UAAP Notebook

Ateneo game highlights in that classic match versus UST


Photo by Joseph Nocos





The article below will appear in the Wednesday issue of Business Mirror

UAAP Notebook
by rick olivares

University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons
Early in the season, I pegged UP to be a darkhorse contender. Watching the team practice on several occasions, I didn’t like their glaring lack of height, but I was intrigued by the inclusion of Socrates Rivera in the line-up. Maybe he could help Magi Sison inside. Unfortunately, Sison was out for much of the games and when he did come back, it turned out that he’d rather toss three-pointers than mix it up inside. Although assistant coach Jojo Villa said that they probably had the best recruiting class of the year I don’t think anyone gave them a realistic chance to challenging the traditional UAAP powers… for now. But being winless at this point makes me feel bad for the team. In their last outing against FEU, Migs De Asis whose seen his field goal shooting percentage and his rep for being an impact player plummet as fast as President GMA’s ratings, almost stole the ball but ran out of space. The pained look on his face is something I’ll not forget any time soon. What started out to be a promising one is now officially a nightmare not just for the players but also for coach Joe Lipa.

And now there’s even word that a couple of their players have bet on a game (maybe more) if not shaved some points. And this one on the word of a bookie? C’mon what sort of bookie blows the whistle on guys allegedly on the take? I don’t claim to know the bookie or even if his rep, but I wouldn’t trust someone who gambles. Even two of their former players were thought to have thrown a match or two. That’s why when one didn’t come back to play out his fifth year, it was welcomed by the top brass.

This is something I don’t understand. Suspicions of game shenanigans have been around for the longest time, but no one bothers to really investigate. It’s a microcosm of a national problem where crooks in government get away with anything and everything.

Well, the team is said to now concentrate on giving their holdovers for next year quality minutes and as much exposure. Maybe it will be a better Season 71. But knowing coach Joe who will be in his final year of contract, he’ll go down swinging and in style.

Adamson University Falcons
The fortune of the Adamson Falcons went the way of former MVP center Ken Bono – out for the season. Not wanting to have to go through another year of adjusting to a new system and a new coach, Bono decided it was time to go to the pros. That left Patrick Cabahug and Roel Hugnatan to carry the team on their shoulders. From a final four team to second to the last in the standings that’s how far they’ve fallen. They may be out of the running, but you have to give credit to Jing Ruiz and his boys… they’ll continue to play hard every game and give their all. Even die-hard supporters like Hector Tabuzo are there every game to cheer their team on.

Cabahug and Hugnatan are in their final year and have plans on turning pro. Hugnatan who professes to be a huge fan of Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs hopes that he’ll get the chance to play with older brother Rey who is with Alaska.

I do have two questions though… whatever happened to Leo Canuday? After breaking his arm last year in the most gruesome way, he hasn’t returned to his dangerous and feisty self. Okay he was averaging a little over 11 points a game in the first round, but that is clearly a misnomer. Some of those points come garbage time. In the game versus Ateneo yesterday, he had 5 points and 2 assists in 20 minutes of action. With Cabahug out of the picture next year, maybe more opportunities to handle the ball will spark his confidence.

And why is it that Jing Ruiz is still referred to as the assistant coach when it’s clearly he who runs the plays, practices, and calls for substitutions? So is Bogs Adornado now simply a team consultant? But for what it’s worth, Jing Ruiz has done a marvelous job. With Michael Galinato and some recruits ready to move up to Team A next year, they’ll be back in the fight.

The League and officiating
I spoke with league commissioner Ed Cordero before the start of last Thursday’s games and he revealed to BUSINESS MIRROR that he views the games differently from the fans. He watches how the officials conduct themselves and how the teams go about their business. After every game, officials review tapes and are called to task if there are any bum calls. Of course, they commend those who call a good game too. But Cordero said that they are constantly finding ways to improve not just the quality of the officiating but how the league is run. Most recently, they attended a seminar given by FIBA referee Alan Richardson. The international official, according to Cordero chided local whistle blowers for their penchant of calling ticky-tacky fouls. “Officials,” said Richardson, “Shouldn’t affect the outcome of the games. Every game should be called with extreme prudence and without fanfare. The bad ones you remember. The good ones you don’t because they’re invisible.”

“Mga nana na tawag,” are the words the Commissioner used. “But it was good because we could all use some criticism. It can only be good for the league.”