Tag: Vol. LXXXI

ALL OF a sudden, Johannesburg, South Africa has become the most popular place in the world.

Football fever is all over as the 2010 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup took center stage last June 11 as the most widely viewed sporting event in the world – except for Filipinos.

In the Philippines, FIFA has a limited reception in terms of viewership compared to the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. From professionals to students, tricycle and jeepney drivers to the ordinary man on the streets—everyone seemed to have followed NBA.

DE LA SALLE University isn’t alone in the history books anymore.

The Lady Spikers duplicated the Lady Archers’ historic three-peat run in the V-League by trouncing the San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) Lady Stags in Game 3 of their epic four-setter clash at The Arena in San Juan last May 27.

UST snatched its sixth crown in seven seasons in dominating fashion by subduing a tough SSC-R squad in four sets, 25-20, 25-27, 25-12, 25-15.

“I am so happy because we have been working hard for this [championship]. I always tell them [the Lady Spikers] to be patient and keep focused to reach our goal,” a jubilant coach Cesael de los Santos said. “We are doing this to make the people, especially the fans, happy.”

The Lady Spikers controlled the tempo of the fourth set, anchored on kills from Mary Jean Balse, and consistent blocking from Rhea Dimaculangan and Denise Santiago.

UST struggled in the opening canto, allowing the Lady Stags to get the edge early, 2-5. But the opponents’ errors paved the way for UST to take the steering wheel, 9-7.

THE UST Tiger Cubs badly missed the Final Four bus after taking a 69-82 beating at the hands of the twice-to-beat Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eaglets in the third Filipino-Chinese Basketball League (FCBL) Freego Cup at the Buddhacare Academy Gym last May 20.

Coach Jerome Ascue said that his boys got a bit overconfident in facing the undermanned Ateneo team with the absence of experienced stalwarts Von Pessumal and Keiffer Ravena.

Charles Dumrique led the charge for the Eaglets with 20 points, followed by Jay Javelosa with 17-point markers.

DESIRE to land a spot in UST’s official UAAP lineup next season proved disastrous for the Tigers. 

Playing under the banner of Dickies clothing company, the team showcased in dividual talent only to succumb to a Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) squad, 96-98, in the Millennium Basketball League at the New Tiger Gym in Mandaluyong City last May 20.

The tournament was to serve as a gauge for coach Pido Jarencio in picking players who would comprise the Tigers’ official 16-man lineup in Season 73. The coaching staff is currently training 20 players.

A TIGER jin took home a bronze medal in the highly competitive 19th Asian Taekwondo Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan held from May 21 to 23.

Twenty-year-old Marlon Avenido, a sophomore from the College of Fine Arts and Design, accounted for one of only two medals won by the 12-man Philippine contingent to the tournament. Teammate John Paul Lizardo scored a first runner-up finish in the finweight division.

Avenido has been a member of the national team since 2007 and was a gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Taekwondo Championship and a silver medalist in the Asian Games.

REIGNING UAAP champions UST Softbelles battered the heavily-favored Rizal Technological University (RTU) Lady Thunders, 3-1, to clinch the women’s crown in the Cebuana Lhuillier-National Softball Open last May 7, at Melvin Jones Park in Baguio city.

UST alumna and RP Blu Girl Esmeralda Tayag played the heroine’s role in the fifth inning when her run batted in (RBI) single gave UST the marginal point after a scoreless truce in the first four frames.
Tournament MVP Corazon Sobere immediately followed suit, propelling Season 72 Best Hitter Lani Sarmiento and Nelia Lara to home base in the sixth.

ONE OF UST’s best volleybelles is also its top cheerleader.

The contributions of 20-year-old Angeli Tabaquero are not limited to her killer plays. They’re palpable also whenever she gives teammates—exhausted and probably disheartened—that extra push only a veteran spiker like her could provide.

Images of Tabaquero running (actually jumping) all around the court after a successful rally have become quite common in UAAP replays.

“It’s a big factor that Angeli has her high spirits inside the court,” said coach Cesael Delos Santos. “As a senior player, she helps the team to relax and enjoy the game.”

STUDENTS from the UST Conservatory of Music were hailed the biggest losers in a health-awareness contest, and they bagged P150,000 and a trip to Boracay to prove it.

Team Jakob, a group of students from the Conservatory of Music composed of Kabaitan Bautista, Roman Enguero, Jasper Jimenez and Bon Peralta lost 49 kilos collectively to come out on top in the Del Monte Fit n’ Right’s Fit n’ Fab 4 Weight-loss Challenge 2010.

Under the contest rules, the group that lost the most number of pounds in a month would be declared champions.

UST JUNIOR Paddler Christian Abendan edged out Walden Ledesma of Xavier School, 3-1, to rule the boys’ under-17 division in the 12th STIGA-UP Chancellor’s Cup at the SM North EDSA-Annex last April 6 to 10.

Abendan smashed his way to the top against Ledesma who had a rigorous training in China before the tournament.

With his fierce third-ball kills, deadly spin and hard-chop service, Abendan toyed with Ledesma who apparently struggled in reading the UST paddlers’ hits.

“I just stuck to the game plan,”  Abendan said.

The Lady Spikers solidified their bid to keep their Shakey’s V-League title by trouncing the Southwestern University (SWU) Lady Cobras, 25-12, 25-18, 25-20, during their match at The Arena in San Juan last April 15.

The victory tied UST with the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Lady Stags with identical 2-0 win-loss cards at the top of the tournament’s Bracket A.

“Their performance was okay although not as good as I expected, but I was satisfied. It just so happened that some players got off their rhythm,” coach Cesael de los Santos said.

Not even SWU guest player Lasungnern Piyatida, a Thai national team heavyweight, could find a remedy for the Lady Cobras’ porous defense, underscored by reception errors and free balls.

In the opening set, the España-based squad capitalized on the attacking errors of the Lady Cobras to spark an early 6-0 run for an 8-2 score.