When we talk about “Giant Killers” there are always two sides of the coin—the giant and, of course, the killers.
Killers may be great but nonetheless, giants have their own story deserving recognition.
Let me tell you mine… OUR team, OUR school, OUR pride, OUR tragic ending.
The year was 2007. Our school was the University of the East Red Warriors, one of the country’s best basketball programs that crafted out 18 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP—Philippine counterpart of the NCAA) championship. Numerous Philippine basketball legends attended the university including the likes of Baby Dalupan, Robert Jaworski, Allan Caidic, Jerry Cordinera and James Yap yet 2007 brought about the school’s best moments since the glory days of the late the 80s.
Late ’80s?
It was the best of times. Every year thousands of delighted students and alumni gathered around a huge bonfire amidst the campus grounds to cherish almost everything—from another year of dominance in the CPA board exam, another top-notch dentist and of course another coveted UAAP championship trophy ready to be put in our storied gallery.
That overall winning tradition is most exhibited in our basketball program. Basketball is UE’s way of living. No., better… basketball is UE’s way of winning.
All Good Things Come to an End
As soon as the basketball dynasty that stood for decades crumbled into pieces, all the other dynasties also started their deterioration. The CPA dominance was gone, the top-notch dentistry followed and so on.
There are no logical explanations but the turn of events seemed to suggest that in order to bring back the winning ways in all our other endeavours, we should first bring back the basketball supremacy which felt rightfully belongs to us.