Bilog ang bola

Disclaimer: This is my unsolicited thoughts. Ooops. Rather, this is our collective observations. Me and my brother are one in this matter. I don't wanna brag. But, please, let me emphasize where I am coming from before reading this entry. At the very least, 1/4 of my life was devoted to basketball. As far as my memory can serve me, I started playing the sport as early as 5 years of age. In my childhood, I was a 'Ginebra' fan in the PBA while of course, a cheerer for the Jordan-led 'Chicago Bulls' team in the NBA. I played for my school during elementary and high school days alongside my younger brother (who's now part of coaching staff in PBA D-League & NCAA Basketball). We did spend lots of bonding time with our father playing and talking about our love for the game, for our dad was a former college player himself and did some coaching stint some time in the past. Okay. So please, don't tell me that I speak non-sense and stuff like as if I don't know anything about the sport.

Destined

We had it. We almost had it. Nasa kamay na natin eh. It was another Cinderella story ready to be told. We ended the reigning Ateneo dynasty; we unseated the no.1 team which is National University; and we're one win away from the crown. We are writing history and the pen is very much inked and impossible to be out tinted. But then, suddenly, the pen was gone. Somebody borrowed and did not return it. We got robbed. Heartbreaking. It was. Really, as in Super. On that moment, when the buzzer beats the clock as I was standing at the upper-box area of the MOA Arena, can't help but to feel madly despair. I'm in utter distress. I've witnessed how the Lasallian crowd rejoiced and cheered proudly of their Alma Mater victory. And on the other hand, I also witnessed the players of my university crying, while most people on the crowd made of yellow sea in complete awed, teary-eyed, holding up their handkerchief. Ang sakit. Pinaasa ka. Like at that moment, nakipag-break sa'yo girl friend mo, or yung handa ka na sa kanyang matamis na 'oo' tapos biglang hi-hindi pala, 'yung ganoong feeling ba. But in all competitions, only one shall be triumphant. And so I say, Congratulations to De La Salle University! Still, I'm very proud of our very own UST Growling Tigers! The tribulations and challenges you have been to would speak of your worthiness to be called 'Champions.'

Aljon Mariano

photo courtesy of Paul Ryan Tan

Mariano is one of the most promising power forward player the Tigers ever had in the last decade. Despite his deficit height (6'3) for the said position, he can smartly outplay other forwards in the collegiate league with his versatility and athleticism. With his God-given talent for the game of basketball, damn he can score at any part of the court. May it be in the paint, in the perimeter jumper, in the side and of course outside the 3-point area, Aljon is sure to be reliable.

But then, suddenly, there was disappointment. HUGE disappointment. The ambivalent dismay came not only from myself, not only from the Thomasian community, but it did came also from the millions of basketball fans, spectators and enthusiasts around the Philippines. It was very obvious that his game was lethargic — far from his stellar performance the past games. Everybody knows that that is not 'Aljon Mariano Basketball.' I mean c'mon, this man was the most improved player last season, averaging 13.3 ppg and 7.2 rpg respectively. He was the 'David' who beat 'Goliath' last year, the one responsible for giving the Katipunan-based eagle squad's lone loss in season 75. Moreover, Mariano was UST's go-to-guy who went toe-to-toe with Ateneo star Nico Salva, where Aljon nailed 22 points and 12 rebounds in game 1 finals and made the latter a run for his title crown.

To imagine how Mariano plays on the court in a precise manner, I am pleased to borrow SlamPh's Robi Raya delivery about the latter's basketball tenacity on his article 'NO PF IN THE UAAP CAN GUARD ALJON MARIANO — AND THE KID KNOWS IT DAMN WELL,' "Mad Melo-like skills — that’s something Aljon has consistently displayed at the high post this year — something that has immensely helped UST win close games this season. And it sounds so damn simple. The pump fake. Then the jab step. And then the spin move. Boom! 2 points. A disgruntled power forward left violated and caught with his pair of Hanfords down. Aljon Mariano has simply been a walking mismatch and slower power forwards have been at his mercy; simply because the baby-faced sophomore has learned how to attack methodically and cerebrally."
(http://www.slamonlineph.com/high-school-college-d-league/no-four-in-the-uaap-can-guard-aljon-mariano-and-the-kid-knows-it/)

Saktong-sakto ang deskripsyon. Mas maganda at masarap sabihin sa tagalog, "Pag inikutan ka ni Mariano sa ilalim, ilista mo na (instant 2 points)." Seriously, I wasn't able to see those trademark spitfire moves in the #DLSUST finals series.

You can't claim that Aljon is just having a bad day because since the final 4 round began starting with their game against no. 1 top seeded NU team, the UST cager's rhythm was already out-of-tune. Kahit si Coach Pido aminado; nawawala siya. Eh 'nung finals na, mas naging consistent pa siya; consistent siyang malas. Hindi yun ang Aljon Mariano na kilala ko. Lahat tayo naghihintay na bumawi at pumutok siya sa laro.

Quoting Jeric's dad, Alvin Teng gave this statement to spin.ph as he was asked on his thoughts after the game 3, "Malas mo buong laro, bakit ikaw ang titira? Dapat kung sino ang swerte dun mo ibigay ang bola. Crucial yun. Sayang talaga yun, hindi naibigay 'yung bola kay Jeric. Kayang-kaya ni Jeric atakihin yun eh."
(http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/alvin-teng-on-late-ust-breakdown-malas-mo-buong-laro-bakit-ikaw-ang-titira)

(facebook screengrab) 

Mariano earned the ire of Fe Pizarro-Jarencio on game 3 aftermath. Dr. Fe is the wife of Coach Pido

Mariano can't excused himself of his poor outputs by merely saying that it was because of his ankle injury. Why? Because when Jeric was injured, he carried the struggling line-up by averaging 13 ppg despite the said physical predicament. All the more should you're in the finals, right? Siyempre automatic, all-out ka na dapat (Gaya ni Abdul at Jeric, clearly both of them are on kill-mode)!

Here are the major questionable plays why many people had their doubts cast upon Mariano and eventually came up with the conclusion that something's wrong. (I watched game 2 and 3 live)

Game 1:
Several turnovers, one highlight is that Kevin Ferrer's no-look pass to Mariano under the ring. Walang bantay; itututok na lang, mintis pa. And that last inbound play last seconds in the 4th quarter when Ferrer passes to Aljon who was moving towards the former but did not receive the ball, resulting to a BIG turn-over that 'could almost be the main reason' for UST to lose the game had Abdul not been able to block Revilla's lay-up. He only scored 2 points.

Game 2:
He committed 3 fouls in the first half  the first 2 fouls happened in the 1st quarter. By the last 3 mins of last quarter, he graduated and was out of the ball game. It was a highlight of unnecessary fouls and sloppy defense provided for Jeron Teng. He scored 9 points.

Game 3:
He was 0 out-of-8 from the field. Including that one layup in the 1st quarter wherein he was fouled while driving to the basket. He could have opted to simply lay up the ball so it could be a foul-counted offensive play, but he commits an irrelevant circus shot hence the ball did went inside the hoop. And how can we forget the last two BIG-TIME unwitty plays? First is when he defied Jarencio's instructions, took the last shot (notwithstanding how far he made the shot; he could have drive and shoot nearly to the basket), instead of passing the ball to either Teng or Abdul. And lastly, that careless pass to Ferrer last seconds in the overtime period that resulted to a very unlikely turnover, thus giving the ball possession back to DLSU. He could have held the ball and set things up, and/or dribble the ball 'til their side of the court. Man, he only scored 3 points (and all of these points just nailed from the free-throw line). Again, he almost graduated by gaining 4 fouls despite playing for just roughly about 20-25 minutes, not his usual playing time.

Overall, he just scored 14 points the entire series. In a regular season, he scores at least 13 points per game. He can easily post up double/double figures if he wants to. I have watched him dominating the game against the FEU in the 2nd round, where he redeem the team and keeping  the 'final 4 niche' hopes alive. Last finals, his average against Ateneo was 14 ppg. Matalinong player 'to eh. Hanga ako rito. Sila-sila nila Ferrer at Abdul marunong mag-amuyan sa loob. Maraming magagandang assist ang ginawa nito during the elimination rounds, karamihan puro's no-look pass pa. Nitong finals, halatang may mali eh. Hindi ko nakita masyado yung GIGIL niya na manalo.

So, Aljon, what really happened? Anyareh? You are VERY more than this. We look up to you as one of the key players who would be bagging the goods, bringing it home to España. I personally can't accept the fact that you're just having a bad day and made bad decisions spontaneously (consistently you are missing the whole final four series) or because you're not 100% physically healthy.

Now, let me cite these two short paragraphs from PhilStar Opinion writer, William Esposo in his Sept. 24, 2009 Column entitled 'Game fixing scandals hound the UAAP.'

"To fix a game, the corrupt star player can miss his field goals and free shots. He can make stupid fouls and that would compel his coach to pull him out of the game. He can even create a situation where the refs will throw him out of the game. He can also allow the player he is guarding to score. He can conveniently position himself out of range to rebound. He can make bad passes that trigger fast breaks of the opposing team.

His bad performance also affects the performance of his team mates who look up to him as their go-to-guy. He causes team rhythm disruption as many plays revolve around him. Instead of being the team dynamo, he transforms into a boil on the heel of progress."
(http://www.philstar.com/opinion/507703/game-fixing-scandals-hound-uaap)

Okay. Now, what do you think? Ano sa tingin mo?

Bilog ang bola; maraming pwedeng mangyari (nangyari na nga).

But don't get me wrong. I'm not accusing Aljon of 'game fixing' crime. Let me clear this. I am just saying that I'm acknowledging the tendencies and instances that transpired why people think so. Aaminin ko, kahit ako nagduda dahil sa mga naganap. But at the end of the day, these are all but speculations without concrete evidences. These theories aren't applicable after all for they cannot be proven.

And for that, I am sorry. We are very sorry, Aljon. Our sincere apologies if we judged you. Nadala lang ang lahat ng emosyon, as much as we dyingly wanted to clinch this championship.

So pano? Bawi na lang tayo next year. Let's all move on and I hope not only Mariano but everybody had learned something in this event. Aljon could be the King Tiger next year and I'm very sure he will bounce back, stronger than ever. So cheer up, 'coz as always, we're ONE for UST.