Just hours after Ateneo captured the 2008 UAAP Men’s Basketball Championshipm on a rainy, raucous Thursday evening, this blogger scribbled some notes in the serene company of a notebook computer. I enjoyed the silence after having to endure the maddening scene inside the Araneta Coliseum for game 2 of the Finals.

When spectators plopped into their seats, they noticed the disparity in attendance. The coliseum was predominantly blue. Ateneans, understandably, grabbed more tickets in anticipation of their team’s UAAP triumph. Inhaling the sights and sounds of the pre-game cheers and warm-ups, it felt like a royal coronation was about to unfold.

Defending champion La Salle, however, refused to hand over the crown without rancor. A slam dunk by a streaking Ferdinand in the opening moments encapsulated the Archers’ resolve to send the series to a winner-take-all game 3.  The Archers were scrappy and cocky — a trademark for underdog DLSU teams under Coach Franz Pumaren.

Although I felt La Salle was, at times, too emotional during crucial stretches of the game, their intensity definitely kept them in the contest. Ateneo, however, did itself a favor by staying cool. Probably the worst thing Ateneo could’ve done in game 2 was to get caught in La Salle’s do-or-die moxie. Ateneo’s success this year was built on composure, not organized chaos.

Still, kudos to DLSU for plugging away until the very end. The game was by no means a walk-over for Ateneo. Jvee Casio left his heart on the floor with an admirable performance for La Salle. Chris Tiu, meantime, was a leader from day one all the way up to the final buzzer for Ateneo. These performances were expected.

I, however, didn’t expect the two swift fouls on UAAP MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini in the first quarter and the two technical fouls on UAAP Mythical Team member Rico Maierhofer which led to his bizarre ejection in the second half. Ateneo fans can easily overlook Rabeh’s very early foul trouble since the UAAP crown is headed back to Katipunan anyway. La Salle supporters, on the other hand, will be talking about Rico’s second technical foul for years to come. Pardon the pun, but nobody in the coliseum could seem to put a finger on the premise for Maierhofer’s technical foul. After receiving varied reports on the incident, I can only say this so far: The call was as bizarre as it was crucial.

In choosing the most pivotal moment of the series, I selected a sequence back in Game 1 which others might opt to dismiss. Tiu struggled mightily in Game 1 battling foul trouble early in the game. Late in the second half, while DLSU attempted to make a late charge, Tiu dashed downcourt with the basketball presented with a clear, legitimate opportunity to score on a lay-up and get his offense going. Everyone would’ve understood if Tiu wanted the lay-up for himself. Yet, Ateneo’s “Tiu-sen One” flipped the ball over to Al-Hussaini for an easy conversion. Such selflessness allowed Ateneo to dominate this year and partially gave them an edge over DLSU in the series. Combined with genuine on-court confidence and defense worthy of a military citation, Ateneo, in many ways, earned this championship by virtue of their season-long brilliance.

La Salle, on the other hand, earned their shot at a championship upset, by the strength of their season-long resiliency. In a tumultous season marked by buzzer beaters and off-the-court controversy, their final performance of the season was characterized by true grit and grim doggedness reserved for those in combat. This 0-4 season debacle against Ateneo will sting for a while. But, you can bet it won’t sting for long.

This late in the day, I’m sure the Blue Eagles, like myself, also cherish the calm after the surreal storm. Let it all sink in. The missed opportunities from 2006 and 2007 can all evaporate now. Hindsight is no longer necessary. No excruciating “what if’s” needed this time around. Ateneo’s infamous 2nd round loss to National University last season is now an amusing footnote for those who care to remember.  The ghosts of previous meltdowns against DLSU since 2003 have been exorcised. For weeks to come, the denizens of Loyola Heights will happily look back at the 2008 season in triumph. Then, when the euphoria from this championship fades, they’ll happily look ahead to 2009 armed with a newly-minted championship ring and a proven blueprint for UAAP success.