After holding a limited number of events last season, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is set to bring back a full athletic calendar for Season 85.
The upcoming season will feature 60 events across 21 sports, the league’s first full edition since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Events slated for the first semester include basketball, cheerdance, chess, badminton, table tennis, beach volleyball, swimming, athletics, judo and taekwondo.
Meanwhile, the second semester will see the return to action of volleyball, football, softball, baseball, 3×3 basketball, fencing, tennis and street dance.
‘100% FIBA-compliant’
With college hoops back in action, Season 85 basketball commissioner Richard Bachman reaffirmed UAAP’s full compliance with the latest rule changes by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport’s highest governing body.
One of the new guidelines in the 2022 rulebook is the coaches’ challenge system, a policy that the league will be implementing for both divisions this season.
“Basically, it’s part of the new FIBA rules and the UAAP is 100 percent compliant to the FIBA rules so we added the challenge,” Bachmann explained.
With this system in place, head coaches will each have one challenge for the entire match, regardless if their first attempt is successful or not.
The league’s tacticians welcomed the decision to adopt the challenge system, as they believe it will contribute to the “betterment of the game.”
“Given the privilege to have one, it’s gonna be interesting how it’s gonna be used by the head coaches, whether you win the challenge or not, you’re just given one,” UP Men’s Basketball Team assistant coach Potit de Vera said.
Prioritizing health and safety
UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag maintains their continuous observance of health protocols, especially in the process of transitioning to a “better normal.”
The league will still conduct COVID-19 testing for team members, as well as the restriction of close interactions between team members and fans still in place.
“The UAAP has always raised the bar in a sense while maintaining public health standards. But to be honest, the president last season was really focused on zero incidents of COVID. So right now, we have more confidence, we understand the virus better,” asserted Saguisag.
Official game venues for the basketball tournaments include the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay, Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philsports Arena in Pasig and Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Live spectators are set to be admitted at full capacity, as the league earlier announced.
Games will also be televised by Cignal TV and Smart every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. This practice was halted last season due to health restrictions.
Season 85 officially kicks off on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the MOA Arena, with the women’s teams of the University of the Philippines and De La Salle University squaring off at 10 a.m., and the men’s squads taking center stage at 4 p.m.
