandparents while his mother Amalia worked in Saudi Arabia. He never met his father, a Saudi national. So when he announced to his lolo that he made the team, grandpa Aquino leaped for joy.

Aljamal’s desire was really to play small-forward so he could use his talent in shooting. But since we lacked “big-men” at the time, I told him that he needed to play the power-forward position. So he beefed-up and learned some post moves. This was when he developed the patented jump-hook.

During the summer of 2004, he was asked to join the Team A practice. He was still with Team B then but Antonio became ineligible that year for academic reasons while Mike Casino was advised by doctors to refrain from competitive sports. In a tune-up game against a visiting Indonesian team, Yousif was very impressive that the coaching staff decided to elevate him to the NCAA line-up.

Aljamal got a bigger break when Jerome Paterno injured his wrist while playing for Sunkist in the PBL. This incident left a void in the starting line-up and Yousif became the logical replacement. This somehow built his confidence. From the Lions’ very first game, the young Apalit native was the biggest revelation. He was brilliant for the rest of the season.

Right after the NCAA, he was immediately drafted by Air Philippines for its PBL team. During one game, Yousif came late and was benched for the entire first half. His team was losing to Toyota Otis when his coach suddenly sent him in the game in the third quarter. He almost single-handedly brought his team back in the game, scoring 23 points in just two quarters. They almost pulled the rug from under Toyota that day. The following PBL conference while playing for Nenaco-San Beda, Yousif led the league in rebounding with an average of 11.6 caroms per game, thwarting the numbers of Arwin Santos, Anthony Washington and Kelly Williams.

After grabbing the rebound off Belga’s miss in the 2006 NCAA finals, he just hugged the ball until the time expired. He had no idea the game was over until he saw hundreds of red shirts rushing towards the hard-court. He just tossed the ball in the air, hugged his teammates, and went up to Lolo Aquino to thank him for allowing a dream to come true. As for lolo Aquino, seeing his grandson achieve something special was likewise a dream-come-true.

Martin Antonio

Martin was a prized recruit in 2002. He was on the wish list of several schools including Ateneo, La Salle and UP. But while most teams offered him several perks, SBC could only promise him full scholarships and a chance to bring the team to higher ground. This was all he needed to hear to choose San Beda. In fact, he was the only one among ten candidates (seven are from SBC high school) that we invited for lunch at the Cravings in Wilson Street, San Juan who opted to join the Red Lions.

As a high school stand-out from Lourdes School in Quezon City, Antonio became noticeable as an agile and athletic power forward. And he was a consistent honor student too. At 16 years old, he became the youngest member of the 2002 SBC team. But Martin was too lean to bang bodies with the NCAA behemoths, although he often tried. One time, he figured in a verbal tussle with St. Benilde’s Al Magpayo, whom Martin idolized back in Lourdes.

In 2003, Martin was picked to play in the National Youth Team along with future Red Lions teammates Menor and Taganas. He would practice twice a day, one with San Beda and another with the Philippine Team. This somehow took a lot of his time and energy that his grades suffered. The following year, he had to sit out the NCAA season because of his dismal academic showing. This surprised us as he was always in the running for the Dean’s List. But Martin knew that he slacked somehow and accepted his fate that year. The experience taught him valuable lessons. He came back the following year with a vengeance. He was actually being enticed to move to UST by certain camps. But he remained loyal to the Red and White. Martin made it again to the NCAA and excelled in the classroom at the same time.

Today, Martin is close to completing his degree in Marketing. As one of the few seniors in the team, he also served as a leader especially to his rookie teammates. He accepted his role in the team and has helped the Red Lions win an NCAA crown.

Raymund Maggay

Raymund was Martin Antonio’s teammate in the PBA Junior League in 2003. Mart asked me if his Shell teammate could tryout. I said why not. So Maggay attended the tryouts and instantly made waves being one of only four potential big forwards that showed up. Of the four, including future Red Lions star Yousif Aljamal, Maggay was the most remarkable, mainly because of his perimeter shooting.

Raymund’s advantage over Aljamal was that he had some experience in competitive basketball, having played for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines varsity squad for a year. He was also gutsy and composed. For me, taking him in was a no-brainer.

While playing for my Team B, he became the obvious starting big-forward. James Timonera, a recruit from Cagayan de Oro started as center. Raymund blossomed in the Team B tournaments as one of our leading scorers. He was awarded by getting the most playing time. I wanted him to gain as much confidence as possible because I knew he had a good chance for the Team A in 2004.

The following year, Maggay did make it to the NCAA line-up together with Aljamal, Timonera, Carlo De Guzman and Eddie Soriano, all coming from Team B. Although Raymund was usually a third stringer, he always came up with quality minutes. His perimeter shooting was always a big boost. And he was willing to do the dirty jobs especially on defense.

Needless to say, Maggay had shown maturity and leadership in the recent NCAA. He became his good buddy Aljamal’s able back-up. Raymund consistently provided the team with timely points especially when the offense got out of hand. He was also a workhorse on the defensive end.

Today, Raymund or Mags, as his teammates fondly call him, is the most loved of all the Red Lions because he cheers everybody up with his funny jests. He is the undisputed joker in the team and he is thrilled whenever he gets under the spotlight for a song number or just a punch line.

Rogemar Menor

I first saw Ogie when he was practicing with San Beda’s Passerelle team back in 2000. He was wearing a College of St. Benilde jersey with the name Menor at the back. So I asked Ato who this kid was and he responded that Ogie was the youngest brother of the Menor Brothers Romar and Rolly, who both played for the CSB Blazers. Two years later, Romar became my player in the Cagayan de Oro Amigos MBA Team. Ogie then was a cut above the rest. He was a man among boys, especially in that Passerelle team.

A few months later, I chanced upon the National Streetball championships at the SM Mega Mall in Mandaluyong City. I was looking through the fourth floor window from Gourmet Restaurant. I recognized Ogie from afar as the one dominating the game. Beside me was Ateneo Passerelle head coach Len Reyes, the brother of PBA coach Chot Reyes. “Yan ba yung Menor? Ang galling pala talaga! Pro-problemahin pala natin yan sa laro,” was his remarks. I was Len’s deputy at Ateneo’s Passerelle team and we knew we were going to meet the Menor-led Red Cubs soon.

I knew his brothers. Both of them were strong and huge. But none of them was as talented as Ogie. While his brothers had power, he had both power and finesse. And he had the shooting touch too, something that both Rolly and Romar never had.

When he was 14, Ogie made a trip to Manila to watch his brothers play. They would often play streetball in their humble home in Isabela. He missed them dearly and as a young boy, he longed for the care of his brothers. While in Manila, he tried out for Chiang Kai Chek High School. Of course, they loved him. But the young promdi declined. He instead hurried home to his province.

One afternoon while in the RP Team training, Romar asked Ato Badolato if Ogie could tryout for the Cubs. Ato was used to being approached by many to inquire if their sons or brothers or nephews or grandsons could be accommodated in his basketball program. But Ato knew this kid had to be special, for both his brothers were well-built and robust. Ogie came and instantly impressed Ato.

At 14, Ogie felt homesick frequently and often planned to leave for home. He was the only high school athlete in the quarters and he missed his parents badly. But at a young age, he knew his stay in San Beda would be good for his future and his scholarships would be a huge help to his folks. His father was a mini-bus driver and his mother a beautician. Someday, his sacrifices will bear fruit.

Ogie matured quickly, thanks to more than two years of being independent in a place filled with elder boys. He led the Red Cubs to two consecutive NCAA crowns, and a number of other titles. He bagged the MVP honors in 2004, and the Finals MVP award in 2003. When he finished high school, several college teams were waiting.

While Ogie was still in fourth year high, we in the coaching staff already made him aware that we wanted him in our team. With team manager Mike Advani in charge, we often met with Ogie and Romar to discuss about his future in San Beda. We guaranteed him a slot in the 2005 NCAA line-up, something we could not offer the other Cubs.

But we also knew the other schools would scamper to get him, especially La Salle. Several DLSU alumni tried to meet him. And Ogie was prevailed upon to tryout in the Green Archers camp. The tug-o-war continued until The Bedan came out with an article reporting that Ogie had committed to stay in SBC.

Ogie confirmed this and even had a red lion tattooed on his chest, right above his heart. Finally, we have a blue-chip Red Cub in our den since Arjun Cordero and Jeff Bombeo.

He started practicing with us, even when the Red Cubs were still playing in various leagues. When summer came, most of the Cubs started practicing with us including James Martinez. But James disappeared after two practices and reportedly decided to play for the UE Warriors under ex-Cub Dindo Pumaren. Ogie seemed comfortable and he even topscored twice in tune-up games.

But one day, Ogie disappeared. His stuff was gone too. His buddies said he left the night before for La Salle. That was a bombshell that rocked the entire campus. Was he unhappy with us? Didn’t he commit already? What was the tattoo all about? We were all bewildered. We heard of different stories like his house in Isabela burned down and this La Salle alumnus came to his mom’s aid and offered her a job. There was another story that Ogie was offered a condo unit and a car. None of them mattered though. The fact was that he decided to leave.

The next day, La Salle came out with a press release – “Menor joins Archers.” In that PR, he was even quoted as saying “I’ve always wanted to study in La Salle.” But while the La Sallites were rejoicing about their prized catch, efforts were being made by some of our alumni, especially Atty. Art Tugade, his son Powie, and Jay Marzan’s group.

That same day the press release came out, the Tugades went to fetch Ogie at DLSU. Ogie willingly came with the Tugades and spent a few days in their Ayala Alabang residence. The La Sallites were dumbfounded. How could these Bedans enter the DLSU campus and just snatch Ogie from its claws? And on the day the dailies reported that he had jumped ships!

The next morning, La Salle came out with another statement, this time accusing Menor of breaking a commitment he gave earlier, among other things. Whatever. Ogie was back in the den and we didn’t need a press release for that.

A week later, the Green Archers visited SBC for a Fr. Martin Cup game against the Red Lions. We played without some key players, since they were suiting up for the Nenaco-San Beda PBL team at the time. No Paterno. No Aljamal. No Angeles. But Menor was there. It was a heated battle as the Menor controversy was still fresh. The Gang Green showed up and exchanged jeers with the Red Army.

In the end, the Archers crushed the Lions by 16 points. But Ogie ended with 36 markers. And almost after each basket, he would show off to the La Salle crowd the lion tattooed on his chest.

Riego Gamalinda

Sacred Heart School of Cagayan de Oro coach Boy Dacoco came to Manila and brought five of his best players to Mendiola in the summer of 2004. His boys were all fundamentally sound and had good basketball sense. But one of them was a cut above the rest. Riego “Bam-Bam” Gamalinda was only 17 years old when he appeared at the St. Placid Sports Center. He stood about 6’3” and he was the total package. He was the best find that year and we were lucky nobody else saw him.

Bam was already a college freshman at the ACSAT in Cagayan when he showed up. He needed to serve the one-year residency requirement for the whole of 2004. But he was young and very promising. Any school would be elated to have him. He hails from Iligan City, the hometown of Jerome Paterno. The two became buddies instantly.

Of the five players of Dacoco, only Bam and Marko Elmaga were asked to stay. Elmaga was a 6’4” slotman with long arms. But an injury in 2005 forced him to quit the game and return to his hometown.

It turned out that Bam was not just talented and athletic, he was also very coachable. He hardly gave us problems, and just did exactly what he was told. Moreover, he could play multiple positions. In fact, initially he played big-forward for the Team B during the time we lacked big men. But he could also play shooting guard or small forward. Bam’s all around game allowed him to penetrate well, post-up, and burn the hoops from long distance. He could play excellent defense as well.

In the summer of 2005, Bam replaced Ogie in the Philippines’ Team A line-up for the Asian Streetball Championships. Ogie was a Nike endorser while the event was sponsored by Adidas. Bam became an instant hit as he led the RP squad to the title. He also collected MVP honors.

The win earned Bam and the rest of the RP-San Beda Streetball champs an all-expense paid trip to the USA. Together with teammates JR Tecson, Jay-Ar Taganas and Borgie Hermida, Bam went to see the beautiful city of Portland and even attend the Trailblazers game against the Houston Rockets. In that game, the victorious Streetball champs were even introduced in center court.

But what Bam cherished most about the trip was not the tours or the NBA game or the chance to meet the NBA stars. It was the chance to see his mother whom he has not seen for years. His mom works in California and went all the way to Portland to reunite with his grown-up son. It was a warm reunion for the Gamalindas.

When he came back, he was a renewed man and he easily became the steadiest rookie for the Red Lions in 2005.

Jay-Ar Taganas

They called him “Baby Shaq.” I came to watch a championship game in the Passerelle Division between San Beda and Ateneo. And there he was, the kid they called Shaq. He was every bit like the famous NBA superstar. Except that he shot better free throws. Jay-Ar was unstoppable in the shaded area. He would barrel himself towards the basket and it would be foolish to stand in his way.

He was heavy but he could run and jump. He must have grabbed at least 20 rebounds that game. SBC lost but Baby Shaq became an immediate celebrity.

We knew Jay-Ar was special and that he would be one of the key players for the Red Cubs. On his first year in the NCAA Juniors, he already bagged the season MVP award, even besting his more illustrious teammate Ogie Menor. He finished the season with double-double averages in scoring and rebounding. And he propelled the Cubs to their 15^th NCAA crown over-all. The next year, Shaq won the Most Improved Player title plus another NCAA championship.

Unlike Menor, Jay-Ar did not get too many offers from other schools. Although he was undoubtedly a consummate athlete, only a few collegiate coaches believed that he would make an impact in college basketball. He had hoped that the Red Lions would take him in. After all, just like Ogie, he grew up in the players’ quarters.

Jay-Ar learned the sport when he was 10. His father, who was a notable player in their local town, taught him the ropes. Through the local inter-town tournaments in Isabela, he got to know Ogie who recommended him to coach Ato. The young Jay-Ar was urged by his father to try his luck in San Beda and, in the process, get free education in one of the finest high schools in the land. Jay-Ar obliged but he cried a river on his first day. He had never left Isabela before.

It took one semester before he stopped crying. But after he went over the hump, he did not want to leave Mendiola anymore. And so, he tried out for the Lions under head coach Nash Racela along with the other Red Cubs.

At first, we thought that Shaq would need a year in the Team B before he could measure swords with the bigger, stronger opponents in the NCAA seniors division. He was only 16 years old then. But Jay-Ar figured well in practices and held his own against much taller foes during tune-up games. Against the 6’8” Pep Moore of San Sebastian, Shaq proved that he belonged with the big boys as he hounded the Fil-Am behemoth no end, and limited him to merely two points in the post.

He was a modern-day Chito Loyzaga. And as Chito became instrumental in San Beda’s ’77 and ’78 triumphs, so did Jay-Ar in 2006.

Eduardo Tecson

This young Cebuano caught the eye of Nash in 2004 while playing for the Red Cubs. Though he was not among the consistent scorers, he displayed a unique brand of maturity. He did not force his shots, played excellent defense, and clearly gave his 100% in each game. We invited JR to practice with us once in awhile. We wanted to see if his shooting style can fit the motion offense. After a few adjustments, we saw him to be a potential weapon from long range. We also saw his dedication towards improving his skills as he spent extra hours shooting and dribbling.

He was also gutsy. He did not care who he was up against. When matched up against the opponents’ star, he felt challenged and was eager to compete. This must have been the trait that Jiboy liked about JR. Jiboy and his group “adopted” JR in the Booster Club’s “Adopt a Lion” program.

And the group was essential in boosting the young lad’s confidence. Jiboy had him made up in a classy beauty salon. The next day, we hardly recognized JR. He looked like a poster boy for a fashionable brand.

Believe it or not, JR learned to play the game when he was already in high school. He used to play volleyball for the Cabangcalan National High School in his hometown of Mandaue City in Cebu. His grandfather was among his first teachers until he enrolled in a basketball clinic where he was spotted by the Southwestern University coach. From there, fellow Cebuano Britt Reroma encouraged him to play for San Beda.

As a Red Cub, JR amassed more than 10 championships as he collaborated with Menor, Taganas, James Martinez, Tirona and the rest of Coach Ato’s wards.

After high school, he got invitations to tryout for Ateneo and La Salle. His first choice then was Ateneo as he wanted to play in the UAAP. But he saw that the competition was stiffer in the Blue Eagles’ camp. Then DLSU set a tryout for January 2 but JR arrived from Cebu on January 3. He never bothered to inquire in those schools after that. His goal was to play for SBC.

In 2005, JR had a wonderful year. He was part of the San Beda team that won the NCR and National championships in the Streetball competitions under Coach Rene Baena. He was voted MVP in the National Finals and helped the RP Team A make mincemeat of Hong Kong to win the Asian Streetball plum. As a reward, the whole team traveled to Portland where JR met some of his favorite NBA stars including Sebastian Telfair, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. A few months later, JR would make a splash when he won the Two-Ball contest in the annual NCAA-UAAP All-Star Games, with Lions assistant coach JB Sison.

Now in only his second season with the Red Lions, JR keeps raising the level of his game a notch higher. Soon, he will be the Lions’ best shooter. Mark my words.

John Paul Escobal

Who would not want John Paul Escobal in his basketball program? He had excellent skills – dribbling and ball-handling, outside shooting, post play, dribble drive, you name it. He is amazingly smart, both in and out of the playing court (Pong was a consistent Dean’s Lister at the Holy Cross). He is a natural leader, leading his troops in battle and carrying out most of the commands. He is a winner, and he has proven this many times with his “refuse-to-lose” attitude. He is undeniably good-looking, which draws more crowd support even among outsiders. And he did not want money to begin with. He just wants an opportunity to excel in the game of basketball.

No wonder most UAAP and NCAA teams yearned for his services. And for a team that had struggled to attain respect from the basketball community, it seemed that the Red Lions would be far from Pong’s mind. But I did say he was smart. He was intelligent enough to figure out which team he could shine the brightest. I guess I can claim some credit for the written presentation I had given Pong and his parents. I somehow reinforced what they already knew about our program, and how he was tailor-made for the Red Lions. But it was really Pong’s good judgment that mattered most. He knew he had made the right decision.

Of all the schools that approached him, only DLSU, FEU and San Beda remained hopeful by the summer of 2004. The others, including UE and Adamson, had given up. How about Ateneo? Out of courtesy to us, the Blue Eagles’ coaching staff never really got in touch with Pong, even when they were itching to do so. The first time Nash and I went to Davao to see the Escobals, we also asked Coach Jigger Saniel if he could arrange a tryout in the city so that we could also get a glimpse of other candidates. As soon as I got confirmation, I informed the Blue Eagles about the tryout and invited them to fly with us. Of course, we had this special friendship with the Ateneans because of our common benefactor – MVP. They sent assistant coach Jamike Jarin, the head coach of Ateneo’s Junior team who is also a Bedan and former Red Cub. I told Jamike that he could have anyone he desired except Escobal. So as far as Ateneo was concerned, Pong was “no touch.” I figured the Ateneans honored this agreement until the end although I wouldn’t be surprised if some Ateneo alumni in Davao attempted to break this pact.

It came to a point when we almost gave up. It was already March 2004 and he had not even trimmed down his choices. Of course, anytime you have La Salle as a competitor, you can’t help but feel as the underdog, especially in recruiting players. FEU was also aggressive. The Tamaraws sent Pong and Jigger two-way tickets to Manila so that Pong could see the unveiling of their brand new gym. Pong and Jigger took the offer and stayed in FEU’s quarters for a night. We tried to put one over them (FEU) by arranging a meeting while Pong was here in Manila. Anyway, FEU was just a stone throw away from Mendiola. But he was heavily guarded.

So we waited until Pong returned to Davao and we offered him, his parents and Jigger two-way tickets and two-day accommodation at the Discovery Suites in Ortigas Center. We did not want to turn him off by billeting him at the athletes’ quarters! That could come later. So after that episode, FEU was out of the picture. Process of elimination. Did we not learn that in school?

Now, it’s a showdown between SBC and La Salle. This was actually Part 1. The Menor Battle was Part 2. Hey, we won both battles!

Going back, La Salle loomed as more likely to acquire Pong. All they had to do was enroll him in a Master’s Degree program so he wouldn’t have to serve a one-year residency period. Graduate students are allowed in the UAAP. In the NCAA, graduates are no longer eligible to play. So if Pong wanted to see action right away, he just had to apply for graduation and take graduate school studies at La Salle or FEU. If he decided to go to SBC, he would have to wait for 2006 before he could play. This was a clear disadvantage.

But again, I did mention about that written presentation. And I did mention that Pong was a thinking person. In short, I tried to convince him that serving a one-year residency would do him more good than harm since this would allow him enough time to prepare for the real battles.

One April afternoon, I received a call from Pong’s mother that they had finally decided to go with San Beda. At first, I could not believe it. And experience tells me that until the boy shows up in a Red and White jersey, anything was still possible. Finally, on April 22 Pong arrived. Jiboy, Richard, Bojie Reyes and I came to fetch Pong at the Old Domestic Airport. From afar, I saw the young lad from Davao. He had enough baggage to stay for long.

I looked left. I looked right. The coast was clear. No green shirts around.

Kristoffer Taupa

Kris made arrangements to tryout for the Red Lions through SBC assistant coaches Eric Gonzales and Joel Palapal. He was not too happy with FEU where he had to compete for a few slots in the team. FEU apparently had more than 30 players in its program. Imagine the depth of their talent pool. They could afford to let someone like Kris Taupa go.

The arrival of Kris was a sure blessing for us. We needed someone with his size and talent to beef up our frontline. A bonus was Kris’ ability to shoot from short range. In the motion offense, it would serve as a big edge if the big guys who do most of the screening could shoot as well.

But more than this, it’s his leaping ability and timing that were his best qualities. As you know, before Ekwe, Suguitan, Galinato and Sarangay came, we did not have many big guys to rotate. Paterno was not a legitimate center or even big forward. Aljamal, Maggay and Antonio were the only ones left. This was why Taupa’s entry was a blessing.

And then he surprised us with his dunking prowess. Not only could he sky high for the jam, he also had power. His hang time was remarkable, and he could create his moves in mid-air. This became so evident during one Fr. Martin Cup game in late 2005. It was a 3-on-1 situation and we were on a fast break attack. Kris was the recipient of a perfect pass in the middle from Du Canlas. And then it happened. We were all flabbergasted. Kris got the leather from about twelve feet and soared for a two-handed power slam over the lone defender who did not even see it coming. It was the most spectacular jam I have seen in a collegiate game. Even Samuel applauded. In the sidelines were Kris’ former teammates at FEU. They too were taken aback.

But the best part about this chap from Virac, Catanduanes is his perseverance and steadfastness toward reaching his dreams. Kris was determined to make it on his own here in Manila. From high school, he bravely left his Bicol home to earn a living here and get himself a college education. He worked as a part-time waiter at Club Filipino until he was discovered by a Polytechnic University of the Philippines official who offered him a scholarship and a slot in the basketball varsity team. His stay in PUP was fruitful as he immediately became one of its budding cage heroes. And then FEU scouts spotted him and convinced him to move to the Morayta campus.

Kris is happy to have made it here in the Red Lions’ roster. He even got a taste of sweet victory and his name will be forever regarded as among the historic 2006 Red Lions that ended the long drought. Now, Kris is hopeful for a comeback in the NCAA next year. He knows he has to compete with the other big guys in the program, not to mention the incoming blue-chips from the Red Cubs, John Rey Alabanza and Dave Marcelo.

But Kris did not come all the way from Bicol to give up easily. He came here to do something good with his life and he is out to prove that he has more to offer than just a thunderous slam dunk.

Kevin Espinosa

Britt Reroma has developed an eye for talent. Those years under Ato, as player and assistant coach, must have passed on some of the latter’s magic to him. Coach Britt has brought numerous talents to SBC High, much like what Ato did for so many years. Now, Ato has a protégé to carry on his work after he retires 20 years from now.

Among Britt’s finest discoveries were Kevin Espinosa and Du Canlas whom he both recruited from Don Bosco School in Tarlac, Tarlac. So resourceful was Britt that he went to the Don Bosco Olympics and found these two gems.

Kevin was the star center for Don Bosco Tarlac. He stood about 6’3” and had long arms. And he had some fascinating moves too. But what was most noticeable about him is his soft touch from the outside.

Kevin had to take a backseat to his more prominent teammates in the Red Cubs team, especially Jay-Ar Taganas and Ogie Menor. He hardly saw action in the NCAA. But in the few times that he did, Kevin wowed the spectators with some heads-up plays. He always gave quality minutes to the team and provided the starters with the much needed rest without diluting the quality of play.

Kevin shone brightest as a member of the Red Lions’ Team B that won the 2^nd Fr. Martin Cup Division II crown in 2005. During the lone championship game versus Lyceum University, Kevin surprised many including the coaching staff. The game went into double overtime and the usual starters were already grasping for air. Pong Escobal had already exploded for 32 points. But in the extra minutes, the fatigue set in. Without Escobal, the Lions were in trouble. And then Lyceum hit a three point shot to seize the lead for the first time with less than two minutes remaining in overtime. The home crowd was stunned. The Lions were evidently in trouble.

Kevin decided to take over the game. He mustered enough guts to carry the scoring load for San Beda after Escobal had been shackled. Kevin unleashed three straight bombs from downtown to keep Lyceum at bay. Pong was the hero of the regulation time. Kevin was the obvious star in overtime.

Micah Evangelista

I remember Micah from our game against his St. Benilde team during the first season of the Home-and-Away Invitational League (HAIL). It was played in the Blazers’ homecourt. We were in control of the game in the first quarter, garnering leads of eight points in the early goings. But not until Micah was fielded in by then CSB coach Tonichi Yturri. One trait of this diligent young man was that he strives to make an immediate impact in the game like we have seen several times in the last season.

So in a short period of time, Micah hit back-to-back triples, ripped our interior D with a lightning-speed drive, and figured into an altercation with Lion Carlo Weber. And in that short time, the Blazers were able to get the upper-hand mainly due to Micah’s heroics.

Unfortunately, the former Paco Catholic School star got cut from the Blazers’ program after he had sustained a series of injuries. Micah had been hampered by several injuries including an ACL on his right knee and a dislocated elbow. But this was because he is the type that throws caution to the wind without much regard for his safety. No matter how many injuries he sustained, he always went hard to the basket regardless of how many or how big his challengers were.

In summer of 2005 he showed up in our training at the Club 650 in Libis. We were preparing for a PBL game the following day. I quickly recognized him as this kid from CSB who turned things around in our HAIL match. He was accompanied by my friend and adopted-Bedan Roland “Nono” Almeda who was Micah’s neighbor in Paco. Micah displayed guts in practice even when the scrimmage turned physical. After all, he had a physique that could pass for a pro-wrestler or rugby player.

As a member of the training team, Micah often bailed us out on several occasions. One game that stuck to my mind was when I coached the team in the 2005 Fr. Martin Cup against FEU. We were down by three points with just a few ticks left and the Tams with possession. He intercepted a pass, stormed towards our front court and heaved a desperation triple that found the bottom of the net and sent the game into overtime. Another overtime followed but in the second one, we were already in control as the Tams seemed to run out of gas after Micah and company ran them to the ground. Seconds left once more, dying seconds and we were up by three points. FEU still had one chance to force a third overtime. But from nowhere, Micah snares his fifth steal of the game and cruised for the easy basket for the last nail on the coffin.

Months later, he would scintillate together with Pong and Samuel in the Team B that dominated the Fr. Martin Cup Division II. But during the last practice before the Finals, he dislocated his elbow after his strong drive was contested by Kevin Espinosa that caused him to land hard on the wood, elbow first. He stood up almost immediately as if nothing happened. But when he raised his arm, we were all aghast at the sight of his dislocated elbow. We all felt sorry for this gallant warrior. Coach Koy even had to stop practice as he could not hold back his tears out of pity for his valiant ward.

Micah missed the championship game that we eventually won. But his efforts have certainly been valuable in achieving this feat.

Normally, it takes four to five months for such an injury to heal. But Micah wanted to play in the 2006 NCAA Season so bad that he pushed himself to quick rehabilitation and was up and about in a month. Two months later, he was at it again, gushing with barreling drives that would always leave us holding our breaths.

Eduardo Canlas

Du had always been my favorite player to watch in the junior team. He was seldom used but he always came through with quality minutes. Most notable is his outside shooting. I would say he could outshoot anybody in that Red Cubs batch including Tecson and Martinez. But of course, its hard to have confidence in one’s shot if he lacks exposure and experience.

This meek fellow was recruited by Britt from Don Bosco Tarlac along with Kevin Evangelista. He was the Bosconians’ top scorer. Whenever he had an open look, it was almost always like a done deal for Du. If only he was gifted with a few more inches, Du would have been a potential starter for the Lions.

The trouble with Du is that he is injury prone. He dislocated his shoulders at least thrice already since his high school days. Then recently, he was sidelined by an ACL injury. But the kid is a tough cookie. No matter how many times he falls, he just gets back up. He is among the most diligent in strength and conditioning training.

In the Fr. Martin Cup Division II, Du had shown that he could play with the big boys. As Pong Escobal’s back-up, he provided the spank in numerous occasions with his precise outside shooting and accurate passes. In the Finals of the said tournament, Du starred in a fourth quarter blitz that put the Lions back in front after a barrage of treys from the Lyceum side. He drilled in a couple of rainbows from the deep corner as the roaring Bedan crowd went crazy.

If Du gets over his injury woes, I’m certain he will go far in his career. His patience will always be an asset. His positive attitude will get him going.

Samuel Ekwe

Samuel’s arrival immediately stirred much interest not only within the walls of San Beda but throughout the basketball world. Never had a foreign student drawn this much attention before, especially with his size and background. Ekwe became the talk of the town in local basketball, even overshadowing the latest movements in the professional ranks. Some envious camps even made up some silly stories like he was over-aged, or an illegal alien, or had not completed the one-year residency requirement. As for his supposed illegal stay, a Bedan immigration officer would have moved heaven and earth to “legalize” his presence here. Atty. Jiboy Cabochan, whose dad is associate commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, even met Sam upon his arrival in Manila.

Now about the “residency” issue, it is correct that before the 82^nd NCAA Season, Sam has not yet accumulated twelve months of stay here in the country. To be accurate, by July of 2006, Sam was just approaching his eleventh month in Manila. He arrived here August 16, 2005.

But the Rule Book states that the one-year residency is based on one school-year and not one calendar year. As early as May 2005, he had already sent his school papers from Nigeria and so we had advised the CAS office about his arrival. In short, he was able to make the cut-off for the first semester, although he had to complete a truck-load of academic tasks to be able to catch up in time for the Mid-Term exams. Sam successfully completed the residency period and was eligible for 2006.

Around February of 2005, Britt excitedly informed me about this 6’8” Nigerian who wanted to study in SBC. Fr. Baltazar Obico, a good friend of Britt, was emailed by another Filipino Franciscan priest based in Lagos, Nigeria. He was requested to provide assistance to this young man from Lagos who wanted to become a Catholic priest. The Franciscan priest thought that the best place for Sam was Manila due to the quality of education and the considerably lower cost of living. When Fr. Tasang, as Britt calls him, asked for a description, he was told that Sam stood 6’8” and had a thing for sports. “Does he play basketball?”, he inquired. He does and he loves basketball, although his main sport is football, the favorite of most Nigerians. A 6’8” Nigerian who plays basketball? Britt of course figured that skills can be taught but one can’t teach height. And a Nigerian? He’s got to be athletic and strong. Hakeem “The African Dream” Olajuwon comes to mind instantly.

So I started emailing Sam and he would reply almost in a matter of seconds. I received emails from him daily, as proof of his eagerness to fly over. I gave him the list of requirements which he hurriedly worked on. One evening I was thunderstruck to receive a long-distance call from Sam. He had a really deep voice and I could only imagine his 6’8” frame. He must be for real, I thought. Nash and the rest of the staff did not believe me at first. But one time at around 3 a.m. when we were in Nash’s house viewing game tapes, Sam rang my cell phone once again. That was enough to pump our blood and arouse our sleepy heads.

But Nigerians commonly have trouble traveling to certain countries. Sam encountered several humps in trying to get the clearance to tour the Philippines. Fortunately, Jiboy’s SBC law classmate Ninky Umpa was the daughter of the Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria. The Philippine Embassy is based in Abuja so I instructed Sam to travel from Lagos to obtain his permits. When he got there, I received a long-distance call from a Filipino official in the embassy asking for confirmation if indeed Sam had contacts here. “Ang laki naman nito sir!,” was his surprising remark over the phone.

When everything was in place, I prevailed upon Boss Mike to send Sam the one-way ticket to Manila. The fare was close to $ 500. After I got word from Sam that he had received the ticket, he did not email me for about two weeks. This was not normal for he emailed me almost daily. This was a time when many Nigerians were involved in internet scams and overseas fraud. I actually feared that we might have been victims of such. If it turned out that way, Mike would have strangled me at first sight.

I got a sigh of relief when Sam finally emailed me barely a week before his scheduled arrival here. He explained that it was tradition in his tribe that when someone should stay away for a long period, he had to stay with family and close friends for about ten days to pray together. Ok, so he is truly religious.

Another stumbling block met Sam. Some important school documents I asked were not going to be ready in time for his departure from Lagos. So he asked for an extension. When he was finally ready, there was confusion as to when he was leaving Nigeria or arriving here. I initially thought he was leaving Nigeria August 16 and was set to land here the next day.

At around 11 p.m. on August 16, 2005, I was celebrating my birthday with my cousin Vernon Perea, also a Bedan and part-owner of the flourishing Mr. Softy Ice Cream. I was about to indulge in a nice spa treat in Cainta when I got an anonymous call. I could not hear clearly what the voice on the other line was uttering. “Coach! Coach! This is Samuel” he kept yelling. “Ekwe?” I asked. “Are you about to board now?” He elatedly replied, “I’m here in Manila airport. I have been here since 9 p.m.!”

I almost fainted. Then he said, “Please come for me now, I’m tired and hungry and I have nowhere to go.” Still in disbelief, I responded “Don’t go anywhere and speak to no one. I will be coming in about an hour.” “Okay coach. Please hurry. I’m wearing jeans and a dark blue shirt” he said with a relieved tone. And then I said “Don’t worry Sam. I’m sure I won’t have a problem spotting you.”

I cancelled the spa, with a slightly heavy heart of course. I had to work on my birthday at eleven in the evening! But hey, he actually came. I tried to call Mike and Koy. Both were probably sound asleep as the phone kept ringing. I tried Jiboy. He answered. “Pare, dumating na! Nandito na!” I screamed in ecstasy.

We arrived at the Ninoy Aquino Airport about ten minutes before midnight. From a distance I saw this hulking dark fellow and I knew it was him. I alighted from Jiboy’s Ford Expedition and rushed towards Sam. “Hey Sam” I spoke with excitement. He looked around and did not see the person behind the voice. And then he looked below in front him and I had a view of the now famous Sam Ekwe smile.

We had to check him in the Aloha Hotel that night since we did not want to cause a commotion in campus and wake up the monks. Besides, the athletes’ dorm was not ready for a Sam Ekwe just yet. The next day, the entire coaching staff plus Mike Advani visited him in the hotel where he was to stay for another day. Then finally, the next morning, assistant coach Chito Victolero fetched Sam and took him to school in time for the 6 a.m. practice. Our players were all agog as Sam entered the court. The “import” came indeed and he was huge. And then Sam tickled our fancy with a few slam dunks.

Believe it or not, about a month later, he told me that he met his cousin for the first time ever here in Manila. He was a grade schooler in San Beda Mendiola! At first, I thought Sam must have lost his wits after being away from Nigeria for a month already. But soon, I learned that he was referring to the nine-year old son of his late father’s good friend as his cousin. Sam met his dad’s pal here after Blue Eagle Job Nkemokalam, a Filipino-Nigerian, brought him to this man’s residence. The Nigerian expatriate had been living here in the country with his Filipino wife. Their son studies in SBC.

Samuel’s father Benrich was a respected military doctor in their country who died in a plane crash many years ago. On the other hand, his mother Margarette, a school teacher, was responsible for Sam’s Catholic upbringing. He has five brothers – Innocent, Dominic, Michael, Christopher and Crement – and a sister, Grace. Of them all, he was the most gifted in athletics.

When Sam finishes his college education and playing stint in San Beda, an option is to pursue priesthood at the Benedictine Monastery in Mendiola. But if he turns out eventually to be an exceptional player, then he might just set a record as the first PBA import who had earned a college degree in the Philippines.

Borgie Hermida

Borgie had always been the crowd darling in any of his high school stints. I actually remember him in a Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP) game, a tournament for youngsters 11 years and younger. He was spectacular even when he was a small boy. When he got to high school, he developed into a scoring machine with speedy penetrations and on-line jumpers. He could suspend in the air for awhile and leave his defender puzzled with his mind-boggling moves. He was L.A. Tenorio and J.V. Casio combined. Speed and finesse fit into a T.

I expected many schools to attempt to snatch him from our home. But Ateneo had an abundance of guards, La Salle had a marvelous high school guard in Simon Atkins from their Zobel campus, and the other teams were still trying to organize their camps.

But Borgie had no problems playing for the Red Lions. He practically grew up in SBC from grade school to high school. And he lived near by. But more importantly, the Lions badly needed a legitimate point guard to complete the puzzle for the Red and White. Borgie also had no problems playing for Koy, whose eldest son Jonathan was his former teammate in the SBP team of San Beda.

Borgie quickly hummed well with the Lions. He showed no signs of coming fresh from high school. In a tune up game against eventual PBA champions Purefoods Chunkee Giants, he pick-pocketed the leather from ace point guard Paul Artadi and sailed to score a bucket for the Lions. He also mesmerized the crowd with extraordinary passes and magical dribble moves.

He would get his acid test in the much awaited duel with defending champion Letran. The Knights were bannered by the superb Boyet Bautista who was to turn pro that same year. Borgie more than held his own against Bautista. He made him aware he was not going to back down from the challenge even in his rookie year.

he highlight of the game was when he blazed from the back-court towards the basket, eluding several defenders and feeding Sam with a blind-pass that allowed the Nigerian behemoth a two-handed slam. That brought the Ninoy Aquino gym down. And that turned the tables in that game.

This young wiz kid is destined for stardom. For as long as he keeps his feet on the ground, this true red-blooded Bedan will soon become the pride of SBC.

Dynasty in the Making

Except for Alex Angeles who played his last tour of duty for the Red Lions in that enchanted 82^nd Season, all the other fourteen members of the 2006 Champion squad may be tapped to make a comeback and defend the crown in 2007.

But other than these amazing Lions, aspirants from the Team B are raring to show their wares. Over the off-season, the coaching staff brought in some new recruits from different regions.

Chris Camus, the son of former PBA cager Ed Camus, had opted to play for the Red Lions even as the UP Maroons and Ateneo Eagles had seen him first. Chris is a 19-year old hotshot from the USA and he could play multiple positions. At 6’4”, he could give match-up problems to other teams especially with his ability to slash and shoot from way out.

Two guards from the south made their way to Mendiola. Ajeet Singh was a standout from Iloilo City. His work ethic is remarkable and he is fast learning the ropes in senior basketball. From Zamboanga City, Stephen Que tried out for the Lions and got the thumbs up from Coach Koy. He stands close to 6’3” but plays the shooting guard position. At 18 years old, he could mature into another Bam Gamalinda.

Eric Suguitan and Mike Galinato transferred from UE and DLSU respectively in 2005. Both played a year in the UAAP and are itching to make waves in the NCAA. Eric stands 6’7” and Mike about 6’6”. Both can be able back-ups to Sam.

Of course, there’s also Mark Sarangay, a stand-out from the PCU Baby Dolphins. He was recruited by La Salle but he decided to leave the Taft-based school after a few months. Mark is a workhorse underneath the board and I can see him to be a dominant Big Forward in the future.

Waiting for a chance to shine is John Rey Alabanza who played for the Red Cubs two years ago. Rey has superior all-around skills. At 6’5”, he has the makings of a Kerby Raymundo. He is another player to watch out for.

Then I was surprised to see my former Ateneo Passerelle player PV Nadal enrolling in SBC. He just wanted to study in San Beda and had no plans of playing in the varsity team. But I invited him just the same for he was a key player in the Ateneo Blue Eaglets’ UAAP roster in 2005. He now trains with the Lions.

There are others that the present coaching staff is planning to include in the program. Naturally, Red Cub Dave Marcelo is first priority. But one thing’s for sure, the deep and talented Red Lions pool boasts of the best recruits in the country today.

A dynasty is not just a fantasy for the Red Lions. I can firmly say that a dynasty is in the offing. Three years. Four years. Maybe even five.

But that would be for another storybook.