UAAP volleyball update: Lady Maroons end skid; UST claims first win

UP ended its two-game slide with a 26-24 25-27 25-20 25-19 win over Adamson to cap off a quadruple-header of volleyball matches at the Filoil Flying V Arena.

Isa Molde led the Lady Maroons with 23 hits, including three blocks and two aces, as well as 11 digs, while Kathy Bersola and Nicole Tiamzon combined for 21 points.

UP managed to crack the code that was the Adamson floor defense in the win, allowing them to enter into a tie with Far Eastern University with a win-loss record of 2-2.

The other women's volleyball match saw UST give Kungfu Reyes his first win has their head coach, defeating UE, 25-18 25-8 25-23.

EJ Laure led the Tigresses with 16 points, while Cherry Rondina contributed three aces and two blocks. Shaya Adorador led the still-winless Lady Warriors with 10 points.

The victory puts UST in a tie with Adamson in sixth place.

Reflecting on the win, Reyes highlighted the competitive nature of collegiate volleyball, noting that results are also being judged alongside improvements.

On the men's division, NU and UP joined idle sides Ateneo and Adamson atop the standings with a 3-1 record, thank to wins over separate opposition.

The Bulldogs swept UST, 25-21 27-25 25-15, with Bryan Bagunas contributing with 13 spikes, two aces, and two blocks, while Madz Gampong adding 15 markers and 3 digs.

The Maroon Spikers got past La Salle, 25-23 25-21 21-25 27-25, with Wendel Miguel and Mac Millete combined to net 28 hits.

NBA and Twitter reveal NBA All-Star emojis

Twitter's Sports Division and the NBA unveiled hashtag-triggered Twitter emojis in time for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game being held in Toronto this weekend.

To activate the emoji, one only needs to enter #(first name)(last name) of any of the 24 NBA All-Stars set to play this weekend. The emojis will be available until Monday (Tuesday in Manila).

The Eastern Conference All-Stars

The Western Conference All-Starts

In addition, emojis were also crafted for the award-winning Turner Sports' NBA on TNT crew.

Twitter will also play a role in determining the All-Star MVP. For the first time, the social media app is the exclusive way that the fans can pick out the Kia NBA All-Star MVP. When the fourth quarter of the NBA All-Star Game begins, fans have THIRTY minutes to send out a tweet containing #KiaAllStarMVP and the hashtag of the player they want to win.

Important notes relating to the Twitter fan vote, which is 25% of the overall vote:

• Accounts have to set to public
• Retweets are valid votes, provided it is only 100 or less.

The NBA also will work with Twitter and Vine for the "KicksCam," as the league will produce Vines of the sneakers the All-Stars will be taking to the Air Canada Centre court for the All-Star Game.

UAAP college football kicks off tomorrow

Match Saturday at Moro Lorenzo Football Field:

3pm FEU-Diliman vs Ateneo

Matches Sunday at McKinley-Hill Stadium:

130pm – FEU vs UP (M)
4pm – Ateneo vs La Salle (W)
630pm – La Salle vs Ateneo (M)

The attempt for the treble treble for Far Eastern University is in full swing this weekend.

The Baby Tamaraws will aim to defend their HS football title for the sixth time this afternoon at the Moro Lorenzo Field against the Blue Eaglets at the Moro Lorenzo Field.

FEU-Diliman secured a finals berth by winning all of its matches in the four-team double round robin, capping things with a 4-2 victory over these same Blue Eaglets last week.

In spite of Saturday's loss, Ateneo managed to make a return trip to the finals with a thrilling penalty shootout victory over La Salle-Zobel last Wednesday at the same venue.

Joaquin Roque had given Ateneo a 1-0 just before halftime, while Marco Ibana forced extra time for the Junior Archers at the death, four minutes past second half stoppage time. No goals took place during the two 15-minute extensions.

It was then up to keepers Gavin Rosario and Francis Tiamco to set the table in penalties. Rosario saved Jed Bode's and Ibana's attempts to provide Ateneo some breathing room. And while Tianco saved Sancho Vicente's attempt, Manuel Cruel opened the shootout scoring by sending the Zobel keeper to the left and scoring on the right.

Juan Miguel Basmayor and Edward Acervida kept Zobel in the matchup, but Jonathan Talbot and Kenneth Soriano managed to ensure Ateneo remained ahead.

And when John Herbosa's attempt hit the crossbar and went top-down without crossing the line, it was there that Ateneo finally secured the 3-2 shootout win.

Just as these high schoolers end their football season, their collegiate brethren take to the turf at Taguig tomorrow to kickstart their season.

The Tamaraws open their attempt on the three-peat against nemesis UP at 130pm in a Final Four rematch.

The defending champions suffered a setback this past week, as Arnel Amita incurred a knee injury that will keep him out for the season. It will be up to recent national team call-up Paolo Bugas and the returning Chy Villasenor to holding things together, alongside their solid attacking core of Eric Giganto, Val Jurao, and Nicolas Ferrer.

The Maroon booters won't be easy opposition, even with the departure of veterans Jinggoy Valmayor, Kobe Ochoa, and Albert Yatco.

Anto Gonzales' squad still features a solid group of standouts up and down the pitch, from Ace Villanueva, to Patxi Santos, Ian Clarino and Feb Baya, and to the likes of Daniel Gadia and Vincent Aguilar.

The Unigames champions will not be lacking in inspiration, as the entire football program has dedicated this season to their fallen teammate Rogie Maglinas, who passed away on Tuesday due to complications from his cancer, just days before his 20th birthday.

The other men's matchup sees the other Final Four rematch, as rivals Ateneo and La Salle face off at 630pm.

The lone women's football matchup sees Ateneo and La Salle tangle at 4pm.

Televised men's football on ABS-CBN Sports+Action will commence on Thursday at the Moro Lorenzo Field, as the remaining four teams yet to play get themselves involved, as UST faces Adamson at 1pm, followed by NU against UE at 3pm.

Ateneo kicks off UAAP baseball title defense

The Blue Eagles kicked off their title defense with a 7-3 win over Adamson to cap off the opening day baseball tripleheader for UAAP Season 78 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The defending champions were down 2-0 after the top half of the third inning due to errors from Ateneo infielders. A passed ball allowed Jerome Yenson to score first in the second inning, while a Ryan Tionloc error allowed Kenneth Badrina to get on base in the third. He eventually made it home on a Lawrence Ruiz sacrifice fly to double the lead.

But it did not take long for Ateneo to respond. At the bottom of the third, Marquis Alindrogan secured a base hit, who then eventually scored after Dio Remollo produced a RBI single. After a failed fielder's choice that brought Marco Mallari on first, a Gino Tantuico RBI single tied the game. Javi Macasaet then popped a 2-RBI double to bring home both Remollo and Tantuico to give the Blue Eagles a 4-2 lead that they would not relinquish.

Ateneo would pad on runs in the 5th, 6th, and 8th innings, while the Falcon batters did manage to pull one back in the 9th for the final score.

According to head coach and program director Randy Dizer, the title defense will be hard, acknowledging that it is anybody's game this season.

Paulo Macasaet pitched a complete game, striking out nine and giving up just four hits. He would be missing the next couple of game due to national team duty in Australia for the World Baseball Classic qualifiers.

The first baseball game for Season 78 saw UST eke out a 5-4 win over UP. Christian Mercado's 8th inning RBI clinched the victory for the Golden Sox. Relief pitcher Lesmar Ventura provided the heat with 13 strikeouts after starter Jackson Acuna allowed three runs in the first three innings.

In the matchup of former finalists in the current Ateneo reign in the diamond, National University needed extras to dispatch La Salle, 8-7. A Kenneth Ibanez RBI single scored Floro Malit at the top of the tenth inning.

Meanwhile, Adamson extended its softball winning run to 64 games with a 7-4 victory over UP in the finals rematch, while NU and UST issued shutouts to UE (6-0) and Ateneo (8-0 in six innings), respectively.

NU undefeated to kick off UAAP Season 78 tennis

Defending champions National University opened its title defense with back-to-back victories at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Courts.

The Bulldogs opened the season with a 4-1 win against Ateneo, then followed that with the same score against La Salle. Both wins pad the winning streak of the three-time champions to 35 ties, the second-longest ongoing winning streak in all sports.

UST, UE, UP, and Ateneo each tote a 1-1 record. The Golden Netters eked a 3-2 win over La Salle, but lost to UE, 3-2. The tennisters from Recto defeated UST but lost to UP, 4-1. The Maroons lost to the Blue Eagles, 3-2.

The Green Netters bring up the rear with an 0-2 record.

In the women's division, the Lady Bulldogs, led by the Patrimonio siblings (Christine and Clarice), also kicked off their title defense on an impressive note, blanking UP, 5-0, on their first match of the season.

Since they had drawn the opening round bye, NU is trailing behind UST, with the Tigresses dispatching Ateneo, 4-1, and La Salle, 3-2, to secure a 2-0 record.

Before bowing to UST, the Lady Netters from Taft managed to secure a 5-0 win over UP.

Action resumes today at Rizal Memorial with three men's ties and two women's ties scheduled, starting at 8am.

UP vs La Salle highlights UAAP Volleyball Saturday

Standings                   W         L

Women

UP                               1          0
Ateneo                         1          0
La Salle                       1          0
Adamson                     1          0
UST                             0          1
FEU                             0          1
UE                               0          1
NU                               0          1

Men

NU                               1          0
Ateneo                         1          0
La Salle                       1          0
FEU                             1          0
UP                               0          1
UE                               0          1
UST                             0          1
Adamson                     0          1

Games today at the PhilSports Arena

8 a.m. – Adamson vs UE (Men)
10 a.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Men)
2 p.m. – UP vs La Salle (Women)
4 p.m. – NU vs Adamson (Women)

Fresh from an opening day victory, the University of the Philippines seeks to overcome an interesting test against La Salle in the premier volleyball matchup today at the PhilSports Arena.

The Lady Maroons impressed with a 25-20 25-13 25-21 win over UE, anchored on the strength of their battle-tested newcomers Isa Molde, Justine Dorog, and Diana Carlos, alongside notable veterans Nicole Tiamzon and Kathy Bersola.

Against last season's losing finalists, however, Jerry Yee is asking his squad to make adjustments to pull off the win.

Yee says, "Against La Salle, hindi puwede kaming maraming service errors and we have to execute well." 

The Lady Spikers fended off a game Far Eastern University side, 29-27 25-23 25-20, last Wednesday.

Ara Galang, in her return to competitive action after suffering a knee injury, contributed ten points and five digs to lead the Lady Spikers.

The other women's matchup sees NU attempt to bounce back from their disappointing opener against Ateneo. The Lady Bulldogs are to face an Adamson side fresh from a grueling five-set duel against UST.

On the men's side, Ateneo and FEU battle it out to determine who temporarily holds first place, followed by the matchup between Adamson and UE.

Statement from UST head coach Bong dela Cruz

In light of the recent issues that have involved the University of Santo Tomas, men's basketball head coach Bong dela Cruz released this statement.

Nais kong ipabatid na simula nang lumabas ang mga "issues" o usapin laban sa akin ay nagpasya akong manahimik, dahil walang katotohanan ang mga binabatong "issues" laban sa akin at naniniwala ako na magtatapos ito sa tinatawag na "Natural Death," subalit sa paglipas ng mga araw ay naramdaman ko na lumalala na ang ginagawang paninira hindi sa kakayahan ko bilang coach kung 'di paninira sa aking pagkatao.

Alam ko sa aking sarili na malinis ang aking konsensya subalit mas pipiliin ko na kung kinakailangan ay sa tamang lugar o sa proper forum ako magsasalita upang maipahayag ko ang aking panig.

Lubha kong ikinalulungkot ang mga nangyayaring kaganapan dahil bukod sa akin, ang aking pamilya ay lubha nang naaapektuhan sa nangyari na trial by publicity, dahil alam nila kung paano ko ibinuhos ang aking panahon, oras, at dedikasyon bilang Head Coach ng aming koponan.

Sa katunayan, bago mag-umpisa ang Season 78 ng UAAP Men's Basketball Tournament ay walang naniniwala na ang aming koponan ay makakarating sa Final 4. Subalit bunga ng pagkakaisa ng buong team kasama ang Coaching Staff ay nakarating kami sa Championship higit pa sa inaasahan ng nakararami.

Umaasa din ako na sana ay hindi na madamay pa ang aming unibersidad na ang tanging hangarin lamang ay ang kapakanan ng kanilang magaaral.

Umaasa ako na sana ay igalang ang aking desisyon.

Lubos na gumagalang,

(sgd.)
Segundo "Bong" dela Cruz
Head Coach, UST Men's Basketball Team

(actual statement below)