The #NewUAAPRule

The message of the #NewUAAPRule is crystal clear:

“Here in the UAAP, we prioritize protecting the interests of our sports programs over upholding the interests of our student-athletes.”

It’s bad enough that the league actually has a “Soc Rivera” rule to discourage student-athletes from choosing the school/program they really want. Now the members of the UAAP Amendments Board, along with those who voted in favor of the proposed amendments, actually found a way to make an already bad rule even worse.

We all know the saying about not fixing something that isn’t broken right? Well, by golly, this time we have a real world example of something broken made even more… absurd.

Is Jerie Pingoy's rumored transfer what sparked
the paranoia behind the #NewUAAPRule?
(image by Warner David)

Imagine:

You graduate from a UAAP HS. You transfer to another UAAP institution because you want to be an architect, and architecture is not offered in your old school’s university. You decide to try out for your new school’s judo team because you were a pretty good judoka back in HS. Also, the prospect of an athletic scholarship would really help. The coach is impressed, but then he tells you he cannot get you because you came from another UAAP school. He wants to prioritize students who can compete right now. He gets someone who graduated from an NCAA HS instead. The scholarship goes to him, too.

The Top UAAP, NCAA, and Amateur Basketball Stories of 2012

CKSC wins the MMTLBA grand slam!

The Chiang Kai Shek Blue Dragons put their mark on Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Association (MMTLBA) history by notching an unprecedented grand slam, winning the title in all three MMTLBA divisions.

They were seeded third in the MMTLBA’s version of the Final Four, and they faced perennial powerhouse Xavier School in the semifinals. Xavier, led by the highly-sought-after Jeron Teng, carried a twice-to-beat edge, but it was all for naught as the Blue Dragons of coach Goldwin Monteverde all but obliterated the Golden Stallions. CKSC beat Xavier, 83-76, in the first game before deflating them, 70-50, in the decider.

The Dragons faced top-seeded Hope Christian High School (HCHS) in the Finals, and they surprised everyone by, once again, sweeping the more heavily-favored team. Burly forward John Kevin Baytan, who, reportedly, might suit up for Adamson University in the UAAP, normed 17.0ppg, 9.0rpg, and 1.5spg for Chiang Kai Shek in the Finals.

Other CKSC players who contributed significantly were Kimlee Bayquin, John Paul Nieles, and Carlo Young. Bayquin and Young are still playing for CKSC this season, and they should be interesting prospects for several collegiate programs mid-2013. Another interesting CKSC prospect is 6’6” tower of power Wilson Bartolome, who normed 5.5 blocks per game in the Finals while also averaging 9.0ppg, and 7.0rpg. He’s no Justin Chua, but he might develop into an intriguing big man in the seniors ranks.

On the HCHS side, Clint Doliguez, King Benemerito, Janrey Garrido, Errol Villar, and John Apacible all played well. Doliguez and Apacible are still currently playing for HCHS, and they played big as Hope Christian won the title in the inaugural Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship (PSSBC) late in 2012. Garrido and Villar were both part of the UST Growling Tigers in UAAP Season 75.

NU wins the Filoil Tourney

The NU Bulldogs were supremely dominant in their 2012 Filoil Flying V Hanes Cup championship run, going through all their eleven games undefeated.

In doing this, Ray Parks and his pack sent a powerful message to the rest of the local college basketball scene. In the Finals, Parks was, once again, the hero of the day. The tournament MVP scattered 19 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 2 assists, and stole the ball twice to lead NU over the gritty and much-improved DLSU Green Archers. Emmanuel Mbe, adjudged the Defensive Player of the Tournament, also did well, finishing with 13 points, 15 boards, and 2 rejections, while Gelo Alolino stepped up with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Emmanuel Mbe and Ray Parks are all smiles after the
NU Bulldogs captured the 2012 Filoil Flying V Hanes Cup.
(image by Jan Dizon/Filoil Flying V)

LA Revilla and Norbert Torres led the Geen & White with 14 and 13 markers respectively. Both teams eventually did well in the following UAAP season, and they both returned to the Final Four. NU’s last time trip to the UAAP postseason was way back in 2001, while the Archers failed to make it in 2011.

These Stags Are Golden

Calvin Abueva and the Golden Stags denied the Blue Eagles
of a fourth straight PCCL crown.

*All images by Arvin Lim/UAAPSports.tv

SAN SEBASTIAN GOLDEN STAGS over ATENEO DE MANILA BLUE EAGLES, 83-77

Coach Topex Robinson’s Stags really are the classic foils to coach Norman Black’s Blue Eagles. In four meetings this year (once in the Fil-Oil Flying V Summer League and thrice here in the PCCL), Baste had Ateneo’s number in all but one game. They are the only team to beat Ateneo that many times in 2011, and the only team to deny the Blue & White in a championship series this year as well.

2011 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Finals – Day 1

Kiefer Ravena's 10 points helped push Ateneo over the hump
and force a winner-take-all against San Sebsatian.
(image by Arvin Lim/UAAPSports.tv)

After the JUMP: Game stories on San Beda nabbign 3rd Place and Ateneo finally pulling the wool over the Stags.

2011 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Final 4 - Days 3 & 4

Brian Heruela and the Webmasters can still slavage
3rd Place if they can beat the Red Lions on Monday.
(image by Josh Albelda/UAAPSports.com)

UNIV. OF CEBU WEBMASTERS over SAN SEBASTIAN GOLDEN STAGS, 92-71

When it rains, it pours. The Webmasters from Cebu notched their first Final Four win at the expense of the erstwhile unbeaten San Sebastian Stags thanks to accurate sniping. Coach Roehl Gomez may have transferred some of his renowned shooting prowess to his wards, who converted 16 treys to run roughshod over the Stags, who already booked a twice-to-beat seat in the National Finals.

2011 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Final 4 - Day 2

Ian Sangalang and the Stags rose to the sizable
challenge posted by the Blue Eagles.
(image by Carl Sta. Ana/Filoil Flying V Sports)

SAN SEBASTIAN GOLDEN STAGS over ATENEO DE MANILA BLUE EAGLES, 70-69

The team known to make a living down the stretch conked out and handed over the twice-to-beat edge to their foes. The Golden Stags ate up the Blue Eagles’ 12-point fourth quarter lead to scrape by and assure themselves of the coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the Finals of the PCCL.