This year I am planning to sold as many tickets that I could and help as many to watch live the 2010 UAAP Cheering Competition. This help will benefit both me and buyer as I will cut down the price of the tickets as long as I could. As of now I am contacting my friends from the offices of NU and Adamson for me to have ample of tickets.

Just like what I did last 2009 UAAP Cheerdance Competition, I do meet-ups a day before the UAAP Cheering Competition Day. I’ll be even willing to sacrifice my own tickets just to provide for those readers who are fanatics of the UAAP Cheerdance.

Please do comment below if you’re interested and I also suggest to subscribe to my mailing list for FREE or RSS to be updated on the UAAP Cheerdance Competition 2010 Tickets right away. As usual you could always visit this site to get notified.

The Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8 is now complete. The PCCL will be another showdown of two of the premiere leagues in the country, the UAAP and the NCAA.

The UAAP casts are their 2009 UAAP final four teams: the 2009 UAAP Champions Ateneo Blue Eagles led by former UAAP MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini defeated Lyceum Pirates in the Sweet 16 phase. UAAP runner-up UE Red Warriors led by prolific shooting guard Paul Lee who torch the UC Webmasters with an impressive triple-double game with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. UAAP 3rd placer FEU Tamaraws crushed Arellano University Chiefs. Completing the cast of UAAP in Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8 is UST Growling Tigers led by 2009 UAAP MVP Dylan Ababou who spoiled Vergel Meneses’ coaching debut with the JRU Heavy Bombers in Ormoc, Leyte.

Meanwhile, NCAA teams that enter the PCCL Elite 8 are the 2009 NCAA Champs San Sebastian Stags after almost slipped the game into the hands of USC Warriors of CESAFI, NCAA runner-up San Beda Red Lions trashed and humiliated San Sebastian Cavite Baycats with 41 points. Letran Knights escaping a victory over the defending PCCL Champs DLSU Green Archers and completing the cast of NCAA in this year’s  Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8, the Mapua Cardinals who won coming from behind against the University of Visayas Green Lancers led by 7 foot Greg Slaughter.

Here are the Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8 match-ups as shown on the image above:

Ateneo Blue Eagles (UAAP) vs UST Growling Tigers (UAAP)

San Beda Red Lions (NCAA) vs Mapua Cardinals (NCAA)

Letran Knight (NCAA) vs San Sebastian Stags (NCAA)

FEU Tamaraws (UAAP) vs UE Red Warriors (UAAP)

image source: collegiatechampionsleague.net

The 2009 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Sweet 16 cast is now complete. The De La Salle Green Archers are set to defend their title on this year’s PCCL. The Green Archers are forced to have a little bit of road block heading to PCCL sweet 16 after a disappointing 5th place finish in the UAAP. The defending champs were able to past the Luzon-Metro Manila Zonal after beating some squads that includes NCCA-South Champs Don Bosco Technical College Greyhounds, UCLAA Champion St. Francis of Assisi College System Doves and University of Nueva Caceres to be able to compete in the 2009 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Sweet 16.

This year’s Philippine Collegiate Champions League Sweet 16 will be cast by four UAAP teams that includes UAAP back to back champion Ateneo Blue Eagles, UE Red Warriors, FEU Tamaraws, UST Growling Tigers and De La Salle Green Archers. The NCAA with six teams will cast Season 85 Champs San Sebastian Stags, San Beda Red Lions, JRU Heavy Bombers, Letran Knights, Arellano University Chiefs and Mapua Cardinals. The rest of the teams are University of Visayas Green Lancers, USC Warriors, and UC Webmasters from CESAFI. Lyceum Pirates and San Sebastian Cavite Baycats complete the list.

The Philippine Collegiate Champions League will commence its knock out round this coming November 23, 2009 at Ynares Gym in Pasig City. All the games that will be played will be televised live by ABS-CBN Sports on Studio 23 Channel.

Vergel Meneses, a 14 year veteran of the pro league Philippine Basketball Association, is a former JRU ace player but didn’t won any championship.

Now, the task of the new head coach in person of Vergel Meneses is to end the JRU’s 37-year title drought after Ariel Vanguardia failed to do after serving several seasons as head coach of the heavy bombers.

Although “the Aerial Voyager” is new in coaching, he has a little bit of experience, after earning his coaching experience as one of Burger King Coach Allan Gregorio’s assistants in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

The first time that the Jose Rizal University tried their luck on a new head coach was few years back, when Ariel Vanguardia replaced Cris Calilan just a week before the 2005 NCAA basketball season opened. Now they’re trying their luck on yet another coach but this time its way far before the next NCAA Basketball Season open.

Even Ariel Vanguardia failed to end the JRU’s title drought he had a good record as head coach of the bombers after he land a seat in the 2008 finals where it came a win close of unseating then reigning titlist San Beda. And last year’s final four that he eventually loss and didn’t make it to the NCAA Season 85 Finals that captured by San Sebastian Stags.

Meanwhile, in UAAP, the NU Bulldogs are still in hunt for their Head Coach. Reports said that UST mentor Pido Jarencio was offered by the SM Management twice as his salary in UST to take charge as head coach of the National University.

Bulldogs losing head coach Manny Dandan was terminated by the NU board right before Game 3 of the UAAP Finals between Ateneo and UE, which the Blue Eagles won.

The NU Bulldogs who are in the bottom of the standings each year will now become a TEAM that trust teammates and will not be a trigger happy team like what they are when Dandan were still coaching them. What I meant with “trigger happy team” is that the coach just letting the players shoot at anywhere in the court even if they are not shooters and missing horribly at the 3 point area.

I think personally NU Bulldogs can compete on a higher level if they have a coach who can really teach and not just letting his player play like they are all superstars.

NU Sports Director Junel Baculi confirmed the reports that the NU management fired Manny Dandan as NU’s Head Coach during the Ateneo-UE Championship Game last Sunday.

NU Bulldogs is on rebuilding process. And now that their losing coach is gone they can start rebuilding their team and start a new different system to win and have pride each and every game.

Meanwhile, The Philippine Star published a short list of Dandan’s possible successors. They include coach E Basketball School founder Eric Altmirano, Letran coach Louie Alas, former PBA star Ronnie Magsanoc, and ex-Harbour Centre mentor Jorge Gallent.

The De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers was on the verge of losing the Championship after they trail early in the 4th quarter. but an attack led by Gwyne Capacio that resulted into 14-2 run saved the Junior Archers and keep their hopes alive. Gwyne Capacio exploded for 19pts including the 2 free throws he sank at the crucial seconds of the game.

The De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers played the game with total Team work and determination as they shut down Ateneo’s main man Kiefer Ravena into only 11 points production.

Fil-German Arnold Van Opstal added 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks while Nico Elorde chipped in nine points for the De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers, who will dispute the title with the Ateneo Blue Eaglets on Thursday, 11 a.m. at the Araneta Coliseum right before the seniors’ finals between Ateneo and University of the East.

The big men of UE Red Warriors are just not ready to hang up their jerseys yet. The high-flying Elemer Espiritu and the under-sized big man Pari Llagas led the wrecking of Ateneo with a combined 41 points. The Red Warriors pulled away after these guys scored 14 of their combined points in the last period.

The game is just in the UE Red Warriors’ way as they made 19 0f their 30 shots in the second half for 50 points. In opposite to Ateneo Blue Eagles‘ 11 of 32 shots including 3 of 21 shots from the 3-point area that produces only 28 points.

It was the Warriors’ first Finals victory since 1985.  Incidentally, it was the year the UE Red Warriors bannered by Allan Caidic last won a championship at the expense of the Pido Jarencio-led UST Tigers.

Meanwhile, the Ateneo Blue Eagles with their worst defense of the season was led by fromer UAAP MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini with 18 points and just don’t have enough back-up with the likes of Eric Salamat who just scored a horrible 4 points and Ryan Buenafe with just 2 points.

Ateneo Blue Eagles‘ head coach Norman Black describes this UAAP Season 72 Finals Game 2 as his worst loss ever since taking the job few years back.

The Ateneo’s Amazing duo of Rabeh-Al Hussaini and Jai Reyes powered the Ateneo Blue Eagles to Game 1 victory. The former UAAP MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini did what he does best with 28 points to lead all scorers together with 14 rebounds and 2 assist.

Jai Reyes scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, all of which came from the rainbow territory. 2 of his triple came from the 4th quarter’s crucial stage of the game.

Reyes was a flood victim due to Typhoon Ondoy after his home in Riverside, Pasig was flooded but he said that it was easy for him to get focused before and during the game.

Meanwhile, the UE Red Warriors keep the game close and even lead the ball game 35-34 after the first half. Paul Lee leads the University of the East Red Warriors with 15 points and backed up by Pari Llagas with 13.

After winning the UAAP Season 72 Finals Game 1, the Ateneo Blue Eagles is now a game closer to a back to back title. Will the Ateneo fulfill this and repeat history? or the UE Red Warriors will bounce back and end the long title drought.

UAAP Season 72 Finals Game 2 is scheduled on Sunday October 4, 2009 3:30pm at the Araneta Coliseum.

BOX SCORES:

ATENEO 78 – Al Hussaini 28, Reyes 17,  Salva 8, Buenafe 6, Austria 6, Long 3, Baclao 3, Salamat 2, Chua 2, Sumalinog 0, Monfort 0.

UE 71 – Lee 15, Llagas 13, Acuna 13, Reyes 11, Lingganay 9, Espiritu 8, Acibar 2, Zamar 0, Bandaying 0.

QUARTER SCORES: 24-11, 34-35, 57-53, 78-71.

After easily trashing the University of Santo Tomas Tigers in the UAAP Seson 72 Final Four, the Ateneo is the first team that enters the UAAP Season 72 Finals. The Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles is gunning for another championship after winning last year’s Seniors Basketball Title. The Blue Eagles is aiming to repeat history by winning the UAAP Basketball Championship for consecutive years this year. The Ateneo last won Back to Back Titles during 1987 and 1988 UAAP Seasons that was led by Jun Reyes and Danny Francisco at that time.

Meanwhile, The University of the East Red Warriors is back again at the UAAP Finals for the 2nd time in 3 years after defeating the Andy Barroca less but has a twice to beat advantage FEU Tamaraws at the UAAP Season 72 Final Four. the Red Warriors last entered the UAAP Finals on 2007 after sweeping the whole elimination rounds with a 14-0 win-loss standing that brought them directly into the UAAP Finals that year. Eventually, the UE Red Warriors historic elimination round campaign ended up to an embarrassment after the DLSU Green Archers defeated them during the 2007 UAAP Finals.

The University of the East Red Warriors last won a UAAP Championship crown on 1985 during the years of “the triggerman” Allan Caidic as a UE Red Warrior Player.

This year’s UAAP Finals is so exciting that I can’t even predict who will take it all. both Ateneo and UE are powerhouse teams this season. The Ateneo of course has an advantage in terms of Championship experience but you can’t take out the UE Red Warriors that quick. the UE Red Warriors has the artillery to fight both offensive and defensive attacks of the Ateneo Blue Eagles. for these UAAP Season 72 Finals both teams will be able to  match two former San Sebastian Staglets of both Ateneo and UE in the name of Paul Lee of UE and Eric Salamat of Ateneo.

Still I predict this UAAP Season 72 Finals will be won by Ateneo in Game 3.

On my view as a former player myself, This year’s Final Four can go down into two conclusion. It could be a Domination of both no.1 and no.2 seed which is Ateneo and FEU or it could be an Upset in favor of both UE and UST.

I know many people would say that Ateneo Blue Eagles is too much powerful over UST Growling Tigers but hey, this UST squad is a team that has a “Never Say Die” attitude. Remember in year 2006 when UST upsets Ateneo in their best of 3 Finals series?. This can happen again this year if Ateneo play UST lightly. Not to mention of their coach Pido Jarencio that came from a “Never Say Die” attitude ball club the Ginebra Gin Kings during his time as a player.

On the other match-up, both teams can win on every match they’ll meet. Both of them are strong and experienced Team that composed of PBL Veterans like Padi Llagas of UE and Aldrich Ramos of FEU. But this match can go the favor of FEU because of the twice to beat advantage.

At the Championship Series, It can be a Team that Dominates and it can be a Team that can Upset Stunningly. after all, it’s been a great UAAP Season 72.

Note: This post is based on the current team standings.