Tag: Vol. LXXX

SHAKEN, but not broken.

The University of Santo Tomas inched closer to its 400th founding anniversary, prevailing over a relatively turbulent year that saw a major shake-up of its administration.

Former Rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa returned to his old post despite serving two terms already from 1990 to 1998. His installation was seen as part of the Vatican’s effort to put order in a university leadership marred by controversies surround the expansion of the UST hospital.

De la Rosa urged Thomasians to resist “institutional sclerosis” to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

He promised to initiate programs that would make UST “more socially significant, economically stable, academically prestigious, and more globally recognized than the one over which I had the honor to preside.”

Pro-life advocacies

THE UST Lady Spikers captured a record fourth Shakey’s V-League title with a resounding 25-18, 25-20, 25-22 sweep of arch-rival San Sebastian College Lady Stags in Game 3 of their best-of-three finals showdown last June 17 at the Arena in San Juan.

“I did not expect that the game would be decided by just three sets. I just told them to focus and not to relax too much because if you gave San Sebastian a chance to pull away, we would surely pay the price,” coach Cesael delos Santos told the Varsitarian.

Coming off a morale-boosting 25-21, 25-22, 25-23 victory in Game 2 to extend the series, the Lady Spikers went on an early rampage, posting a 14-7 first-set lead anchored on the superb playmaking of tournament Best Setter and Finals MVP Rhea Dimaculangan who made 73 good set-ups to teammates Mary Jean Balse, Michelle Carolino and Aiza Maizo that set the UST juggernaut in motion.

SLOWLY but surely, coach Pido Jarencio’s off-season preparations have been working wonders for the rebuilding Tigers, going into the UAAP Season 72 cage wars.

Armed with an effective transition game, the UST Tigers-Dickies squad entered the 2009 Millennium Basketball League (MBL) finals with a 94-84 semifinal dismantling of Wang’s Ballclub-Batch 96 last June 15 at the Rizal Technological University (RTU) gym.

Jarencio said the tune-up allowed the Tigers to gauge their preparedness for the much tougher UAAP season ahead. He said the team still had to work on several areas, especially defense.

“But what’s good is that the boys have a winning attitude,” he said, noting that the Tigers competed against former PBA players. “They gained more experience and they believed more in themselves.

Both UST and Wang isplayed a fluid inside and outside shooting to jumpstart the match with a high-scoring first quarter, 27-20, in favor of UST.

THE UST Tiger Cubs succumbed to inexperience down the stretch against a more seasoned Colegio de San Juan de Letran Squires to absorb a 76-79 finals heartbreaker and kiss their Nike Summer League (NSL) 2009 title aspirations goodbye last June 10 at the Far Eastern University (FEU) gym.

Despite the absence of key players Cederick Labing-isa and Kevin Ferrer, who were training with the RP Youth Team, the Tiger Cubs stayed close with the veterans of Letran.

Jazreel Jimenez’ outside sniping put UST within three, 75-78, with less than a minute left in the contest.

But a defensive lapse by UST in the next possession sent Letran point guard Mark Cruz to the stripe with 16 seconds remaining. Cruz split his charities to give the Intramuros-based cagers a four-point margin, 75-79.

DUE TO the heightened alert against the influenza A(H1N1) virus, an international judo tournament which UST was set to host last May 16 to 17 at the UST gym was postponed for September or October later this year.

“Everything has already been put into place – trophies, banners and of course, the list of athletes,” Jojo Arce, Tiger Judokas head coach and one of the main organizers of the event, told the Varsitarian. “It was very disappointing that the participating universities of Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore all backed out at the last minute because of this virus.”

The tournament titled “Unending Grace: UST Friendship Games” aims to foster camaraderie among nations in line with the University’s quadricentennial promotion.

NAGA CITY – Neither the elements nor a pack of blue-chip contenders could keep the powerhouse UST contingent from leading the National Capital Region (NCR) to the top of the 2009 Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) medal tally last April 19 to 26.

The UST athletes’ 55-22-28 gold-silver-bronze harvest in four of five disciplines underscored the 106-36-33 medal output of the mighty NCR delegation, way ahead of eventual second and third placers Western (Region 6) and Central (Region 7) Visayas which capped the meet with 88-45-56 and 53-53-51 counts, respectively.

Leading UST were the Male Tracksters who erased their UAAP bridesmaid stigma to perennial rival Far Eastern University after dashing to the finish line with 20 golds, 13 silvers and 22 bronzes.

In swimming, the Female Tigersharks fueled the Big City bets’ pool domination, which yielded 51 golds, 21 silvers and 10 bronzes.

NAGA CITY – Black, gold and white remain as the colors of the diamond throne in the Private Schools Athletics Association (Prisaa).

Representing the National Capital Region (NCR), the UST Golden Sox and Softbelles once again dashed their Region XI counterparts’ title hopes as they ruled separate finals matches last April 25 at the Metro Naga Sports Complex in Pacol district here.

The Golden Sox, the defending “three-peat” champion, subdued their Region XI opponents via a 10-8 nail-biter, while the Softbelles, reigning titlists, essayed a lopsided 19-1 finals victory to cap the week-long tournament with unblemished win-loss records.

“All the teams that participated in this year’s Prisaa greatly improved. Even the Davao team we faced last year got stronger that’s why we fought a thrilling fight in the championship,” UST Golden Sox coach Jeffrey Santos, who was named as the Best Coach, told the Varsitarian.

NAGA CITY – The unlikely team-up of the UST Tracksters and the University of the East powered NCR to the top of the Prisaa athletics competition as the Big City bets copped 20 golds, 13 silvers and 22 bronzes last April 19-25 at the Metro Naga Sports Complex here.

“Our partnership with UE worked out quite well. This year’s Prisaa result turned out much better than last year,” UAAP Season 71 Most Valuable Player Ben Alejandrino told the Varsitarian.

NAGA CITY – Heaping superlatives on the UST Female Tigersharks to underscore their Prisaa dominance will not do the trick. Counting the medals around their necks will.

The Female Tigersharks proved that they would take on the best of the best even with three mainstays out of commission, helping the National Capital Region (NCR) retain the over-all title in women’s swimming last April 21 to 24.

UST coach Agot Alcantara, also named the tournament’s best coach, said NCR would have collected more medals if not for the absence of Layann Ramos, Edzen Dinglazan, and Lianne Marquez. The trio skipped the tournament for academic reasons.

Joining hands with San Beda College, which represented the Big City tankers in the men’s division, the Female Tigersharks gifted NCR with 51 golds, 21 silvers and 10 bronzes.

A DISMAL start did not faze the UST Lady Spikers from claiming their first victory in the Shakey’s V-league quarterfinals as they dealt UAAP archrival Far Eastern University with a 19-25, 25-18, 25-7, 25-19 whipping last May 19 at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Spikers, who topped the eliminations with a 5-1 win-loss record, struggled defensively to contain a hail of attacks from FEU stalwarts Cherry Mae Vivas, Mecaila Morada and Rachel Anne Daquis back in the first set.

But the FEU onslaught did not last long.

Sensing the Lady Tamaraws’ weak receptions, guest players Michelle Carolino and Mary Jean Balse launched themselves atop the net, firing a variety of kills and cross-court attacks coupled with a solid blocking effort from Hannah Mance to spark a 7-3 exchange for a 17-5 UST lead in the second frame. UST closed the set with a late 7-2 surge anchored on another attakking binge by Carolino and Aiza Maizo.