I am away for a short trip abroad and will resume my commentaries on issues of the day on my return.
Meantime, presented below are the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) team awardees for their outstanding performance and valuable contribution to the Champions League 2011 National Collegiate Championship.
2011 National Collegiate Champion – San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags
After a disappointing loss in the NCAA finals against archrival San Beda College Red Lions, the Golden Stags came out strong in the step ladder knock out phase of the Champions League games to qualify in the final four championship round robin and earned a championship face-off with defending champion Ateneo de Manila U Blue Eagles. The Golden Stags edged out the Blue Eagles and became the first NCAA team to win the Champions League National Collegiate title.
For this history-making achievement, the following were awarded to the SSC-R Golden Stags: a) possession for one year of the M. V. Pangilinan Perpetual Bronze Sculpture “Abutin Ang Tagumpay,” a symbol of collegiate basketball supremacy, and a replica of the sculpture for the school to keep; and b) prizes for the school and the team members in the total amount of P900,000.
Previous Champions League National Collegiate title holders were Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles (2010, 2009 and 2007), De La Salle Green Archers (2008), University of the East Warriors (2006 and 2003), and the Far Eastern University Tamaraws (2005 and 2004).
Breakthrough Performance Award – for coming up with breakthrough games in the 2011 regional competitions and successfully qualify for the first time in the sweet 16 finals, the award was given to: 1) University of Northern Philippines Sharks – champion of Northern/Central Luzon; 2) University of Batangas Brahmans – champion of South Luzon/Bicol; 3) AMA Computer Learning Center (Ormoc) Titans – champion of Visayas Islands; and 4) STI College (Cagayan de Oro) Olympians – champion of Mindanao.
Fortitude Award – for displaying resoluteness and courage in the midst of drastic changes in team composition to successfully earn a seat in the sweet 16 finals, the award was given to De La Salle University Green Archers.
The Green Archers passed through the Metro Manila qualifying games beating champions from other Metro Manila leagues to reach the sweet 16 step ladder phase where it eliminated the UST Growling Tigers before losing out in a thriller to Colegio San Juan de Letran Knights.
Upstart Award – for rising to prominence as a major contender for future competitions, qualifying in the Sweet 16 Finals for two consecutive seasons, 2010 and 2011, after years of low key performance, the award was given to National University Bulldogs.
Prior to its achievement in 20010 and 2011, the National U Bulldogs only qualified once in the sweet 16. Lately, the Bulldogs have come to life and nearly broke into the final four of the UAAP competitions and will definitely be making a run for the 2012 collegiate basketball season with an energized and aggressive sports and recruitment program.
Congratulations to all the individual and team awardees.
A toast to valuable partners
The Board of Trustees of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) would like to acknowledge with gratitude the support and assistance extended by the following partners in the promotion and development of collegiate basketball:
M. V. Pangilinan, president, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is instrumental in making the PCCL games truly nationwide in coverage. His dream of having one national collegiate champion is in line with Champions League objective of searching for the best teams in the country.
Funding support has been provided by Pangilinan’s PLDT and Smart during the period 2008 to 2010 which enabled PCCL to broaden the coverage of competitions, organize more games at various locations in the country, arrange for transportation and accommodation of teams qualified in the regional and sweet 16 games and provide for prize awards to individuals and teams.
For this year, the M. V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation agreed to take over the sponsorship role from PLDT and Smart.
ABS-CBN Television Network, headed by chairman Gabby Lopez, and ABS-CBN sports managing director Peter Musngi provides the much needed television exposure that gave prestige and credibility to the Champions League annual search for the best collegiate teams and the crowning of one national collegiate champion.
ABS-CBN is also a major sponsor of prize awards to top performing individuals and teams.
FilOil Flying V Sports, headed by Raffy Villavicencio, has allowed the use of the facilities of the FilOil Flying V Arena at San Juan City as the official home of the Champions League sweet 16 finals.
Sonia Trading has been supplying Molten balls, the official balls used in all Champions League games during the past four years. Through the generous support of Sonia Trading president Kay Sham and managing director Anil Buxani, Molten balls and other athletic items have been awarded to winning schools for their sports program.
The Philippine STAR president Miguel Belmonte has been a long-time supporter of the Champions League games which enabled the annual search for the best teams to be prominently covered by print media.
To all our partners, thank you so much for your continuing support.
Visit www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net for more details and pictures of the 2011 champions League National Collegiate championship.
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