Former stars lead pep rally for UST bets in UAAP wars

University of Santo Tomas bets expressed readiness to do battle on different fronts as they gun for glory in their respective events and help UST annex its 43rd general championship in the coming UAAP Season 81 wars.

Stalwarts from the university’s varsities participated in a grand parade around the campus last Wednesday in UST’s first-ever UAAP Grand Pep Rally and Kick Off Party, cheered on by schoolmates who wished them well before the Tigers and Tigresses plunge into action beginning tomorrow.

“We’re ready to go,” said men’s basketball team coach Aldin Ayo, whose wards get to launch UST’s bid on Saturday against host National U.

New coach Ayo and the Tigers warmed up for their duel with the fancied Bulldogs by fine-tuning their plays against a squad of alumni in a tune-up game held as part of the day-long send-off activities for the athletes.

The younger, faster, fitter and hot-shooting Tigers, as expected, scored a run-away 13076 victory over the former Tigers who were coached by the legendary Aric del Rosario and bannered by Estong Ballesteros, Richard Yee, Chris Luanzon, Jojo Duncil and Derrick Hubalde.

Current PBA players Cyrus Baguio and Dylan Ababou were also present to give the alumni moral support on the bench and help inspire the current UST cage team, which seeks to overturn a woeful 1-13 record last season.

Other highlights of the Grand Pep Rally and Kick Off Party were a recap of UST’s cheering traditions, lighting of bonfire, pep rally with some legends providing inspiring messages, and a concert to cap the daylong festivities.

According to the UST Yellow Jackets, the official pep squad of UST and one of the event spearheads, the event is aimed to be a “morale booster in unifying the spirit of every indvidual carrying the elan, vigor, and optimism of each Thomasian.”