Sports: SFAC, Adamson has Most Wins in UniGames Basketball

St. Francis of Assisi College and Adamson University record the most number of titles in the men and women’s basketball of the University Games (UniGames), but the absence of SFAC this year’s 17th Sandugo-UniGames slated October 22 to 28, 2012 will not materialize and defending champion Ateneo De Manila University will seek the same number in the men’s division if they prevail after scoring a five-peat in the recent UAAP.

SFAC dominated the event in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 before Adamson University won the title in 2003. ADMU won the title in 2009, 2008 and last year in Roxas City, Capiz.

But prior to that, this year’s UAAP second placer Far Eastern University won the title thrice in 1996, 1997 and 2007. De la Salle University-Manila won the title in 1998; Emilio Aguinaldo College in 2004 and 2006, while West Negros University in 2005 and national university in 2010 in Dumaguete City.

FEU could be a cinch to give a run for their money in both men and women’s basketball. FEU, the reigning UAAP women champion has yet to signify their participation in this year’s tournament when they ruled the event in 2008 and Ateneo De Manila University in 2006 before Adamson University won it.

Adamson won the titles last year, in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010.

This year’s participants in the women’s basketball were University of the Philippines-Diliman, University of San Agustin-Iloilo, University of Sto. Tomas, St. Louis University-Baguio, Rizal Technological College, Holy Cross of Davao College, De la Salle University-College of St. Benilde, Cebu Normal University, Ateneo de Davao University and defending champion Adamson University.

With barely five days more to go, organizer hopes that more entries will come a day before the start of the tournament.

UniGames president Roger A. Banzuela said that the opening with start at 6pm at University of St. La Saele Coliseum with PSC chairman Ricardo "Richie" Garcia as guest of honor.

On the other hand, San Juan Congressman and senatorial candidate JV Ejercito will join Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) President Gener Dungo together with University of St. La Salle women’s volleyball team in a special opening at 8am on October 22 in the said event.

University Games (UniGames) president Roger A. Banzuela also said that swimming event which will start on October 25 will also have a special opening with Philippine Swimming League Chairman, former senator Nikki Coseteng and PSL President Susan Papa as guests on October 25 at the USLS pool.

Banzuela disclosed that the first team to arrive is the women’svolleyball team from University of the Philippines-Diliman. They will arrive today, October 17. Banzuela said that the bulk of the teams are expected to arrive October 19 to 20. He claimed some of them will catch up with the culmination of this year’s MassKara Festival.

Already 50 colleges and universities from both public and private schools in the country have enlisted to join to compete in a week-long tertiary sports competition supported by PSC. Banzuela, however,believes that a huge turnout of entries may come a week or a day before the opening as the usual occurrence in the past hosting.

This year’s entry in men’s basketball had 24 teams to include four local schools, West Negros University, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, University of St. La Salle and Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod. The volleyball event had so far the most number of entries with 26 teams in the men’s and 24 in the women’s side.

Thirteen sports events will be contested with each school thatwishesto join. The events are athletics, chess, taekwondo, football, table tennis, lawn tennis, swimming, volleyball, beach volleyball, karatedo and sepak takraw.*