La Salle leads UAAP season 76 general championship race

JERON Teng (right) AUGUST DELA CRUZ / INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Getting a huge boost from the success of its men’s and women’s basketball teams, La Salle got a head start in the general championship race of the UAAP season 76 at the close of the first semester of events.

The Green Archers, who last year snapped University of Santo Tomas’ long time reign as overall champions, has garnered 162 points so far — still ahead of the Tigers, who has tallied 146 points.

Apart from its dominance in the hoops division, La Salle also collected championships in the men’s table tennis, taekwondo, and women’s judo for a strong repeat bid.

The Taft-based squad also finished second in women’s badminton, table tennis and men’s swimming while landing third in women’s taekwondo, swimming and men’s judo.

“We are happy and pleased with the performances of our student-athletes in the men’s and women’s divisions,” said La Salle representative to the UAAP board Henry Atayde in a statement.

A championship is worth 15 points; second place, 12 points; third, 10 points; fourth, 8 points; fifth, 6 points; sixth, 4 points; seventh, 2 points; and eighth, 1 point.

Aside from the runner-up finish of the Tigers in basketball, UST also reigned in women’s taekwondo and poomsae and bagged second in men’s and women’s beach volleyball and men’s taekwondo.

The Tigers, who once held the overall trophy for 14 straight years, bagged third place in women’s basketball and table tennis and men’s badminton.

In third, meanwhile,  was University of the Philippines with 133, bolstered by its sweep of the men’s and women’s swimming meets, a title in women’s table tennis, second place in women’s taekwondo, poomsae and men’s judo and third in women’s badminton and men’s taekwondo.

Ateneo took the fourth spot with 125 points, followed by Far Eastern University (78), National University (74), University of the East (68) and season host Adamson University (51).

Some sports in the second semester resume earlier than others like the anticipated volleyball and football tournaments, while others kick off in January like baseball.