La Salle's 4-peat, 2016 teams receive championship rings

De La Salle University men's basketball squads from 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2016 were given their championship rings on Monday in the school's Manila campus.

The ring ceremony, dubbed "Animo Champions", was spearheaded by former Green Archer and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, who was also part of the 1998 and 1999 champion squads. He was joined in this initiative by some of his former teammates Renren Ritualo, Don Allado, Mon Jose, and Dominic Uy, along with the De La Salle Alumni Association.

According to Zamora, some champion teams, like those from 2007 and 2013, had already received championship rings while others had not.

"Una sa lahat, it's been 25 years since we won the UAAP championship in 1998. It was the first of four straight championships. At ako'y naging bahagi ng dalawa, 1998 and 1999. In 1999, I was the team captain of the back-to-back championship team so nag-celebrate na kami ng 25 years namin at ang dami ng ipinanalo ng La Salle mula nung panahong 'yun pero hindi lahat kasi ng team nabigyan ng rings," Zamora said.

"Kaming mga players from before, we all feel naman na meron kaming kaunting na contribute sa De La Salle University and I felt that someone had to take the initiative to make this happen," he added.

("First of all, it's been 25 years since we won the UAAP championship in 1998. It was the first of four straight championships. And I was part of two, 1998 and 1999. In 1999, I was the team captain of the back-toback championship teams so we celebrated our 25 years and La Salle has won a lot since then but not all of the teams received rings... We, the players from before, all feel that we've contributed a little to De La Salle University and I felt that someone had to take the initiative to make this happen.")

Among the former Green Archers who received rings were Ritualo, Zamora, Jose, Uy, Mac Cuan, Dino Aldeguer, Willy Wilson, Mike Cortez, Joseph Yeo, Mac Cardona, BJ Manalo, Cholo Villanueva, BJ Manalo, Carlo Sharma, Adonis Sta. Maria, Erick Arejola, Jeron Teng, Ricci Rivero, Jason Perkins, Abu Tratter, Andrei Caracut, Aljun Melecio, Kib Montalbo, Thomas Torres, Julian Sargent, and Jollo Go.

Aside from celebrating the history of the fabled 4-peat and 2016 teams, Zamora hopes the ceremony could inspire the current crop of DLSU Green Archers, who will be competing in the UAAP Finals against University of the Philippines.

"Gusto namin maging inspirational para sa kanila ito," Zamora said.

("We want this to be inspirational for them.")

DLSU legend Ritualo, who had four rings on his hand by the end of the night, said coming home to La Salle brought back memories of donning the green-and-white.

"It feels great kasi they’re my brothers eh. Talagang family kami. As you can see, after 25 years, we’re still family, we’re still together, we’re still in communication, we’re still tight. Parang walang nawalang oras, it feels like yesterday," he said.

("It feels great because they're my brothers. We're really family. As you can see, after 25 years, we're still family, we're still together, we're still in communication, we're still tight. It's like no time passed, it feels like yesterday.")

Teng, who won two titles with La Salle in 2013 and 2016, said winning those titles were a big part of his basketball career.

"It’s a great honor na after seven years, now we’re finally receiving a championship ring and it really means a lot to me because playing for La Salle is one of my greatest achievements and I’m blessed to have won two championships."

—JMB, GMA Integrated News