UST keeps winning, but the gap is narrowing.
Winning the prestigious league’s overall championship plum has been quite a habit for UST, but as seasons count, the lead is slashed bit by bit as other competing universities start to fuel their firepower.
The University won its 14th-straight title, the 39th in its collection, but did so just 20 points ahead of De La Salle University.
Gilda Kamus, faculty secretary of the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics, admitted having jitters when UST was yet to secure the crown with La Salle close by. She credited the eventual victory to what she called “unending grace,” given the problems the athletes had gone through throughout the season.
Kamus, who is also UST’s representative to the UAAP board, acknowledged the narrowing gap between UST and the rest of the pack in the race for the general championship. That’s why most of the varsity squads would go through stringent recruitment on top of team-building sessions this summer, she said.
First in the list are first semester sports such as basketball, swimming, badminton, judo, taekwondo, and table tennis.
UAAP losses
The Male Shuttlers, who usually delivered gold, were not as successful this season. A gold-medal finish is equivalent to 15 points. The team failed to enter the Final Four for the first time in four years and finished at fifth place.
Just unfortunate were the Lady Jins, a perennial powerhouse, who settled for fourth place. Coach Jasmine Simpao said the team clearly missed the services of ace player Jade Zafra, who was recovering from a bone injury.
Defending champions Golden Sox, which swept the eliminations last season to claim the crown, stumbled to fourth place. Coach Jeffrey Santiago said his wards became too complacent. From a respectable runner-up finish last year, the Female Woodpushers plummeted to seventh place for reasons coach Ronald Dableo said he could not discern.
