UAAP takes a break during Papal visit

MANILA, Philippines - There will be a break in action in the UAAP Season 77 juniors basketball and men’s and women’s volleyball during the Jan. 15-19 visit of Pope Francis in the Philippines.

According to secretary-treasurer Rod Roque, the league will clear its schedule for the duration of the five-day Papal visit.

The UAAP has, in fact, revised its slate for juniors hoops, setting no games in the weekend of the Papal activities.

Second-round hostilities for the high school division will begin on Jan. 7 at the Blue Eagle gym pitting FEU versus UE, NU versus UST, De La Salle-Zobel against UPIS, and unbeaten Ateneo against Adamson.

Games will continue on Jan. 10 and Jan. 14 before taking a break for one week. The next playdate will be on Jan. 21 yet, featuring UE vs DLSZ, FEU vs AdU, NU vs UPIS, and UST vs AdMU.

As for volleyball, men’s and women’s first round will resume on Jan. 4 playing their usual Wednesday-Saturday-Sunday schedule until Jan. 11 with a quadruple bill highlighted by the anticipated encounter between rivals Ateneo Lady Eagles and La Salle Lady Spikers.

The second-round schedule of volleyball, the second semester’s main attraction, is yet to be formulated but like juniors basketball, it will also give way to Pope Francis’ activities.

Malacañang has proclaimed Jan. 15, 16 and 19 “special non-working days” in line with the Pontiff’s visit.

Most of the UAAP member-universities are Catholic institutions and one of them, University of Santo Tomas, is actually hosting a meeting between the Pope and religious leaders and young people.