The 2011 NCCA/UAAP College Basketball Awards @Gateway

Yesterday, Saturday, January 21, was a good day. I spent the morning prepping a checklist and reminders for the media center and management for the Kia Rio Cup. Although I was Media Officer, I was unable to go there for game day because of previous commitments elsewhere. Luckily, I have a good staff on the job. But people were quite surprised to see me here at Gateway. Yeah, I know my beloved Azkals are playing but this was planned way back in November. There was also the talk I was going to give to the UP Junior Marketing Association event at the Unionbank Center in Ortigas and with all my work at GroupM, the Kia Rio Cup, ITZ, the Seaoil All-Star Game, and others, I was worried I had not fully prepped for the talk. So I spent most of my morning working on my powerpoint presentation as well as fine tuning the speech. 

And there was the UFL. Had to rush to the University of Makati to prep for my analysis on the match between Navy and Nomads. I guess it helps that I've watched a lot of the teams over the years and that makes it easier to understand the teams and what they try to do. 

After the UFL, I headed over to Unionbank then by early evening to the Topaz Room of the Gateway Suites for the College Basketball Awards. My company, GroupM, and the account I handle with Ton Gatmaitan, Gatorade, is a sponsor. 

It was great catching up with Anthony Tamayo of Perpetual Help University as we have so many common friends. Once the awards got going, it was even more fun as host Erika Liboro proved a worthy successor to Rizza Diaz who hosted last year's festivities.

Emman Monfort won the Super Senior Award and when he was interviewed, he said that once his basketball career was over, he'd try to run for public office in Iloilo where he said hopefully one day he could be mayor. Later, when Kirk Long during his Q&A with Erika after receiving the Defensive Player Award was asked what he'd do after basketball, he said, he'd apply to drive for Emman Monfort when he is Mayor. The kicker here was when San Beda head coach Frankie Lim said that when Emman Monfort runs for public office, he'd campaign for him. Everyone was just in stitches!

Best Dressed for the evening was Greg Slaughter. He made the Mythical Five Selection and had Erika all intimidated. She said that she had never been beside someone as tall as Greg and she was wearing heels!

One of my best students this sem is Kirk Long. Who would have thought that the kid could write! And even if has stopped playing hoops for Ateneo, you can catch him with the Blue Batters in the UAAP. Good luck today as the blue and white try to stay undefeated.

The Mythical... Four? Yep, San Sebastian College's Calvin Abueva was unable to attend (but then again, they never attend unless they are champions). Ray Parks, Greg, Kiefer Ravena, and Garvo Lanete round out the best five in NCCA/UAAP hoops.

These two coaches have been pretty much regulars in the post-season awards over the last five years. Good job to Norman Black and Frankie Lim. As Erika put it, Norman just keeps adding to his legend. Woo hoo! Let's go for FIVE!

Post-event picture taking with my GroupM colleagues Ton Gatmaitan and Marcia Cruz (who used to be courtside reporter for Mapua) and some of my ITZ writers Mia Domingo and AJ Bolando. 

With my fellow sports scribes Reuben Terrado, Jerome Lagunzad, and Diego dela Paz and of course Erika. Erika and I chatted on finding ways to spring Nonoy Baclao from the clutches of Petron. FREE NONOY BACLAO. Go to Shopinas not B-Meg or any other squad. Coach Tonichi Yturri has expressed interest in you joining the Clickers. Go I say! They need some help there. I love that squad. Sorry, college hoops loyalties die hard. Noy Baclao was incidentally, one of my students. I was also there for his thesis defense (as I was for Emman Monfort and will be for Justin Chua).

With some terrific friends in Lisa and Kevin Alas. Kevin received an award for being the Energy Player of the Year as he helped Letran to a great season. Coach Louie was unable to attend. Left Gateway past 10pm and was really tired. And I still have a bunch of things to write!