A perpetual trophy to inspire

For reaching the highest goal in this year’s collegiate basketball season, the eventual winner of the 2008 Philippine Collegiate Championship games can look forward to having its feat immortalized in a prized trophy named after a leading sports patron.

The Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) Perpetual Trophy, named after the sports-loving boss of PLDT and Smart, is an imposing bronze trophy sculpted by the renowned Juan Sajid Imao, and inspired by the theme Abutin ang Tagumpay (Reaching for Success) showing several hands reaching high for a basketball.

Such a motivating theme is parallel to the objectives of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) of encouraging collegiate basketball teams and players to set and aim for loftier goals, bigger feats and success instead of focusing their efforts within their mother leagues only. 

Inspired by several prestigious basketball and golf tournaments in the US, the MVP perpetual trophy will be kept by the PCCL champion team during its reign and have its team name etched on it. The team will also receive a replica.

The right to keep the original trophy for a year goes up for grabs anew in the next season.

Looking beyond mother leagues

Again allow me to reiterate that being the champion of UAAP, NCAA or other collegiate basketball league is quite a feat in itself and the winning team deserves praise and commendation for its feat. 

Through the Philippine Collegiate Championship games, however, the level of achievement is set higher by challenging the different leagues champions to test their skills against teams from other regions and leagues.

The champion team that emerges after this competitive process deserves to have an enduring place in collegiate basketball history through the Manuel V. Pangilinan Perpetual Trophy.

A gift to the sports patron

Friends, colleagues and supporters of Pangilinan hatched the idea of presenting him a symbolic gift in recognition of his immense love and support for Philippine sports. 

And because he is such a big basketball fan, they thought of creating the MVP Perpetual Trophy for the PCCL champion. They made it clear, however, that the trophy is not only in recognition of his support for basketball, but for his overwhelming support to Philippine sports as well. 

In addition, MVP is a moving force behind the success of the Ateneo Blue Eagles (2008 UAAP champion) San Beda Red Lions (2008 NCAA champion) and Talk n’ Text in the PBA.

Nothing less than a top sculptor

The MVP Perpetual Trophy sculptor Sajid Imao, son of national artist Abdulamri Imao, is also behind bigger masterpieces such as the imposing Lapu Lapu monument at the Rizal Park in Manila and Gallery of Presidents in the walled city of Intramuros.

In his field of endeavor, Imao also aimed higher and did not allow limitations to be in the way of turning opportunities to bigger accomplishments. Imao has deteriorating eyesight due to a retinal problem, but that did not deter him from being one of the country’s foremost and internationally acclaimed sculptors.

Imao is the recipient of numerous local awards and recognitions, including the 2007 Metrobank Prize for Achievement in Sculpture (MPAS), which is awarded to sculptors who have created a unique and extensive body of work, and achieved considerable renown. A year earlier, Imao was also chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World.

The work of a masterful artist, the Manuel V. Pangilinan Trophy, will definitely be an inspiring beacon as collegiate teams nationwide aspire for higher goals.

A champion emerges

The Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL), now on its sixth year, is the only tournament that brings together the best collegiate basketball teams around the country. For this year’s multi-level competition, 212 teams participated in the journey towards the national championship.

The search for the 2008 Philippine Collegiate Champion ends today. After almost six months of college basketball competitions that started with the “mother league” games, followed by the regional championships, then the zonal championships and culminating in the “Sweet 16” final challenge, two teams emerged to contest the highest goal – the national collegiate championship, and with it, the privilege of representing the country in the 2009 Universiade Games.

The Group winners after the tough “Sweet 16” knock-out games are the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 2008 UAAP champion, and De La Sale Green Archers, 2008 UAAP runner-up. They will square off at 4 p.m. today at the Araneta Coliseum, and the winner will have its name engraved as the first entry in the Manuel V. Pangilinan perpetual trophy.

The school represented by the champion team will received P500,000 worth of scholarship grant from FilOil Flying V and the team members will divide among themselves prizes worth P400,000 courtesy of SBP President Pangilinan. The runner-up will receive scholarship grant and prizes amounting to P400,000, also from FilOil Flying V and the SBP President.

San Beda Red Lions, 2008 NCAA champion and the Letran Knights will dispute the third and fourth places with P200,000 and P100,000 worth of scholarship grant and prizes at stake.

Other special awards to be given today after the championship game are the Most Valuable Player, the five members of the Mythical Team, the Best Coach and the Best Performing Referee.

For more details about the biggest collegiate basketball event for the year presented by SMART, PLDT, FilOil Flying V and KFC, visit the official website, www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net and www.gameface.ph, internet media partner of PCCL.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.