Tag: June 3, 2004

IF the pre-season tournament is any indication of what lies ahead for the Tiger Spikers, then the Thomasian community can look forward to a bright season.

In an attempt to erase the bitter memory of their early exit in the UAAP last season, the UST Spikers nailed a third place finish in the Inter-Collegiate Tournament last March 28-April 5 in Iloilo City.

The Tiger Spikers finished a dismal fifth place, their worst finish in the last two decades, in the UAAP last season.

DISPLAYING deadly form, the UST Tiger Cubs are now toting a 5-1 card after drubbing the University of the East (UE) Pages, 84-72, and the National University (NU) Bullpups, 63-58, in the ongoing Fr. Martin’s Cup.

AFTER winning their first three games, the Sunkist-UST Tigers failed to sustain their hot start as they lost seven of their last eight games and got booted out in the eliminations of the Philippine Basketball League Unity Cup.

The exodus of key players hounded the RFM-backed Tigers all throughout the eliminations as they groped for the form that led them to the semifinals last conference. A spate of injuries added more woes to their latest campaign.

Alwyn Espiritu, Emerson Oreta and Dondon Villamin were signed up by the other teams prior to this conference.

UNEXPECTED opponents and the exit of a key player became the main reasons why the male tracksters, despite nailing a strong first-place finish last season, made a repeat of the 64th UAAP season drama, skidding down to fourth place in the just concluded 66th season.

After a year of rigorous training, all seemed well for the Tiger Tracksters until a key player decided to abandon them in January, just two months before the tournament. Joar Calvadores opted to enroll for the third semester at the De La Salle University after four years of wearing the Tiger jersey.