THIRTEEN years ago, one of the greatest underdog stories to ever play out on a Philippine basketball court took place when defending champion San Beda outlasted an up-and-coming Arellano University side to kick off its title defense in the NCAA Season 88.
Yes, once upon a time, one of the biggest dynasties in Philippine collegiate basketball history played the underdog role as a young, six-man, rag-tag crew forever immortalized as the ‘Super Six’ not only hung tough against the Chiefs, but beat them with a double-digit margin, 81-71, on that sleepy Sunday afternoon.
READ: Six brave men who paved road for San Beda deserve to be lionized
In normal circumstances, this would be played on primetime — with a complete drum line from both schools being played under the bright lights of the Mall of Asia Arena as the first game immediately after the opening ceremonies.
But since a six-man side in a league as massive as the NCAA is anything but normal, the league decided to relegate the defending champs to open their title defense the day after the opening ceremonies at the Arena in San Juan (now called Playtime Filoil Ecooil).
It was such a throwaway game on paper, that the TV coveror at that time didn’t even bother to air it.
“Hindi ata televised yung game na ‘yun. NCAA game yun pero di nila kinober. Kasi di ba, anim lang kami di ba,” Arth Dela Cruz, the starting power forward of that team, said.
But what the league, and the TV coveror saw as a throwaway, these six men — Dela Cruz, Yvan Ludovice, Ritchie Villaruz, Utoy Abarcar, Dave Moralde, and Jun Bonsubre took it as an opportunity.
Six men? What exactly happened?
For context, the reason why the Red Lions were only playing six men in June 2012 was because of what happened six months back in 2011 at the San Beda gym involving an alleged racial slur – two champion coaches and, yes, a member of the Lady Stags.
In December 2011, San Beda was hosting the NCAA volleyball tournament when, allegedly, a member of the San Sebastian volleyball team hurled some racist remarks towards San Beda’s Nigerian foreign student-athlete Ola Adeogun.
Then San Beda coach Frankie Lim confronted San Sebastian volleyball coach Roger Gorayeb before all hell broke loose. It was so messy that aside from the accusations of punches being thrown by the coaches, then Lady Stag Mae Crisostomo accused burly San Beda big man Dave Marcelo of hitting her in the scuffle.
Naturally, since it happened on an official NCAA event, the league took action. The Grand Ol’ League suspended all nine players who were involved in that skirmish – with Marcelo, Kyle Pascual, Jake Pascual, Jaypee Mendoza, Ryusei Koga, Rome de la Rosa, Melo Lim, Baser Amer and Anjo Caram all being handed out bans.
So what about the six men who played? Well, it turned out to be the greatest team practice absence ever.
“Blessing in disguise nasa Team B ako nun, absent ako nung away na yun,” Dela Cruz recalled. “Yung mga na-Team A next year (season) kami yung anim na hindi part nung away na yun. Kaya naging blessing din sa amin na nakalaro kaming anim.”
Little did he know that not only will the absence assure that they’ll have enough warm bodies for the opener, it will set the carpet for them to have their own unique piece in NCAA history.
Lion Pride
Moralde can only recall that sinking feeling during their warm-ups, as not only did they feel overlooked after being relegated to the ‘day-after’ opening game, with no TV coverage – they were ridiculed by some of the students in the crowd.
READ: Six of the best as undermanned Lions too good for Chiefs
“I remember nung nagwwarm up kami nun, tinatawanan kami ng mga Arellano students kasi siyempre anim lang kami nag-wwarm up tapos yung kalaban namin, loaded din yun e,” recalled Moralde, who finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the game.
Naturally, the six men took it upon themselves as they walked in there confident and all fired up knowing that they, as rookies, will have a chance to kick start this title defense in the most inspiring way possible.
And that they did.
“Yun yung moment na parang naging boost talaga samin na kailangan namin mag-start ng maayos kasi mag se-set ng tone sa buong season namin,” said Dela Cruz, who finished that game with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
The Chiefs weren’t even a bad team at that time. Led by a stocky rookie in now Barangay Ginebra guard Nards Pinto together with the high-scoring tandem of Levi Hernandez and Rocky Acidre, the Chiefs had all the abilities to blow that team out.
In fact, while the Chiefs lost again in their second round encounter – in that game, with the Red Lions at full force, they were a whole lot closer.
So how did the six men pull it off? Call it a combination of heart, grit and some tactical missteps on the end of the Arellano coaching staff led by champion coach Koy Banal.
READ: Blame it on me, Banal says after debacle
“Naglalaro na kami, dumidikit kami nung game na yun, sinasabi lang sa'min ni coach Ronnie na stay in the game, laruin lang namin yung binibigay ng kalaban,” Dela Cruz shared.
“Luckily yung game na yun, nag zone lang 'yung kalaban throughout the game. Di kami na-pressure sa backcourt kaya na-sustain namin yung laro.”
Moralde agreed with Dela Cruz’s assessment.
With the Chiefs opting to sit in a zone instead of tiring out the Red Lions by pressuring them from the onset, he knew that they had a chance to win the game.
“Siguro that time, hindi kasi sila nag-press. Hindi kami finull court press. So sinabi namin, 'Ah, kaya natin to, di tayo masyadong mapapagod naka-zone lang sila,’ iwas fouls nalang para hanggang matapos ang game kumpleto parin kami,” Moralde said.
And win the game they did.
Staying in step with the Chiefs for the first half, the ‘Super Six’ took control in the second half, despite Junjun Bonsubre fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Just when the Chiefs started to adjust, the Red Lions already had firm control of the game.
“Ang clutch pa nun, na-foul out pa [si Bonsubre], lima nalang kami wala ng sub,” Dela Cruz continued.
“Last na yun, fourth quarter, mga six to eight minutes pa. Yung isa alam ko, fourth foul pa. Pero lumamang na kasi kami ng 10 points, kaya dinahan dahan namin. Sinecure nalang namin ng last two minutes nung game.”
Iron Man Ludovice leads way
While they all played a huge part in making history for the Red Lions, the pair were in unison in giving credit to Ludovice for steadying the ship for the entire 40 minutes as the lone true point guard in that game.
Ludovice finished with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists and, most importantly, he made sure to keep that engine running from opening tip to final buzzer.
“Si Yvan Ludovice, 40 minutes naglaro. Ang laking bagay na natawid niya kami nung game na yun kasi wala kaming ibang point guards e,” Dela Cruz said.
“Nasasabihan namin siya na Iron Man kasi parang di siya napapagod,” Moralde recalled.
“Although nagccramps na siya, well nagccramps na kami lahat pero si Yvan kasi wala siyang choice e, siya lang ang natural point guard namin e, so sabi ko sa kanya just stay in the moment at kaya natin to. Buti nalang kundisyon si Yvan noon.”
Ludovice shared how he wasn’t expecting to start his NCAA career that way but is nonetheless grateful to star in that historic squad.
“Di namin inexpect na mag e-end up kami sa ganong situation. Pero nag perform kami, and lumaban kami,” he said.
“Masaya lagi na makita na up to this day kami padin yung holder nung record or history na yon. Well, binigay naman talaga namin lahat sa floor yung game na yon.”
Ludovice credited their conditioning, grit and heart to legendary high school basketball coach Ato Badolato.
Five of the six players were products of the famed Red Cubs coached by Badolato, with Villaruz – who balled out with 17 points – being the only non-Red Cub from that team.
“Big thank you sa legendary coach Ato Badolato, sa mga naturo nya samin especially sa mga championships namin noong high school,” he said.
“Parang, because of him kahit mga rookies kami dala namin yung habit na we will answer more than what is asked. Basta tinodo na lang namin pati pato,” he added.
A championship kind of feeling
When the final buzzer sounded, that confidence and fire changed into something else – disbelief.
It was such an emotional victory that it had coach Ronnie Magsanoc crying like they just won a championship in the very first game of the season.
And who can blame him? Placed in a pressure-packed situation where he’s had to ask his young men for more in his first game as a collegiate coach for a dynastic team, it’s only fair for him to let his emotions out after.
“Nung nanalo kami, naiyak si coach Ronnie siyempre diba after all the adversities, walang naniwala, hindi nga kami ni-live di ba? Kaya yun yung nangyari dun,” Dela Cruz, now the star of the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys in the MPBL, shared. “Fresh parin sa isip ko.”
For Moralde, a seven-year MPBL veteran playing for the Paranaque Patriots, it was their championship game in spirit – a game that gave the rookies a chance to set the tone for the season for this Red Lions squad. And set the tone they did as they eventually ended Season 88 with a real trophy in their hands.
“Para din kaming nag-champion kasi kahit anim lang kami natawid namin yung first game,” Moralde continued.
“Importante kasi samin, sabi ni coach Ronnie at that time, na maitawid natin tong first game, malaki chance natin mag-champion. Talagang na-motivate kami ni coach na naitawid namin.”
Moralde also gave the San Beda community props for not giving up on them, even though they were pretty much overlooked by many people in that game.
Despite having only six players, rookies at that, the Red Lion die-hards still trooped to The Arena and they were rewarded with one of the most memorable games in collegiate basketball history.
What made it more special for those who watched the game live, was that the game wasn't shown on TV.
“Sabi namin, andito na tayo, laruin na natin kahit anong mangyari. Proud kami sa isa’t isa. Luckily napanalo namin yung game na 'yun. Super saya ang pakiramdam talaga at that time,” Moralde said.
“Siyempre added motivation sa'min yun. Lahat ng alumni andun, sinuportahan pa rin kami. So we gave it our all talaga.”
That season not only immortalized their names in the NCAA and San Beda Red Lion lore, it built a bond that will last a lifetime between the six of them.
“Walang katulad yung ginawa ng mga brothers ko don. Arth, D-Mo, Utoy, Chi, and Junjun,” Ludovice said.
While he’s proud of their achievement, Ludovice – now the lead guard for the Manila Batang Quiapo – hopes that another underdog story comes out in the future.
“Nakaka-proud palagi, to the point na hoping ako na may maka gawa din na ibang generation.”
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