Curtains rise on 79th ‘NC’ season

The 79th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) begins today with elaborate rites, momentarily pushing to the background the issue of the drug threats in collegiate basketball and putting into focus the three-peat bid of the reigning champion at the Araneta Coliseum.

Leaning on the core of the talented squad that triumphed last year, the San Sebastian Stags start their campaign for a three-peat as they take on a tough challenger in Jose Rizal University at 4 p.m.

Ushering in the brand-new season will be a fiesta-like festivities in the opening ceremonies highlighted by the traditional parade of colors and spirited numbers to be rendered by the NCAA Cheer Dancers, Himig Sebastino and singer/actress Roselle Nava.

The theme this year "NCAA at 79: A Family Through Time."

After the 1 p.m. inaugurals, action starts at 2 p.m. with last year’s runner-up College of St. Benilde testing the mettle of University of Perpetual Help of Rizal to be followed by the San Sebastian-Jose Rizal match. Both games and the opening will be aired live on Studio 23.

Also on tap are games between San Beda College and Philippine Christian University at 6 p.m. and Mapua Institute of Technology against Letran College at 8 p.m.

But the spotlight will surely be on the Stags with Fil-Am Clark Moore, Leomar Najorda, Nicole Uy, Michael Gonzales, Red Vicente and Chris Baluyot carrying the cudgels for the teams following the graduation of their mainstays.

"Of course, mami-miss namin yung mga beterano," said SSC coach Arturo Valenzona. "Pero marami pa namang natira kaya malaki pa rin ang pag-asa naming maka-tatlo."

Other teams to watch are Letran, Mapua, UPHR and St. Benilde, all capable of giving Stags, who claimed a five-peat from 1993 to 1997, a run for their money.

The Knights, for one, are enjoying a high level of confidence and maturity with a squad boasting of talents and inside game.

"Last year, we’re just waiting for the opposing team to commit errors," said coach Louie Alas, who steered Letran to the 1998 title before coaching in the defunct MBA and later in the PBA. "This year may maturity na kaya expect us to be tougher."

Alas is pinning his hopes on the prolific tandem of Ronjay Enrile and Jonathan Aldave and rookie Jonathan Pinera, a 6-foot-5 find from Catanduanes.

The Cardinals, for their part, will be banking on the return of its starting guard Jeff Martin, while Tonichi Yturri, formerly of the Cebu Gems in the MBA, takes over as coach of the Blazers.

Yturri, a member of the grand slam San Miguel champion team in 1989 under Norman Black, took over the coaching reins from Dong Vergaire early this year.

UPHR, with practically the same lineup from last year’s cast, is another force to reckon with, having won the Ambrosio Padilla Cup early this month.

"Marami nagsasabi malakas daw team naming ngayon," said UPHR mentor Bay Cristobal. "Sa tingin ko patas lang ang labanan this year although medyo angat na nga ang San Sebastian dahil puro beterano sila."