Tigers involved in Eagle carnage.

Ateneo lost.

Good game though.

Move along people.

There’s nothing to see here.

Eagles have Tigers for breakfast

As fierce a fan as I am to Liverpool and as red as my blood may run, I am, first and foremost, an Eagle. Last Sunday was the first game of the 69th UAAP Championships and the Ateneo Blue Eagles faced the UST Growling Tigers.

Just having come from the Baguio trip, all I caught was literally the last (and apparently, most important second) of the entire game. To leave the dramatics out, UST led by one point, 72-71 and the clock froze with ONE SECOND remaining. Coach Norman Black called the Boys in Blue to strategize. Game on. Clock ticking .. ONE SECOND .. Escalona outside, double-teamed by every Tiger, leaving Kramer WIIIIDE OPEN under the basket. Escalona passes to Kramer .. Kramer ismootly .. iswabily sinking the winning basket.

“A game can be won in less than one second, so I never gave up hope that we can win the game if we could execute.”

Ateneo Coach Norman Black said this yesterday as he looked back the gem of a play in the final second that lifted the Blue Eagles past the University of Santo Tomas Tigers, 73-72, in Game 1 of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Championship Series this Sunday.

With the Tigers set to celebrate what looked like a sure win, Macky Escalona, inbounding from halfcourt, found Doug Kramer free under the basket and the Ateneo center turned around and buried the shot that broke the Tigers’ brave hearts.

Now it’s all even. UST may have stopped Ateneo’s bid for a record nine straight victory in the eliminations, but the Eagles have exacted revenge on the Tigers. More importantly, the Eagles only have to win on Thursday to clinch the title.

…

The escape act was the latest in a series of close calls the Eagles have weathered in their campaign as the top team in the eliminations.

Kramer played the hero’s role to the hilt. “I actually wanted the ball in my hands, I knew the game wasn’t over,” said Kramer. “After Coach designed the play for me, I started to pray to God. I asked Him to lay His hand upon me and give me the confidence and the composure to make the shot.”

“I was feeling a bit nervous, but after I prayed I actually felt so confident and optimistic that things would go our way,” said the 6-foot-4 Kramer.

*****

Another account of the most heart-pounding one second in my life.

ANIMO ATENEO!