Blue Eagles seek title repeat in UniGames

MANILA, Philippines - Recently crowned UAAP varsity champions Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles lead the cast in the men’s basketball event of the 2009 UniGames, and will be gunning for similar back to back crown after winning the same event last year in Dumaguete.

Aside from Ateneo de Manila, there are 23 other teams in basketball, including UP, FEU, St. Benilde, RTU, Visayas powerhouse team West Negros University, Davao’s Holy Cross College, and Mindanao’s Xavier University among others in this year’s 14th edition of the event that has HiSmart Multivitamins, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and Philippine Chariy Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) as major sponsors.

Volleyball has drawn a record 42 teams in the men’s and women’s competitions while beach volleyball attracted 25 teams, another record number. The other events in this annual one week collegiate sports competition, also sponsored by Milo Adult 3 in 1, Gatorade Thirst Quencher, David’s Salon, Mang Inasal, and the city and provincial governments of Iloilo, are athletics, badminton, chess, football, tennis, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, and debuting softball.

Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas, City Mayor Jerry Trenas, Teodoro Robles, president of host school Central Philippines University (CPU), are the special guests at the opening ceremonies set this Saturday at the CPU covered gymnasium.

A total of 304 teams for all events are entered in this year’s staging of the UniGames with defending overall champion RTU fielding the biggest delegation with 171 athletes in 10 events.

“Metro Manila alone is represented by 16 schools, Visayas has a total of 15 aside from the six schools in Iloilo alone, Mindanao has nine colleges and universities, while Northern, Central, and Southern Luzon will be represented by five schools.