IT was a surreal feeling with only the sound of basketball bouncing and players’ shoes squeaking being heard inside a barely-empty arena where two proud champion teams were playing.
The scenario was least expected especially with the 1977 NCAA men’s title on the line, hotly contested by Ateneo and San Beda, two college basketball powers known for its winning programs.
But there they were more than four decades ago, the Blue Eagles and Red Lions battling each other in a deciding match of a best-of-three finals at the historic Araneta Coliseum in what came down as the memorable closed-door game on record in Philippine basketball history.
Chito Narvasa, the senior point guard of Ateneo, and Chito Loyzaga, the star player of San Beda, remember the celebrated encounter like it was only yesterday.
“Mabibingi ka sa silence,” was how Loyzaga, son of arguably the best Filipino basketball player ever in Caloy Loyzaga, described the mood inside the venue, where only a handful of team and league officials were allowed to watch the now historical event.
“Even to the point na from a distance you might even hear the other team’s instructions kasi nga walang tao.”
Narvasa shares the same experience of his on-court rival.
“(Nakakapanibago) kasi wala yung mga nagchi-cheer sa iyo at yung mga galit sa iyo,” said Narvasa, one of three playing sons by the late Chief Justice Andres Narvasa III, with a big laugh. “Alam mo naman sa collegiate leagues di ba, maingay, asaran, kantiyawan.
“Pero mas malinaw lang yung mga instructions pag timeout, at yung pag-uusap ninyo sa loob ng court.”
That momentous game 41 years ago which the Red Lions won on two free throws by big man Jayvee Yango, 77-75, had been rekindled at this age of social media as Team Pilipinas is set to play Qatar in the fourth window of a Fiba World Cup qualifiers to be held closed-door again at the Big Dome.
The set-up was ordered by FIBA no less following the brawl that marred the July 2 encounter between the Philippines and Australia.
The Ateneo-San Beda case was a different scenario.
It was during those times when hooliganism was rampant in the NCAA and the best-of-three title series wasn’t spared from it after supporters of both schools clashed during the 71-68 win by the Red Lions in Game Two.
“In our case, it was not the players. It was the crowd that was uncooperative to the point that they became so fanatic that they started to throw things that hurt other people. Sana kung yung players lang ang tatamaan, kaso kapwa crowd na nanonood ang natatamaan,” recalled Loyzaga, rattling off one by one the large P1 coin during the Martial Law years, battery and even golf balls as among the items hurled by the crowd
“It was really more on the crowd and not the players. The players are fine, there was no issue with the players.”
And so came the only title game in NCAA history to be played behind closed doors.
“Talagang maninibago ka lalo na sa collegiate ang inaasahan mo yung mga estudyante and alumni na nanonood, tapos biglang zero lahat yan,” said the 60-year-old Loyzaga.
Inside the venue were players and the coaches, NCAA officials, which included the time keeper, scorer, among others, and a limited number of school officials, according to Loyzaga, who aside from Yango, also had the likes of Chuck Barreiro, Cholo Martin, twins Noel and Joel Guzman, Frankie Lim, Luis Brill as teammates.
The former PBA player who made a name for himself in the pro league as part of Robert Jaworski’s original never-say-die Ginebra San Miguel team remembered the game being televised although he can’t recall whether it was live or on delayed basis.
“After that game nung nag-dinner na kami after manalo, pinanood na namin yung laro. Wala pang CD nun, naka-betamax pa kami,” shared Loyzaga.
“But it looked really funny on TV because there’s nobody watching.”
The Philippine-Qatar FIBA qualifiers incidentally, will be aired live over ESPN 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Once they got to imbibe the surroundings, both the Blue Eagles and Red Lions went down to business.
“Nung nag-umpisa na yung laro, you forget that kasi naka focus ka na sa game,” said Narvasa, who plays for a talent-laden Ateneo team that includes Steve Watson, Padim Israel, Joy Carpio, Fritz Gaston, Louie Rabat, Bambi Kabigting, and his brothers Ogie and Rayboy.
The late Adriano ‘Bong’ Go took over the reins from legendary ‘Maestro’ Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan as the NCAA ruled then that coaches in the pro league are barred from handling another team in the amateurs. Dalupan was also calling the shots for the fabled Crispa Redmanizers in the PBA back then.
The Red Lions also did the same as the ‘Big Difference,’ Caloy Loyzaga, who was also a coach in the PBA at the time, handed the coaching duties to fellow San Beda legend Bonnie Carbonell.
Despite only a handful people present, the game was competitive.
Ateneo last held the lead at 75-74 on two free throws by Rabat in the final minute before Yango, a rookie back then who replaced former King Lion Abe King, took over down the stretch with his split free throws that clinched the win and denied the Blue Eagles a third straight crown.
“It was a tightly-fought game. It could have gone the other way around. Breaks lang talaga,” said Loyzaga of the gratifying victory.
It proved to be the final stint for Ateneo in the NCAA as the school withdrew a year after due to the rampant violence in the league.
And it was also the final playing year of Narvasa for his alma mater.
“Kaya gustong-gusto ko sana manalo,” said the former PBA commissioner and coach. “Last game of Ateneo sa NCAA. Last game ko sa career ko.”
The Narvasas could have even made history had Ateneo emerged victorious.
“Kung nanalo man kami, tatlo kaming magkakapatid sa team,” he noted. “Walang ganun kadami, usually dalawa lang. Sayang.”
Hopefully, luck will be on the side of Team Pilipinas when history is re-visited Monday night.
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