Tag: Vol. LXXXIV

A SOLID Tigresses lineup will return this season as they look to bounce back from their dismal sixth-place finish last year.

After his wards landed third in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup, coach Chris Cantonjos is confident of his team’s chances in the UAAP this year.

“You can definitely see their unwavering desire to win every game. There will be no graduates. They have matured and it shows in their performance,” he said of the Tigresses, who finished the off-season tournament with a 4-2 win-loss slate.

Team captain Marian Mejia said teamwork and camaraderie would be key if the Tigresses were to enter the Final Four.

WHEN it rains, it definitely pours for the UST Lady Spikers.

In the same year UST crashed out of the UAAP Final Four for the first time in 10 seasons, the Lady Spikers also failed to reach the Shakey’s V-League finals for the first time in team history.

The España-based volleybelles have reached the championship round in all the nine conferences they participated in during the 10-year-old tournament, winning a league-high of six titles.

But the streak came to an end when UST were swept and ousted by the Ateneo de Manila University in their best-of-three, semi-finals series 13-25, 25-23, 23-25, 13-25 at the Mall of Asia Arena last May 16.

TEAM captain Jeric Teng starred anew for UST as the Growling Tigers outclassed Arellano University, 83-73, to advance to the semifinals of the Filoil Flying V Pre-season Cup at The Arena in San Juan last June 3.

Teng unloaded six of his game-high 23 points, including a pull-up jumper and two charities, in the payoff period to stretch UST’s lead to 15, 78-63.

“Our win was more on experience. We’re starting to peak and see our direction [in the UAAP],” coach Pido Jarencio said.

After subpar performances in the last three games, Karim Abdul finally made his presence felt with 18 points and 14 boards for the Tigers.

Guard Nard Pinto and John Bangga combined for 23 markers for Arellano.

THE UST Ultimate Frisbee team settled for a runner-up finish after absorbing a 5-15 beating against University of the Philippines’ Diliman Ultimate Organization (DUO) in the 2nd National Ultimate Collegiate Championships at the UP Sunken Garden last May 12.

Kaycee Bernardino and Inaki Melchor scored two-straight goals for Espanya United, but UP broke the game open with the steady execution of Emman Rodil, who facilitated multiple goals from Migs Ocampo and Julian Paterno to give DUO a commanding 12-4 lead.

Jared Chua secured the fifth goal for UST after intercepting a pass from a UP defender in the end zone, but Oli Chaluyan sealed the deal for DUO after connecting on a short pass in the left flank to ice their second-straight championship, 5-15.

AN UNDERMANNED Tigresses squad barged into the semifinals in the Filoil Flying V Pre-season Cup after defeating the College of Saint Benilde (CSB), 66-60, at The Arena in San Juan last May 11.

Marian Mejia stepped up in the absence of center Maica Cortes, leading the Tigresses with 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Janine Ong pitched in 13 markers. Jen Mayol paced the Lady Blazers with 19 points and 11 boards.

Mejia sank a buzzer beater in the first quarter to give UST a five point lead, 20-15.

The España-based cagebelles rallied with back-to-back three-pointers from Mejia and Ong, mounting an 11-point lead at the end of the second frame, 36-25.

SOME UST Shuttlers took a pre-UAAP warm-up as they aim to bounce back in Season 76 from an unlikely fourth-place finish last season through the 7th Leg of the Manuel V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation Badminton Championships-Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) at the Excel Badminton Center, San Fernando, Pampanga last May 3-7.

National team member and UST sophomore student Paul Pantig shook off a summer rust and finished second in the under-19 boy’s doubles category with Joshua Monterubio of De La Salle University. He also bagged the third place in the open men’s doubles division alongside former UST Shuttler Rjay Ormilla.

THE UST Tiger Cubs ended a forgettable pre-season campaign with a 49-55 loss against De La Salle Greenhills in their Filoil Flying V Pre-season Cup encounter at The Arena in San Juan last May 29.

UST finished with a mediocre 1-4 card, losing all of their final three games by an average of 17 points.

The Tiger Cubs led at the half, 26-21, but surrendered a 16-0 run at the end of the third quarter and in the start of the fourth that allowed La Salle to take full control of the game, 48-37, with 9:33 left.

“We had control at the start but lost it toward the end because of lack of maturity,” soach Allan Ascue said. “’Di pa kami sanay sa dibdibang laban.”

BASKETBALL may have been part of the family tradition, but Pamela “Pam” Lastimosa is trying to make a name for herself in another hard court.

Lastimosa is the niece of PBA legend Jojo Lastimosa, but unlike her uncle, she's opted to go for volleyball and is now a UST Lady Spiker.

Enthusiastic to try a different sport other than the one she grew up seeing, the 5-foot-8 Lastimosa first strutted her stuff with the Ateneo de Cagayan’s girls’ volleyball team in her second year in high school.

“I really don’t know how to play volleyball before. My high school coach just noticed that I have the size and then he encouraged me to practice with the team,” Lastimosa said.

SHE MAY not have emerged as the “big winner” at the Pinoy Big Brother house, but Patricia Mae “Tricia” Santos still hopes to make it big, this time in the UAAP arena.

Santos will be suiting up for the UST Lady Spikers as an outside hitter in UAAP Season 76.

The ex-teen housemate had to put aside her budding volleyball career as she set her sights on showbiz. After landing a few roles she realized it isn’t her time yet, paving the way to give her first love another shot.

The 5-foot-8 volleybelle from Ateneo de Davao never had a hard time adjusting because she feels at home with her revered idols—Rhea Dimaculangan and Carmela Tunay—and with the rest of the team giving her a warm welcome.

But Santos still has work cut out for her.

THE GROWLING Tigers’ “kalbo” era has come to a close—for the senior players, at least.

Since coach Pido Jarencio took the reins of UST’s senior men’s basketball team in 2006, the Tigers were identified equally through their gritty game play and buzz cut hairstyle, which served as a sign of the players’ sacrifice for the team.

This season onwards, the signature haircut will now reflect team hierarchy.