The Different Dimensions of Heartbreak for the UST Growling Tigers

(Photo Credit: Ann Margaret A. De Nys, The Varsitarian)

With contributions from passionate and loyal Thomasian Camille Cutler 

You walk into a pub and you see two men sitting in the bar each with a drink in their hand. Both of them are sharing stories to their respective company, and there is one prevailing detail with what they are sharing: heartbreak.

Heartbreak is one of the most universal feelings in the world. Every human being has experienced heartbreak at least once in their life. This isn't just limited to getting dumped by this girl you really like or getting left at the altar. It could be because of something as mundane as failing a subject or even failing to get that McSpicy you've been craving for because it sold out when you got there. Different reasons, but the theme of loss is what is most prevalent in people who have broken hearts.

As Marvin Lee's transition three rimmed in and out of the rim with less than ten seconds remaining, the UST Growling Tigers could not help but let out a big sigh. The buzzer sounded, which signaled the end of the game between the UP Fighting Maroons and UST. UP won a squeaker once again, winning their fourth game, 71-69. For UST, it was their eighth loss in the same amount of games. The thing with heartbreak is, there are various ways of dealing with it. Either, losing, again and again, will just leave you numb and without much emotion, or it continues to crush you like a sledgehammer being pounded into your gut while you tear up and fight. As UST sang their hymn, there were two particular figures who showcased just that.

Marvin Lee has been the talk of a lot of criticism over the past week. He was branded as someone who relied on hero ball after taking an ill-advised pull-up three versus UE when they still had time to set up a play for a catch and shoot, the type of shots Lee is best at taking. 

Against UP, he continued to shoot his shot as he opted to shoot a transition pull up three with less than ten seconds remaining to try and win the game for the Growling Tigers. It rimmed in and out, and Lee was left with a straight face as he sang their school hymn. The frustration wasn't because he felt like he should have played it safe and went to the rim for the safer basket. It was simply because they lost.

"Sa akin kasi, kumpiyansa lang kasi kakagaling ko lang ng shoot eh," Lee said referring to the three he made from the right wing a few possessions before his last shot. "Para sa akin, feel ko shoot talaga kasi diretso yung pagbato ko. Nung lumabas, sabi ko baka di talaga para sa amin yung game." As he continued to talk to the media after the loss, he showed little to no emotion. Just a straight face that said, "Okay, we lost. On to the next one... I guess." It's that little "I guess" which showcases that feeling of frustration for Lee and the Growling Tigers.

Some may ask, Why be frustrated when you guys are clearly the worst team in the league? In terms of standings, the Growling Tigers are the worst in the league. They haven't had any form of a feel-good moment unlike a team like UE who had Alvin Pasaol scoring 49 points in a loss versus the defending champions. But if you go deeper into their statistics and personnel, they have all the reason to be frustrated.

Based on Net Rating, the Growling Tigers aren't the worst team in the league. The UE Red Warriors take the cake, sporting a Net Rating of -12.04 compared to the number of UST which is -10.53. What we also have to consider is that all games of UST have been tight save for the 29 point beating they received from the La Salle Green Archers.  They've lost either because of weak finishing kicks (example: vs. UE), or because they fell behind early on that they weren't able to catch up (example: vs. Ateneo)

More than just the stats, a look at their roster suggests that UST should be a team to take seriously. A duo of Marvin Lee and Jordan Sta. Ana makes for a deadly drive and kick combo, with Sta. Ana initiating the offense kicking it out to a curling Marvin Lee for the three-pointer. Steve Akomo is one of the better foreign student-athletes in the league thanks to his aggressiveness and respectable skill, while Jeepy Faundo has shown flashes of effectiveness as a serviceable big man. The Growling Tigers are not a hopeless case. Far from it. For Marvin, they just have to fix one particular thing with how they manage their games.

"Para sa akin, finish stronger talaga," mentioned Marvin about whether he wants to focus on finishing games or starting games well. There's certainly pain deep down inside Marvin. But as he walks out of the press room, he sports the same straight face he showed right after the game. Frustrated, but with a clear idea of what he wants the team to work on for upcoming games.

The player to the far right of Marvin wasn't just opposite in terms of where he was positioned. If Marvin looked like he did not have much emotion, Steve Akomo, the highly-touted recruit of Coach Boy Sablan, was a complete mess. He was on bended knee, wiping away his tears as he could not contain his emotions.

"It's the pain," said Akomo when asked about his tears. "In a big game like this, you have all the confidence, you have all the strength to win the game." For casual fans, this match-up may have not been much, but for UP and UST faithful, this was a grudge match. Both schools have always had a particular distaste for each other, whether it be through social media or on the basketball court. We saw this in their first game against each other this season, where UP came out on top thanks to a ballsy Paul Desiderio three. UST wanted revenge, but sadly, they couldn't get it.

Akomo himself had a decent game versus UP. He scored just 7 points, but he managed to grab 20 rebounds along with four blocked shots. But no doubt about it, Steve would have wanted to have grabbed at least 22 instead of 20, as he failed to grab two key boards versus Ibrahim Quattara in the final minutes of the game. Those two Quattara offensive rebounds were also putbacks, which gave UP added cushion versus the rallying Growling Tigers. Akomo may have won his match-up against Quattara, but he's never been about himself.

"I feel so down right now, because of my team. I was not able to give all my best to them," said Akomo. In that same game, Akomo was also sick, as he was nursing a fever. It could have been a "flu game" moment for Akomo. Instead, some analysts see him as the reason why UST lost since he missed those two offensive rebounds versus Quattara.

Loss. Doubt. Lack of belief in oneself. These are emotions one feels when he or she experiences heartbreak. These are painful emotions. But at the end of the day, the emotion one does not want to feel when he is in such a predicament is isolation.

When heartbroken, a person wants friends surrounding him or her, with support throughout such a difficult time. You throw logic out of the window when comforting someone heartbroken out of sheer love.

The UST community is one of the most passionate communities in the whole country. Their crowds are normally raucous, filled with different types of fans. Not everyone is a basketball fan, that's for sure. But every single UST supporter in the stands is someone who loves their team and their school.

The Growling Tigers needed love and support as they sang their hymn after another heartbreaker. But as you took a peek at the UST gallery, there were only 50+ individuals (including the drummers and cheering squad, by the way), who placed their closed right fist to their heart while they sang their hymn. This was what hurt the most for the Growling Tigers. The losses suck. But the image of not having an entire community behind their backs through every heartbreak was an even worse pain they had to endure.

"I feel so down because we don't have enough fans. We want our fans to come back, to believe in us," shared Steve. We view athletes as superhumans who can take on anything. But someone as big, strong and skilled as Akomo did not hesitate to ask for support. At the end of the day, the Growling Tigers, as athletic as they may be, are human. They play for the UST community, and not receiving support is crushing for the team.

Steve Akomo and Marvin Lee are the two main weapons of the UST Growling Tigers. They don't just differ in height and skill. They show us how there are different dimensions to heartbreak, whether it be in reason, or in reaction. But as they both walk out of the Araneta Coliseum, their goal remains the same; Make the UST community proud by trying to get that first win. They may not have the UST community right now, as painful as that may be. They're most certainly not going to make it to the Final Four anymore. But the beauty of heartbreak, whether you go through it alone or not, is it gives you second chances. If you want to do so, you have to move. Put down that drink, leave the pub, and get moving. The Growling Tigers have six games remaining on their schedule. Maybe through those games, they're able to regain trust not only from their fans but also for themselves.