Tag: No. 8

THE UST Tigresses bowed down against UAAP defending champions Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, 61-68, at the Philippine Buddhacare Gym last Nov. 26, dropping their third consecutive game in the women’s division of the Filipino-Chinese Basketball League (FCBL).

Guard Lore Rivera chalked up 26 points for the Tigresses, who missed the services of ace player Juvelyn Andaya due to a sprain injury. Maika Cortes was limited to only eight points and eight boards, a far cry from her 21-point explosion against Adamson University last November 19.

THE TIGERS-reinforced Pachanga FC’s bid for a finals berth in the United Football League Philippines ended after losing to defending champion Global FC, 0-1, in the first quarterfinals game at the University of Makati last Nov. 26.

An injury to Ronald Batisla-Ong and the absence of Ojay Clariño, who played in the Southeast Asian Games, left Golden Booter Shirmar Felongco as the lone Thomasian in the game for Pachanga.

Pachanga had to battle a deep Global roster that included members of the Philippine Azkals. But coach Norman Fegidero attributed his team’s loss more to the lack of intensity and its depleted lineup.

Global’s William Espinosa scored the only goal of the match at the 27th minute.

SADDLED by the absence of key UST players in its lineup, the Blackwater Elite suffered its first loss in three outings at the hands of the Cebuana-Lhuiller Gems, 52-73, in the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League Aspirants Cup at the Trinity University of Asia Gym last Nov. 21.

The Elite fell behind by 14 points, 28-42, in the first half before closing the gap in the third quarter, 41-49, following a 9-2 run capped by Neil Pascual’s layup. But the team lost steam in the final canto, turning the ball over six times that led to a 13-2 scoring attack by the Gems.

THOMASIAN athletes made modest contributions in the country’s dismal performance in the 16th Asian Games in in Guangzhou, China from November 12 to 27.

In the Philippine contingent’s 16-medal haul, tourism alumnus Engelberto “Biboy” Rivera struck gold with 1,414 pinfalls, 10 points ahead of silver medalist Mohammed Algreebah of Kuwait.

Former Tiger Jim Tshomlee Go and 19-year-old Paul Romero chipped in a bronze medal apiece in the men’s under-63 kg and under-58 kg categories, respectively.
In all, the Philippines collected three gold medals, four silver, and nine bronze and finished 19th out of 34 countries in the regional meet.

FOUR Thomasian cue artists surfaced as the early favorites in the first National Collegiate Billiards League (NCBL) or B-League, walking over the De La Salle University with a clean 3-0 sweep last November 20 at the Manila Ocean Park. 

Bannering UST was the black-and-gold quartet of team captain Aaron Cedric Gonzales, John Michael Hipolito and Conrad Roy Cruz Jr. from the Faculty of Engineering, and Gerthee Estrella from the College of Commerce.

They faced a tough opposition in 19 other schools such as Ateneo de Manila University, Far Eastern University, Lyceum University of the Philippines, San Sebastian College-Recolletos, and the Philippine Maritime Institute.

BACK-TO-BACK champions UST Female Tracksters barely broke a sweat in defending their crown in the 15th University Games in Negros Occidental last October 26 to 30.
But UST head coach Manny Calipes refused to read too much into the victory, noting the absence of collegiate powerhouse Far Eastern University (FEU) and the University of the East (UE) in the athletics meet held at the Governor Mariano Perdices Memorial Coliseum in Dumaguete City.

Making up for the fourth-place finish of their male counterparts, the Female Tracksters topped the tournament with a 16-7-6 medal tally---a blowout given Ateneo de Manila University’s 2-4-3 output and Rizal Technological University’s (RTU) 1-2-1. 

THREE of UST’s finest cagers speckled stars with gold to reinforce the stellar cast of UAAP in its battle for pride against its sister league in the UAAP-NCAA All-Star Games for Bantay Bata 163 at the San Juan Arena last November 13.

UST Growling Tigers’ three-point king Clark Bautista contributed a total of nine points in the seniors’ match including his signature trey, opening the first score for UAAP’s powerhouse quintet en route to a 90–76 win over the NCAA squad.

University of the East star guard Paul Lee emerged Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the benefit game, pumping in 14 points while San Beda’s Garvo Lanete topscored for NCAA with 17 markers.

WHAT SEPARATES the España army from their Taft-based challengers is a precarious 13 point-lead, while the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Far Eastern University (FEU) are not too far away in the third spot in the UAAP general championship race. With the level of intensity getting tougher in the second semester sports events, does the team has enough diesel to carry the Thomasian spirit to the finish line?

Editor’s note: More fearless forecasts in the next issue.

ATHLETICS

Female Tracksters
Last Season: Second place
Prediction: Champion

MAHIGIT 1,500 na Tomasino ang lumahok sa “Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig” marathon noong Nobyembre 8 bilang suporta sa pagsasaayos ng dati’y malinis na ilog sa kalakhang Maynila.

Pinangunahan nina Fr. Florentino Bolo O.P., bagong secretary general, Fr. Angel Aparicio O.P., prefect of libraries, at ng vice rector for Finance Fr. Manuel Roux, O.P., ang mga estudyante mula sa National Service Training Program (NSTP) at Reserve Officers’ Training Corps sa pagtakbo.

Nakiisa rin ang mga empleyado ng Office of Public Affairs, Office for Community Development at Office of the Rector pati na ang kopunan ng UST Growling Tigers sa marathon. Ang lahat ng mga Tomasino ay nakasuot ng dilaw na t-shirt.

“Maganda ‘yung activity, lalo na para sa mga taga-UST kasi tumakbo yung mga Thomasians as a community,” ani Jonathan Gamalinda, estudyante ng Graduate School na lumahok sa marathon.

IN THE END, it all boiled down to who had the most experience.

Bolstered by a veteran crew, the UST Lady Spikers prevailed over the Adamson University Lady Falcons, 23-25, 25-12, 27-25, 25-19, en route to clinching their fifth championship in the finals match of the sixth Shakey’s V-League, last December 1 at the San Juan Arena.

“Their performance was a little inconsistent. But the players have the experience that brought us to the championship,” coach Cesael delos Santos said.