Blast From the Past

Not Too Long Ago

The first ever digital sports photos I took were that of high school boys training for Palaro in the summer of 2008.  Since then, I gradually netwoked -- shooting games in minor leagues such as the Terry Razon Cup [held at Ateneo]  or the Spanish League [held also at the Ateneo] or the Pinoy Premier League [held at the ULTRA] -- and Eventually, I got to shoot my first ever UAAP match on Jan., 2009.  It was a football game.

Then came UAAP Volleyball, RIFA, Shakey's V-League [Season 6], UFL, Fil-Oil Pre-Season Tournament Basketball, ILLAM Baseball and Softball and so on   .   .   .

ARMY keeper saves one in their Pinoy Premiere League match vs Gilligan's.

[2008, ULTRA, Pasig]

Cristina de los Reyes [DLSZ] scores her 2nd Goal to lead the RP Under-19 Team to victory [2-0] against Guam, in a friendly.

 [Feb.16, 2009] [Erenchum, Ateneo]

Teddy Vic Melendres, Inquirer Sports Editor,

 had this photo published a day or two later.

Cannot remember the name of this Badminton Tournament

I took photos of, anymore.

[2008, Mega Mall, Pasig]

I occasionally come across a select few of my favored digital photos [Circa 2008, 2009, 2010] [which I've  made seperate folders off] in my computer and am reminded how much I've learned [and still have to learn] in the past years.

Lady Tam Rachel Anne Daquis outplays Lady Archer Stephanie Mercado.

[UAAP Finals, 2009, Arena, San Juan] 

UAAP Season 71 Women's Volleyball Finals MVP

 Lady Archer Ila Santos scores.

[UAAP Finals, 2009, Arena, San Juan]

Red Warrior Raffy Reyes drives past Golden Stag Pamboy Raymundo.

[Fil-Oil Flying V Pre-Season Basketball League, Arena, San Juan]

I've always enjoyed complementing images with text.

The athlete in this photo is my nephew, Nace Gonzales.

He is presently in his Senior Year at Southridge High.

Tamaraw Mark Barroca fades away for a twinner

against Archer Hyram Bagatsing.

[UAAP Season 72, 2009, Arena, San Juan]

Paul Lee, Jessica Mendoza, and Eric Salamat are all smiles during a break in the UAAP vs NCAA All-Star Exhibition Match, held a week or so after Ateneo won the UAAP Season 72 Basketball Crown.

[2009, Arena, San Juan]

brosi gonzales

Final Four - ADM-UST and FEU-AdU

September 15, Thursday

Ateneo  vs.  UST

- Blood, Sweat, Tears, and Respect -

- Blood -

- Sweat -

- Tears -

- Respect -

The story about the UST Growling Tigers in this year's Season 74 UAAP Men's Basketball Tournament is not only about Fortuna, Camus and Pido Jarencio, or Blood, Sweat, and Tears - [not to take away anything from the other teams who also did their damn best] - - -It is about Respect. 

Not at all seeded to make it to the Final Four, [Most people expected last year's quartet of ADM, FEU, AdU, DLS to end up in the Magic 4], Pido's boys surprised everyone, and at the end of the eliminations, had secured a hard earned Final Four Ticket. 

The UST Growling Tigers had overachieved -- and even scared the hell out of Norman's boys -- almost forcing an overtime - had not Fortuna missed a last second three-pointer, and possibly arranging a knockout match vs. the formidable Blue Eagles on Sunday, September 18. 

The Blue Eagles prevailed, in that twice-to-beat match, but only by a measly

 3 points.

Here are a few more interesting moments from that match.

Slaughter blocks Karim Abdul.

Salva swoops in for two.

Long plays Sharp D.

Chua blocks Fortuna.

-After this block Monfort got the ball and streaked to the basket,

only to be blocked by Chris Camus, after which,

 UST regained possesion of the ball-

FEU  vs.  Adamson

- Day of the Tamaraw -

- Chest Bump -

- Mr T -

As expected, the FEU-Adamson match filled the Coliseum to the rafters.  [The tickets to the ADM-UST game and FEU-AdU were sold separately] 'Twas a sea of Blue with White, and Yellow with Green as early as 2:30.  The Adamson community felt this match was just going to be a formality os sorts, supremely confident that after their Falcons humiliated the Blue Eagles last Sept.10, that they [the Falcons] were the team to beat now, and with twice-to-beat advantage, it [the Last Finals Slot] was already in the bag.

- Too late the slam -

The expected Adamson rally came, as Nuyles finally hit his stride, with a whole lotta minutes to play,  but the Tamaraws simply did not let this one go They had the likes of Garcia, Romeo, and Ramos to help them keep their composure - and they did - eventually force a knockout match on this Sunday.

But not if the Battle Scarred Tamaraws could help it. Nuyles and Company mustered only 7 points in the 1st Quarter, and it was almost 3 minutes into the 2nd Quarter when the Falcons got out of that hole. The Tams had made sure that the Firey First Quarter Falcon Show would not be "aired" [excuse the pun].

The Adamson hoopsters had their looks but the ball would simply rim out, they scrambled for the loose balls, challenged every rebound [offensive and defensive] - but he ball would  always end up in the hands of a Tamaraw.

It came to a point when Eric James [Camson] almost lost his cool against Gryann Mendoza in a rebound play in the 2nd Half.  Leo's boys  simply could not believe that Bert's undermanned crew were controlling the tempo of the match.

As I mentioned in a previous post [Aplomb - Blood, Sweat, and Tears],

to make it to the finals, Terrence Romeo has to make

 life miserable for the Falcons - and that's exactly what he did.

Now, we have a winner-take-all match for the Last Finals Slot on Sept. 18.

tb updated

brosi gonzales