What's with the La Salle Basketball Devotion?

I remember 15 or so years ago, when I was still in elementary school how the basketball fan bug bit me. Call me corny, pathetic or whatever, but I was a die-hard Ginebra fan back then. I could still remember staying by the TV and watching all Ginebra games. Even if I my eyes were already droopy, I would try to keep awake so as to finish the game. It was a high of highs when Ginebra won and major asaran (teasing) the next day when Ginebra lost.

I guess it started during the conference when Ginebra fought Manila Beer for the title. Ginebra with Billy Ray Bates and Michael Hackett was awesome! After winning that title, I was hooked. I shouted "Jaworski! Jaworski!" with my brothers to the TV. We whooped it up when Ampalayo, Chito or Joey Loyzaga would hit a three. We would clap our hands when Gonzalgo or Distrito would drive up against taller men for a lay-up. We would smile sheepishly when Ed Ducut got blocked. Even that single three-pointer with a prayer that Mamaril threw that miraculously sank in was a celebration.

During the following years, I tried playing the game and I could honestly say I sucked. I didn't have the height nor the bulk to play it competitively. But what I lacked in physical skills, I made up in other ways. I would annoy the hell out of our schoolbus mates (who were predictably Purefoods fans). I would follow the NBA as much as I could given the feeble broadcasting our local channels showed back then (still a Celtics fan). But nothing could compare during gametime of any Ginebra contest. Our single TV would be tuned in to channel 4. "Ginebra! Ginebra!"

But college happened. PBA exposure was dwindling. Ginebra and Jaworski got old. As much as I would like to connect myself to Ginebra, the connection wasn't genuine. I don't go to PBA games. I never bought the merchandise. Heck, I don't even drink Ginebra (or any incarnation of the La Tondena franchise - Anejo Rhum 65, Gordon's Gin, etc). I didn't watch the games anymore. My interest kinda faded.

Then, our teacher in PEDUONE required us to watch the UAAP Opening ceremonies. At first I didn't want to go, but attendance will be checked, so to Araneta my classmates and I trooped half-heartedly. There was the usual parade of teams, boring speeches. I didn't even watch the La Salle game which was the last game that day.

La Salle was coming off back-to-back championships in Men's Basketball that fateful year: 1991. They defeated FEU and UE the previous two years and were healing from the heartbreaker when Ateneo won over them in 1988. Some classmates of mine were basketball fans and we went to Rizal Memorial (I think) to watch some games. Game after game, the connection was slowly established, this time more real than Ginebra. I was a La Sallian after all. There was more conviction with every "Go La Salle, Go! Go La Salle!" chant. I was definitely back, baby!

My mom would ask me if we had classes after our ROTC coz I was always asking for baon for the whole Saturday. Little did she know (then) that we were just watching games, cheering our hearts out. La Salle was fantastic that season, with the likes of Jun Limpot, sweet-shooters Johnedel Cardel & Jonas Mariano, burly Noli Locsin and play-maker Toni Boy Espinosa. Even if my first season of watching La Salle ended in controversy (La Salle point guard Toni Boy Espinosa stayed in the playing court even after committing his fifth foul, but was not pointed out by the referees/technical panel) it instilled the Animo Spirit of the Green Archer in me. "Green White! Go Fight!" "D-L-S-U Derecho La Salle!" "D! L S! U! Animo La Salle!" Throughout the years it was our battlecry. Through our bridesmaid and 3rd place finishes from '92 - '97, I tried to watch the games live as much as I could. Then '98 hit and we won 4 straight championships over our antagonists FEU, UST and Ateneo. Year '88 was avenged.

Now, back to my title, what's up with the La Salle Basketball Devotion that I had to subscribe to abs-cbn Interactive to watch the games when I was abroad? Is it because of the way we trounced Ateneo during the decade they were lousy (and competitive)? Is it the goosebumps we feel when our cheers are shouted? Is it the way that the DLSU Basketball System was done, that whichever 5 were in the court, it didn't really matter? Is it because of the 4 years UST lorded it over and we just had to dug deep down to win over them? No. I don't think so. I think basketball is just an expression of excellence. It is La Salle with a very Pinoy flavor. Don't get me wrong, I still support La Salle's foray into competition, be it Academics or Sports. Pinoys just love basketball. And connecting with the team makes it personal, very VERY personal.

It just gets thrilling when you shout out in glee with every converted shot and terrific play, and curse with every missed call or conversion from the other end of the court. This season, after 8 games, it looked like it was the end for the Archers, with the team sporting a 4-4 win-loss card. But after shattering UP's 6-game winning streak, and disposing of the rest of the teams including Ateneo (who seemed unstoppable after speeding to a 7-0 start), and getting the 2nd twice to beat seat again from the ballers from Loyola, there was just no stopping the Green Archer 5, what with its own 9-game win streak.

So what a ride it was this year! Congrats to the 67th UAAP Champions, the De La Salle Green Archers!!!

P.S. Wait for my next posts:
Ateneo vs. La Salle - why (almost) everybody watches
What's up with Managers? (Why it is annoying for Higher-Ups to have lower IQs than I do)