Black: Ateneo's '08 rookies help us achieve four-peat

Coach Norman Black credited Ateneo's "four-peat" title run to the recruiting class of 2008 that included UAAP Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Nico Salva. Black considers the 2008 rookies the main reason why the Blue Eagles went on to win a fourth straight title— proof of the importance of recruitment in the league. "When I first joined Ateneo, I basically inherited the players who were there. The 2008 recruiting class was big for us," said Black. "Chris Tiu was already there but the class of Nico Salva, Ryan Buenafe, Justin Chua, Frank Golla and Vince Burke really got us over the hump. We had big guys combined with the nucleus and we supplemented that with other players that really led us to this run," said Black. Salva led Ateneo's assault on FEU which gave Ateneo its fourth straight title, averaging 19.5 points on 78 percent shooting from the field (14-of-18) in the two-game sweep of Far Eastern University Saturday. That included a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field in Game 1. Salva's near-flawless shooting came at the right time. "There were times that Nico takes a lot of shots and misses the open man sometimes but he has the knack for really just surrendering to the moment when it's crucial and it's championship time," said Black. "He has the tendency to deliver when it's most crucial and that's going to serve him well if he continues his basketball career," he added. Big men Justin Chua and Frank Golla may not be in the same caliber as Salva but they provided solid minutes off the bench especially when Ateneo's prized center Greg Slaughter is resting. Buenafe played a big role in the 2010 championship but failed to suit up this season. He remains eligible for the next year in Ateneo's '"Drive for Five" title bid. "We have players that want to win. You have to strive for something and for them, they strive for being the best college team in the country," Black said. "I believe that we have been the best college team in the last four years. We also won two PCCL championships and of course, the UAAP is the top league in the country," said Black. — JVP/HS, GMA News