In the post-war NCAA, De La Salle was the first champion in 1947, under coach Dionisio Calvo. Jose Rizal College finally won the title in 1948, with the colorful Mateo Adao as their coach. Then it was Mapua's turn in winning their first championship in 1949.
The Letran Knights, who were last champion in pre-war in 1938, took the title in 1950 with the "Murder, Incorporated" quintet of coach Angel de Leon. In 1951-1952, San Beda Red Lions became the first back-to-back champions in post-war competitions.
In 1953, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the only team so far that has not won a seniors title in the post-war NCAA, dethrone the defending champions San Beda. On October 18, 1953, the Blue Eagles defeated the Red Lions, 63-59 in overtime, before a jampacked crowd of 11,000 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Ateneo had a 4-1 card in the first round, defeating Jose Rizal College, 60-43, in the opening on August 2, Mapua, 83-68, La Salle, 84-56, they lost to San Beda, 62-68, beat Letran, 66-55.
The Blue Eagles swept the second round, repeating over Letran, 89-57, Mapua, 82-74, JRC, 63-61, and La Salle on September 24. It was on October 8 when Ateneo met San Beda for the second time and the Blue Eagles rout the Red Lions, 75-57.
Among the members of the 1953 NCAA champion Ateneo Blue Eagles are Mike Littaua, Francisco Rabat, Mario Ballesteros, Honesto Mayoralgo, Jose Ma. Cacho and Tiny Literal.
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