Decade's Best (or Worst?): Disappointing Teams

The first decade of the new millennium came to an end almost a week ago and personally, it was great to reflect on the last 10 years, particularly in the college basketball scene.

Both the UAAP and NCAA, already an attraction among their respective member schools, achieved immense popularity this decade thanks largely to television deals with ABS-CBN and the commercialism of the country's two major collegiate leagues (which can be either good or bad depending on your preference).

There were memorable games, memorable players, memorable moments during this era. So now, we look back at a decade of college basketball in this series.

Disappointing Single-Season Teams of the Decade

NCAA

5 and 4. Perpetual Help Altas and JRC Heavy Bombers (2000)

Record: JRC (11-3, 1st lost to San Sebastian in the Final Four), Perpetual (2nd, lost to CSB in the Final Four)

In probably a rare sight to see in the history of the NCAA Final Four, the top two teams after the elimination round were outmatched by the two lowly squads.

JRC (the last year that the school carried that name. A year later, they were granted university status and became Jose Rizal University) won 11 of 14 games behind a talented roster of Ariel Capus, Nani Epondulan and Wynnsjohn Te.

The Altas, who have never tasted a title since entering the league in 1984, is thankful to have two PBL standouts leading the way in Jojo Manalo (gained championship experience for Welcoat) and Chester Tolomia (one of the key players for Shark Energy Drink). The former went on to bag that season's MVP plum, the only Perpetual player to win the coveted award.

Unfortunately, eventual champion College of Saint Benilde and San Sebastian spoiled their potential title clash as both had to win twice to stunned their more fancied opponents.

The Blazers went on to win the championship that year. JRU eventually reached the finals next year but once again fell to the Stags in three games. The Las Pinas-based dribblers eventually made it to the finals in 2004, getting swept by PCU.

3. JRU Heavy Bombers (2009)


Record: 15-3 (3rd, lost to San Sebastian in the Final Four)

Almost everyone was expecting another San Beda-JRU clash in the finals after the Heavy Bombers gave the Lions a scare in the 2008 finals series.

The Heavy Bombers still had the talent and capability to get back into the championship round and even win the school's first title since 1972. With San Beda losing three key veterans and with the squad of Ariel Vanguardia still retaining some of the players from the 2008 squad, JRU had nothing to go but up.

While winning 15 of 18 games was impressive, it was only good for third place after the double round eliminations. The Bombers won most of their games against cellar-dweller teams but endured tough games against title-contending teams.

Adding to that was San Sebastian emerging as a likely title team and San Beda making a late season surge.

John Wilson had an incredible season, he had 48 points in one game against College of Saint Benilde but some of JRU's veterans struggled, one of which was James Sena.

Although the Kalentong-based dribblers forced a rubber match with the eventual champion Stags in the Final Four, they failed to gain momentum from that win as Wilson struggled with a so-so performance.

The loss also influenced management's decision to let Vanguardia go after four seasons at the helm, reportedly had a clause in his contract that he will leave if JRU fails to make the finals.

2. Perpetual Help Altas (2004)

Record: 10-4 (1st, beat San Beda in the Final Four; lost to PCU in the Finals)

The Altas became a rags-to-riches story in 2004 when a group of unheralded players came through that year to bring the Las Pinas-based squad to an improbable run to the finals.

That year saw the emergence of guard Noy Javier as a lethal scoring threat and Khiel Misa continued to become one of the best point guards in the league (and probably the decades' most underrated player). Also there were Fritz Bauzon, Vladimir Joe and Marcel Cuenco, also key players that were under the radar of most college basketball fanatics.

Perpetual made its first Final Four since 2001 by winning 10 games and the No. 1 spot but it almost suffered a crushing loss against the No. 4 seed San Beda Red Lions if not for that sorry miss by Arjun Cordero in the dying seconds at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in perhaps one of the best NCAA games of the past decade.

Unfortunately for the squad of coach Bai Cristobal, who previously led San Sebastian to a fifth straight NCAA crown in 1997, they also a face another Cinderella team and a more determined PCU Dolphins in the finals.

Jason Castro virtually killed Perpetual's title hopes with a game-winning triple in Game 1 then completed a sweep of the series in the next game at the Big Dome.

The Altas have never been in the Final Four since and is currently in a rebuilding mode under new mentor Boris Aldeguer.

1. San Beda Red Lions (2009)


Record: 16-2 (1st, beat Letran in the Final Four; lost to San Sebastian in the Finals)

Despite the departures of Sam Ekwe, Pong Escobal and Ogie Menor (who forego his final year of eligibility to join the PBA draft), the Red Lions were still considered a title-contending squad with a new foreign import in American big man Sudan Daniel (pictured above).

The squad of coach Frankie Lim also had their old veterans in Borgie Hermida, team skipper Bam Gamalinda, rising sophomore forward Jake Pascual and rookie Rome dela Rosa.

Although they lost to San Sebastian in just their second game of the season, San Beda won 15 of its last 16 games, including a come-from-behind victory over the Stags on the final day of the eliminations to force a rubber match.

They eventually gained the No. 1 spot during their playoff with San Sebastian leading to many feeling that the Mendiola-based dribblers having peaked at the right time and favored to win a fourth straight crown.

But it wasn't to be, the losses of Ekwe, Escobal and Menor affected them in the finals as inexperience coupled with the more determined Stags led by new coach Ato Agustin and star player Jimbo Aquino ended their reign as NCAA champions and handed Lim his first loss in a championship series.

Compounding their stunning loss was a fourth quarter meltdown in the series-clinching Game 2 when they failed to score a single field goal while seeing Hermida getting bloodied by an elbow by Pamboy Raymundo that enraged a fiery San Beda faithful.

UAAP

5. UE Red Warriors (2003)


Record: 11-3 (3rd, lost to FEU in the Final Four)

Despite the loss of the energetic Ronald Tubid to the PBA, the Warriors were still considered as a heavy favorite to win the UAAP crown in 2003. Perhaps helping the expectations was their motivation from suffering a crushing loss to Ateneo in the 2002 Final Four off a buzzer-beating jumper by Jec Chia.

Basketball pundits cited the squad of coach Boyzie Zamar's success during the offseason with wins in the Bantay Bata 163 Showdown and the first-ever Champions League tournament aside from almost all of its players wanting to end their collegiate careers with a championship.

Among those were James Yap leading the UE dribblers alongside point guard Paul Artadi, RJ Masbang, Arnold Booker, Olan Omiping, Jay-Arr Estrada, Philip Butel, Jason Alminario. Also in the team was a young KG Canaleta, who was making a name for himself as one of the best dunkers in Philippine Basketball.

UE didn't failed to meet expectations on opening day, winning by a slim margin over Ateneo (69-68) but went 5-3 at the start of the second round after a vengeful 76-67 victory by the Eagles that saw the beginning of Artadi's woes from the foul line (he was also a poor shooter but those were mended after his fifth season in the PBA).

Many thought that the Recto cagers were on the verge of peaking at the right time after completing the elimination round with a six-game winning run entering their virtual best-of-three tussle with UE in the Final Four.

But the Warriors' title drive came to a quick end as the Tamaraws, led by the versatile Arwind Santos, quickly spanked them out. It also led to the eventual exit of Zamar, who was eventually replaced by Dindo Pumaren.

4. FEU Tamaraws (2009)


Record: 11-3 (2nd, lost to UE in the Final Four)

If UE faced big expectations in 2003, well the FEU Tamaraws had humongous promises heading into last year's UAAP wars.

There are many reasons not make the Tamaraws a clear-cut favorite to dethrone the battle-tested Ateneo Blue Eagles. First, they had three players making great strides with three players suiting up for the Smart Gilas national team coached by Rajko Toroman in Mark Barroca, Aldrech Ramos and JR Cawaling.

Second, FEU added impressive recruits in former RP Youth cager RR Garcia and Cameroonian Pipo Noundou. Third, they were winning almost every preseason event available such as the Father Martin Cup and the Filoil Flying V Invitational (in addition to winning two titles in the Philippine Basketball League carrying the Harbour Centre franchise).

Despite the loss to Ateneo on opening, 63-59 setback, the Tamaraws bounced back with eight straight victories and were still considered to remain competitive despite sluggish performances.

But the loss to UE in the second round started a slow downhill for the squad of Glenn Capacio. There were slim victories against non Final Four teams then wasted an 18-point lead in the second half to lose to Ateneo on the final game of the elimination round. Had they won by five points or more, they would have nailed the No. 1 spot.

Then the Barroca scandal came issuing a statement disallowing him from playing and it virtually clinched the final nail on FEU's disappointing campaign. Despite a twice-to-beat edge, it all came to waste as the Warriors, known for their numerous postseason failures, stunned the vaunted Tams.

3. Ateneo Blue Eagles (2006)

Record: 10-2 (1st, beat Adamson in the Final Four; lost to UST in the Finals)

In a season that saw La Salle's suspension and Far Eastern University's sudden freefall, the Eagles became a prohibitive favorite to win the crown.

Even though losing LA Tenorio was a hard thing to swallow, Ateneo's guard rose to the occasion in the stocky Macky Escalona and the returning Chris Tiu (he was a foreign exchange student in 2005).

The high-flying JC Intal made a giant leap to become a likely Most Valuable Player candidate (although he lost to Adamson's Ken Bono in the said race) while Doug Kramer was making solid contributions alongside Ford Arao, Zion Laterre and a raw Rabeh Al-Hussaini.

The squad also featured future stars Jai Reyes (that season's Rookie of the Year) and Eric Salamat adding depth to the Norman Black's squad that won its first seven games of the season.

After almost steamrolling through the top spot after the double round elims (only losing to UST and UE), surviving a Final Four victory over Adamson and the incredible buzzer-beater by Kramer in the titular opener against the Tigers, everything seems to judge the Eagles as a team of destiny.

But alas, Typhoon Milenyo came and probably changed the complexion of the series. UST, still feeling the effect of that crushing defeat, bounced back to win Game 2 then took advantage of Intal's missed shot in the dying seconds of regulation play on a huge performance from Jojo Duncil to suffer the crushing finals defeat.

2. La Salle Green Archers (2002)

Record: 13-1 (1st, beat UST in the Final Four; lost to Ateneo in the Finals)

Most likely the best 13-1 team to have never won a championship in the history of the UAAP.

Despite losing their heart-and-soul in the hot-shooting Renren Ritualo, the Green Archers still remained as a vaunted team that can easily win a record fifth consecutive UAAP crown (UE was the last time to make such streak winning seven straight from 1965-1971).

In Ritualo's absence came the emergence of Mike Cortez as a one-of-a-kind guard who was even considered as PBA-bound by Tommy Manotoc. There was also the brash second-year sensation Mark Cardona making waves, Joseph Yeo, Willie Wilson and big men Adonis Sta Maria and Carlos Sharma.

The La Salle cagers of coach Franz Pumaren won 13 straight games - one of the longest streaks in the past decade - but there were also close calls during that stretch, particularly the match against UST when it came back from a 20-point deficit to win in overtime.

A sweep and an outright finals berth was brewing for the Archers but ironically, their arch-nemesis, the Ateneo Blue Eagles played spoiler roles on the final day of the elimination round.

It perhaps changed the outlook of the 65th UAAP season. Although La Salle was able to brush aside UST in the Final Four, they were outclassed by a more hungry Ateneo team in the finals and with Cortez and the rest of the crew struggling to stop the likes of Enrico Villanueva, Rich Alvarez, Larry Fonacier and Wesley Gonzales, they suffered one of the most disappointing finishes for a UAAP team ever (and Pumaren's first-ever loss in a finals series).

1. UE Red Warriors (2007)


Record: 14-0 (1st, lost to La Salle in the Finals)

This would obviously be the highlight of UE's continuing trend of being dominant in the elimination round only to play inconsistent basketball when it mattered the most.

Although wasn't considered a heavy favorite to win the 70th edition of the UAAP basketball tournament, the Red Warriors proved that they are also worthy of being a title contender with this improbable title run.

With Dindo Pumaren building the squad into a system-oriented play, UE never had that one dominating player but was blessed with a number of talented players in Mythical Five member Mark Borboran, Marcy Arellano, James Martinez, Hans Thiele, Rudy Lingganay, Pari Llagas, Elmer Espiritu, Kelvin Gregorio, Jorel Canizares aside from rookie Paul Lee and Val Acuna.

The Recto dribblers perhaps showed that it is a worthy championship-caliber squad in the first round when it blew La Salle by 20 points at the Cuneta Astrodome that stunned La Salle fans and beat 2006 champion UST and Ateneo four times combined.

There were also near setback during the streak, National University almost pulled off an upset in the 10th game because squeaking out a victory before surviving in overtime over La Salle on the last game of the double round eliminations to complete an improbable sweep of the elims.

Unfortunately, winning all 14 games probably didn't help them at all instead of benefiting from it. They took a 21-or-so day break as they await La Salle taking the stepladder phase by surviving Ateneo in a hard-fought series (also played the Eagles in a KO match for the No. 2 spot. On the other hand, Ateneo played No. 4 UST at the start of the stepladder).

With the Archers playing almost every week, they took advantage of a rusty Warriors by giving them two losses at a time that mattered the most - the finals. After sweeping the elims, UE suffered an embarrassing loss in that championship round - via a sweep.

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Some of the pictures taken from Google search, NCAA.org.ph, Tamarawbayan.com and Inboundpass.com