Tag: No. 2

THOMASIAN athletes are hungrier than ever to keep the overall crown in España. Here is the second part of The Varsitarian’s prediction of the University's performance for the first semester sports this UAAP Season 78.

Growling Tigers
Last year: Sixth place
Prediction: Finals

With Ed Daquioag’s emergence as an MVP-caliber player, along with Kevin Ferrer's and Karim Abdul’s steady performance, the Tigers are primed to go to the last dance after stumbling to a 5-9 finish last season.

The Tigers’ bench, one of the deepest in the UAAP, will be spearheaded by sharpshooters Renzo Subido and Louie Vigil, along with rookie scorers Mario Bonleon, Enrique Caunan, Marvin Lee, and Zachary Huang.

After a disappointing final UAAP year, with the Growling Tigers missing the Final Four after back-to-back finals appearances, Aljon Mariano will start anew in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) with crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra.

The “Clutch Cat” slipped in the second round of the PBA Rookie Draft last Aug. 23, after getting picked 16th over all and will be playing his natural position as a shooting guard for Tim Cone, PBA’s winningest coach.

“Looking forward na maganda ang ilaro ko kasi mas natural na ang positionw college,” Mariano told the Varsitarian.

THE VULNERABILITY of homegrown talents being lured by other universities has been intensified with the enactment of a new law that “protects and promotes the rights of student-athletes.”

Republic Act No. 10676 or the “Student-Athlete Protection Act” voids the UAAP's mandatory two-year residency, implemented in 2013, on high school student-athletes not released by their alma mater.

Section 4 of the law, enacted last Aug. 26, states that “residency shall not be imposed on a student-athlete who is a high school graduate enrolling in a college or university” while collegiate transfers would only be limited to a maximum of one-year residency.

UST Golden Tigresses’ hopes of ending a three-year finals dry spell vanished after a straight-set loss to UAAP defending champions Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles, 18-25, 18-25, 19-25, in a do-or-die Game 3 of the 12th Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference semifinals at the San Juan Arena last. Sept. 16.

The Lady Eagles dominated with 32 attack points, nine block points and seven aces.

UST only had 27 attack points, three block points and four service aces while committing a 27 errors.

Ateneo was leading 24-14 in the last frame before UST racked up five straight points. A service error from Tigress EJ Laure secured the Lady Eagles a finals berth.

EVEN THE country's premiere collegiate sports league is not immune from dirty politics.

Just last August 28, President Aquino signed Republic Act (RA) 10676 or the Student-Athletes Protection Act junking the two-year residency enforced by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) on high school athletes opting to play for another school in collegiate level.

Under the new law, student athletic associations like the UAAP and the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) are barred from imposing residency requirements on high school athletes who are transferring to another college.

SA IKALAWANG bahagi pa ng unang semestre sila sasabak sa UAAP ngunit desidido ang mga koponang ito na tulungan ang UST na ibalik ang dati nitong karangalan at bawiin mula sa De La Salle University ang titulong overall champion.

Narito ang prediksyon ng Varsitarian sa mga magiging tiyansa ng mga koponang ito.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Tiger Spikers
Nakaraang taon: Ikalawang Puwesto
Prediksyon: Kampeon

Sa pagbabalik nina Mark Gil Alfafara na dating Most Valuable Player at Kris Roy Guzman na Season 76 Rookie of the Year, malaki ang posibilidad na maiuwi ng UST ang kampeonato ngayong taon.

PANGUNGUNAHAN ng dalawang nagbabalik na coach ng UST ang kampanya ng Tiger Spikers at Paddlers na pawang umaasa na masungkit muli ang korona sa kanilang pagbabalik aksiyon sa UAAP.

Muling ipamamalas ni coach Emil Lontoc ang kanyang husay sa pagtuturo ng beach volleyball habang tatangkain naman ni coach Jackson Que na muling buhayin ang tikas ng Tiger Paddlers sa table tennis.

Hindi nakasaksi ng aksiyon mula sa UAAP sand court si Lontoc noong nakaraang taon dahil sa desisyon niyang mas bigyang pansin ang naghihingalong indoor volleyball program ng UST.

MATAPOS pagharian ng UST Poomsae team ang UAAP noong nakaraang taon, mas aabangan ang pagdepensa na gagawin nila ngayon.

Kahit noong Season 76 lang naging opisyal na UAAP sport ang poomsae, nagpamalas kaagad ng bangis ang Tiger Jins matapos ang kanilang dominanteng sweep sa lahat ng category.

Ngunit mas mahirap ang kanilang dadanasing kompetisyon ngayong taon dahil sa mga paghahanda ng ibang koponan na ang pangunahing misyon ay patalsikin sila sa trono.

“I think competition will be tougher this year. Marami na rin ang nag-invest sa mga coaches sa ibang schools, pero we started early for our preparation in the UAAP and we are training double time to prepare for this season,” ani poomsae head coach Rani Ortega.

MULING nakalusot ang UST Growling Tigers mula sa mainit na opensa ng Adamson University, 61-59, sa pagbubukas ng second round ng UAAP men’s basketball tournament sa Smart-Araneta Coliseum noong Agosto 16.

Gaya ng kanilang unang paghaharap noong Hulyo 26, pinahirapan ng epektibong shooting ng Soaring Falcons ang UST sa second half.

Gayunpaman, nakabangon ang Tigers sa pangunguna nina Louie Vigil, Ed Daquioag, Aljon Mariano at John Sheriff upang masungkit ang panalo.

Pumukol ng isang go-ahead jumpshot si Vigil sa huling 1:51 ng laban upang bigyan ng 60-59 na kalamangan ang UST.