My first UAAP game...

Thanks to my very good friend, Bok, I was able to go to my very first UAAP Basketball Game last Sunday (August 22). :) It was a great experience, something I will never, ever forget especially since it's likely going to be my last UAAP basketball game because Bok won't ever bring me to another game. Not after I got sick because of the excitement and all! "Hinding-hindi ka na tutuntong sa Araneta sa UAAP!" (You're never going to set foot at Araneta for UAAP!) Sure, she was kidding but I, myself, wouldn't like to take any chance and get sick again. Besides, those two games are enough to last me a lifetime.

The first game was between UP and Adamson. Despite coming from UP, we sat at the Adamson side so we would surely be at the Ateneo side in the next game. There were some cheering here and there. There were many unoccupied seats. I could barely hear the UP students' cheers save for the UP drums. We were seated right at the back of the Adamson drummers, but we were cheering and hooting for UP. "Go UP!" and "UP, ano ba?!" coupled with the famous "U-nibersidad ng Pilipinas!" Despite the many errors committed by the UP Maroons (I don't really know much about basketball rules, but we were with MaCho, a Varsity Basketball Player during her college years at UP Iloilo, who is trained in "referee-ing"), they won! We were so happy!

Then came the main event! I refer to the second game as the main event because it's what almost all the people there came for. It was between La Salle and the Ateneo. As soon as the first game ended, people started to come and occupy every single seat available. In a short time, the whole Araneta Coliseum was packed full with Green (La Salle) and Blue (Ateneo) crowds. Exactly half of the coliseum was green, the other blue. I was thinking, "Wow, so this is what it's like to be in a ADMU vs. DLSU game?"

At any other time, I wouldn't have minded which between the two schools won. I have many good friends from both schools. But, in that particular game, I was with Ateneo friends (Bok and Erik), so we were rooting for Ateneo! The minute everyone (spectators) was settled, cheering and drumming began! It was amazing, even overwhelming to a first-timer like me! The next thing I knew, we were all on our feet clapping and cheering "like there was no tomorrow". "Go Ateneo! One Big Fight!" The other side would answer with "Beat Ateneo! Animo La Salle!" The game started and ended with us on our feet the whole time, cheering and jumping non-stop! The drummers never stopped banging on their drums. "Get that ball! Get that ball!" The only time we sat down was during time-outs and the half-time show by both schools' pep squads. It was really, really exciting!

Sadly, Ateneo lost. I was affected by the loss maybe because Bok, Erik, Ria (another friend) were quite sad. And, Bok's sisters (Dada and Donna) and cousin (Mimi) were also a bit affected. Erik even sort of blamed himself because he was wearing his "stupid unlucky shirt" (which he changed, by the way, before the second half of the game). Well, almost all the Atenistas around us looked forlorn and just lost, especially the young cheerleader in front of us, who was almost in tears. On the other hand, the Green crowd's happiness and elation was just indescribable. These scenes made me realize how much the two schools give importance to and take the UAAP seriously. Even the alumni were there cheering like crazy for their schools. Young and old were there to show support for their teams. It was very nice to see, if you ask me. The whole time, I was really like, "WOW!!!"

I couldn't help but think that if the UP Maroons were given the same support and attention by the UP students, alumni and administration, maybe they could do much better, just maybe. Maybe, they could even compete for championship. :)