State-of-the-art laser show to highlight UAAP rites

For a change, the traditional songs and dances won’t be part of the opening ceremonies of the 67th UAAP season on Saturday.

Instead, an expensive state-of-the-art laser show will provide the thrill at the Araneta Coliseum, even better than the spectacular futuristic show La Salle put up when it last hosted the UAAP eight years ago.

Danny Jose, the school’s athletics director and member of the UAAP board of trustees, refused to say how much the Green Archers are spending for the elaborate opening show.

"That I would not divulge," he said.

But Jose assured everyone who attended yesterday’s press launch of the league’s coming season that it would be one for the books, and one that will definitely top previous opening ceremonies.

"We’re doing away with the traditional songs and dances. They will not be seen this year but a lot of art and lights," said Jose during the well-attended affair at the posh Dish bar and restaurant of ABS-CBN’s ELJ Bldg. in Quezon City.

Jose, a former member of the RP Davis Cup team, said the opening show will last only 25 minutes and will be preceded by a short parade of the athletes, the invocation and the reading of the oath of sportsmanship by eight different players.

Providing the action on Saturday will be the Adamson Falcons versus the UP Maroons in the first game at 2 p.m. and the FEU Tamaraws, the reigning champions, against the UE Warriors at 4 p.m.

Ateneo and La Salle, the league’s biggest draws, will see action Sunday along with Santo Tomas and National University.

Jose said security will be tight at the Big Dome and the Philsports Arena in Pasig where games are also lined up. This will help ensure that commotions on and off the court, before, during and after the games, involving players, officials and fans as well, will not go out of hand.

"Aside from the in-house security (of both venues), we have sought the help of the Quezon City Police Department which will assign six uniformed policemen to each game. They will be stationed in strategic positions," said Jose.

A nasty free-for-all erupted during a La Salle-Ateneo game during the closing stages of the 2003 season with close to a dozen uniformed policemen, some of them carrying long firearms, storming into the court.

A new commissioner, three new coaches, a fresh batch of promising talents, a new set of referees and a whole new challenge await Season 67 of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines basketball tournament when it unfolds on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Meanwhile, multi-titled high school coach Edmundo Badolato, the newly-appointed UAAP commissioner, said he sees no problem dividing his time with the league and the San Beda Red Clubs, whom he has steered to numerous NCAA titles.

"I’m excited over this new responsibility," Badolato said. "It’s going to be a busy year for me but don’t see that as a problem because the NCAA and UAAP games are scheduled on different days."

Both the UAAP, which is set every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and the NCAA, scheduled during Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, will be aired live on Studio 23, a UHL channel of television giant ABS-CBN.

Three new coaches will make their debut this season–Ateneo’s Sandy Arespacochaga, UE’s Dindo Pumaren and Santo Tomas’ Nel Parado. Arespacochaga replaced Joel Banal early this year while Pumaren and Parado took over from Boyzie Zamar and Aric del Rosario, respectively. — with report from Joey Villar