Tag: Vol. LXXXIII

TWO TIGRESSES were tapped to join the national team, but coach Chris Cantonjos isn’t exactly happy about it.

Judy Andaya, a 5-foot-2 guard, and forward Mary Joy Galicia, who both graduated last March, will likely miss the next UAAP season where they are still eligible to play.

RP team head coach Haydee Ong acknowledged that the national pool’s tough training schedule might keep the two Tigresses from practicing with UST.

“You can see their desire to play for the national team,” she said.

Said the 5-foot-8 Galicia: “If we don’t accept it now, we might lose the slot. We really want to continue playing for UST, but we also don’t want to miss the chance.”

A FORMER Thomasian fencer is in the fight of his life.

Three-time UAAP epee champion Ryan Angelo Lopez was diagnosed with brain hemorrhage in September last year and had an operation the following month. Doctors had spotted an abnormal tangle of vessels in his cerebellum, causing false sensations and pain.

With part of his skull removed, he said he could no longer play fencing.

“I’ve been having migraines since I was a kid so I was used to dealing with that kind of pain. But this time it’s different,” said the 23-year-old Lopez.

Lopez did not immediately receive treatment owing to financial difficulties. He said his family was still hard up following the death of his father due to heart attack.

DAYS AFTER an embarrassing loss against the San Beda Red Lions, the Growling Tigers recorded their first victory in the Floil Flying V Pre-season Premier Cup, but only to lose in a 63-65 heartbreaker against the Ateneo de Manila University two days later.

UAAP top rookie Kiefer Ravena scored on a jumper in the dying seconds of the game to notch the victor for the Blue Eagles at The Arena in San Juan last April 25.

Two days earlier, the Tigers cruised past the University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta, 70-66, with Aljon Mariano and Karim Abdul leading the way with 14 points apiece.

UST has only one win in three games, its first loss coming via a 70-54 demolition against the Red Lions last April 18.

UST-BACKED RnW Pacific Pipes Steel Masters snapped their four-game winning run after absorbing an 84-100 drubbing from the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the San Juan Gym last April 30.

The Blackwater Sports, another squad bannered by UST players, also bowed down to the Gems, 81-101, six days earlier. Paul Zamar, Gio Ciriacruz, and UST’s Clark Bautista, each had 13 points for Blackwater.

The Steel Masters, who were in a four-way tie at second spot with Big Chill Superchargers, Cebuana Lhuiller, and Blackwater Sports Elites, dropped to fifth place with a 4-3 slate but remained in contention for the quarterfinals.

THE UST Judokas stomped their class in separate tournaments as part of their preparation for the next UAAP season.

The Lady Judokas finished with two pairs of gold and silver medals in the International School Manila (ISM) Judo Tournament at the ISM University Parkway in Fort Bonifacio last May 12.

Their male counterparts collected a 2-3-5 gold-silver-bronze medal haul in the One La Salle Judo championships at the De La Salle University gym last April 1.

Lady Judoka Jyniene Honorio brought home the first gold medal by defeating teammate Ednorly San Andres in the -70 kg category. Heavyweight Princess Lucman won the second hardware for UST in the +78 division at the expense of Anette Pinas from Baguio City.

THE UST Tigresses lost to the University of the Philippines, 54-58, in the Sandugo Collegiate Development League at the Treston International School Gym last April 28.

Trailing for the most of the game, the España-based cagebelles picked up the slack midway through the final frame as Kim Reyes propelled a 9-2 run to pull her team to within a point, 51-52. But the Lady Maroons outscored the Tigresses, 6-3, in the last three minutes to seal the victory. UST, now with a 1-3 win-loss card, committed 17 turnovers.

Center Micah Cortes scored 14 points for UST, while Maan Wong topscored for the Lady Maroons with 11.

LOCAL print and broadcast media agencies received Quadricentennial Service Awards last March 28 for being “part of God’s unending grace to the University.”

Office for Public Affairs Director Giovanna Fontanilla said the ‘Q’ Service Awards were given to media outfits for documenting and disseminating information on Quadricentennial events, which have made a “significant and positive impact for UST’s 400th year celebration.”

Recipients of the award included newspapers Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Times, Business Mirror, BusinessWorld, People’s Journal, Manila Standard Today, and Malaya, and local magazines Women’s Journal, Balikbayan, Town and Country, Enrich, Lifestyle Asia, Travel Time, and Mabuhay.

THOMASIAN athletes went home with individual awards to cap UST 14th straight UAAP general championship.

Tiger Jin Joaquin Mendoza was named Athlete of the Year in the juniors division as the UAAP officially came to a close during ceremonies held at the Philippine International Convention Center last March 10.

After emerging as the top rookie last season, Mendoza bagged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) plum together with teammate Aaron Agojo, as they led UST to its ninth overall junior’s taekwondo championship.

Tigershark Miguel Carandang was named “Athlete Scholar”-a recognition given to student-athletes who also excel in academics—alongside Bobby Ray Parks Jr. of National University’s men’s basketball, and five other players.

The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) settled for a miserable seventh-place finish in the second UAAP Streetdance Competition held at the Philippine International Convention Center Forum last March 10.

The group was good only for an overall score of 71.5 percent—only 0.5 points higher than cellar-dweller University of the East Street Warriors.

“We lacked preparation in our routine. We had a lot of activities inside and outside the University so we only had two weeks to prepare,” Salinggawi president Adams Bernabe said.

THE UST-led Blackwater Sports clobbered Erase Plantcenta, 91-63, to snatch its second victory in the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League Foundation Cup at the San Juan Gym last March 29.

Blackwater is now tied with Big Chill Superchargers at third place (2-1), half-a-game behind defending champions NLEX Road Warriors (3-0).

Blackwater coach Leo Isaac said that the victory was a wake-up call for his wards who slacked off at the waning minutes of their previous game against the Junior Powerade Tigers.

“It is not enough to win the game. [There must be hard work] because it gives us a lot of discipline,” Isaac said.