Tag: July 15

FOR 11 straight years, the UAAP crystal ball had shed its light to only one team destined to erect a firm black-gold-white dynasty. But what awaits UST this Season 72?

In the previous year, top Thomasian martial artists blazed the UAAP mats anew to register a twin kill in the Taekwondo hostilities. In the poolside, the Tigersharks ended a 19-year title drought. The Tiger Spikers and Tiger Paddlers finished their respective tournaments unblemished even as the basketball teams struggled to secure a title.
But with other schools constantly reinforcing their sports programs, will UST finally yield its crown, or will it continue its winning tradition? Here’s the Varsitarian’s fearless forecast.

BASKETBALL

THE UST Male Paddlers’ hands were full as they reap awards in the off-season tournaments after finishing third runner-up in the 5th Filipino-Chinese Athletic Federation Table Tennis Cup last June 25 at the Starpaper Table Tennis Center in Quezon City.

UST won four of its six games for a podium finish. At the end of the round robin, the UAAP Season 68 champions were humbled by seasoned smashers of Starpaper Corporation, 2-3, for the third runner-up.

FROM THE sidelines to his sickbed, Thomasian sports journalism vanguard Roberto Cuevas had always been tied to the roar and vitality of the sports world. But fate cut that bond last June 22 when Cuevas succumbed to heart attack due to complications from diabetes at around 3 p.m. at the De La Salle-Dasmariñas Hospital. He was 68.

THE UST Tigresses rolled to a hot start but missed crucial free throws down the stretch, causing them to fall behind Adamson University Lady Falcons, 59-65, in the Metroball 2nd Conference semifinals last June 25 at the Metro Gym in Mandaluyong City.

The Tigresses failed to invest on Adamson’s penalty woes in the last three minutes of the game as they shot only 3 of 11 from the charity line. With this, the Lady Falcons drained back-to-back treys to boot UST out of the contest.

THE UST Golden Booters are off to a decent start in the fourth season of the Ang Liga Football Cup.

UST, which finished a lowly fifth in last year’s Ang Liga, stood undefeated against the University of the East (UE) Red Booters and settled for a draw against the veteran EDSA squad.

“Our fighting spirit powers us in every game,” debuting coach Marjo Allado, who took the cudgels from former Golden Booter mentor Nonoy Carpio, told the Varsitarian.

REDISCOVERING their competitive energy after a bumpy UAAP campaign last season, the UST Softbelles outclassed the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons, 2-0, to capture the National Open Softball Championship last June 12 at the Sto. Niño grounds in Marikina City.

Thomasian ace hurler Aiza dela Torre outplayed UP’s Dione Macasu on the mound as she pitched a decisive two-hitter that froze the Lady Maroons’ batting artillery throughout the two-hour finals showdown.

A VARSITARIAN Sports writer topped the 2006 PBA Press Corps Sportswriting contest last June 25.

Anthony Andrew G. Divinagracia, a junior Political Science student, won first place against 40 other student-writers. Fellow Thomasian Patrick Ondevilla and De La Salle University-Dasmariñas’ Jonathan Terrado took second and third places, respectively.

SHE IS the new face to watch out for on the sidelines.

Communication Arts senior Donna Belle Llabres is UST’s new UAAP courtside reporter for Studio 23, edging out five other UST sportscaster hopefuls.

The neophyte reporter admitted she is not into basketball, but has come to know the game through her friends from the varsity ranks.

Being UST’s courtside reporter was a long-overdue desire for Llabres.

UST TRACKSTER Liza Yambao has done it again.

Yambao added another feather to her cap as she won the Olympic Day Run’s 10K women’s division last June 26 at the Baywalk Park, Roxas Boulevard.

Yambao, the 2003 Milo Marathon National Champion, checked in at 39 minutes and 38 seconds to top the tournament, while Hazel Madamba of the Philippine Navy placed second.

On the distaff side, UST’s Ben Alejandrino settled for a bridesmaid finish in the men’s event. Alejandrino lagged 37 seconds behind eventual victor Cresencio Sabal of the Philippine Army.

WITH BRAWN and agility developed from various mountain crusades, the UST Mountaineering Club (USTMC) won the Philippine Ultimate Association’s Summer of Love Frisbee Tournament championship after disposing Sunken Pleasure, 15-10, last July 2.

USTMC, bearing the moniker España United, made quick work of its initial encounters on the same day. It downed the Oltimate Disc Athlete (13-7) and Disc Devil Bee (11-4) to end the tourney with a masterful 3-0 win-loss card.