It was the last elimination round game of the 65th UAAP season that pitted who else but bitter rivals Ateneo and De La Salle. The green Archers clearly led all teams with a perfect 13-0 record coming into the game, but ending the regular season with 14-0 performance was not to be their fate. In front of a sea of blue and green in the Araneta Coliseum, the Ateneo Blue Eagles put up a good fight en route to a 76-63 pounding of the Archers, and ending the La Salle quest for a perfect record.
Gec Chia’s miracle shot against UE
September 22, 2002 was game two of best-of-three 2002 semifinals series between Ateneo and University of the East. Ateneo led the series 1-0. Just as time was about to expire, Chia banked in a jump shot from about 20 feet away to lift the Blue Eagles to a shaky 72-70 victory over the warriors that brought the whole Araneta Coliseum crowd into a cheering frenzy. The win as we know, led to an even more exciting and much-awaited finals series between Ateneo and La salle.
Larry Fonacier’s defensive gems against Mac Cardona
Who would forget this? It was a classic encounter between Ateneo and La Salle in the 2002 Uaap Finals. It was the first game and the archers’ final possession, with the Blue Eagles up by a mere two points, 72-70. Cardona lifts himself off the court to shoot, but Fonacier jumps up along with him. First Block! Cardona tries again, unfortunately for La Salle, Fonacier just won’t let him go. Second Block! Time expires. The Ateneo crowd goes wild as the Blue Eagle stake Game-One of the Best-of-three finals, and eventually coveted the Uaap basketball championships after 14 years.
ATENEO stops La Salle fifth championships
After 14 years of waiting, finally, ATENEO Blue Eagles were tagged as the UAAP Basketball Champions in expense of bitter rivals De La Salle. The moment of truth in the Uaap season ‘65 where the sea of blue and green cheered their hearts out to their respective teams. Ateneo was just really determined to exact revenge against the green archers who fell short with the lowly performance of their veterans and star players while The Blue Eagles played their best game of their lives as if it were at stake. The Ateneo crowd goes wild, shedding tears of joy with a big smile on their faces and thanking God for a so sweet victory!
A blow dealt De La Salle
After 16 long years, Ateneo ends an inaugural game-winning streak by bitter rivals De La Salle that lasted almost two decades. Ateneo fell by as many as 15 points in the third period, 61-46, but the Eagles gamely clawed their way back. The veterans pushed themselves hard towards the end to win the game. La Tenorio and Larry Fonacier sparked the fire of Ateneo’s rally and sank the last four free throws in last 21 seconds of the game to lift the Ateneo Blue Eagles past bitter rival Green Archers, 75-72.
Ateneo lose King Eagle Fonacier (Fallen Eagle)
Larry Fonacier, the acknowledge leader of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, is out for the rest of the UAAP season – his dream of a triumphant farewell ride ending in a stretcher Sunday. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) – the most feared injury among athletes – on his left knee. Fonacier, arguably the most versatile amateur player in the land today, also injured his miniscus cruciate ligament (MCL) but it does not need a surgery. He’s expected to be out for the next six months.
Eagles BEST game of the season
Playing without their leader in the court, the Blue Eagles were trailed by as much as 17 points until the dying minutes of the ball game were they gamely clawed their way back. The Eagles played as if their lives were at stake and dedicating every shot to their fallen Eagle. Time winding down to 3 seconds and the game was tied 54-54, playmaker La Tenorio stepped on the gas, dribbles, stepped back and made the shot of his life. Kaboom! 57-54! Ateneo crowd went wild, chanting “La-rry! La-rry!, and again shedding tears of joy and pride.
Eagles just keep on winning, sweep round
La Tenorio to the rest on the UAAP teams: BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME!
Playing the familiar role as the Ateneo savior, Tenorio once again buried a triple with the game on the line, this time leading his team past defending champions FEU, 67-64, and to a remarkable seven-game sweep of the first round of the elimination’s.
Tenorio’s back to back heroics triples
“Ako na naman,” said the Ateneo pointguard who hit a triple over the outstretched arms of FEU defender Denok Miranda in the final 24 seconds. It broke the game’s fifth and last deadlock at 62, and the hearts of FEU supporters. Ateneo’s seven straight win. Tenorio had a similar basket against Adamson last week, hitting a triple in the final 4 seconds as Ateneo fought back from a 20-point deficit to prevail. Hitting the game-winner is turning out to be a good habit for this court wizard.
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