UP pep squad seeks UAAP cheerdance 'three-peat'

MANILA, Philippines - The unsettled business in the tightly fought men’s basketball tournament takes a momentary respite as the member-schools’ respective pep squads get the floor to settle who’s the best of ’em in terms of executing breathtaking stunts, pyramids, and tumblings today in the UAAP Season 75 Cheerdance Competition (CDC) at the MOA Arena today.

The University of the Philippines Pep Squad guns for a “three-peat” in this one-day competition that originally began as a side event but has since evolved into a highly anticipated clash among the UAAP member-schools.

“Every year, our main objective is to go stunts up,” UP mentor NJ Antonio said in an interview on ABS-CBN's UAAP website uaapsports.tv.

UP Pep Squad, which sported blonde ‘dos while showcasing a mix of artistry and athleticism in ruling the roost last year, aims to hike its overall collection to eight since 1994, hoping to catch University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe as the winningest team.

For the 2012 competitions that fires off at 2 p.m., UP Pep Squad has prepared a routine centering on the theme “freedom.”

“Free from fear, free from anything that will hinder us from doing the routine,” Antonio told uaapsports.tv, guaranteeing a totally fresh number.

“We plan to elevate the difficulty level and the number of people being lifted. All the stunts and pyramids are fresh compared to last year’s performance. Everything is different,” he said.

Expected to crowd the Diliman-based cheerdancers are La Salle Animo Squad, which came away with a surprise runner-up finish last year, and Far Eastern University Cheering Squad, the 2009 champs emboldened by their silver medal in the National Cheerdance Championship last March.

“I think we can still go for the top three, although we’re not expecting anything this year because we’re a young team. But we promise to give our biggest effort and to show our best performance. We are going to give a performance worth watching,” La Salle Animo Squad captain Natasha Mendoza told uaapsports.tv.

“Our goal is to be on top. Nothing is impossible,” FEU’s coach Jacqueline Alolor told the website, promising “a strong, fierce and powerful routine that will make the Tamaraw community proud.”

Looking to gatecrash the party are the UST SDT, which missed a podium finish for the first time since 1998 after placing fourth last year, Adamson Pep Squad, National University Cheering Squadron, Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion and University of the East Pep Squad.

The CDC takes place a day before the FEU Tamaraws (9-4) and the NU Bulldogs (8-5) cap hostilities in the cage elims in a “replay” that would affect the semis bids of four teams. A win by FEU will set a rubber match for No. 2 with the Tigers at the same time installing the Archers at No. 3 and eliminating the Bulldogs. A victory by NU will give the Bulldogs the No. 3 berth, handing the Tigers the No. 2 and leaving FEU and DLSU to a playoff for the fourth and last semis berth.