By NIKOLE JAVIER
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) has announced the return of its full sporting calendar of 21 sports for Season 85 which starts on Oct. 1 at the Mall of Asia Arena with its centerpiece event – the men’s basketball competition.
Under the “better normal” as described by UAAP President Fr. Aldrin Suan of Adamson – the host school – the prestigious collegiate league will feature a total of 60 events, which will kick off with the game between the host squad against University of Santo Tomas.
University of the Philippines opens its bid for back-to-back against La Salle later in the day to cap the usual double-header before an expected huge crowd – all aching to see the return of their cage idols.
As in the past, there will be an opening show, although it will be a pre-recorded one – apparently due to health concerns.
Apart from the men’s and women’s basketball, also on tap are badminton, chess, table tennis, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, swimming, athletics, cheerdance competition, judo, taekwondo, men’s and women’s football, men’s and women’s volleyball, fencing, softball, baseball, 3×3 basketball, streetdance and lawn tennis.
“Actually, ‘yong background ng “Rise As One” is always the pandemic. Alam naman natin for the past more than two years, lugmok tayo. It’s not just na na-cancel ‘yong UAAP. Alam natin all of us were affected. And in one way or another, emotionally, we are down, economically, we are down, socially, we are down. Ni-limit ang ating mga movements. Having this kind of theme of “Rise As One” na parang we are back to (being) full of life,” said Suan during Tuesday’s online session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.
Amid strict protocols, the UAAP staged Season 84 last March with only a handful events, including men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, women’s 3×3, men’s and women’s chess, poomsae and beach volleyball.
UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag said protocols will be in place in all venues.
“But the protocols will still be there (like weekly testing). Every venue will have their own requirements,” said Saguisag, adding that basketball venues like the MOA Arena and Araneta Coliseum will still impose certain restrictions.
“The patron section will be opened pero hindi pa todo. The area behind the bench will remain restricted. Cordoned off pa din para there is no contact with the players. The health of student athletes is still paramount,” he said.
To give way to the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in November, the UAAP will follow a schedule, with double-headers on Saturdays and Sundays and quadruple-headers on Wednesdays.
“All eight teams will play on Wednesdays,” said Fr. Suan during the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
Saguisag said the schedule in men’s basketball “may go down deep into December.”
