AFTER winning three straight seniors championships in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, San Sebastian College-Recoletos was looking to set another league record in 1996 – a fourth consecutive title that previously had not been attained by any school in history.
The Golden Stags were the first to turn in the trick. Powered by dominant frontliner Romel Adducul, the team swept second-round winner San Beda College during the best-of-three finals to end up at 12-2 for the season.
Significantly, the championship success came in SSC-R’s 50th (Golden) anniversary as an academic institution. The NCAA also welcomed Philippine Christian University as its seventh member in 1996. SSC-R made it five titles in a row in 1997, registering a 13-0 record for the third perfect season in NCAA seniors history.
With a 12-0 regular card, the Golden Stags earned a twice-to-beat advantage against San Beda College in the finals and expectedly made short work of the Red Lions.
Mentored by rookie coach Arturo (Bay) Cristobal, the 1997 SSC-R squad is considered by many hoop fans as one of the strongest – if not the strongest – championship teams in league history. The Stags were bannered by back-to-back season MVP Adducul, Aramis (Banjo) Calpito, Jasper Ocampo, Ulysses Tanigue, Brixter Encarnacion and team skipper Rommel Daep.
The six graduating players each won their fourth title ring, with Adducul, Calpito and Ocampo doing it consecutively. The reserves on the team included Jerome Barbosa, Michael (Topex) Robinson, Alvin Pua and rookie Mark Macapagal.
In 1998, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde was admitted into the NCAA as its eighth member. Letran hit it big that year, claiming the crown behind season MVP Christian Calaguio and up-and-coming Kerby Raymundo, the league’s 1997 Rookie of the Year.
Coach Luis Francisco (Louie) Alas was a winner in his inaugural campaign with the Knights. Rookie Vincent (Binky) Favis took over the Knights’ coaching reins in 1999 and piloted the Muralla-based school to another title.
Letran, which was bannered by season MVP Raymundo, Allan Salangsang and William (Billy) Moody, defeated Jose Rizal College (now Jose Rizal University) in a violence-marred championship series.
Along the way, the Knights became the first No. 4 seed ever to upset the top seed in the Final Four, having beaten San Sebastian College-Recoletos twice in a row to reach the finals.
It was the Knights’ 14th seniors title overall, tying them with Ateneo de Manila for the most number of championships in league annals. At the turn of the millennium in 2000, College of Saint Benilde whipped fourth-seeded SSC-R in the finals for its first NCAA championship in just three years in the league.
The Blazers’ success, which was built around Sunday Salvacion, marked the quickest title finish by any school in the league since World War II. SSSC-R ruled the games in 2001 and 2002 before Letran regained its lofty stature in 2003 with a three-game finals’ victory over Leo Najorda (the season MVP) and the Golden Stags and a league record-setting 15th seniors crown. The Knights were built around guard Ronjay Enrile.