Ford, Focus

By Timmy Nolan

In the early years of Ford Arao’s (IV AB IS) career as a Blue Eagle in the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team, he was known to be a sloppy, slippery-handed player. When a pass was directed towards him, it was almost an automatic turnover. He would enter a game for a minute or so, then take a seat. The word “impact” was never involved in his game then. Arao had no defensive presence; he had no post moves; and opponents never saw him as a threat in the paint.

As Jc Intal and Doug Kramer graduated from the team last year, many lost hope in finding a dominant big man that can replace them. Having an unreliable center such as Arao (or so they thought) to replace Intal and Kramer, it was a fear for numerous UAAP fanatics that the Ateneo team would not go the distance. They were wrong.

Ateneo’s first game for UAAP season 70 was against the Adamson Falcons. The team barely escaped with a victory. Bad shooting. Bad defense. Terrible game. However, playing his finest game in five years, Arao stood his ground and shot 10 out of 16 Ateneo points in overtime as the Eagles recovered from awful shooting to break away from an early double-digit deficit. Ford stepped up in the dying minutes of the game and lifted the team as the highest scorer with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Sa wakas, sumikat na rin ang ARAO. His numbers, compared to that of last year, and the years before that, are staggering. Ford now scores an average of 18 points and 13 rebounds per game. He is a huge threat under the basket both on offense and defense. Opposing teams feel his inside presence tremendously. Passes from teammates are easily received and delivered to the hole.

It’s about time that Ford Arao proved his dominance in this game of basketball. He is an unstoppable finisher and a muscle underneath. As the co-captain of this year’s basketball team, his teammates look up to him for guidance and leadership. He remains to be the Arao we once knew, egging the crowd to cheer and taunting the other team, but now with reason. He has reason to stand tall. Once, he was jeered “Ford, focus!” Now, Ford is focused, and he continues to surprise the Ateneo community with his numbers on the board. He can carry the team on his back, and he will. Who would have thought that Ford would change his game dramatically?

The fate of the Ateneo team rests on the coming game this Sunday, September 23, 2007. A much-anticipated match up between UST center Jervy Cruz and Ateneo’s star Ford Arao will take place. In this game, mabubulag ang mga tigre sa lakas ng Arao.