8 SPORTS LALARUIN SA NCAA SEASON 98

BUKOD sa basketball at volleyball, anim pang sports ang idaragdag ng National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sa calendar of events nito para sa nalalapit na Season 98.

Magbabalik ang kumpetisyon sa track and field at swimming simula ngayong taon, gayundin ang beach volleyball, chess, taekwondo, at ang popular na cheerleading competition.

Sa 97th season, tanging men’s basketball at women’s volleyball ang nilaro habang unti-unti at maingat na bumalik ang pinakamatandang media organization sa face-to-face competitions at muling pinayagan ang student fans na manood ng mga laro sa gitna ng patuloy na banta ng COVID-19.

Napanatili ng Letran ang titulo nito sa men’s basketball, habang nakumpleto ng St. Benilde ang season sweep sa pagkopo ng women’s volleyball championship.

“In Season 97, we only had two major games in basketball men’s senior and women’s volleyball. But in Season 98, we gradually add many events, and practically apat na yung ating mandatory events which is basketball (men’s and juniors), volleyball (men and womens), senior track and field, and swimming (men and womens),” sabi ni NCAA Mancom chairman Estefanio Boquiron ng host school Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Sinabi ni Boquiron na idinagdag din sa calendar of sports ang special event ng volleyball boys and girls, habang gaganapin din ang All-Star Games sa basketball at volleyball.

“Maski hindi lahat kasama, we added more than the previous season,” dagdag ng EAC official sa face-to-face session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSC) Forum sa ground floor ng Rizal Memorial Sports Complex nitong Martes.

Sinamahan nina Vice-chairman Paul Supan ng Jose Rizal University, immediate past chairman Dax Castellano ng St. Benilde, Letran’s Fr. Vic Calvo, at Arellano University’s Peter Cayco si Boquiron sa weekly sports program na itinataguyod ng San Miguel Corporation (SMC), Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, at ng Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Sa harap ng pagdami ng events, susunod pa rin ang liga sa safe and healthy protocols tulad ng pagsusuot ng face mask, paggamit ng alcohol at disinfection, at social distancing.

“Of course, we’re still cautious because of the problem that we have,” dagdag ni Boquiron.

Magbubukas ang bagong season sa Sabado sa Smart Araneta Coliseum sa pamamagitan ng doubleheader, tampok ang bakbakan ng host school at Arellano sa unang laro sa alas-3:30 ng hapon, at ang salpukan ng last year’s runner up Mapua at San Beda sa rematch ng kanilang Final Four pairing noong nakaraang taon.