WHEN before, watching spectator sports was like looking up at a black sky during a New Moon, these days it’s like staring at the heavens in the heat of a meteor shower.
Busy, busy, busy. The sports scene is popping like a bag of popcorn in the microwave ever since we were placed under Alert Level 1.
This weekend, collegiate sports comes off the wraps. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) opens its 97th season at the La Salle Green Hills Gym March 26 as host school De La Salle-College of St. Benilde takes on the Colegio de San Juan De Letran Knights at 3:30 p.m. The San Beda Red Lions tangles with the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates at 7 p.m.
Two games per day for the NCAA, with the much-awaited face-off between erstwhile rivals San Beda and Letran happening on April 12. The elimination round ends April 29.
The “NC” has an interesting format this season. After the round robin, teams will be ranked by winning percentage. The two top teams automatically get a twice-to-beat advantage and are on bye. The next four teams then take part in a play-in tournament where the third and fourth teams play for third seed. The fifth and sixth teams play for the fourth seed, after which the winner here faces the loser of the third seed play-off. The finals will be a best-of-three.
Over at the Mall of Asia Arena, the other collegiate league bursts on the scene, also on March 26. The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) defines Season 84 with a new schedule and an almost totally new cast of players for all the schools, thanks to the two-year break that changed the academic and career fortunes of those who last played in Season 82.
This time, all eight teams get to play every game day as there are four games scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The first game is off and running at 10 a.m. while the fourth and last game starts at 7 p.m.
The Far Eastern University Tamaraws and the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers break the two-year old ice at 10 am, followed by the Adamson Soaring Falcons dogfight with the National University Bulldogs at 12 noon.
And just like that, the Battle of Katipunan, starring the dynasty-building Ateneo Blue Eagles versus the much talked about University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, erupts at 4 pm. Spears and arrows then fly as hosts, the De La Salle Green Archers battle the University of the East Red Warriors for the 7 p.m. day-ender.
Just like before, UAAP basketball will have a double round eliminations followed by a Final Four and a best-of-three finals. Will Ateneo continue its magical run? Or will there be a new team to win all the marbles?
But college ball is not all that’s happening on March 26. ONE Championship’s “Big ONE” entitled ONE:X runs right smack into the collegiate ball schedules. With a Pay Per View component catering to global audiences, the normally Friday-aired ONE events will be viewed in this part of the world on Saturday, March 26 instead.
Super-stacked and super-packed, the 10th year anniversary presentation of the mixed martial arts, grappling, kickboxing and Muay Thai promotion company that is also the largest sports media property in Asia will have five Filipino athletes starring in the Circle.
Denice Zamboanga pursues her grudge match with Seo Hee Ham on this one, whom she vows to “choke out and put to sleep”. Jeremy Miado takes on fellow Filipino Lito Adiwang in what could be the fight of the night. Both are aiming for a KO or TKO.
Eduard Folayang faces off with Muay Thai legend John Wayne Parr in Parr’s retirement fight for the ages. And the skilled Stephen Loman, a new addition to the ONE:X cast, squares off against Japan’s wily Shoko Sato.
But that’s not all. As we speak, the Premier Volleyball League is shooting sparks at the Paco Arena, with the Cignal HD Spikers and F2 Logistics leading the pack in Pool A while the Creamline Cool Smashers and the Petro Gazz Angels are on top of the heap in Pool B. Their hectic season ends on April 9.
The Philippine Basketball Association, meanwhile, is in the midst of its Final Four, grabbing a lot of attention, with Meralco Bolts vs. Magnolia and Ginebra San Miguel vs. NLEX in a Best of 5.
Soon we will see the Bay Area Dragons of Hong Kong moving to Manila to join the PBA’s Governor Cup as part of a PBA-East Asia Super League “pakulo.”
Now don’t tell me this kind of sports schedule doesn’t make you crazy.