Sports Talk with MC

The Collegiate Champions League is just around the corner.

Who’s excited? I’d bet you are.

Last year, the UE Red Warriors edged the San Beda Red Lions, 66-59 to claim the CCL crown. I think that this year, more attention ought to be given to this competition, as the popularity of college hoops in the country seems to be at an all time high. Nabbing bragging rights to being dubbed as the “best of the best” should be enough incentive for the media, and the players, to act like it were “3pm in the Big Dome”, so to speak. 

The leagues participating in the CCL are as follows (thanks to http://wikipedia.org for this):

• Metro Manila Leagues:
  • UAAP: University Athletic Association of the Philippines
  • NCAA: National Collegiate Athletic Association
  • NCRAA: National Capital Region Athletic Association
  • UCAA: Universities and Colleges Athletic Association
  • NAASCU: National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities
  • CUSA: Colleges and Universities Sports Association
• Leagues outside Metro Manila:
  • BEAL: Baguio Educational Athletic League
  • UCAP: Universities and Colleges Association of Pangasinan
  • NOPSCEA: Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports, Cultural and Educational Association
  • CESAFI: Cebu Sports Association Foundation, Inc.
  • Negros Oriental Basketball Schools
  • ISAA: Iloilo Schools Athletic Association
  • Davao PRISAA: Private School Athletic Association
  • DCAA: Davao Collegiate Athletic Association

Now I realize that most people who have gotten so accustomed to the NCAA and UAAP flooding the airwaves might scoff at the hardwood credibility of the provincial leagues cited above. Do know, though, that many of the Philippines’ best ballers didn’t walk down the same path as the Rico Villanuevas, Joseph Yeos, Yousif Al Jamals, or Jason Castros of this world. A lot of them started in small markets, then made it big later on. 

Leyte native and former 4-time PBA MVP and champion Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez was a graduate not of Letran, or Ateneo, or La Salle, but of a regional school in the University of San Carlos, based in Cebu. During his tenure in the PBA, Fernandez won a total of 19 champions, and is currently the all time leader in blocks and rebounds (consequently, he’s 2nd in steals and assists, too).  

2 time PBA MVP Abet Guidaben studied in the University of San Jose Recoletos. He finished his career with 15, 775 points, 2nd all time, and 8,570 total caroms, also second all time.

So you see, it’s not what school you come from, really. It’s what you make of the opportunities you’re given.

The 2007 edition of the CCL should feature a lot of intriguing matchups, and should serve as a sort of “primer” for hoop fans across the nation with regards to getting a glimpse of basketball of tomorrow’s “who’s who”.  Arao versus Ekwe? Maierhoffer versus Al Jamal? Chris Tiu versus Ogie Menor, or maybe the next big thing no one’s heard of? It’s all possible, and it’s all happening soon.

More information will be coming your way about the 2007 CCL as the days wear on.

~0~