ANTA PH gathered 20 current and former standout players from one of the Philippines’ most prestigious college basketball programs last December 5 at Common Folk Cafe, Quezon City to celebrate the university’s homecoming weekend.
Each attendee was surprised with a pair of the ANTA KAI 1 in its newest “Blue Dynasty” colorway—a nod to their school’s colors and equally storied team history, the country’s very own blue dynasty.
The ANTA KAI 1 “Blue Dynasty” is inspired by Kyrie Irving’s days as a Blue Devil. Irving’s one-and-done stint in Durham, North Carolina for the 2010-2011 season showcased his raw mastery of scoring and ball handling. As one of the runner-ups for Freshman of the Year, Irving led his alma mater far into their campaign together; stirring up discussions of what could’ve been a blue dynasty if Irving had stayed rather than forgo his eligibility to go pro.
The shoe’s colorway is draped in his university’s away colors of black and blue with silver accents throughout; most notably on the iconic midsole placement of ANTA’s logo shining from the sneaker’s primarily analogous colors.
Similar to the blue hues of a certain university in the Philippines, the ANTA KAI 1 “Blue Dynasty” echoes the university’s rich basketball history and extensive roster of alumni, many of whom made significant waves on the local basketball scene as national and professional players.
Players from different eras of the program’s blue dynasties attended the exclusive semi-reunion and gathering. Current assistant coaches Sandy Arespacochanga and Gene Afable, and former coaching staff members Gabby Severino and Jean Alabanza all played for the squad in the 90s and were there to commemorate the launch.
Representing the late 90s to early 2000s era were former national team sensation and finals MVP Larry Fonacier, past season MVPs Rich Alvarez and Enrico Villanueva, and members Bajjie Del Rosario and Johan Uichico—who has since carved out a successful off-court career as a renowned radiologist.
Fonacier, known by many as the “Baby-faced Assassin” for the integral role he played as the national team sharpshooter, reminisced on the dynasty of his day and the unique bonds formed by athletes under the program.
“My favorite memory [as a player] is today, another memory we’ve created. We all know what happened before when we were on the court but, these new moments are so special. The simple gatherings, the coffees, the sharing stories, it’s amazing how a basketball game can make lifelong friends out of us from years before,” Fonacier happily shared.
Former national team representatives Poy Erram and Nico Salva, a two-time Finals MVP and current Team B head coach, were in attendance alongside Yuri Escueta, Justin Chua, Jai Reyes, Bacon Austria, Kirk Long, and Carlo Balmaceda. They all played significant roles in the university’s illustrious five-peat run from 2008 to 2012.
Ex-PBA pro turned league commissioner Jai Reyes joked that his most memorable moment as a member of the blue dynasty was when 2010 Finals MVP Ryan Buenafe drove the team bus to Subic, Zambales without the coaches’ knowledge.
He quickly shifted it and said: “In all seriousness, the teammates, the games, and the memories we made off-court are the most memorable moments.”
Anton Asistio and Raffy Verano, now PBA players and two members of the most recent three-peat dynasty from Season 80 to 82, rounded out the alumni guest list.
Asistio shared that his fondest memory of playing for the program was their championship win in 2017, the first after the 2008-2012 five-peat.
“It took five years for us to win another championship. That was very special for me and I have a lot of fond memories from that time,” Asistio shared.
Amidst the attendees of former athletes catching up with each other was current player Ian Espinosa. Being in the same room as the legends that made his university what it is today, Espinosa couldn’t help but feel grateful for the opportunity he’s been given.
When asked what’s the first thing that comes to mind when hearing “blue dynasty”, the collegiate guard said: “The privilege to play for the school and to wear that jersey. When I was a kid, I really enjoyed watching my kuyas in this room win a championship.” Coming off his second stint with the program, Espinosa will be looking to use this inspiration as fuel to try and win the championship in his third year.
With the launch of the ANTA KAI 1 “Blue Dynasty”, ANTA PH commemorates the dynamic history of college basketball from North Carolina all the way to the Philippines. With countless other dynasties and pioneering histories, the brand continues to showcase legendary athletes in the spirit of motivation for the next generations of the local scene.
The ANTA KAI 1 “Blue Dynasty” was released in the Philippines on December 7 for a retail price of 7,995 pesos and is available at select ANTA retail stores nationwide.
