5. BOARDROOM CHAMPS
YEAR: 1991
Way before they were stripped of their title in 2005, La Salle had already been a part of another UAAP controversy that cost them a championship. The year was 1991, with a team bannered by Jun Limpot, Johnedel Cardel, Dwight Lago and Tonyboy Espinosa, the Green Archers were on its way to a rare three-peat at the expense of the Victor Pablo and Johnny Abarrientos-led Far Eastern University Tamaraws. With 2:21 left in the deciding game, and the Green Archers leading at 76-71, Espinosa incurred his fifth and final foul on a driving Abarrientos. However, instead of heading to the bench, Espinosa managed to play a few more seconds before FEU coach Turo Valenzona pointed out the infraction. Alas, the Green Archers still won, 80-77. FEU didn’t let the mistake slip, though; they put the game on protest on the ground that they should have been awarded a technical free throw for La Salle’s mistake. The UAAP board decided to overturn the championship and ordered an immediate replay of the game. Highly opposing the decision, the Green Archers were a no-show in the rescheduled game prompting the board to award the championship and the dubious honor of being the first “boardroom champions” to FEU.

6. CLEAN SWEEP
YEAR: 1993
The 1993 UST team will always be remembered for being one of the best, if not the greatest collection of talents ever assembled. A quick glance at the lineup seems to uphold any “greatest of” talk; Dennis Espino, Rey Evangelista, Edmund Reyes, Patrick Fran, Bal David, and Chris Cantojos are only six of the eight players from that fabled team that went on to play in the PBA. Consider also how this team emphatically stamped their dominance over the whole playing field: with a rare 14-game sweep of that year’s elimination phase. Why should they be in this list? Well, during that time, a sweep automatically rewarded a team the championship. The Growling Tigers last win was over the Kenneth Duremdes and EJ Feihl-led powerhouse Adamson University Soaring Falcons, 75-68. The win ended a 28-year championship drought for UST. It also led the UAAP board to overhaul the tournament format, paving the way for the introduction of the Final Four.