COLOR IT RED
Twice, Yuri Escueta thanked Yukien Andrada.
The first time was a season ago, at the end of San Beda’s campaign, when the Red Lions were shown the door in the semifinals.
“Yuks, thank you,” Escueta told his veteran forward during a somber locker room briefing last year.
“At the dugout, I was thanking him already. I was expecting him to leave. He could’ve gone pro. I knew he was also entering the draft that year. I was already thanking him,” Escueta told the Inquirer.
A year later, for a whole other reason, Escueta thanked Andrada once more—more profusely, this time.
Under the bright lights of the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with confetti raining down on both men at the end of the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball championship, Escueta sought out his graduating ace.
“I told him, ‘Yuks, thank you …’ among some bad words, but I thanked him,” an ecstatic Escueta said in jest.
Best for last
In the Red Lions’ most important game of the season, the do-it-all forward saved his best for last, joining hands with Bryan Sajonia to lead San Beda to its 24th men’s basketball title after sweeping Letran with an 83-71 Game 2 victory on Saturday afternoon.
“He wanted to stay here. He could’ve played a one-and-done year there, but he stayed,” the two-time collegiate champion coach said.
Sajonia also shone in his final game in the NCAA, taking home Finals MVP honors after dropping 21 points to go with nine rebounds, two assists and a steal in the game that slammed the doors on their longtime rivals.
In Game 1, Sajonia dropped 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. In two games of the season-ending series, he averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Andrada deserved the gratitude. But if you ask him, he was simply delivering on his promise to Escueta and the San Beda community.
When he announced his final go-around with the Red Lions prior to Season 101, he vowed to bring the crown back to Mendiola.
After dropping a little bit of everything with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals, the PBA-bound forward fulfilled that vow.
“I’m always here to answer the call. This is for the Bedan community. I’ll always deliver for them,” Andrada said, soaked in water and white confetti.
“I’m just so happy. This is why I stayed. I believed in this team, in coach Yuri, that’s why I came back to do this again,” he added.
Now that all is said and done, Andrada can put “two-time NCAA champion” in his resumè as he heads to the pros.
Master’s degree
It’s an achievement that he could have missed out on had he pursued his Master’s degree in another school.
“He could have taken a master’s degree in a UAAP school. Ateneo thought about it. Still, he chose to stay. It was just a fleeting moment, though. Ateneo would never do that, but it was on the table,” Escueta revealed.
Jonathan Manalili, who won Freshman and Rookie of the Year awards earlier, left it all on the floor for Letran with 15 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Kevin Santos and Jun Roque also finished with 14 and 12 points, respectively, in the losing effort.
