Girls’ at boys’ basketball sa UAAP

MANILA, Philippines — Sa unang pagkakataon sa kasaysayan ng UAAP ay ida­raos ang girls’ at boys’ basketball tournament bilang demonstration sport.

Posibleng simulan ang nasabing torneo alinman sa Oktubre 26 o 27, ayon sa event sub-host Na­tional University.

“It’s long overdue for the UAAP to have a basketball tournament for the girls,” pahayag ni UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag, sinimulan ang kanyang professional venture sa basketball bilang head coach ng Assumption High School bas­ketball team.

Lalahok sa nasabing four-team meet ang Ate­neo de Manila University, De La Salle-Zobel, University of Santo Tomas at Adamson University.

Umaasa ang UAAP na payayabungin ng mga member schools ang kanilang girls basketball program para magtuluy-tuloy ang student-athletes’ tran­sition mula sa juniors hanggang sa collegiate level.

“This is very important for the development of our women’s players. Schools want to recruit girls out of high school who are already fundamentally sound,” wika ni Erika Dy, ang kinatawan ng Ate­neo sa UP Board at naging coach ng Ateneo Lady Eagles noong 2013-2015.

“Without a girls’ division, there is not much interest from young dreamers to begin with at that le­vel,” dagdag pa nito.