Old teammates headline UAAP Finals
By Alder T. Almo
25 September 2009 01:44 PM
Four years ago, Eric Salamat and Paul Lee shared the same court triumphantly celebrating a championship they’ve just won together.
That was in 2005 when the San Sebastian Staglets swept the San Beda Red Cubs for the NCAA Juniors’ basketball crown. Lee was a member of the Mythical Team while Salamat eventually won the Finals MVP.
Fast forward to 2009.
 On Sunday, Salamat and Lee would share the same court again in the Finals. But this time, however, the two former teammates will clash as Salamat’s team,the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles takesn Lee’s University of the East Red Warriors for the UAAP seniors basketball crown.
“Kabigan ko si Eric (Salamat). Lahat kami sa Baste (San Sebastian Staglets), ay magkakaibigan. Lagi kami nagbabatian everytime na magkita kami.” said Lee after completing one of the biggest upsets in the UAAP Final Four history.
But friendship will take a backseat once the referee throws the ball up in the air for the first possession of the game. The inevitable battle of the two star guards in the league is about to unfold.
The body slamming would be replaced by hard bumps, pats on the back to taps on the ball, chest thumping to salute to the crowd for Salamat and “bang bang” hand gesture for Lee every time one of them makes a shot.
Both products of a great high school basketball program, Salamat and Lee find themselves entrenched with different roles they’ve earned in the collegiate ranks.
One is a cunning thief. The other, a cold-blooded assassin.
If you belong to the Red Tribe, you would loathe when Salamat’s angelic smile turns to a devilish grin after making a steal that leads to an easy basket for Ateneo.
But if you come from the Blue side, you would grimace in pain to see Lee hit a dagger three straight to the  Eagle’s heart.
Salamat led the league in steals in the eliminations with 2.1 per game average aside from emerging as the Blue Eagles’ top playmaker (3.6 assists per game) and second offensive option (11.9 point per game).
On the other hand, Lee is the heart and soul of the run-and-gun Warriors. His elimination averages of 15.8 points and 4.9 assists per game topped the team.
But they were just only revving up their engines. The best was yet to come.
There is an old adage that “big-time players play big in big games.” And both heeded the call in the Final Four.
Salamat may have only scored only six points in the Blue Eagles’ Final Four win against the UST Growling Tigers. But Ateneo didn’t need him to as the final score, 81-64, would reflect. When the annihilation was over, consider his other stats line – five assists and four of Ateneo’s Final Four record 13 steals. The Ateneo community would have to thank Salamat.
It was Salamat’s second quarter brilliance on both offensive and defensive end which killed the Tigers’ will.
If Salamat carried the Eagles back to the Finals with his defensive brilliance, it was the other way around for Lee.
You can't find enough superlatives to describe Lee’s offensive wizardry during their first Final Four game against an emotionally-drained FEU Tamaraws.
Six three-pointers from as far as MRT and Ali Mall with hands on face went in. Lee made the most insane shots he has ever thrown in his entire life. Those shots accounted for 18 of his UAAP career-high 26 points aside from grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out seven assists, helping the Warriors staved off elimination with an 84-74 victory.
Game 2 was not as spectacular as Game 1 but nonetheless, Lee paced the Warriors with 17 markers, including the free throws that sealed their date with destiny. The 20-year old guard also chipped in four rebounds and three assists to oust the more fancied Tams, 78-72.
If the Final Four was any indication, the set is stage for a classic duel of former teammates turned opponents.
By next week, only one of them would celebrate in triumph. The other will just have to relish what happened in 2005.
|
|
Jessica Mendoza with Oping Sumalinog & Noy Baclao after Ateneo won the PCCL title
|
Ateneo coach Norman Black answers questions from a pack of reporters after Game 2 win in PCCL Finals
|
|
Eagles & Tams got entangled in a close match in Game 1
|
Noy Baclao teaches the ropes on up-and-coming Justin Chua during ADMU-SBC PCCL Final Four game
|
|
catch Nico Salva's breakout game in PCCL
|
UAAP Srs fell to NCAA Srs in Bantay Bata All Star Game
|
|