NAASCU Season XII

[AnthonyServinio]

TITANS CATCH LAST FINAL FOUR BUS


TAGUIG CITY – After becoming the sixth and last team to qualify for the quarterfinals, the AMA Computer University Titans continued their rise and grabbed the last remaining spot in the Final Four of the 12th National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) basketball tournament by demolishing the New Era University Hunters, 69-53, Tuesday afternoon (September 1 at the STI College-Global City Academic Center. Both teams ended tied with similar 4-8 win-loss records but the Titans of Coach Mark Herrera held the superior point differential in their two meetings. READ MORE.


SAINTS, JUNIOR SCORPIONS ARE #1


MANILA – The Saint Clare College of Caloocan Saints clinched the top seeding in the Final Four of the 12th National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) basketball tournament via 76-65 mastery of the Centro Escolar University Scorpions Tuesday morning (September 1 at the San Andres Sports Complex. The Saints of NAASCU President Dr. Ernesto Jay Adalem and Coach Jino Manansala finished with an 11-1 win-loss card, a game ahead of the 10-2 Scorpions. READ MORE.


Join the official NAASCU Connection on Facebook!

[AnthonyServinio]

SAINTS, SCORPIONS IN FINALS


MAKATI CITY – It will be the Saint Clare College of Caloocan Saints and Centro Escolar University Scorpions disputing the 12th National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) Senior Division basketball championship after they disposed of separate Final Four opponents Friday morning (September 21) at the Makati Coliseum. READ MORE.


Join the official NAASCU Connection on Facebook!

[AnthonyServinio]

JUNIOR PHOENIX FORCE RUBBER


MANILA – The Our Lady of Fatima University Junior Phoenix stretched their 12th National Athletic Association of Schools, College and Universities (NAASCU) basketball tournament Junior Division semifinal series with the STI College Junior Olympians to a winner-take-all match via a 66-64 escape Monday morning (September 24) at the San Andres Sports Complex. Both sides now have less than 24 hours to prepare as the deciding match will be played at the same venue on Tuesday starting at 8:00 AM. READ MORE.


Join the official NAASCU Connection on Facebook!

[AnthonyServinio]

JUNIOR OLYMPIANS MAKE FINALS


MANILA – The second seed STI College Junior Olympians finally nailed the last seat in the Junior Division Finals of the 12th National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) basketball tournament by frustrating the third seed Our Lady of Fatima University Junior Phoenix, 78-75, at the San Andres Sports Complex Tuesday morning (September 25). The Junior Phoenix forced the rubber match in the twice-to-beat semifinal series 24 hours earlier at the same venue, 66-64. READ MORE.


Join the official NAASCU Connection on Facebook!

[AnthonyServinio]

THE FINALS: SAINTS TAKE GAME ONE
Junior Scorpions Score Also


MAKATI CITY – The top seed Saint Clare College of Caloocan Saints took Game One of the 12th National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) Seniors Division basketball championship series over the fighting second seed Centro Escolar University Scorpions, 82-77, Thursday afternoon (September 27) at the Makati Coliseum. READ MORE.


Join the official NAASCU Connection on Facebook!

[Joescoundrel]

By Marc Anthony Reyes

Philippine Daily Inquirer

10:51 pm | Sunday, September 30th, 2012

ST. CLARE guns for its first ever title when it collides with Centro Escolar today in Game 2 of their National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (Naascu) men’s basketball title playoffs at Makati Coliseum.

The Saints, who won Game 1 last Thursday, 82-77, will lean on their powerful lineup and their big desire to finally make it to the champion’s roster in the 11 a.m. match.

“We have one foot inside the championship door but it’s not over until we get one more win,’’ said St. Clare coach Jinno Manansala. “We still have to work very hard and prepare for the game because I’m very sure they will make some adjustments for Game 2.’’

The Scorpions, who are also in their first title series appearance, were in the thick of the fight in Game 1 until the final period with strong performance from Axel Garcia and Ryan Beldad.

CEU held St. Clare’s gunners Jeff Viernes and Eugene Torres at bay with a solid defense, but Saints managed to pull through behind unheralded wingmen Mark Robin Dulalia and Dennis Santos.

“I give my respect to my teammates they were really a revelation,’’ said Viernes, who nevertheless scored 38 points, including six straight to ignite an early fourth quarter rally that put the Saints ahead for good.

Viernes is hoping to close his collegiate career on a bright note before embarking on a PBA D-League career with Torres.

CEU is coached by former amateur stalwart Egay Macaraya who steered San Sebastian-Cavite to back-to-back titles in the league.

But Manansala, son of former PBA star Jimmy Manansala, is no stranger to a title series as he mentored University of Manila to championship last year. Both SSC-Cavite and UM are on indefinite leave from the league.

[Joescoundrel]

By Marc Anthony Reyes

Philippine Daily Inquirer

9:51 pm | Monday, October 1st, 2012

CLARE completed its historic rise from league doormat to champion yesterday.

Dragged by a determined Centro Escolar side into overtime, St. Clare held on to prevail, 78-74, and sweep the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (Naascu) men’s basketball championship at Makati Coliseum.

The Saints, whose best finish was third place in 2003, hacked out a 2-0 record in the best-of-three series to capture their first title in the league they helped formed along with the defunct University of Manila 12 years ago.

“It’s sweet victory for us,” said St. Clare president and Naascu chief Dr. Ernest Jay Adalem. “We have proven to the community that even cellar-dwellers can one day become champions.”

Adalem said that while St. Clare won the title by dropping just one game all season, the climb was filled with hardship and frustrations.

“There were many people who were willing to help us with our program,” said Adalem in the din of celebrations.

St. Clare gained a lot after UM closed its basketball program following its victory last year. The Saints not only acquired UM coach Jinno Manansala but key players Jeff Viernes and Eugene Torres as well.

“I guess we have that distinction of becoming back-to-back champions with two different teams,” said Manansala, a former University of Santo Tomas enforcer at the UAAP who chose basketball coaching over a career in nursing.

“We have been practicing since December last year, because we know that we are forming a new, revamped team. Our hard work paid off,” added Manansala, son of former national player and PBA star Jimmy Manansala.

The Saints opened the season by winning their first 10 games before absorbing their only loss, a shocker from last year’s runner-up STI.

“That took a lot of pressure from us because after that we were no longer thinking of a sweep but just to win the title,” said the 5-foot-9 Viernes.

Playmaker Viernes and Torres are in their last season in the league.

STI defeated Amacu, 80-63, to clinch third place even as the Baby Scorpions dumped the STI Baby Olympians, 90-80, for the juniors title.

The scores:

ST. CLARE 78—Viernes 31, Torres E. 14, Gil 12, Santos 9, Jamito 6, Lunor 3, Dulalia 2, Amboludto 1.

CEU 74—Garcia 15, Batino 15, Pedrosa 11, Abundo 10, Alquisalas 8, Magbitang 6, Guillen 4, Parale 4, Beldad 0, Banua 0.

Quarters: 27-21, 38-43, 59-53, 71-71, 74-78

[AnthonyServinio]

HAIL THE SAINTS
Junior Scorpions Complete Undefeated Season


MAKATI CITY – History was made as the Saint Clare College of Caloocan Saints captured their first ever National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) Seniors basketball championship through a 78-74 overtime win over the Centro Escolar University Scorpions Monday afternoon (October 1) at the Makati Coliseum. The Saints thus swept the best-of-three series, 2-0, winning Game One last September 27, 82-77. READ MORE.


Join the official NAASCU Connection on Facebook!

[Sam Miguel]

Alternative college basketball league

THE GAME OF MY LIFE

By Bill Velasco

(The Philippine Star) | Updated February 4, 2013 - 12:00am

Last year, this writer predicted the emergence of a new collegiate basketball league with different agenda. The new league would push hard for sportsmanship and higher values among its member teams, and create an atmosphere wherein the host school would treat a visiting team as a welcome guest, not hostile invaders. That attitude would be reciprocated in kind by the other member schools, changing the way college basketball is played.

Currently, when one school plays on the campus of another, the visiting team is in charge of the referees. Other than that, they won’t know what kind of treatment to expect. Last year, this column documented no less than five incidents of fistfights in the college preseason, most leading to unfinished games, a couple of them stopped just in the first half. This alarming trend went largely unnoticed by the two dominant collegiate leagues.

On the question of eligibility, the trend now is a rule which only allows protests before play starts. But this begs the question: what if information or a witness disproving documents submitted by player or school surfaces during the tournament? This means the findings will be disregarded, and the persons in question will have gotten away with wrongdoing, all for the sake of the league’s convenience. The show must go on, even if the actors are impostors. No protests, no forfeits. In this writer’s humble opinion, that encourages falsification of public documents like birth certificates.

The new league, initially christened the National Collegiate Basketball League, will have a short tournament called the Founder’s Cup running for one month from the third week of February. Fourteen schools have been invited to attend the initial meeting this week: Angeles University Foundation (AUF), Centro Escolar University (CEU), Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC), De La Salle University, Dasmariñas (DLSU-D), Emilio Aguinaldo College, Cavite (EAC-C), Enderun Colleges (EC), New Era University (NEU), Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU), Olivarez College (OC), Philippine Christian University (PCU), San Beda College Alabang (SBC-A), Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP), Trinity University of Asia (TUA), University of Batangas (UB) and World Citi Colleges (WCC). Most of the schools have been briefed and already expressed interest in joining, but will decide whether to make the jump now or in the full-blown first-semester tournament in June. TIP is hosting the meeting and spearheading the tournament. The league will be run with the help of the Athletes in Action (AIA).

“Though compared to traditional basketball leagues outside the UAAP and NCAA, the NCBL’s league fees are higher for now, because we are implementing protocols that will ensure significant exposure and following,” says TIP head basketball coach and NCBL organizer Potit de Vera. “Heavy TV-Print-Radio-Web media exposure will be pursued actively. And of course, we hope to change the college basketball culture to think long-term, and league first.”

Veteran organizer Totie Andes will be one of the main persons behind league operations, The King’s Team of Nins Bronola and Aaron Subaria will take care of the statistics and the league website, www.nationalcollegiatebasketballleague.com. Once a school agrees to participate in the NCBL, league officials will visit the campus and conduct an orientation to impress upon the coaches and players the protocols to be followed.

“Our aim is to help the coaches and players come from a place of seeing the big picture, not just an emotional response to game situations,” De Vera adds. “If they are protecting the future of the league and the values we espouse, then violence and attempts to circumvent the rules should simply stop. There is no room for them.”

The NCBL has said it is going to be very strict with eligibility and citizenship. For the Founder’s Cup, high school graduates and transferees will be allowed to play right away, along with foreign-born players, though maintaining only two per team, with one to play at any given time. Next season, more rules will be in place to further ensure that legitimate students and Filipino citizens will play. Student-athletes must also have passed at least 24 units from the previous school year. The future status of foreign players will also be discussed.

The Founder’s Cup will also serve as a showcase for possible sponsors and media partners. The upside looks quite good, since schools always seem to be expanding, and the potential for growth is tremendous. Looking down the road, the NCBL may include schools and have its own leagues in the provinces to provide a truly national collegiate league. Later on, the NCBL will be under an umbrella organization (possibly called PASS, Positive Alliance for School Sports) to include other sports.

What is important now is that the organizing team is doing everything it can to bring in like-minded school owners and athletic directors to be exemplars of the values amateur sports leagues say they believe in, but sometimes do not fully implement. That’s the NCBL’s bottomline.

[Sam Miguel]

^^^ Aren't CEU, New Era and Fatima all NAASCU schools? Does this mean they are leaving NAASCU?