One of the best articles I’ve read so far about the UAAP finals series. ^_^

UST defies a Commandment to win
By Recah Trinidad
Inquirer
Last updated 05:42am (Mla time) 10/04/2006

Published on Page A24 of the October 4, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

NO, IT COULD not be openly claimed as a case of the better team winning.

Far from it. The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers reclaimed the UAAP basketball crown on Monday because they were the better escape artists.

They won because they dared to defy the odds.

Pushed closest to the cliff, they kept their nerves when everything had looked lost.

They won because they were braver, steadier.

The Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles?

They had everything to regret, nothing to be ashamed of.

They had lost to a more blessed team.

* * *

No, for Ateneo, it could not be the case of the favorite dropping what had looked like a won championship game.

Okay, UST had lost its team pillar, the powerful center Jervy Cruz, with a minute and 16 seconds left in regulation.

UST was also being outplayed and outscored in stretches.

However, the Tigers simply snapped back and snatched the title after the Eagles had started to run away with the silverware.

Of course, UST’s steadiness would not be defined by the horrible misses from the foul line at the most crucial period — when half a point could spell victory or defeat.

* * *

Add to that the fact that Ateneo had the sharper heroes, like the duo of JC Intal and Macky Escalona, who carried the scoring load in the killing homestretch.

Everything had appeared to be going wrong for the Tigers

But in an incredible twist, Jojo Duncil, eventual series MVP, took over scoring chores.

Once the Tigers had caught up, the Eagles tried hard as they did but could no longer shake them off.

Ateneo had all the chances in the world to win it but Intal also started firing duds.

Meanwhile, Santo Tomas, hideous with free shots, suddenly found the mark from the foul line.

* * *

It could be said that UST reclaimed the UAAP basketball kingship because it also dared violate one of the Ten Commandments.

It was a big steal for the Growling Tigers, originally known as the Glowing Goldies in the days of Renato Reyes, Danny Florencio and other elder legends of the varsity circuit.

UST grabbed victory from the Ateneo Eagles with one of the finest heists in Philippine basketball lore.

Of course, the Tigers had to ride on greater resourcefulness, stronger nerves, to avoid being caught.

* * *

Anyway, it would indeed be corny to suggest that they should request the Vatican to assign a team to investigate UST’s miracle win.

But then, was this not a case of the Dominicans having a better system of worship than the Jesuits?

There must have been some supernatural intervention out there at the Big Dome Monday evening.

For proof — after the deafening hysterics, the endless jumping, the fearless clawing and shoving — the game was inexplicably decided in the quiet and sanctity of the foul line, when most of the fans were praying, clasping rosaries, their eyes averted from the playing court.

1. There were more Thomasians at the Big Dome. More prayers from the Yellow side. Special mention: Mac Cuan (Japs’ brother) who was shown clutching a rosary while Japs was on the FT line. Dapat daw magkaroon pa ng maraming championships para daw mas maraming kabataan ang magdasal ng rosaryo ^_~
2. Dinamay daw ng UST si Pope John Paul II. Noticed that poster of him? ^_^

uhm…nothing new, is there??

UST Tigers, UE juniors UAAP overall champs
First posted 03:01am (Mla time) Mar 16, 2006 Inquirer
Editor’s Note: Published on page A24 of the Mar. 16, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas was formally awarded the overall championship of the 68th University Athletic Association of the Philippines during the awards rites at the Adamson University auditorium recently.

The Tigers, atoning for their dismal (dismal?? try ‘horrendous’!) sixth-place effort in the centerpiece men’s basketball, ruled eight of the 26 events contested and finished second in eight others to win pulling away with 302 points.

University of the Philippines topped four events to place second at the expense of De La Salle University, which had five titles but fared poorly in other events.

The UP Maroons compensated by placing second in four events and third in seven to snatch runner-up honors with 244 points, 10 up on the Archers.

UST swept table tennis and taekwondo and topped men’s badminton and women’s chess, judo and swimming.

Far Eastern University, the men’s basketball titlist, improved to fourth overall — from fifth in Season 67 — with 192 points despite not fielding teams in seven events.

Ateneo de Manila University slid to fifth with 180 points, claiming the men’s football and women’s basketball crowns.

Next year’s host University of the East, which swept the fencing crowns, stood at sixth with 166 points; Adamson, the perennial champion in women’s softball, was seventh with 87; and National University brought up the rear with 21 points.

Adamson University’s Fr. Maximino Rendon, the Season 68 president, and Dr. Ricardo Matibag, the league secretary-treasurer, presided over the awards ceremonies.

The Maroons reigned supreme in men’s baseball, chess, judo and swimming, while the Archers were No. 1 in men’s and women’s tennis, women’s badminton, football and volleyball.

In the junior division, UE copped the overall title as well as Athlete of the Year honors through Nelson Mariano III in chess.

UE amassed 101 points anchored on titles in chess, table tennis, girls’ swimming and a sweep of boys’ and girls’ volleyball.

Runner-up UST garnered 79 points with only a title in taekwondo to show, a far cry from the five crowns it won last year. UST was second to UE in the two volleyball divisions and in table tennis.

La Salle-Zobel topped boys’ basketball, while Ateneo ruled boys’ swimming.