TEAM 81 RIPS 86!!!

UPIS Batch 1981, turning back the clock just when the others wished they could, gave Batch '86 a neat lesson in staying young, carving out a lopsided victory on Saturday (May 31) to stay in the title hunt in the Inter-UPIS basketball tournament at the Celebrity Sports Plaza.

Dodo Samson, Adib Tamano, Joel Paz, Gigo Alampay and Ariel Magno presided over a balanced scoring rampage as the supposedly elders put on a whale of a show, bringing back fond memories of the magical days of yore, when the arena was a rickety court along Katipunan Avenue, and a timeout then meant an icy-cold SMB at Tong Long, rotation at Pink House, and heavy puffing at nearby Aling Casey's, if not the storied banyo.

Oh well, time does fly – and so does Team 81.

With steady, radar-like sniping from Paz, Magno and Samson complementing the all-court hustle of Tamano, Alampay, Ceasar Callangan and Neon Rosell, the 81ers were in control all game, erecting (not to be confused with erection!) a 25-point bulge (not to be confused with the forthcoming oblation shoot bulge!) at one time, as their younger rivals could only shake their heads in utter disbelief.

This considering that some of Team 81's mainstays had an injury to deal with – Gigo was hobbled by a vexing twisted ankle, but still played like the patriot he and John Imperial are (John missed out though due to the lure of local tourism, Subic in particular, but will most likely suit up next game, if another lure fails to collar him!) .

Never mind if Ariel's beery side showed – the sweet-shooting lawyer gave justice to his role as playing coach.

Never mind if Dodo's legs seemed to wobble at times. At least, the hangover showed not as the pride of Team 81 basketball provided the inspiration with his towering presence.

A Samson trey that had all the trappings of a hyped-up advertisement was the perfect exclamation point for the afternoon massacre.

Pink house habitués know billiards and calling your shots. Dodo did just that, touching off thunderous applause from the crowd, which included team muse Rorie Abejo-Pena, who gave out free Misispi cookies after the impressive win by 81, which now has a second-running 2-1 won-lost tally.

For this hardy soul though, more fulfilling than the game's outcome was the chance to be with some batchmates I must have last seen and been with almost 30 years ago.

What followed was an animated kwentuhan at the coffee shop –the Horror booth and all.

Never mind my slow limp up the stairs leading to the venue. I will be at Celeb once again this Saturday, June 7, as Team 81 battles 2000.

Way to go... Till then... Go go go, UPIS 81!!!