Tag: Vol. LXXXII

THE NATIONAL Capital Region Team A paraded two former Golden Booters, who had been tapped to join the Philippine Azkals Football Team.

But what was supposed to be a mismatch in favor of NCR turned into a massacre at the hands of the Iloilo squad, who gave Team A a 0-7 beating in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Suzuki Under-23 National Cup last May 10 at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) pitch.

The loss knocked the pre-tournament favorites out of title contention, together with Laguna which settled for a draw against Davao (2-2) in the quarterfinals.

THIRTEEN members of Season 73 champions UST Golden Sox were tapped to bolster three squads in the ongoing Baseball Philippines Series VIII at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The core of the UAAP champion team was distributed to reinforce the roster of the Alabang Tigers, Dumaguete Uni-Bikers, and Taguig Patriots, playing alongside high-caliber amateurs and veteran baseball stars in the country.

The Tigers surrendered to the Batangas Bulls, 6-14, in their Labor Day showdown last May 1. In the fifth and sixth frames, the raging bulls gored the Tigers with six runs in each inning.

UST’S Clark Bautista exploded from beyond the arc, but the Tigers still came up short against the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ tough defense and lost, 46-59, in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup at the Arena in San Juan last April 30.

The Blue Eagles, the defending UAAP champions, kept the scoring low, much of to the disadvantage of the usually high-scoring Tigers. Bautista topscored with 14 points, including a 67-percent three-point shooting, while the Eagles relied on balanced scoring and consistent defense. Point guard Jeric Fortuna added 10 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists for UST.

TEN UST jins led the Philippine team’s charge in the 10th ASEAN Taekwondo Federation championships, en route to a second-place finish with an 11-7-17 gold-silver-bronze medal tally during the tournament in Phnom Penh, Cambodia last April 7 to 9.

The Thomasian contingent contributed five gold medals, a silver, and four bronzes. Vietnam ruled the competition with a 25-15-16 gold-silver-bronze haul, a total of 56 medals.
Among the Tiger Jins who vied for honors in the seniors division were 2006 team captain Gershon Bautista and welterweight Ernest Mendoza, who each bagged a gold medal.
“The (gold) medal I brought home is not only for me, but more importantly for the team, the university, and the country,” said Mendoza.

“No matter how dark the beginning, one who strives can reach the sky.”

As the helicopter finally rose to the sky, I clenched and kissed the gem stone tiger-eyes rosary which Father Rector gave me before the Quadricentennial week coverage, where I had a silent prayer hoping for that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

CHEERS were loud from a stream of yellow at the Araneta Coliseum last April 10 as four Thomasian beauties took centerstage to compete in the much-coveted Binibining Pilipinas, all for a chance to represent the country on the world pageant stage.

By the end of the night, former Miss Thomasian Personality Janine Marie Tugonon was named first runner-up out of 40 candidates. Aside from Tugonon, a licensed pharmacist who graduated cum laude from the University in 2010, Psychology alumna and Ford Supermodel of the World finalist Kristina Marasigan made the cut in the top 15. Also among the contenders were Pharmacy alumna Carla Lacson and UST swimmer Bernadette Aguirre.

ALL HE wanted was the scholarship.

But John Paul Torres, the Season 73 MVP, has emerged as one of the cover stories of the Tiger Spikers’ unparalleled four-year reign.

“It was so unexpected. My decision to try out for the team [Tiger Spikers] was primarily because someone told me of the scholarship grant given to athletes when you got in,” the 21-year-old Torres said.

Volleyball was admittedly not a priority for this ace spiker who was once a lawn tennis varsity player at the E. Rodriguez High School for a year.

But fate had a different plan for him as he went on to become one of coach Emil Lontoc’s formidable wards.

THOMASIAN athletes punctuated the season with a collection of individual awards on top of UST’s general championship in the UAAP.

Taekwondo’s Camille Manalo was named the overall Athlete of the Year during closing ceremonies at the Big Dome last March 12. She duplicated the feat by fellow Tiger Jin Marlon Avenido who won the award last year.

Having completed her final playing year, Manalo was also named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in women’s taekwondo after leading the Tigresses to their ninth title this season.

“I’m so proud and amazed that I was able to get the prestigious award. We persevered to get the (championship) title,” she said in Filipino.

IN THE end, loyalty was most important to this high school basketball superstar.

UAAP juniors MVP Kevin Ferrer has opted to stay with UST, ending months of speculation that he might play for another university in the seniors division.

Ferrer rejected juicy offers from defending champion Ateneo de Manila University and the Henry Sy-owned National University, saying “I want to be faithful and play for UST.”

“This is where I got recognized,” he said, adding that he was moved by his parents and supporters who urged him to stay with his alma mater, a basketball powerhouse especially in the 90s.

PAYING tribute to its alma mater’s quadricentennial, the Salinggawi Dance Troupe took center stage for its 43rd annual dance concert titled “Eterno: The Legacy Continues” at the Medicine Auditorium last March 11.

“The annual concert was mainly dedicated to UST’s 400th year anniversary and not really for us,” said Jerome San Jose, Salinggawi’s external public relations officer.

In Eterno, a Spanish word for eternity, the group exhibited popular dances in history dating back from the pre-Spanish period.