Tigers to kick off UAAP’s full calendar return against S85 host Adamson
By Joie Frances Timbas
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) will return to its full sporting calendar as the collegiate league will shift back to its pre-pandemic-like form, having a total of 60 events in 21 sports for Season 85, UAAP President Fr. Aldrin Suan CM announced on Tuesday, Sept. 20.
After a compressed Season 84 that was limited to only eight events due to the pandemic, the senior men’s basketball will kick off the season anew on October 1, Saturday.
The said opening will be held through a pre-recorded ceremony which will air at 12:30 PM, according to Fr. Suan of Adamson during the online conference of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
“Hopefully, it will signal to the entire Philippine sports community that here we go. We’re not only trying to go back to normal and recover but to elevate into higher level,” he added.
The UST Growling Tigers will take part in the first match of the season as they are set to face this year’s host school, Adamson Soaring Falcons at 2:00 PM. At the same time, the defending champions, the UP Fighting Maroons, embark on their title defense against the DLSU Green Archers at 4:00 PM.
The opening day will take place at the Mall of Asia Arena. Suan also confirmed that the games will mostly be held at either the MOA Arena or Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
There will be games held at Ynares Center in Antipolo and at Philsports Arena in Pasig as well if the aforementioned is not made available.
Games will be held every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. In line with the delayed start of the league calendar, and the break on November 7–14 for the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, the league will have four men’s basketball games with all eight universities playing every Wednesday. On Saturdays and Sundays, two games will be held.
Additionally, fans attending games at MOA Arena are now allowed back to the VIP/Patron area, but the seats behind benches will remain off-limits to the public to minimize contact with the players and coaches.
Among the returning sports are women’s basketball, badminton, chess, table tennis, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, swimming, athletics, judo, taekwondo, men’s and women’s football, men’s and women’s volleyball, 3x3 basketball, lawn tennis, softball, street dance, and fencing.
Season 84, meanwhile, only held men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s 3x3 hoops, men’s and women’s chess, Poomsae, men’s beach volleybal, and cheerdance competition.
The Season 85 Cheerdance Competition is set on December 10 while UAAP basketball will not be done by then as they are scheduled to extend until December 17.
The UAAP is expected to release the full calendar and schedule of events by next week, league executive director Lawyer Rebo Saguisag mentioned.
