UST vs NU - Win or Go Home

September 28, Saturday

Mall of Asia Arena

Last Ticket to the Finals

Broken Plays, Broken Hearts
- and Ecstatic Fans 

[when the #4 seed knocks out the #1 seed]
UST-76  NU-69 

 Gelo  vs  Sheak

Bobby Ray  vs  Ed

    Emmanuel  vs  Paolo

Robin

Bobby Ray

The Daughter - Abigail
[of Coach Altamirano]

The Son  - Anton
[of Coach Altamirano]
That's Thea [left] and LA [right]

                        The Brother - Jeron                    The Sister - Almira

The Graduating Veteran, Highest Scorer 
 [and two-time UAAP Finalist] - Jeric

  

 The UST Alum - Jane

Worm's Eye View - Taken in the bottom of the huddle whilst Teng is being interviewed

{Ang gimanit ko rito ay Canon 7D pero Mala-Instagram ang dating !! - Cool !} Don't mind squatting, twisting my body, getting cramps underneath that group of press dudes - with someone like Jane who's always game na game and always so gracious to flash that Jane Bracher charm  - It's worth it !!  [Ouch!] She's always had that spontaneous smile  [that launched a thousand spasms]. C U at the Championships !

 The Bulldog Fans
[above and next 3 below]

The Tiger Fans 
[above and next 3 below]

The Rise

The Fall

The Crying Coach  - Pido

The Dancing Assistant Coaches 
- Gina /  Estong / Bong / Alvin

Those Charming Courtside Correspondents

Take this photo [of Kristelle and Patricia] about 30 minutes before game time - just after both girls hug and wish each other Good Luck - before prepping na for the Big Game - knowing all too well, that one of them will be probably crying after the Final Buzzer.

Yup - I do come across Patricia [still sniffing a bit] after the game ---

- and similar to my encounter with Katz Salao [also sniffing a bit, as she came out of the CR], after the UE Warriors were knocked out [weeks ago], this truly morbid idea of taking a photograph - always comes to thought [but only for a second or so] - And, as I said in that blog post of that UE match - It's just Bastos - I simply cannot imagine myself actually taking those kinds of pictures -

---Just shake her hand and greet her - nothing left to say  .  .  . and bid her bye.

The last few Ticks

 The "Huling Hirit" group shot

Come across these ecstatic Tomasinos y Tomasinas who just came down from [probably] the bleachers section and still on a high. {Can anyone of U guys E-mail me your names, so I can gladly caption your photo ? Please. My e-mail is -> artbro333@yahoo.com}

The "Teng vs Teng" Tee

A Coed of the Growling Tiger Universi Ty


The Photographer - Me
brosi gonzales

Tags

uaapseason76 uaapseason76 championships uaapfinals ustgrowlingtigers nubulldogs kevinferrer jericteng eddaquiaog paolope aljonmariano tatabautista clarkbautista ust pidojarencio almirateng antonaltamirano ginafrancisco

B-t-Scenes - Sept.25

September 25, Wednesday

Mall of Asia Arena

A Few People Pictures

 Ina IS

Disheveled moment ? - No matter - I do know how charming and truly friendly Ina Ongsiako IS. 

Exhibiting a variety of moods occasionally, does add "dimension"  [even appeal] to one's looks - 
Huh ?  At least, That's what I notice in people's demeanor.

 Avid

Lesley Martinez [right] is [has always been] an Avid Archer Fan.

 Matatag

MaTataG talaga ang pagmamahal nila Kirk Long at Tata G.

Silay kinasal narin pagkatapos ng mahabang pagkakasama at 
[apat na UAAP Championship] 

Joaquin / Sygryd / Jino /  Raffy / Timmy

Extended Families

Boom G. / Kirk L. / Direk Abet / Tata G.

Teng Family

Alyssa, Almira and Jeric T.

 ADAM
Angela D. and Aldo M.

These La Sallians can't wait to find out 

who their beloved Green Archers will compete against

- for the Season 76 UAAP Basketball Crown

Starting Five - Winning Five
These guys BELONG to this blog !
 C U at the Championships !

Pahabol OTS [On-the-Spot] Portraits, Candids, whatever - Call these what you want.  All I can say is - These "simple snaps" are worth my extra time and extra effort.  Would you consider  these Terrence Romeo shots "Run of the Mill" images ?

You be the judges.

Me - I just like playing w/ textures, shadows and hi-lites whenever possible.

One Last Try 

Next year will be Terrence's Last Playing Year for the Tams.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch   .   .   .

brosi gonzales

Next Up

UST  vs  NU    [Sept.28] Battle for the Last Finals Slot 

B-t-Scenes    [Sept.28]

Tags
terrenceromeo danauson aldomanzano andreadelang joaquinuy sygrdfuentes jinoferrer boomgonzalez abetneri kirklong tatagarcia kevinprudon martinsandiego kenkoo jelvinbase jericteng alyssateng almirateng lesleymartinez inaongsiako

A Portrait and a Poem

Shadows and Echoes

This blog, including my original one --->brosigonzales.blogspot.com, was [is] meant to share some of my sports experiences, showcase my photographic skills .   .   .  maybe give a hint of how my psyche works [through the few sporadic human interest posts I've released], even sometimes [rarely?] reveal some personal things [relationship things, if U know what I mean] about me [I am very careful NOT to reveal names - that's just NOT right]  .  .  . 

.  . .but when I glance [even] at some OTS [even pahabol] portraits [of course Im referring to a very,very few select photos] of some athletes - The pictures do take me to a different place  .  .  .

Even when I was framing Terrence Romeo [in my viewfinder] whilst observing the light, adjusting my manual settings and checking my angles, and composition, background etc. - I knew I had a Winner.  Man oh man - I LOVE these unplanned moments, that sometimes - come to me - i just have to be calm AND alert and yes ->always challenged and inspired. 

Each to his own - people will have their own "takes", or reactions, to any single image. From my point of view, as the photog of the image - a soulful image [portrait] will always resonate inside of me in it's own unique way - - -  

- - - as though that single portrait is the "sum total" of ALL the great portraits I've crafted - all these years  - It will never be really sad or happy, truly joyful or tragic - It will always be ALL of the above. [Actually, I'm just trying to "sound profound" here - nyeh!]

Colors become textures, textures become tangible, shadows "come to life" - I feel life, love in every single [of course, it has 2 be a damn good portrait first !] image and fleeting moment  -  Words literally POP outta my head, thoughts, sentiments, emotions are rekindled  ---  

And maybe, I just typed the silliest, sappiest things ever [above] ever in this blog - But that's just IT - That's me  - And if that's the sentiment AND spirit that drives me to create portraits and action shots - Then I'm FINE. I will never run out of Art.

By FINE - I mean

Fucked Up  / Insecure / Neurotic / and Emotional !! Hahaha !!

At sa akin lang - talaga - gusto ko lang laging may tama [gotta hit home], may kaluluwa [gotta have soul]- maski sa pinakasimpleng kuha [portrait] [or gets -ha!]

And if I could take damn good portraits of every single person I  ----> like / have a crush on / care about / admire / am infatuated over / value / miss / cherish / love ---  [fyi - the said categories are DISTINCTLY separate - tho, some people fall in several categories combined] ---  24/7  - I would.

 Pero, ganoon lang - I'm just so passionate and driven to the point that my images [portraits in particular] compell me write "stuff" [like the lines below]

-------------------------------------

.   .   . shadows fall
[shadows all over my dreams]

echoes call
[echoes come out of the night]

dark or light
[winter, spring, summer or fall]

day or night
[my life is haunted it seems] 
 

.   .   .  i see your face

i hear your voice

shadows and echoes call  .    .    .

----------------------------------

The OTS Portrait - No fanfare - but a moment worth capturing

 Absolutely Love It [particularly the shadows & lights].

The Poem  - Am I just playing with rhyme ?

or do i miss someone in  particular ? maybe, maybe, maybe

There is NO relation between the Portrait and the sentiment in the Poem except that - the shadows in the portrait triggered the words.

brosi gonzales

PS

Have yet to post my

Eaglets-Baby Tams Sept.21 action shots

UST-NU    Sept.22 action shots and my 

DLSU-FEU   Sept.25 action shots too 

Images for the post prev to this !!

what !!?? nauna pa itong whimsical post  

No worries I'll post them

Tags

terrenceromeo portraits terrenceromeopictures availablelightportraiture 

brosigonzalesportraits

Lightning Striking Twice

Hurt

[Sports as a Metaphor for Life]

 In as much I always want to share the "human interest" angle of my images whenever possible -ASAP - I don't want to force it. The sentiments, and thoughts - do come - fast - after a glance or two at my files.  But, I like to let the sentiments seep into my psyche ever so slowly - and it's usually about  day or more before the "right" photos are finally chosen, and by that time, I will have probably revised my text several times over- ha!

Sure !, Love Shooting and Sharing [great] action images 24/& but being able to get into the core of my people photographs / portraits  does make me get in touch w/ my humanity every now and then -------

   

It's just a different "trip" altogether.             

Maybe - What I'm really saying is - This blog is about more than just about good sports pictures and OTS portraits - If you're a regular visitor to this blog - Surely you must sense that by now. - And if a good number of you out there "get" what this blog is really all about - Then it's worth all the heart and soul I put into it

--------------

The reality of sport is that it does bring out the best - between and among competitors  - and occasionally it brings out the worst - er, I mean - competitors inescapably have to experience the bitter sting [hurt] [the most frustrating thing student athletes have to experience]  {aside from career ending injuries} of losing once-in-a-lifetime chances to win College Championships.

I started shooting UAAP hoops [in an official capacity] in Season 73 [July,2010].  Above is one of my best "early RR Garcia" action shots [FEU vs DLSU - Rnd 1 - late July, 2010]].

For RR Garcis, in particular,  failing to win UAAP Gold after two consecutive opps vs Ateneo {Seasons 73 & 74} was tough on the star hoopster [and the Tams].   Season 76 [now-his last playing year] did bring promise early on.  The Tams swept Round 1 of the elims.  

  

 When Lightning Strikes Twice

I remember, as if it were just yesterday, the FEU Tamarraws' last game of Season 75 - where they were knocked out of the Final Four by the Green Archers [that match was also held at the MoA].  Judy Saril, along with so many of the FEU Faithful, couldn't hold back their tears.  Now, roughly a year later, to the day - they are elimenated by the Green Archers - again.  And again the FEU Faithful have to endure.

Fast forward to yesterday, Sept. 25 - The scenario being, the Tams are on the verge of being knocked out by the Archers [who swept Round 2 of the elims].  FEU has top beat DLSU twice in a row to keep their Championship dreams alive.

End game - End of the Season for the Tams

[sev images below] 

With barely seconds left, and the Archers ahead by several points - Coach Nash Racela calls the Last Tamarraw Timeout -  Me, I could see it in their eyes - Only the Mother [of the Mother] of all Miracles could save them then  .   .   .

Gryann Mendoza [like RR] is on his last playing year.

Carl Cruz will still suit up next year.

 Terrence

FEU controls the first three quarters [even leading by as much as 11 pts at one time] only to loose steam, in the crucial stages of the 4th Canto.  At one-point, DLSU is even awarded 3-4 charities AND ball possession, after a very, very questionable call against FEU.  I dare say -> Anyone who knows and understands basketball [or, at least, HOW the UAAP refs "do their job"] themselves will have to admit that was "No Fair" at all.  It was a game changer, that ultimately told on the Tams. And that shattered their Championship aspirations - and that DID HURT.  

 RR visits the Press Room [for the last time] , along with Coach Nash Racela

I know a DLS grad [a vet sports writer, at that] who himself directly said to Coach Nash Racela "walo ang kalaban" to the chagrin of all present at that late, late post game brief [Coach Nash came w RR Garcia].

But that is sports, that is life.  You can [or a team, collectively] can always try your best, put your heart and soul ---and then some--- into something [even w/ the noblest of intentions], and yet, sometimes [not all the time], you end up being frustrated and/or heart broken [even failing miserably, at times].   We give - but sometimes - life doesn't give back, at least something commensurate to what we put out - and it's simply just tough, very tough at times to take. 

 Since I started shooting UAAP basketball [July of 2010] I've witnessed RR Garcia [and a host of other college standouts like Alex Nuyles, Lester Alvarez, Jeric Canada, Roder Cabrera, Simon Atkins, Ryan Buenafe, Juami Tiongson, Frank Golla [all acquiantances of mine except for Paul Lee] end the college careers in "less than ideal circumstances" - on sad notes, at that.

And, if I may, relate, again, my brief post match encounter [which I had mentioned before in a previous, old, old post] w/ Lester Alvarez [about 2 years ago].  This was after the Adamson Falcons, who then, had a Final Four Twice-to-Beat Advantage over the Tams, were upset [beaten twice in a row], ergo, being eventually elimenated by the FEU Tamarraws [this was the year when the ONLY loss the Blue Eagles had in the 2-Round Elims was their 14th game, where they were creamed by the Falcons].

About an hour or so after the final buzzer, when the last few remaining Falcons were trickling out of the Araneta [of course, the Tams had  all left much earlier] [and there were no more press people hanging around the premises] I chanced upon Lester, all by his lonesome, quietly walking out.  I greeted him Happy Birthday and asked him where they [the Falcons] might be eating out.  He simply stated that he was going home.  He gave me a friendly nod, then humbly walked away.

 

-------------------------

  Hurt  

[of another kind]

Surfing the www, I recently came across a quote from the late Bob Marley. The said quote is about getting hurt. In so many words - Can't remember the exact text but the message went something like -  We are going to get hurt, [someone will hurt us] at one time or another - the question is -  Is that someone really worth getting hurt for ?

 -  Have photos to complement this text - But will leave this part "photoless" -

I already said what I wanted  to share

[The sports-scenario images are enuff 4 this post]

brosi gonzales

Comin soon

NU  vs  UST [Sept. 28 match] [Battle for the Last Finals Slot]

Another human interest feat [w kid photos]

More OTS portraits