Final Four drama theater

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Whoever came up with the concept of the Final Four in Philippine college basketball deserves a salute from hoop fans.

It started in the UAAP and then got adopted by other leagues as well.

Before the current format where the top finisher plays against the fourth placer and the second best team goes against the fourth for the two slots in the finals after two rounds of classification, tournaments usually had the winner of the first round play against the top team of the second.  If a team won both rounds, it would automatically win the title.

The current execution of the Final Four (a name  clearly taken from the US NCAA Final Four) guarantees that the top finishers have twice-to-beat advantages over their lower-ranked rivals. 

The league packs excitement to the very end because teams that peak later in the season have a chance against those that dominate early.  The fourth slot is usually the most hotly contested by the also-rans because finishing in the top four guarantees an extended season and a chance to pull the rug from under the frontrunners.

The change in format was prompted by the University of Santo Tomas sweep of the 1993 season.  The team won both rounds as it clearly dominated the field.  However, it was felt that the league was left without a championship series that could be appealing to communities and sponsors alike. 

Thus, the Final Four as it is played today has been around since 1994 with some slight deviations like its addition of step-ladder playoffs if a team sweeps the season and the three other finishers have to play knock out games.  The format has spilled over to most team sports in the UAAP.

This year, the excitement continued as the Adamson Falcons and the Ateneo Blue Eagles picked up their games in the second round and made it to the Final Four.  La Salle was clearly dominant and should continue to be so in the Finals, having already beaten the Falcons in their half of the playoffs.

It was also clear as Far Eastern University recovered its winning form in a come-from-behind win against Ateneo in Game 1 of their playoffs.  It looked like the second place Blue Eagles were on their way to stretch their winning streak to seven and march into a finale against arch rival La Salle.

But the Tamaraws bucked the twice-to-beat edge of Ateneo and forced a showdown on Wednesday for the other final slot.  FEU refused to give up even if Ateneo looked like it had a basket for every Tamaraw rally in the second half.  Defense did it for FEU as the Tamaraws forced Ateneo to miss key baskets in the stretch.

Another colorful UAAP season is still without an ending.  The Final Four format has created a theater where the play never performs or ends in the same way.