UAAP fires off with heavy sked for Season 85

THE University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 comes off the wraps on October 1 with a traditional double-header in men’s basketball featuring reigning champion University of the Philippines (UP) against De La Salle at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The other game pitting host Adamson University against University Santo Tomas (UST) will usher in the season where the UAAP finally returns to a full calendar more than two years into the pandemic.

The basketball games on October 2 will feature University of the East against National University and Ateneo against Far Eastern University.

Amid strict protocols, the UAAP staged Season 84 last March with only a handful events, including men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, women’s 3x3, men’s and women’s chess, poomsae and beach volleyball.

The opening ceremony will be prerecorded and will be aired by Cignal TV along with the rest of the games.

Under the “better normal” as described by UAAP president Fr. Aldrin Suan of host school Adamson University and Executive Director Atty. Rebo Saguisag, the UAAP will “Rise as One” by staging 60 events in 21 sports.

“Now, we are back and full of life,” Fr. Suan said during Tuesday’s online session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

Aside from basketball, which includes 3x3 and the boys’ side, also on tap are badminton, chess, table tennis, beach volley, swimming, athletics, cheer dance, judo, taekwondo, football, volleyball, fencing, softball, baseball, football, tennis and street dance.

“But the protocols will still be there (like weekly testing). Every venue will have their own requirements,” said Saguisag, adding that basketball venues like the MOA Arena and Araneta Coliseum will still impose certain restrictions.

“The patron section will be opened but not full. The area behind the bench will remain restricted,” Saguisag said. “Cordoned off there is no contact with the players. The health of student athletes is still paramount.”

To give way to the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in November, the UAAP will follow a schedule, with double-headers on Saturdays and Sundays and quadruple-headers on Wednesdays.

“All eight teams will play on Wednesdays,” said Fr. Suan during the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Saguisag said the schedule in men’s basketball “may go down deep into December.”