Chris Koon and the Ateneo Blue Eagles after their final elimination round game in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – It may not have been the ending they wanted for their college careers, but Ateneo seniors Chris Koon and Sean Quitevis enjoyed their life experiences as the Blue Eagles’ frontrunners in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
Koon and Quitevis did their best, except that Ateneo lost 69-55 to Adamson in its final game of the season and finished 4-10 Saturday at the FilOil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.
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Ateneo, which won four championships under coach Tab Baldwin, ended up being the cellar dwellers of the season.
READ: UAAP: Adamson beats Ateneo, plays UE for final Final Four spot
“The locker room is definitely disappointing, it’s not up to the standard that the school has set and that we had. Me and Sean have participated in different phases of Ateneo, but this one was just another learning experience. But we are grateful for the opportunity. It’s a game we wish we could have won, but at the end of the day these things happen,” said Koon, who had 10 points, three rebounds and two steals in his final UAAP game.
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“We’re moving into the next phase of our lives and we hope the next team can come back strong and hopefully maintain the standard of Ateneo. “So we wish them all the best and know we’ll see them next year.”
Graduating guard Quitevis said he learned a lot from leading a rebuilding team this season despite the disappointing finish.
Ateneo Blue Eagles graduate Sean Quitevis hugs coach Tab Baldwin after their final elimination round game in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
“I think the lesson I take from my journey is that you should never give up on your dreams. To be honest, I couldn’t have even imagined being in the position I’m in right now. Putting on the Ateneo jersey is a great honor and I really hope that the next group of Ateneans will accept this honor, what a great honor it is to put on this jersey,” Quitevis said.
“And to the Ateneo community: I didn’t really grow up a true Blue and Ateneo wasn’t really my dream school, but after all the years I’ve been here, I understand why people fall in love with Ateneo. It’s just the community, the values it stands by, and whether it’s really a matter of winning or losing that determines the school we choose.”
READ: Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin moves on after worst UAAP loss
Baldwin praised the leadership and years of commitment of his two top players to his team.
“The work that these two guys did in a very unenviable scenario demands my respect and I am sure that the respect of our community, as you saw from our community’s reaction after the game, is more than good I just want to go on the record and tell them, as I just did in the dugout, how much I love them, how much I respect them and give them due credit for the work they’ve done this year as leaders and have almost done everything behind it Scene,” said the Ateneo coach.
As they leave Ateneo, Koon and Quitevis hope the Blue Eagles learn from this tough season and continue to honor the school they play for as they look to rise from the ashes next year, with incoming sophomores Jared Bahay and Kristian Porter taking on larger roles.
READ: UAAP: Tab Baldwin hopes Ateneo can finish Season 87 strong
“I just want the guys we play with now to not take anything for granted. When you put on this uniform it means so much. We have been successful over the years, even though this season was the least successful on record, I feel like this year I learned the most about myself, the program, the strength of the Ateneo community and much more. I will always be there, win or lose,” Koon said.
“Coach Tab was relentless every day and pushed us to our limits. And sometimes it really caused us so much suffering. And it really tested who we are, who we are as athletes. And I wouldn’t change that,” Quitevis added.
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Koon and Quitevis have a matchup to sort out next week, but once they take a break, both seniors will look to recharge and recover from their injuries in preparation for their path to the pros.