Students from San Beda College and Colegio de San Juan de Letran rarely see eye to eye. But when they do, they can create beautiful symphony.
Ever since the NCAA organized an annual All-Star game, cagers from San Beda and Letran have been listed in separate teams based on location, the East and the West All-Stars.
The fourth annual mid-season classic changed all of this, however, as the 10 NCAA schools were split depending on the figure that their school represented, Saints and Heroes. And it forced the San Beda troika of Javee Mocon, Robert Bolick, and Davon Potts to team up with the Letran trio of Rey Nambatac, Bong Quinto, and JP Calvo.
Both Bolick and Nambatac have known each other since their High School days but have been fierce rivals in the NCAA.
“Kilala ko naman sila, mabait naman talaga sila. Pero pag kalaban talagang laban. Pero ito magkakasama kami talagang iba yung pagka-jell namin pag magkakasama kami sa court,” said Bolick, who finished with seven points in the Saints’ 84-80 win.
“Nakakatuwa na arch-rival nga pero kakampi ko sila sa All Star. Sa loob lang naman kami na rivals, outside the court we’re friends naman. Sila coach Boyet [Fernandez], napaka-friendly and approachable,” added Nambatac, who chipped in 12 markers.
What surprised Bolick more was how friendly Quinto and the San Sebastian Golden Stags — another San Beda rival this decade — were.
“Yung Baste boys at si Quinto. Alam ko pag kalaro ko sila, ibang klase sila at talagang hindi bibigay dahil sobrang pisikal,” Bolick added.
“Gulat ako na pag kasama mo pala sila, ang babait, wala akong masabi.”
But what united the Bedans and the Letranites was that they needed to figure out how to stop MVP candidate CJ Perez, as the Lyceum Pirate was tearing up the stat sheet with a 15-point, four-rebound, three-assist, and four-steal outing.
“Nawala yung rivalry. Nagtulungan kami to get the win against CJ Perez, talagang malakas sila e,” shared Mocon, who tallied five points, three rebounds, and four assists.
And after accomplishing their mission, all six student-athletes will return to their respective teams. But this time around, they will carry with them lasting memories and a bond that will be hard to break.
