San Beda coach Jamike Jarin and the rest of the Red Lions celebrate after winning a record 20th NCAA men’s basketball title on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016 at Mall of Asia Arena. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
What a difference a year makes for Jamike Jarin and San Beda.
Cliche, but fitting.
Long before the confetti fell signaling San Beda’s record 20th NCAA seniors basketball title on Tuesday, Jarin and the Red Lions stood on the same floor of Mall of Asia Arena a year ago in total shock as their fierce rivals Letran Knights basked in euphoria.
San Beda’s narrative throughout Season 92 was redemption and the Red Lions put the exclamation point at the end of it.
“Yes (redemption), I would be lying (if I said no). It was a heartbreaking loss last year. It took me a year to really get back here and along the way, i had all these young men. I’m just happy,” Jarin told reporters after steering San Beda to a sweep of Arellano, 83-73.
On a personal level, Jarin rode on the same storyline.
As soon as San Beda’s five-year reign ended at the hands of Letran, Jarin was burdened by the lion’s share of criticisms.
That year, the Red Lions, brimming with star power and experience, were primed to extend their dynasty and yet, Jarin couldn’t guide his team all the way.
But just when San Beda was written off following the loss of its star center Donald Tankoua to a season-ending injury just two games into the second round two months ago, Jarin had his ultimate vindication.
“Of course, nobody likes to lose so my apologies to all those alumni, people that were heartbroken last year. My apologies. This is dedicated to them,” he said.
“Of course nobody wants to lose. Everybody here wants to win. But there are times that you end up on the losing end. But as the saying goes, it’s not how many times you fell down, it’s how you get up. And we got up.”
But for all the doubters, there were thousands who showed up in red on Tuesday.
“When everybody counted us out. When everybody wanted my head. Hats off to them. I have a lot of doubters. I don’t have social media, I don’t have all of that, but I know,” Jarin, an alumnus himself, said.
“Maybe the loss of Donald, it was a wake-up call for all of us, everybody stepped up, and all the boys just believed in themselves and just rallied behind Donald, rallied behind the coaches, and rallied behind San Beda.”
Jarin turned arguably the least talented San Beda team since the school’s dominance started in 2006 into champions and made believers out of doubters all at once.