UP turns 100: Aboy’s invited, but where’s Soc Rivera?
2,029 Views | 13 Comments
THE University of the Philippines is turning 100 this year. So what does it get for a birthday present?
Attention, attention, attention – gift wrapped and all. It’s not as if the State University doesn’t deserve it. A hundred years of tradition and academic excellence will obviously put the school center stage, and be the subject of numerous talking points throughout 2008.
One of those talking points, fortunately or not, is the university’s basketball team. Entering a season with a winless record the preceding campaign isn’t the most ideal thing in the world. But that’s precisely the predicament confronting the Fighting Maroons. Key for UP this year is the impact of two individuals: Socrates Rivera and Aboy Castro.
So, where is Rivera anyway? I managed to speak to the former UAAP Juniors Mythical Five member a few days ago to shed light on this question, among other things.
Rivera confirmed that he isn’t currently with nor practicing with the Maroons. “Pagkatapos nung Season 70, sinabihan ako nung nag-aalaga sa akin mula bata pa ako na lumipat sa Adamson. Second sem yun. Sinunod ko siya, may utang na loob ako sa kanya dahil tinulungan niya ako [sa buhay]� (After Season 70, the person who took care of me since childhood asked me to transfer to Adamson. That was during the second semester. I followed her cause I owe her so much for helping me in life).
This potential move to San Marcelino triggered the current problem. “Hindi ako natuloy sa paglipat, nagkaroon ng problema. Naka-enrol ako sa UP noon, pero dahil sa [tangkang] paglipat, hindi na ako nakapasok sa [lahat ng] klase ko. Aasikasuhin ko grades ko sa UP. Kung maayos, gusto ko pa rin maglaro sa UP. UP is UP. Kahit umupo ako ng one year ok lang dahil hindi ako nakaka-practice at may maaagawan ako ng puwesto. Kung hindi maayos, honorable dismissal na langâ€? (I wasn’t able to transfer, a problem came up. I was enrolled in UP that time, but cause of my attempted transfer, I failed to attend all my classes. I’ll try to fix my problem in UP. If fixed, I’d still like to play for UP. UP is UP. It’s ok with me to sit out one year because I haven’t been practicing with the team, and someone will lose his slot as a result. If not, I’ll just seek an honorable dismissal).
The Lubao, Pampanga native also said he’s being recruited by the University of Santo Tomas. He said one of his teammates in UP (as well as in FEU-FERN) last year, point guard Dexter Rosales, is already with the Tigers. “Gusto ng UST package deal kami ni Dexter pero ayaw ko maglaro doon� (UST wants me and Dexter like some kind of a package deal. But I don’t want to play there).
Rivera, who averaged 5.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in 15 minutes per game last year for State U, also said he initially lost his desire to play after ex-head coach Joe Lipa’s dismissal. However, he has nothing against Castro, Lipa’s successor. “Magkasama kami ni coach Aboy sa FEU, nasa college [coaching staff] siya nung high school ako. Nag-uusap din kami [tungkol sa sitwasyon ngayon]� (Coach Aboy and I were together when I was in high school at FEU since he was part of the senior team’s coaching staff. We also talk about the situation right now).
A few days later, Castro and I talked about Rivera and his outlook for 2008. “Yes, Soc isn’t with us. But the issue isn’t whether or not we’ll play him this year. He has to take care of his academics. UAAP rules state that a player, in order to be eligible, has to pass at least 12 units [worth of subjects] the previous semester. I don’t think that’s the case, so we’re not expecting him this season.�
Despite Rivera’s situation, however, Castro remains resolute. “Our goal this year is to be competitive. The boys are used to being blown out and we wanna change that attitude. I’ve changed a lot of things [like] tactics and plays. We press and trap a lot now.�
The alumni, according to him, have been very encouraging and supportive. His squad just finished the first of two team-building sessions, and is being managed collectively by the school’s alumni association – a first in UP history. “We’re doing a lot of things that the boys say they’ve never done before.�
Save for Rivera, Rosales, Vic Epres and Veejay Serios, the team remains intact. Expected to carry the cudgels for UP are shooters Migs de Asis and Martin Reyes, sophomore point guard Mike Gamboa, Woody Co and much-improved big man Magi Sison. Athletic swingman Mark Lopez will also return to the squad after being named an alternate on the Nokia RP Youth team. On the recruiting front, Castro said he’s close to securing the services of two homegrown players, but refused to divulge their names.
Rivera’s loss will be huge, and, as far as basketball is concerned, the best UP can hope for is that he fixes his problem and sits out this year. Anything less will serve as a blow to UP’s image as an up-and-coming basketball program.
Attention is image, and image is attention. UP will attract a lot of that this year. Whether or not the school’s centennial will affect the Maroons’ performance is still a question mark. If we’re to take Castro’s word for it though, 100 years won’t add any pressure on his team. “By the time we celebrate our bi-centennial, I’m sure I won’t be there anymore.�
If Castro and his wards can carry this pressure-free attitude into the UAAP season, UP’s 100th birthday just might be a little more special.
Tags: Aboy-Castro, Adamson, Arellano Chiefs, Postgame, soc-rivera, University-of-Sto.-Tomas-Growling-Tigers, UP, UP-CentennialRelated posts
(2 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
Loading ...
Grab the RSS
WordPress
Emperor Vegito
--1
Friday, 9 May 2008 at 3:54 pm
ViVa Santo Tomas on Season 71!!!
Big suggestion: In the coming year 2011, that’s the Season 74 of the UAAP, the De La Salle University will celebrate it’s centennial anniversary (founded in 1911) while the University of Santo Tomas will have it’s Quadricentennial Celebration (est. 1611). what if these two giant universities will joint forces in that year to host the 74th UAAP Season in 2011? great idea right? still have 3 years for these two giant schools to talk about these said event and it will be great if these catholic institutions will combine to host that season… di malabong mangyari to! :D
as of now, they must focus first in their own business but they can start the negotiation as early as now. :D
Peace!!! VivA Santo Tomas!!! Go USTe!!!
ungas
+0
Friday, 9 May 2008 at 10:34 pm
ambisyosong palaka!
tygerstripes
+0
Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 10:34 am
Emperor Vegito, UST was founded in 1611 and not 1911, please edit your comment thank you
Ngek
+0
Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 8:37 pm
tygerstripes ikaw ata yung mali eh. basahin mo nalang ulet.
Richard
+0
Monday, 12 May 2008 at 2:51 pm
hahahaha, oo nga, ako mali, my bad. sorry
Patrick
+0
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 at 2:15 pm
Just reading~~~
Marck Aguilar
+0
Friday, 16 May 2008 at 9:56 pm
I belive that UAAP schools must follow the rotation of Hosting… Nagkataon lang kasi na Centennial years ng mga iba’t ibang UAAP schools kaya nag-swa-swap siya ng mga hosting years… Let’s see. Who knows the UAAP Board could open this idea of a 2-school hosting for one season… Pero the idea was a great suggestion.. Personally, mas maganda kung UST ang magiging host ng 2011 Season ng UAAP pero since nauna na sila last year (2007 Season), give way for other UAAP schools diba?! Comment Lang.
Christian Soler
+0
Friday, 16 May 2008 at 10:27 pm
What’s more important is the performance of the host school, not who the host school is. Hosting has become quite a big thing in this country, so it goes without saying that UP will feel the pressure, even just a little bit, this year.
Cha
+0
Monday, 26 May 2008 at 2:46 am
Soc is academically ineligible for the upcoming season
see, this is what happens with the hullabaloo of basketball. let’s give the scholarships to those academically eligible and likes to play. student athlete nga eh. not the other way around.
sayang naman ang taxpayers money- let’s give the scholarships to those poor but truly deserving of UP education. c’mon, 400 n nga tayo sa world rankings- UP along with Ateneo n DLsu, lower pa UST. its alarming
Christian Soler
+0
Tuesday, 27 May 2008 at 1:08 am
You’ve got a point Cha. But I guess we also have to balance your take with the fact that some students are better basketball players than students. The answer? Schools have to invest more time in ensuring that student-athletes balance both schoolwork and athletics. For one, professors have to make sure that student-athletes attend class and not cut.
I teach at the college level in one of the UAAP member-schools, and we see to it that our student-athletes attend class. We enforce rules on absences/cuts and do not give them any special or preferential treatment.
Cha
+0
Wednesday, 28 May 2008 at 8:21 am
Christian Soler,
yes i agree with what you said, i came from a small school and played college basketball too and that has remained the rule. its been good. for those who can keep with the rigors, they get to graduate and get good jobs. for those who don’t they get the axe. for me, i’m taking my MA abroad right now. i’ve learned a lot while playing sports- the bigger battle is life and you just applied what you learned in sports. although we weren’t on athletic scholarships, we had to pay and play the sport we love. the very few were academic scholars who did well in sports too. pero school comes first. it means when a student accepts the scholarship- he takes the responsibility to juggle school with athletics. one comes in because of the education that he will receive- in the form of the scholarship.
i believe that wala namang bobo, its a matter of priority. if you feel that you need help, the lecturers and classmates are there to help explain things further. dedication and hard work pays off- isn’t that what sports teaches us? then it should be the case off court as well. i believe that college life experience is not just about school, sports, but it forms our way of thinking, beliefs and it becomes a habit ’til we get old.
when you enjoy learning and strive hard for it, the world becomes a bigger place.
ronnie casas sagun
+0
Wednesday, 2 July 2008 at 2:35 pm
go CUSA wlang kwenta namn yang uaap??wahahahahaha
James Ty III
+0
Friday, 4 July 2008 at 3:27 pm
I heard some rumors that Soc Rivera was planning to transfer to Adamson. In my opinion, Rivera was one of the mistakes UAAP made in its recruitment program. I remember when Mark Molina was a guest in a TV show on Solar Sports, he mentioned how Rivera’s transfer created a major controversy.
Now, Rivera is not playing this year. Where could he be going next is a question begging for an answer.