Tag: No. 1

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Tiger Spikers
Nakaraang taon: Ikalawang puwesto
Prediksiyon: Kampeon

Pangungunahan ni Season 76 Rookie of the Year Kris Roy Guzman ang kampanya ng Tiger Spikers ngayong taon patungo sa titulo kasama ang bagong katambal na si Anthony Lemuel Arbasto.

Mamumuhunan sa depensa ang koponan bunsod ng pagkawala ng beteranong si Mark Gil Alfafara na pinangunahan ang koponan sa huling dalawang taon.

“Nag-mature na siya (Guzman) at saka nakapaglaro na siya sa Nestea [beach volleyball competition] kaya malaki‘yung advantage niya,” ani Tiger Spikers assistant coach John Paul Doloiras.

HINDI nagpatinag ang UST Lady Booters sa endgame at naitabla ang laban kontra De La Salle University Lady Archers, 1-1, sa Philippine Football Federation Women’s Invitational Cup sa Rizal Memorial Stadium noong ika-23 ng Agosto.

Matapos ang ilang missed attempts, naibuslo ni Lady Booter Charisa Lemoran ang equalizer sa penalty time sa ika-91 na minuto galing sa assist ni Hazel Lustan.

Tangan ngayon ng UST ang 1-1-0 win-draw-loss nakartada.

Nagkaroon ng pagkakataong maitabla ng Lady Booters ang laro nang mas maaga sa ika-83 at ika-88 na minute ng regulation period mula sa mga atake ni Lemoran, ngunit matibay ang depensa ng La Salle.

HAMON ngayon sa UST na depensahan ang UAAP General Championship sa pagsisimula ng bagong UAAP season sa Sept. 5.

Ayon kay Gilda Kamus, kalihim ng Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) at board member ng University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP), aasahan ang mas mahigpit na kumpetisyon sa pagitan ng mga unibersidad sa darating na Season 78 upang masungkit sa pangkalahatang kampeonato.

“Everybody can be a champion for a particular season. We win some, we lose some. This year we [will] try our best. Our athletes always give their best, but other schools also prepare,” ani Kamus.

HUMAKOT ng tatlong ginto at tatlong pilak na medalya at nakapag-set ng bagong records ang isang Junior Tigershark sa kakatapos lamang na 2015 Singapore Invitational Swimming Championship na ginanap sa Singapore Island Country Club noong ika-2 ng Agosto.

Nasungkit ni Junior Tigershark Sean Terence Zamora ang tatlong gintong medalya sa 100-meter butterfly, 100-meter backstroke at 200-meter individual medley events sa kategoryang boys’ 14-15.

Bukod pa rito, nagawang basagin ni Zamora ang 100-meter butterfly record matapos magtala ng 1:01.27 minuto kumpara sa 1:02.16 na tala ni Joseph Schooling na isang multi-gold medalist sa katatapos lang na Incheon Asian Games at Southeast Asian Games.

KUMPIYANSA ang UST Growling Tigresses na mamamayagpag sila sa darating na UAAP Season 78 kahit na underdog ang tingin sa kanilang nakararami.

Sa paglisan ng mga beterano na sina Mythical Five member Lore Rivera, three-point specialist Kristine Siapoc, at Kim Reyes, naging maliit at undermanned ang lineup ng koponan, ngunit hindi ito nakikitang hadlang ng Tigresses.

Bagkus, ginawa nila itong motibasyon upang mapaigting ang kanilang running system.

“From the start hanggang dulo tatakbo nang tatakbo ang mga players natin,” ani head coach Chris Cantojos sa Varsitarian. “Hindi tayo magso-slow down o magre-relax.”

Tiwala si team captain Maica Cortes na kahit maliit ang kanilang lineup, kakayanin pa rin nilang makipagsabayan.

SA PAGBUBUKAS ng panibagong UAAP season, muling nangangakong magpapakitang-gilas ang UST Growling Tigers matapos ang nakadidismayang kampanya noong nakaraang taon.

Siguradong gutom sa kampeonato ang Tigers dahil 2006 pa noong huli nilang masungkit ang korona.

Para kay head coach Bong dela Cruz, malayo ang mararating ng Tigers ngayon kung maiiwasan lang ang injuries.

“Last year kasi ‘di healthy ‘yung team, ‘di naman natinp uwedeng sabihin na alibi sa tao na hindi healthy ‘yungteam. ‘Pag healthy, we can go all the way. Ang target is Final Four and next is finals,” ani dela Cruz.

Matapos ang dalawang taong pananatili sa sidelines dahil sa UAAP residency rule, handa nang magpakitang-gilas si Mario Bonleon para sa UST Growling Tigers.

Magiging isa sa mga scoring options ng koponan si Bonleon matapos itong magtala ng double digit outputs sa nakaraang FilOil Flying V Premier Cup bilang shooting guard, isa sa mga puwestong nagkaproblema ang UST noong nakaraang season dahil sa injuries nina Ed Daquioag at Kevin Ferrer.

Nagpamalas ang dating miyembro ng RP Under-18 Youth Team ng kaniyang maalab na scoring nang siya ay magtala ng 13 sa kaniyang 22 puntos sa huling yugto ng kanilang panalo laban sa Mapua Institute of Technology, 78-59, noong ika-30 ng Abril.

UST IS in unfamiliar territory after losing the general championship anew to the De La Salle University last year.

Can the Growling Tigers revive their historic dynasty and secure their 40th UAAP overall title or will the Green Archers make it three in a row and start their own?

Here is the Varsitarian’s fearless forecast on UST’s quest for redemption in UAAP Season 77.

BADMINTON

Male Shuttlers
Last Year: Third Place
Prediction: Fourth Place

NEW COACH Bong Dela Cruz had a tough UAAP debut as his Growling Tigers were crushed by the National University Bulldogs, 40-59, in their season opener at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum last July 13.

A championship-caliber team heading into Season 77, the Tigers committed a total of 26 turnovers, 17 of them during a disastrous second half where NU pulled away for good.

The Bulldogs turned a 16-point lead after three quarters into a 21-point margin with less than a minute left in the game. They capitalized on UST’s poor field goal shooting, a mere 24 percent compared to NU’s 42 percent.

“Our team has many scorers, but [they] failed to deliver during the game,” Dela Cruz said.

UST’s top sports official has expressed reservations over a Senate bill seeking to abolish the UAAP’s two-year residency rule to supposedly “protect and promote the rights” of student athletes.

Fr. Ermito de Sagon, O.P., director of the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics, was doubtful that the proposed Student-Athletes Protection Act could really keep schools from providing unwarranted benefits to lure players.

“I don’t think this bill will solve the problem because any school or university can deny the fact that they are giving excess incentives to their athletes,” he told the Varsitarian.