| San Sebastian Stags Post Season Review NCAA Press Release, Sun, Oct 25, 2009 With a talented but untested roster, no one, not even San Sebastian coach Ato Agustin, gave the Stags a realistic chance of defying the odds and giving the San Beda Lions and the Jose Rizal Bombers, last year’s finals protagonists, a run for their money. But after the smoke of the Season 85 battle dissipated, it was a gallant San Sebastian side that emerged victorious in the end. Drawing strength from each of the team member’s commitment to win, Agustin and the Stags pulled off the improbable by sweeping the heavily-favoured Lions in two games Saturday night to snare their first title in seven seasons and 12th overall. It ended the Lions’ three-year reign and nailed the Stags’ third win in their last three championship meetings after the latter trounced the former in the 1996 and 1997 finals that capped a historic five-peat feat. And the former PBA MVP achieved the feat right on his rookie season. “Our main goal was to really just to make it to the Final Four,” revealed Agustin, who took over from Jorge Gallent early this year, in Filipino after his charges hammered out a series-clinching 76-61 triumph that capped their Cinderella run. “All of us worked worked hard and this is sweet because it’s my first title as a coach in any basketball level and I thank the boys and the officials of San Sebastian for sticking to their commitment to win and I know I helped the boys get the attitude they needed to win,” he added. San Sebastian’s sweet sweep of San Beda capped a magical season for a school that has been in the doldrums the last seven years. All in all, the Stags finished the season with 19 wins and four losses. Two of these defeats came at the hands of the Lions—one in their last elimination round game denying the reigning titlists outright top seeding in the Final Four and the other relegating the latter from No. 1 to No. 2. Facing the dangerous Bombers, out to end their 37-year title drought, in the Final Four, the Stags dropped the first one after their captain Jimbo Aquino sat out because of a one-game suspension for a disqualifying foul he incurred in a loss to San Beda in a playoff for the No. 1 seed. But when Aquino returned, he pumped the life back into the Stags, who responded by blowing away the self-destructing Kalentong-based dribblers to clinch the other finals berth where the super-charged Lions, who advanced by making short work of the Rey Guevarra-less Letran Knights, awaited. The rest is history. The clutch-shooting Aquino and the hardworking Calvin Abueva, a 21-year-old forward who is far more seasoned than his lack of NCAA experience shows, were driving forces in the Stags successful campaign. Aquino came through with a 24-point effort in a 72-68 double overtime squeaker in Game Two and then followed his clutch performance with a 16-point performance in Game Two including 10 in a pivotal run in the fourth quarter to finish off the Lions. Aquino tweaked his left ankle in the process and though he left the court limping, he carried with him the champion’s trophy and the Final MVP plum for his gallantry. “They’re the heart and soul of the team, I couldn’t say more about their efforts,” said Agustin. After bagging the title, it looked like the Stags are going to extend their reign for another year as they would only lose Aquino. Agustin, however, said he isn’t thinking about it just yet saying he’d need to recharge after a stressful, tumultuous season. “I don’t want to think of it now because all that is in my mind to rest and relax a bit,” he said. |
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