MAPUA head coach Randy Alcantara anxiously paced the Smart Araneta Coliseum sidelines when Benilde’s Matthew Oli sent Lawrence Mangubat to the line for what was the Blazers’ sixth foul in more than a minute of the endgame.
Technically, it was garbage time in Game Two of the NCAA Season 100 men’s finals.
The time on the giant scoreboard said 36 seconds – just officially about three minutes since he took ace guard Clint Escamis off the court for good – but in the mind of Alcantara, it could’ve been hours.
“Nakaka-shoot pa sila ng free throws at three points, nakikita ko parang ang tagal ng oras. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit ganito, ang tagal ng oras?’ Iniisip ko, baka maka-comeback pa or maka-run pa,” he stated.
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Truth be told, there was no way the Blazers were ever going to put up a rally at that point – down 12 with a possession and a half remaining – but no one can blame Alcantara for feeling that way, especially as he’s already been twice denied of a championship in the previous three years.
So he continued to move around, bravely fighting the tears forming around his eyes, as he took out his other starters one by one before giving each of those players a hearty hug, an image of nervous excitement now tattooed on his usually calm and composed face.
Taking it all in was, indeed, a process. One that started with hope, but was still riddled with doubts, as ghosts of past shortcomings made one last stand in his head, only to be wiped out once and for all with the sweet sweet sound of the final buzzer.
It was all official. Alcantara can now call himself an NCAA men’s basketball champion coach.
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“Hindi din talaga ako makapaniwalang binigay,” Alcantara shared.
“Hindi sa lahat ng coaches naibibigay 'to, at naibigay sa'kin yung blessing na nag-champion ako as a player at nag-champion ako as a coach.”
Heart-to-heart talk
The fact that he can actually walk the sidelines to relieve himself of anxiety in such a pressure-packed environment was already a huge blessing for Alcantara and the entire Mapua community.
Last year, Alcantara had to head back to the dugout in their pivotal Game 3 against San Beda – a game they eventually lost – due to untimely high blood pressure.
The 52-year-old mentor shared how his health had been on a decline as early as the second round of Season 99, as some crucial nerves in his cervical spine got entangled.
“Nung start nung second round, nakakaramdam na ko. Parating tumataas yung BP ko. Yun na pala yung problema, yung cervical spine ko, ipit-ipit na. From 3 to C7, ayun. Kaya last year, lumalabas na lang ako ng court,” Alcantara shared.
“Napakahirap para sa'kin. Ayoko naman makita nila na lutang ako doon at 'di ako makapag-instruct sa kanila. So pumupunta na lang ako ng dugout para [ipahinga] yung sarili ko at sila, tuloy lang.”
He eventually underwent successful surgery early this year, and slowly but surely got back in the saddle for this historic title run.
“Ang hirap ng dinaanan ko,” he said.
“Nagpapasalamat talaga ako at nalagpasan ko yun. Cervical, delikado sa leeg pa at naka-recover naman ako nang kaunti.”
An hour following the final buzzer, Alcantara was already walking with an extra pep in his step, as he shook hands with reporters and supporters alike while wearing his Mapua jersey of old, his nervous excitement now turned into full-blown euphoria.
Alcantara has survived it all. Health scares. The fear of failing a title-starved community for the third time in four tries. Even the longest 90 seconds his once-fragile nerves can endure.
“Salamat sa Panginoon. Pinabalik niya ako sa coaching after my operation,” was all Alcantara could say when asked about finally winning the big one.
“Siyempre, walang kasing sarap, after 33 years, after three tries, yung minimithi namin, finally, nakuha na namin.”
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