It’s a new dawn in Katipunan, but this batch of Ateneo Blue Eagles know they have their BEBOB kuyas and a sea of blue on their side.
Ateneo’s first win in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, a victory over the Adamson Soaring Falcons last weekend, came on the heels of a massive and highly welcome development within the Blue Eagles’ camp.
On its first 0-3 start since 2013, the young Blue Eagles received a visit from their kuyas, whom you may recognize as the pioneers of Head Coach Tab Baldwin’s BEBOB (Blue Eagles Band of Brothers) culture that he instilled way back in 2016.
Ahead of Ateneo’s game against Adamson, a photo of past BEBOB Ateneans including Angelo Kouame, Raffy Verano, BJ Andrade, Big Mike Nieto, Tyler Tio, Dave Ildefonso, Jacob Lao, and Jason Credo in Ateneo’s Moro Lorenzo Gym with the Baldwin-led coaching staff was seen on social media.
It could very well be true that their 60-51 victory over the Falcons was fueled by the support (and real talk) given by those players.
“I was really proud of watching these young men [BEBOB veterans] stand up for something that is special. And I think that fighting spirit…in the fourth quarter, things weren’t going well. These guys were still fighting their hearts out to get that win. So it’s a great edification of that visit and how to play the game from an emotional standpoint,” Baldwin told reporters as Ateneo weathered Adamson’s fourth-quarter adjustments last weekend.
‘Sentimental’
Still within Ateneo’s rookie-laden crew are seniors Chris Koon and Josh Lazaro. They were a pair of Season 84 debutants who teamed up with the last of the original BEBOB Eagles.
Koon and Lazaro were among the last to play with the likes of Tio, Verano, Ildefonso, Andrade, and Kouame before their graduations. They were also part of Ateneo’s Season 85 redemption team led by the graduating Ildefonso-Andrade-Kouame trio in 2022.
“It was great. All of us didn’t really know they were coming in. We felt their presence. Each of them talked to us. We had the guys come in before Season 85, but this felt a little different, it was a different tone. And it was tough for us because we didn’t really feel like anybody believed in us besides ourselves,” Koon told reporters.
Lazaro, meanwhile, felt sentimental upon recalling that visit. After all, it’s these kuyas who eased his transition as a wide-eyed rookie from San Beda-Taytay. It’s safe to say that those two years he spent led to the formation of a lifelong bond.
“Sila ‘yung vets ko eh. Mga nag-welcome sakin sa culture, sa Ateneo…and they made it easy for me to adjust to Ateneo and they came [to visit us] so syempre super sentimental ko. Na-miss ko ‘yung bond namin,” Lazaro told The GAME in a follow-up chat.
“Sobrang nakakagaan, nakaka-assure para samin na malaman na kahit we started 0-3, they’re still here to support us and they’re rooting for us.”
Now the kuya, Lazaro was quick to acknowledge its impact on Ateneo’s youth brigade. After all, it’s a new generation of Ateneo Blue Eagles now, and it’s up to them to carve out their own names on the UAAP stage.
But in doing so, they now have support from their predecessors, which gives them an idea of the culture and standards they’re trying to live up to, or even exceed.
“Kung tutuusin, ‘tong batch ng mga bata na ‘to ‘di na nila na-experience ‘yung original na BEBOB eh. So ‘yun, super na-appreciate ko kasi kahit papaano, napa-experience nila kahit sa mga bata ‘yung brotherhood, ‘yung binuo nila nung sinimulan nila noong Season 79 [Tab Baldwin’s first season],” said Lazaro.
It’s something that their prized rookies Jared Bahay and Kris Porter attested to. Having this support system is highly crucial, given the chip on their shoulders even as UAAP rookies.
Bahay is Ateneo’s big recruit from Cebu, while Porter was a standout in the Blue Eagles’ junior ranks. Both are playing big boy minutes as a starting point guard and power forward, respectively.
“It’s like talking to your big brothers. It’s like when you talk to them, you feel the comfort. You feel that no matter what happens to you they’re gonna have your back. So that’s the kind of aura I felt talking to them when they talked to us,” Porter told The GAME.
“As a player, it’s really good to have that support. They’ve been in the same shoes that you’ve been in right now, and nowhere to go but up. That mentality and they always tell us, trust in coach Tab, so we’re going to live by those words and we’re going to play by it.
Bahay shared similar thoughts with the big man.
“Parang na-feel ko talaga na important kami talaga sa kanila. And parang di nila kami hinahayaan. Parang big brother pa rin sila…kasi all of us are rookies diba…and parang na-inpsire kami nung nag-visit sila,” the former Magis Eagle told The GAME.
With love comes pressure
Playing for Ateneo means playing for a program synonymous with winning. So while they’re the kuyas, the Blue Eagle vets were far from being yes men.
Motivating these young guns came with the challenge of living up to the standard of excellence planted in Katipunan.
“I think the important thing was that they didn’t feel like the culture that we had worked so hard to establish in the 79 up to 84 era, 85 era…really 84 to be honest. They didn’t feel like that culture was alive. And they wanted the current team to understand a bit more about it from their perspective,” says Baldwin.
“And these guys can say it was nice to have them there and feel the support. But there was absolutely pressure put on them by the former players. There were some very strong statements about how a Blue Eagle conducts himself on the court, on the bench, in front of the camera.”
It’s something the players know, starting with co-captain Koon: “It was great to have past players that still put that trust in us, still put that belief in us, but it also gave us the challenge to exceed and live up to the standard of the BEBOB culture.”
For his part, Lazaro has taken an increased role for the Blue Eagles, averaging 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds after four games played. The lanky forward is second in scoring behind guard Shawn Tuano, and in rebounds behind Porter.
There’s pressure for him to take on a leadership role, but the former Red Cub is taking things in stride.
“Syempre, nabibigyan ako ng confidence non [that our BEBOB kuyas support us], but at the same time, pressure din kasi kailangan kong masundan ‘yung ginawa nilang pag-lead samin non nung kami ‘yung mga bata…pero di naman super nakaka-pressure kasi I try to focus on the job, on the team, what’s best for the team kahit gaano pa kaliit ‘yon,” Lazaro said.
Bahay, meanwhile, has admitted getting a reality check from Nieto, who was part of Ateneo’s three-peat bid from Season 80 to 82. Big Mike was also part of Baldwin’s first-ever UAAP team in Season 79.
“Actually kinausap ako ni kuya Mike Nieto na the team really needed me to lead kasi parang ‘yung treat ng team sakin parang ‘di na rookie. I mean, pressure siya pero tanggap ko ‘yun and sana ma-live up ko ‘yung pressure,” he shared.
Perhaps, Bahay found a perfect senior in Nieto: “Siguro, parang ‘yung advices ni kuya Mike, nakakatulong sa pinapa-feel niya sakin kung ano talaga ‘yung UAAP talaga. Kasi ‘yung UAAP, ibang level na ‘yan sa Cebu, mga ganyan.”
“Then si kuya Mike, na-feel ko rin na parang naging kuya sya as a rookie, and pinapa-feel nya sakin and pinapaabot nya sakin kung paano mag-lead,” he said.
For longtime deputy Sandy Arrespacochaga, the BEBOB vets didn’t just issue a challenge, but also an invitation. Like Lazaro, he’s happy that these young guns finally get to see the “brotherhood” firsthand, rather than just hearing them through secondhand stories.
“You could say it was a challenge, but not just a challenge…also parang, an invitation to join. You know, they shared a lot of things. Parang we were in your position, na kaya pa, don’t lose hope,” said Arrespacochaga, who has been an Ateneo deputy under Joe Lipa, five-peat coach Norman Black, and now, Baldwin.
“And I think that was the message na that it gave us a boost because ‘yun nga, you know who your friends are when the chips are down. So it meant a lot for us coaches, and the young players also.”
‘Win or lose, it’s the school we choose’
Apart from the close-knit brotherhood among the Blue Eagles, the Ateneo crowd has remained supportive even in a rebuilding period. If you’ve been to Araneta Coliseum, then you’ve likely seen the Ateneo faithful (still) filling up the seats.
Baldwin has been left in awe by this support, given that they’re out of a winning era for now.
“I’ve been blessed to be here in a winning era. So I haven’t seen the community when times didn’t look so good. And yet they’re still here. They’re still supporting the team. All the messages are there. All the social media posts. I mean not all of them. Of course there’s some negative stuff and we probably deserve some, but the vast majority is positive,” he said.
For Porter, it’s a perfect embodiment of an Atenean motto.
“I gotta tell you, the Ateneo community is unbelievable! They’re always there cheering for us, whether we’re high or low. I wanna express my deep gratitude for the whole Ateneo community for always showing up and supporting us no matter win or lose,” he said.
“Ganun talaga eh, ‘yung motto talaga na ‘Win or lose, it’s the school we choose’. So dun ko nafe-feel talaga as a rookie, and I hope that I bring it forward in my later years.”
Banner image courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.