Ateneo, UP hold serve atop UAAP women's badminton

 

c/o UAAP

Ateneo and UP remained on top of the standings in the UAAP Season 85 Women's Badminton tournament after dispatching their respective opposition on Monday at the courts of Centro Atletico in Quezon City.

The Blue Eagles rode on Mika De Guzman in securing a 4-1 win over the University of Santo Tomas, with the team captain winning both of her assignments.

She defeated Charlize Belen to open things, 21-11 21-9, and followed that with a 21-13 21-8 win alongside Chanelle Lunod against Clara Ignacio and Elij Pena in the second doubles to clinch the tie.

Jochelle Alvarez helped secure the tie after she claimed a 21-13 21-8 victory over Rhafi Santos in the second singles match, before the Golden Shuttlers pulled one back after Santos teamed up with Jennifer Saladaga against Alvarez and Missy Cervantes, 15-21 21-17 21-15.

Lunod would finish things off with a 21-15 21-15 victory over Saladaga in the final match of the tie.

Ateneo head coach and badminton legend Kennie Asuncion reflected on the result of their tie afterwards. "It's not easy to get 5-0 because each team has its own exceptional players, so it's OK. It's a learning experience for us. I look at it as something to be learned," she says.

UP would join Ateneo atop the early badminton leaderboard with a sweep against Adamson.

Aldreen Concepcion opened things with a 21-11 21-8 win over Patricia Timosa in the first singles matchup. Anthea Gonzalez followed suit with a 21-1 21-3 demolition against Janine San Ignacio.

National team standouts Lea Inlayo and Susmita Ramos would clinch the tie with a 21-10 21-5 win over Melody Ampusta and Graziel Cabriga, a match that lasted 23 minutes.

National University bounced back from their Sunday afternoon defeat to sweep La Salle, 5-0.

Sarah Barredo won both of her matchups to anchor the win, defeating Mia Manguilimotan in singles action then joined forces against Ybonnie Dema-ano in outlasting their counterparts Shayne Boloron and Palma Cruz in doubles, 15-21 21-13 21-8.

Saturday's action will feature Ateneo and UP in a top of the table clash, with NU seeking consecutive victories against UST. Completing the slate is the matchup between DLSU and Adamson. All matches will start at 1pm.

Ateneo sweeps to kickstart badminton title defense

c/o UAAP

Ateneo de Manila put forth an impressive performance to start its title defense with the start of the women's badminton portion of the UAAP Season 85 tournament at the courts of Centro Atletico in Quezon City on Sunday afternoon.

The Blue Eagles won all five matches to sweep its tie against Adamson, 5-0, anchored on their performance of national team standouts Mika de Guzman and Chanelle Lunod.

The former, who spent part of her collegiate competing overseas representing the country, started off with a 21-10 21-12 victory over Patricia Timosa, and with the tie already sealed, the team captain teamed up with Feeby Ferrer for a 21-11 21-12 result in the second doubles match.

As for the latter, she staked her claim for a potential third straight MVP trophy with a 21-9 21-6 victory over Althea Bartolazo.

The tie was clinched after a 21-19 21-10 result from Jellene De Vera and Missy Cervantes over Ivy Plata and Camille Buagas in the first doubles.

Jochelle Alvarez completed the sweep after Buagas was forced to retire due to cramps. Alvarez had clinched the opening set 21-15 before the Lady Falcon made the decision during the break.

De Guzman shared afterwards, "Our goal this year is to play our best in every game that we play, and of course to defend the crown as well. In addition to that is improving ourselves is the most important thing to do this season."

Meanwhile, carving out 4-1 victories on Sunday afternoon are the University of the Philippines and La Salle.

The highlight of UP's tie against National University featured debutant Anthea Gonzalez surviving a 106-minute duel against Sarah Barredo, 23-21 17-21 21-17 in the second singles. Lea Inlayo and Susmita Ramos would clinch the tie for the Maroons in the first doubles, as they defeated Jeya Pinlac and Ysabel Amora, 21-11 21-15.

Mia Manguilimotan anchored the Green Shuttlers' performance against the University of Santo Tomas, winning both of her matches. The sophomore opened with a 21-16 21-16 win over Charlize Belen in the first singles, then followed it by joining forces against Viana Antonio to clinch the tie against Elij Pena and Clara Ignacio in doubles, 21-23 21-9 21-15.

Women's action resumes on Monday with the matches originally scheduled to be played on Saturday afternoon, after the league postponed the ties due to the weather conditions imposed by Typhoon Paeng.

Ateneo takes on UST, with UP facing Adamson and DLSU against NU. Matches will start at noon.

Aboitiz Football Cup set for post-pandemic return

It's back.

With the world slowly returning to normalcy, the same thing can also be said for sporting events, one of which will take place next month in Batangas.

The fabled 22nd edition of the Aboitiz Football Cup is set to take place at the Aboitiz pitch besides The  Outlets at Lipa within the LIMA Estate.

Riding on the coattails on the growth of the sport in the last twelve years, the competition will feature seven-a-side action in fourteen different divisions, with tournament organizer Rely San Agustin hoping to snap up at least twelve participating teams in each division.

With four mixed age-group categories (U-7, U-9, U-11, U-13), as well as four more boys age-group categories (U-15, U-17, U-19, U-23), there is an emphasis on the grassroots development, something that San Agustin emphasized.

He shares, "The success of the Aboitiz Football Cup has been its grassroots program where kids can fulfill their football dreams as they go up the football pyramid."

Completing the list of categories are the open categories for mixed, men, and women, with three more veterans' divisions (30-39, 40-49, and 50+)

The competition starts on November 12 and will take place on the next few Saturdays until December 10.

“With the Aboitiz Football Cup back in season, this is a healthy sign for the game and staying fit and healthy with life getting back to a sense of normalcy after the lockdown,” added San Agustin.

Aside from the competition, there are other activities set to take place alongside the games. A football clinic will take place that is tailored for the youth and for teachers in Batangas, as well as a referees course and events management sessions to improve the skills of local referees and coaches.

According to San Agustin, the end goal is to get these participants to be able to organize their own tournaments in their respective communities.

LIMA Estate Vice President for Operations Clifford Academia says, "The Aboitiz Football Cup has been a great arena to gather professionals and football enthusiasts alike. As LIMA Estate hosts its 3rd Aboitiz Football Cup this year, we play part of a greater purpose to advance communities and people’s lives through athletics. We understand how sports have been instrumental in community development and value formation, hence, we saw an opportunity to use this season’s festival days as training sessions for community kids in Malvar, Batangas. This 8-day football clinic provides the community kids a chance to meet and play with some of our successful football players and drive inspiration from their values and experiences. Looking ahead, we wanted to give them a chance to experience a football festival, and hopefully next year, participate in quality competition."

Those who check out the action also have the opportunity to be partake of the burgeoning scenes within the LIMA Estate, highlighted by the amenities available at The Outlets.

Interested parties who wish to participate in the 22nd Aboitiz Cup can send their inquiries to info@rsa1group.com or to send SMS to +639177025952.

Tamaraws secure third straight victory

 

c/o UAAP

Far Eastern University took advantage of a strong second half to dispatch the University of the East in the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball tournament on Sunday afternoon at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, 75-68.

The Tamaraws outscored the Red Warriors, 21-9 in the third period to take a 55-51 lead heading into the final canto. This was after they allowed UE to score the first twelve points of the game, which they then built a lead as large as fifteen points.

FEU would then try to break the game open to start the fourth quarter, with ten straight points to take a 65-51 lead with under seven minutes remaining.

But UE was game to the challenge, as a 12-2 blast from Gani Stevens and Nikko Paranada would cut the deficit to 63-67 with 138 seconds left.

Patrick Tchuente then scored back-to-back baskets to stem UE's momentum and helped hold on to the victory. He would eventually finish with a double-double, contributing thirteen points and eleven rebounds.

FEU Head coach Olsen Racela shared post-match, "My players stuck to the game plan. Nagkaproblema lang in the start but our zone helped us but it was our team defense that really gave us that win."

Leading the way for the Tamaraws is Xyrus Torres, who nailed six triples on his way to 22 points and five steals, with LJ Gonzales adding fourteen points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.

The win makes it three straight victories for FEU after opening the season with five straight defeats.

As for UE, they suffered their third straight loss to fall to 3-5. Paranada tallied 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists, with Stevens netting thirteen points whilst making all six of his attempts from the field. He also grabbed nine rebounds.

The scores:

FEU 75 -- Torres 22, Gonzales 14, Tchuente 13, Sajonia 6, Anonuevo 5, Sleat 4, Bautista 4, Bagunu 3, Tempra 2, Celzo 2, Alforque 0, Sandagon 0.

UE 68 -- N. Paranada 21, Stevens 13, Villegas 13, Payawal 9, K. Paranada 6, Sawat 4, Pagsanjan 2, Remogat 0, Alcantara 0, Guevarra 0, Antiporda 0, Beltran 0.

Quarters: 8-23, 34-42, 55-51, 75-68.

NU streak in men's badminton reaches 53

c/o UAAP

The streak is now at 53 straight ties for National University, as the defending champions swept the University of Santo Tomas on Sunday morning at the courts of Centro Atletico in Quezon City.

Lanz Zafra kicked things off with a 21-13 21-9 victory over Lanz Ramirez in just under half an hour. Fellow newcomer Mark Anthony Velasco followed suit with a 21-15 21-10 triumph over Lennox Cuilao.

National team standouts Solomon Padiz Jr and Julius Villabrille clinched the tie for the Bulldogs with a 21-12 21-14 victory in doubles action against Jacob Galve and JJ Panisales.

Zafra shared afterwards, "Sobrang happy po kami, kasi yesterday po naka-isa yung Adamson sa 'min. Pero ngayon, mentally prepared po kami." He adds, "We'll prepare po kahit holiday in the coming days. Workout pa rin po kahit nasa bahay. Siyempre, prepare pa rin po para sa UP."

The Maroons will head into their matchup against the defending champions on Saturday fresh from a 4-1 win over Adamson. The duo of Jelo Albo and Jason Vanzuela clinched their second straight victory in UAAP Season 85 with a 21-14 21-9 win over Harold Bonilla and CL Garcia.

Ateneo completed the trio of 4-1 wins after dispatching rivals La Salle. Team captain Arthur Salvado won both of his assignments to help the Blue Eagles achieve their objective, defeating James Estrada, 21-17 21-7 in the first singles match. He followed that with a 21-10 21-15 result alongside Lynden Laborte against Pete Abellana and Bless Linaban.

Ateneo hopes to join the winner of UP-NU atop the league after their matchup against Adamson, whilst the Green Shuttlers will try to bounce back against UST.

NU kickstarts title defense in men's badminton

c/o the UAAP

The quest for a seventh straight men's badminton title started off impressively for National University, as they dispatched Adamson on their tie, 4-1 to kickstart the UAAP Season 85 badminton tournament at the badminton courts of Centro Atletico on Saturday morning.

The Bulldogs clinched the tie after their first doubles matchup, as national team standouts Solomon Padiz Jr and Julius Villabrille defeated counterparts John Pedrosa and Mark Racelis, 21-6 21-7 in a duel that lasted nineteen minutes. It also extended their winning streak to 52 straight ever since they clinched the title back in Season 77.

NU had won the first two singles matches, with Lanz Zafra winning over Christian Lloyd Garcia, 21-11 21-7, followed by Mark Anthony Velasco's 21-7 21-6 result over Nathaniel Acedillo.

Padiz shared afterwards, "Kami po'y natutuwa kasi nag-continue na yung UAAP dahil three years din nag-stop yung UAAP," UAAP Season 82 Rookie of the Year and NU captain Padiz Jr. said. "Kami po, OK naman po (yung performance) kasi ang ano pa namin ay i-all out po yung mga game namin. Kasi nga Day 1 nga po, kailangan pong magamay po namin yung court, yung bola, lahat po, kasi yung three years po, kailangan din po naming mag-adjust."

The other ties saw the Katipunan schools dispatch their respective opponents with 4-1 victories.

Ateneo rode on double duty from Arthur Salvado and Lynden Laborte, as they won their two matches against the University of Santo Tomas.

The former won against Kyle Basilio in the opening singles, 21-13 21-16, whilst the latter defeated Francis Sarmiento, 21-8 21-9. They teamed to clinch the tie with a 21-16 21-15 triumph over Jacob Galve and Janzen Panisales.

The University of the Philippines mastered their matchup against La Salle thanks to a push from debutant Jelo Albo, as the national team standout won both of his matches.

The Maroon started with a 21-10 21-15 win over James Estrada in singles before joining forces with fellow national team member Jason Vanzuela in a 21-14 21-16 performance over Joshua Morada and Eliee Gavile.

With the weather conditions intensifying due to the Typhoon Paeng's presence in the country, the league postponed start of the women's division slated in the afternoon.

UAAP badminton set for return

 

c/o UAAP

Badminton is set to resume for the UAAP with the league opening its campaign this weekend at the courts of Centro Atletico in Quezon City this weekend.

Six of the eight member schools will field a team in both the men's and women's divisions, with Far Eastern University and the University of the East sitting out the competition.

Fresh from holding the SMART Intercollegiate Tournament earlier this year, organizers are ready for its return after being in the freezer last season. Philippine Badminton Association Technical Committee chairman and deputy tournament director for this season Judith Brosula shares, "We are so glad na babalik na yung UAAP. But with the ongoing situation, we still need to follow the protocols. The Smart Intercollegiate Tournament last month was our test event and we will be following the same health and safety protocols from that tournament."

She adds, "We are also happy for the players na first time ulit sila magkikitakita sa collegiate setting. Sana mag-tuloy tuloy na."

The tournament will see all teams face off in a round-robin format, currently scheduled for October 29-30, November 5-6, and November 12. The two best teams will then advance to a winner-take-all final on November 13.

As for tweaks in the format, the only major rule change will see coaches are now not allowed to coach their players whilst a rally is ongoing. Play would be restarted and errant team will be issued a warning.

The opening set of match-ups for Saturday are as follows:

8am Men's: National University vs Adamson, Ateneo vs UST, and DLSU vs UP.

1pm Women's: Ateneo vs UST, Adamson vs UP, and DLSU vs NU.

Ateneo keeps UE winless in Season 85 Women's Basketball

c/o UAAP

Even without Kacey dela Rosa for the second straight game, Ateneo still emerged as winners on Sunday at the Ynares Center in women's basketball action.

The Blue Eagles defeated the University of the East, 73-62, to open Sunday's quadruple-header at the facility in Rizal.

Sarah Makanjuola stepped up once again in the absence of dela Rosa, netting a near-triple-double performance with seventeen points, 21 rebounds, and seven blocks. Jhazmin Joson also came close to a triple-double of her own with twenty points, ten assists, and seven rebounds, while also adding three steals and a block.

The Blue Eagles needed a strong final quarter to fend off the Lady Warriors, as an 18-5 run broke the game open from holding a 53-50 lead with 8:37 left to a 71-55 gap off a Joson assist to Sandra Villacruz with just over a couple of minutes in this one.

Villacruz would finish with thirteen points, whilst LJ Miranda added fourteen markers to help offset dela Rosa's absence offensively. Ylyssa Eufemiano contributed eleven rebounds to help Ateneo dominate the boards with a 68-49 advantage.

Head coach LA Mumar praised the opposition upon facing the media afterwards. He says, "I wanna give kudos to coach Ai (Lebornio). She really came up with a good game plan against us. I think this was (UE’s) best game in the UAAP. That team is well-coached so all kudos to them."

He adds, "Winless nga yung UE so we were in a rush. We were nanggigil. Finally, nung last five minutes, we were able to settle down and create some space."

The win allows Ateneo to be in fourth place with a 4-3 record after one round of play, while UE remains without a win after seven matches.

Joyce Terrinal led the Lady Warriors with fourteen points, followed by Pauline Anastacio and her eleven markers. Kamba Kone contributed a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds, with Jenkins Nama grabbing twelve rebounds.

The scores:

Ateneo (73) - Joson 20, Makanjuola 17, Miranda 14, Villacruz 13, Eufemiano 7, Calago 2, Nieves 0, Navarro 0, Penaranda 0, Fetalvero 0, Angala 0, Cruza 0, Perez 0.

UE (62) - Terrinal 14, Anastacio 11, Kone 10, Caraig 9, Lorena 7, Nama 5, Paule 5, Sajol 1, Zamudio 0, Silva 0, Gervacio 0.

Quarters: 20-14, 36-29, 51-45, 73-62.

Cebu defeats BGC to repeat as AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup champions

Cebu retains Kampeon Cup

Cebu successfully defended the AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup on Sunday, capping off their campaign with a 2-1 victory over BGC at the La Provincia Polo Field in Bacolod.

Smarting from a 3-1 defeat to them in the preliminary rounds, BGC tried to exact revenge by putting forth some pressure through their attack, but Leonard Tan proved to be a worthy adversary, preventing them from getting the ball to cross the line.

It wasn't until Tonaldo converting a 49th minute penalty that BGC broke through, but not before Cebu netting two goals in a span of nine minutes. Hayato Fukui opened things up in the 36th minute, with John Clyde Vitualla in the 45th minute.

BGC tried in vain to find an equalizer that would have sent the game into a shootout, but the tying goal never came to be.

Cebu finished undefeated in the 7-a-side competition, having also beaten Iloilo in the preliminaries on Saturday, 9-4. They then defeated Bacolod, 4-1 in the semifinals.

BGC bounced back from their opening match defeat with a 7-5 victory against Iloilo to book a semifinal matchup against San Carlos, whom they blasted 7-0 to set up the much-anticipated rematch on Sunday.

Tan was named as the Best Goalkeeper, with Vitualla named as the Most Valuable Player. BGC did not come empty-handed with Tonaldo named as the Best Scorer with his six goals in the competition.

NCAA, GMA set for All-Star Basketball

Action takes place on Saturday

The NCAA presses pause for their 98th season as they and broadcast partner GMA Network hold the "GMA NCAA All-Star Basketball Game on Saturday, October 15, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The league once again subdivides itself between the Heroes and Saints, and like its previous iteration earlier this year, a sprinkling of the hottest Kapuso artists get in on the action.

Serving as an additional spice for this season and in line with its current theme "Achieve Greatness Every Day," a couple of basketball legends will be participating as well.

For Team Heroes, the squad is composed of:

Arellano University: Cade Flores and Axel Doromal

Emilio Aguinaldo College: Allen Liwag and Nat Cosejo

Jose Rizal University: JL Delos Santos and Agem Miranda

Lyceum: Renzo Navarro and Omar Larupay

Mapua: Warren Bonifacio and Rence Nocum

Kapuso celebrities: Pancho Magno, Kokoy de Santos, Migs Villasis, Raheel Bhyria

Legends: Jerry Codinera and Allan Caidic

Muse: Lianne Valentin

As for Team Saints, they are composed of:

Letran: Fran Yu and Mark Sangalang

College of Saint Benilde: Will Gozum and JC Cullar

San Beda: JB Bahio and James Canlas

San Sebastian: Ichie Altamirano and Jesse Sumoda

Perpetual: Jielo Razon and Kim Aurin

Kapuso celebrities: Jeric Gonzales, Prince Clemente, Kirst Viray, and the incumbent Celebrity MVP in Jose Sarasola

Legends: Marlou Aquino and Willie Miller

Muse: Shaira Diaz

GMA Regional TV and Synergy First Vice President and Head Oliver Victor Amoroso shares, "We hope the NCAA fans will enjoy this special treat we prepared for them."

On the league's end, Season 98 Management Committee Chairman Estefanio Boquiron, Jr. of host school EAC says, "NCAA, the Philippines’ first collegiate athletic league, remains grateful for GMA Network's support. Aside from the ongoing Men’s Basketball games, we are excited to have another All-Star Game between our selected NCAA star players and GMA’s talented artists. We would like to invite everyone to catch it this Saturday, October 15."

Serving as host for the event is Anton Roxas alongside the league's courtside reporters, with Martin Javier and the father-and-son duo of Benjie and Andre Paras calling the All-Star Game proper.

Providing additional on-court entertainment are Kapuso performers XOXO, Jon Lucas, Kim de Leon, and Rochelle Pangilinan.

The game will be shown on GTV starting at 230pm. It will also be shown on the social media platforms of both NCAA Philippines and GMA Sports. Fans overseas can watch the action through GMA Pinoy TV and GMA News TV.

For those interested to watch in person at the FilOil EcoOil Centre, one can buy tickets either at the gate or via Ticketmax.

Kampeon Cup set for Bacolod

Representatives from two of the teams participating in the Kampeon Cup, led by Anton del Rosario and Pau San Buenaventura of BGC, and Oliver Colina of Cebu. Also present are Ethan Lee of Palaro, and representatives from AIA: Kats Cajucom (Head of Health and Wellness) and Bernadette Chincuanco (Head of Branding & Comms)

The best seven-a-side footballers will be headed to Bacolod this weekend, as the second edition of the AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup takes place at the La Provincia Polo Field.

7s Football League founder and former Philippines international Anton del Rosario shares, "The AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup is a tournament that seeks to bring the best football players all over the country in a festival-type atmosphere where there are games for kids, a tournament for the youth, women’s, and men’s with the Kampeon Cup in between."

"We are happy the league has continued to make strides in the local football scene by expanding its scope from Pampanga, Manila and Palawan all the way to Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod, giving even more Filipinos a chance to showcase their skills on a nationwide scale," says Kats Cajucom, AIA Philippines’ Head of Health and Wellness. "We are excited for Kampeon’s kick off in Bacolod, and look forward to helping Filipinos—young and old alike—live healthier, longer, better lives through our continued support of football."

The six-team field brings back three teams from the inaugural event back in 2019 in defending champions Cebu, hosts Bacolod, and BGC, which was then represented as Manila.

Cebu head coach Oliver Colina bared that they will be fielding an all-new crew from the Queen City, with thrice-a-week practices getting themselves up to speed.

Hosts Bacolod will be bringing back Stephan Schroeck into the fold, whilst BGC is looking to bounce back after losing in the final last time out. Pau San Buenvatura revealed that aside from Del Rosario, they will be beefed up by Lawrence Baguio of Maharlika FC and Marco Cauyong of Mendiola FC, as well as the El-Habbib brothers best remembered in the UFL.

Joining them as debutants are Pampanga, Iloilo and San Carlos.

A draw was staged to determine the pool participants, with BGC, Iloilo and Cebu drawn in Group A and Pampanga, San Carlos, and Bacolod in Group B.

A single round robin within each group will take place, with the top two teams advancing into the crossover semifinals. Winners will face off in the final.

Del Rosario believes that this will be the start of something big for seven-a-side football in the upcoming months, capped off with an international version of the Kampeon Cup. He says, "The goal for the Kampeon Cup is to be an international tournament where teams from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and others come over to participate. Now that will not only help the sport on a national level, but also foster better relations with our neighbors."

 He also adds that this is an opportunity to unearth untapped talent from across the country, "There’s a lot of talent outside of the city here which gets overlooked and we want to provide the opportunity to those talents across the country and put them on the pedestal where everybody can see them at the top level."

United City Football Club set for home games at New Clark City

From L-R: Alan Robertson (UCFC captain), Juan Esteva (UCFC Director of Football), Arrey Perez (BCDA SVP), Eric Gottschalk (UCFC president), Edwin Gastanes (PFF Sec-Gen), Alvin Yalung (CLFA president), Nikko David (MTD Philippines president), Mark Hartmann (UCFC captain)

United City Football Club is set to make another historic moment later this month, as the team is set to officially host matches at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium.

As of the moment, two matches have been confirmed to be held at the facility, the first coming this October 22 against the Azkals Development Team at 4pm. The other confirmed match will be against Stallion Laguna FC on November 5. These will be the first two football matches to be played at the facility since its construction in 2019, with potentially six more home matches in the coming year.

Team announced that tickets for these matches will be made available through their website.

Having these matches reaffirms the club's commitment to represent Central Luzon and elevate the region into the football scene.

Club president Eric Gottschalk says, "To represent Central Luzon and bring football to the local community is a major step in the development of professional football in the country. Football is all about belonging, therefore our matches need to be played within the community we are representing, which is now Clark in Central Luzon."

He adds, "We are proud to have access to the best sports venue in the Philippines when we host our home matches and we look forward to building our community and have our fans attending live matches at this beautiful stadium."

Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Aileen R. Zosa shares, "World-class sports facilities, safe environment, and stunning views–New Clark City can offer all of these and more. We are excited that UCFC chose New Clark City Athletics Stadium as the venue for its matches, and we hope to bring pride to players who will be coming to play here."

Representing Zosa at the ceremony is senior vice president Arrey Perez, with Philippine Football Federation General Secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes, Central Luzon Football Association president Alvin Yalung, and MTD Philippines president Nikko David acting as witnesses.

Also present at the event are captains Alan Robertson and Mark Hartmann, who both expressed excitement about the chance to have a true home game this season.

Aside from the matches, UCFC is also slated to set up its youth academy, which targets the PFL's break during December and January for activities at New Clark City.

The New Clark City Athletics Stadium has a seating capacity of 20,000, with a World Athletics-certified track surrounding a FIFA-certified natural grass pitch. It secured nomination to the Stadium of the Year Awards in 2020, as well as getting a Highly Commended recognition last year from the World Architecture Festival in the Completed Buildings - Sport category, as well as being shortlisted in the Engineering Prize.

New officers for Collegiate Press Corps elected

The SY 2022-23 Collegiate Press Corps Officers

A new school year means a new batch of officers.

The Collegiate Press Corps held its elections at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, with ten members of the media being selected.

Leading the way for its officers are Randolph Leongson of Spin.ph as President, with Bea Micaller of GMA News Online and John Bryan Ulanday of the Philippine Star as Vice Presidents for both the NCAA and UAAP, respectively.

Also named as VP for Internal Affairs is Mark Escarlote of The Daily Tribune, with Camille Naredo of ABS-CBN News Online as Secretary.

The election also named these scribes as the Board of Directors: Lui Morales (Philstar.com), Lance Agcaoili (INQ.net), JR Isaga (Rappler), Theodore Jurado (The People's Journal), and Peter Atencio (The Manila Standard).

Although their terms have concluded, outgoing heads Cedelf Tupas and Norman Riego will serve as advisors to the current batch of officers.

Ahead of these elections, the Collegiate Press Corps reorganized itself by merging the press corps of the NCAA and the UAAP, with the resumption of its traditional projects shelved due to the pandemic in almost two years.

Already set for resumption are the Player of the Week citations, with the NCAA already ongoing and the UAAP's soon to commence. These activities are with the support of the Philippine Sports Commission, as well as MNL Kingpin, Tinapayan Festival, and Jockey.

Down the line, the Press Corps is set to hold the annual Collegiate Awards for outstanding student-athletes, as well as a sportswriting clinic and contest for campus publications.

UP snaps losing skid over Adamson

c/o UAAP

The University of the Philippines secures their first win this season, defeating Adamson, 64-56 on Wednesday afternoon at the Quadricentennial Pavillion inside the University of Santo Tomas campus.

The Fighting Maroons fended off the Lady Falcons in the fourth quarter to hold on to the victory. A triple from Christie Bariquit gave UP a 53-46 lead with just under 6.5 minutes remaining. Cris Padilla would bring the deficit down to 50-55 with over four minutes left, but the Maroons would finish things off with baskets from Shanina Tapawan, Maian Domingo, and a triple from Rhea Sanchez to ice the game with 127 seconds remaining.

UP head coach Paul Ramos shares post-match, "May mga breaks of the game lang na napunta sa 'min, and we're lucky down the stretch. There's a lot to improve, but I'll take any win at this point in time."

He adds, "It was not a dominating win, but it was a win that we know we can win again in the coming games."

Kaye Pesquera led UP with fifteen points and five rebounds, while Sanchez finished with eleven markers centered on 3/5 shooting from beyond the arc.

With the win, the Fighting Maroons snap a seven-game losing skid that dates back to Season 82. It also happens to be their first win against the Lady Falcons since Season 78.

Dindy Medina led Adamson with fifteen points, four rebounds, and an assist, with Rose Ann Dampios adding eleven points, a rebound, and a couple of assists.

UP seeks back-to-back wins as they go up against Far Eastern University on Saturday at 10am, with Adamson looking bounce back against the University of the East at 8am that same day. Both matches will take place at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The Scores:

UP 64 - Pesquera 15, Sanchez 11, Bariquit 9, Maw 8, Vingno 6, Domingo 4, Tapawan 4, Lozada 3, Jimenez 2, Larrosa 2, Gonzales 0, Rivera 0, Lara 0.

Adamson 56 - Medina 15, Dampios 11, Flor 8, Adeshina 7, Padilla 6, Ornopia 4, Alaba 3, Catulong 2, Etang 0, Meniano 0, Agojo 0, Tano 0, Dumelod 0, De La Cruz 0, Carcallas 0, Alaba 0.

Quarterscores: 20-11, 28-25, 46-43, 64-56.

Ateneo holds off FEU in opener

c/o UAAP

Ateneo de Manila held on to secure their opening victory for the 85th season of the UAAP, defeating Far Eastern University, 79-70 on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

A 14-5 run in the final period allowed the Blue Eagles to take a 69-55 lead with just over six minutes left, powered by buckets from Forthsky Padrigao and BJ Andrade.

The Tamaraws would manage to whittle the deficit down to 70-75 with 68 seconds left on a Patrick Sleat drive, but that is the closest they could get against last season's losing finalists, with Padrigao nailing a three with 38.5 seconds left to establish an eight-point lead.

The sophomore guard would finish with nineteen points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Andrade would net fifteen points.

Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin shared with the media after the game, "Scrappy (win) for sure which is nothing new for the first UAAP game of the season I think that's the standard line for most coaches. I think we have big players who make big shots which is not really the formula the one I like. Nonetheless, it's excellent to have players who have the toughness to take those shots."

Dave Ildefonso and Ange Kouame also contributed double-doubles with fourteen points and twelve rebounds and twelve points and fourteen rebounds, respectively.

LJ Gonzales led the Tamaraws with nineteen points on five three-pointers, while Sleat waxed hot in the second half, scoring fifteen of his seventeen points in the second half.

Ateneo seeks back-to-back wins as they face National University at 630pm on Wednesday, with FEU going up against neighbors University of the East at 11am.

The Scores:

ATENEO 79 -- Padrigao 19, Andrade 15, Ildefonso 14, Kouame 12, Koon 11, Ballungay 3, Daves 2, Chiu 2, Lazaro 1, Gomez 0, Garcia 0, Quitevis 0.

FEU 70 -- Gonzales 19, Sleat 17, Sajonia 10, Anonuevo 9, Torres 5, Tchuente 3, Alforque 3, Tempra 2, Sandagon 2, Gravera 0, Celzo 0, Guibao 0, Bagunu 0.

Quarters: 24-16, 30-36, 55-50, 79-70.

NU issues historic beatdown in title defense

c/o UAAP

National University extended its winning streak to 97 games on Sunday, as they issued a historic beatdown of the University of the East, 131-47, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Bulldogs scored the highest point total in women's basketball since 2002, when the league started its computerization of stats. It surpassed the University of Santo Tomas' previous record of 129 back in September 22, 2018 against the University of the Philippines, as well as their school record 112 against De La Salle back in September 11, 2019.

Camille Clarin led the way for NU with 22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. She shared to the media afterwards, "It was a statement to the UAAP that we're back. New coach, new players, but we still have the same culture and same goals."

The win was the first for Aris Dimaunahan as head coach of the Lady Bulldogs, after taking over from Patrick Aquino in the offseason. He expressed gratitude for the return of the event after being left off last season., "We're just happy na bumalik na 'yung basketball for women's, ang tagal naming hinintay and I wanna congratulate the girls for starting this season with a convincing win."

It did not take long for the defending champions to flex its muscles against the Lady Warriors, as they went on a 38-11 lead in the first quarter. They ratcheted the intensity in the second period, going on a 30-2 blitz to establish a 68-13 lead at the half.

They would reach a hundred points with less than a couple of minutes remaining in the third period, with the only thing left to be determined was if history was to be made.

Karl Pingol added sixteen points, six rebounds, and six steals. Tin Cayabyab tacked on fourteen points, while Annick Tiky netted eleven markers and eight rebounds.

Angel Surada secured a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds, with Gypsy Canuto almost had a double-double of her own with seven points and ten dimes.

Leading the way for UE are Joyce Terrinal and Kamba Kone with ten points each.

NU will seek to extend their streak against Ateneo on Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavillon at 11am, with UE hoping to bounce back against Far Eastern University at 1pm the same day.

The Scores:

NU 131 -- Clarin 22, Pingol 16, Cayabyab 14, Tiky 11, Fabruada 10, Surada 10, Baroquillo 8, Solis 8, Canuto 7, Ico 7, Betanio 6, Dimaunahan 5, Villareal 3, Bartolo 2, Talas 2.

UE 47 -- Terrinal 10, Kone 10, Anastacio 9, Caraig 8, Ordas 4, Tinio 3, Gervacio 2, Lorena 1, Nama 0, Sajol 0, Dela Rosa 0, Paule 0.
 
Quarters: 38-11, 68-13, 102-25, 131-47

UP survives DLSU nail-biter to kick off men's basketball title defense

c/o UAAP

The title defense of the University of the Philippines is off to a positive start with a 72-69 victory over De La Salle University on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Carl Tamayo and James Spencer stepped up late to ensure the win for the Fighting Maroons, successfully fending off the Green Archers as they whittled the deficit down to 64-66 with 96 seconds left off a Kevin Quiambao triple.

Tamayo's bucket with eighty seconds left re-established a two-possession lead, followed by Spencer's conversion with seventeen seconds left.

A Mike Phillips putback reduces the deficit to 70-66 for DLSU, followed by a forced turnover to yielded an Evan Nelle triple with 6.6 seconds left on the clock and a one-point game.

The next play sees Tamayo fouled with four seconds left, with the Gilas standout draining both free throws to make it 72-69. He would finish with eighteen points and nineteen rebounds.

Nelle would have a chance to force an extension, but he coughed up the ball in the process.

UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde shared post-match, "Actually I just felt 'yung defense namin mag pick-up especially noong third quarter. Malaking bagay 'yung depensa talaga."

Malick Diouf also contributed a near double-double with nine points and thirteen rebounds, while Terrence Fortea added fifteen points, five rebounds, and nine assists as he stepped up in JD Cagulangan's absence.

Cagulangan sat out the game due to a hamstring injury.

Schonny Winston led all scorers with 27 points, although he was limited to just a couple of points in the final period. Phillips stuffed the stat sheet with eight markers, twenty rebounds, three steals, and four rejections.

UP seeks to make it back-to-back victories against Adamson at 1pm on Wednesday, while DLSU goes up against UST at 430pm that day.

The Scores:

UP 72 -- Tamayo 18, Fortea 15, Diouf 9, Spencer 8, Lucero 7, Gonzales 7, Alarcon 5, Ramos 3, Abadiano 0, Galinato 0, Torculas 0, Eusebio 0, Lina 0, Calimag 0.

LA SALLE 69 -- Winston 27, Nelle 9, M. Phillips 8, Nonoy 8, Quiambao 5, Austria 4, Manuel 4, Nwankwo 2, Macalalag 2, B. Phillips 0.

Quarters: 16-17, 34-42, 50-54, 72-69.

UST staves off Adamson in Season 85 men's basketball opener

c/o UAAP

The University of Santo Tomas held on to a 69-60 victory over Adamson to kick off the men's basketball tournament for the 85th season of the UAAP on Saturday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The Growling Tigers rode on the shoulders of Nic Cabañero in the victory, as they staved off an attempted comeback by the Soaring Falcons.

With Jerom Lastimosa's triple to make it a three-point game at 60-57 with under a minute left, Cabañero nailed a jumper with 33 seconds left to re-establish a two-possession lead.

Adamson had a chance to come closer in the next few seconds, but Lastimosa missed a three, Lenda Douanga missed two free throws, and Joem Sabandal was charged with a turnover.

After free throw splits from Paul Manalang and Christian Manaytay make it 67-60, with Cabañero capping off his day by making two free throws for the final score and his 32nd and 33rd points.

Nic would add a steal, a couple of rebounds and four assists in almost 32.5 minutes of action for UST. He shared afterwards to the media, "Sobrang overwhelmed and blessed kasi pinagdadasal ko kasi I'm turning 19 kasi this Monday. Lagi kong ipinagdadasal na ibigay sa amin itong first win, hindi lang first pati 'yung upcoming games."

The victory gave head coach Bal David a winning debut in the league, one that he won titles with as a player with the Growling Tigers in the 90s. He says, "It's overwhelming kasi grabe 'yung suporta ng Thomasian community. We're very grateful nandiyan sila through thick and thin."

Adama Faye contributed a game-high fifteen rebounds, a couple of steals, and a couple of rejections, with Manaytay ending up with seven markers.

Douanga led Adamson with a double-double performance with thirteen points and thirteen rebounds, while Joshua Yerro also scoring thirteen of his own.

Lastimosa finished with ten markers on 4/11 shooting.

UST will have a chance to net back-to-back victories on Wednesday against La Salle at 430pm, with Adamson trying to bounce back against defending champions UP at 1pm. Both games comprise half of the quadruple-header at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

The Scores:

UST 69 -- Cabanero 33, Manaytay 7, Faye 6, Pangilinan 6, Mantes 5, Mantua 4, Calimag 3, Duremdes 2, Herrera 2, Manalang 1, Lazarte 0, Magdangal 0, Laure 0.

Adamson 60 -- Douanga 13, Yerro 13, Lastimosa 10, Hanapi 10, Sabandal 9, V. Magbuhos 3, Barcelona 2, Colonia 0, Manzano 0, Flowers 0, Barasi 0, Torres 0, Manlapaz 0, Jaymalin 0.

Quarterscores: 23-18, 42-38, 48-42, 69-60.

DLSU triumphs in UAAP season opener

c/o UAAP

De La Salle University kicked off its return to women's basketball with a 73-51 victory over the University of the Philippines on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Archers started off strong with a 19-8 first quarter, eventually establishing a 35-19 halftime lead.

The Cholo Villanueva-mentored squad managed to extend its lead to 25 during the third, but the Fighting Maroons chopped the deficit back down to 57-38 after a 9-3 finish in a bid to establish momentum.

However, DLSU responded with a 16-3 blast to break the game open at 73-41 with less than four minutes left in the match.

Villanueva shared with the media after the game, "It's a good start for us. We just wanted to execute properly during our first game. Good thing the girls responded well."

Fina Niantcho led DLSU with a double-double, contributing sixteen points, twelve rebounds, and three steals. Twelve of those points came in the first half. Lee Sario was close to netting her own double-double with nine markers and eight boards.

Luisa San Juan added twelve points for the Lady Archers, with ten of them coming in the second half.

Acrissa Maw was the lone player in double figures for UP with eleven points, eight rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.

DLSU will look to get a leg up in the tournament against fellow opening day winners UST on Wednesday at 9am, whilst UP and Adamson tangle at 3pm.

The Scores:

DLSU 73 - Niantcho 17, San Juan 12, Sario 9, Torres 8, Arciga 8, Binaohan 7, Dalisay 5, Ahmed 4, Jimenez 2, Espinas 2, De la Paz 0, Camba 0, Villava-Cua 0.

UP 51 - Maw 11, Larrosa 8, Sanchez 8, Baqiruit 5, Pesquera 5, Tapawan 4, Jimenez 4, Domingo 2, Vingno 2, Lozada 2, Gonzales 0, Sauz 0, Rivera 0.

Quarterscores: 19-8, 35-19, 57-38, 73-51.

UST opens Season 85 action with dominance over Adamson

 

photo c/o UAAP

The University of Santo Tomas signaled the return of women's collegiate basketball with  a 106-70 blowout over Adamson on Saturday morning at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Tacky Tacatac led five Growling Tigresses in double figures with 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals in the victory. She was especially effective from distance, converting five of her nine attempts beyond the arc. Joylyn Pangilinan added nineteen points 7/9 shooting, while Nikki Villasin made her collegiate debut with fifteen markers and six rebounds.

Eka Soriano came close to a triple-double with thirteen points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while Steph Villapando contributed fourteen points.

UST rode on a strong start, establishing a 30-10 lead after ten minutes, before the Lady Falcons whittled the deficit down to fourteen at 48-34 into the halftime break.

Haydee Ong's wards then dropped eighteen unanswered points in the third period to break things open at 66-34.

She shared afterwards with the media, "We're very happy and excited that women's basketball is back in Season 85. We're happy that we got our first win but a lot of work has to be done yet. This is just the beginning."

Dindy Medina led all scorers with 29 points, while Leslie Flor added eleven points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals for Adamson.

Both teams will return to action Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. with UST hosting DLSU at 9am, with Adamson capping off the quadruple-header against UP at 3pm.

The Scores:

UST 106 - Tacatac 21, Pangilinan 19, Villasin 15, Villapando 14, Soriano 13, Ambos 7, Santos 5, Bron 5, Dionisio 4, Araza 3, Serrano 0.

Adamson 70 - Medina 29, Flor 11, Dampios 7, Padilla 6, Meniano 6, Etang 4, Dumelod 3, Agojo 2, Ornopia 2, Alaba Angela 0, Adeshina 0, Tano 0, Dela Cruz 0, Carcallas 0, Alaba Angeline 0, Catulong 0.

Quarterscores: 30-10, 48-34, 78-48, 106-70.