Champs League fetes Lions, Tams

MANILA, Philippines – The San Beda Red Lions and the Far Eastern U Tamaraws shared center stage as they headed the list of awardees toasted during the National Collegiate Championship awards rites at the ELJ Bldg. inside the ABS-CBN Complex in Quezon City yesterday.

Reynaldo Gamboa, the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) chairman, handed the prizes and trophies in the event dubbed “A Toast.”

Also given recognition were individuals and entities that contributed immensely to the continuing success of the annual search for the best collegiate teams nationwide.

“We are honoring San Beda College Red Lions and Far Eastern University Tamaraws as co–champions of the 2015 NCC games. For the first time during the past 13 editions of the games, we have two champions as an unexpected typhoon in late December cut short the competitions. By then classes were suspended and Christmas school break and holiday vacation have started,” said Gamboa.

“The two teams emerged at the top after a multi-level competition conducted in partnership with over 35 ‘mother leagues’ nationwide. The Red Lions are back-to-back NCC champions following their first title last year, while the Tamaraws earned their third title after winning in 2005 and 2004,” Gamboa also said.

Prize awards were also given to Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights, NCAA champion, and CESAFI champion, University of San Carlos Warriors, for sharing joint runner-up honors. Special mention was given to Letran Knights in recognition of the team’s display of resoluteness and courage in competing in the NCC games despite drastic changes in team composition. “It was a display of the “Arriba Letran” team spirit playing proudly as champion representing its mother league,” said Gamboa.

Provincial teams that had breakthrough performances during the competitions were also recognized. These included Lyceum Northwestern University Dukes, North-Central Luzon Regional champion, Olivarez College, South Luzon-Bicol Regional champion, and Technological Institute of the Philippines, NCR Elite Eight qualifier.

Handed Appreciation Awards were PCCL technical director Romy Guevarra, FEU athletic director Mark Molina, JRU’s Efren Jose Supan and Dr. Saturnino Belen, president of First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH).