UPSTART ADMIRALS TRY TO SINK CARDINALS ANEW FOR BBEAL CAGE CROWN

November 30, 2024 Community Billboard

The University of Baguio tries to get back at the Cordillera Career Development College when the Baguio Benguet
Educational Athletic League men’s basketball finals start November 30, even as old rivals UB and the University of the Cordilleras resume their rivalry in the women’s division. CCDC hopes to remain on top for the second straight
year in a repeat of its 2007 and 2008 campaigns when it won back-to-back titles.

The Admirals hope to win it all anew when most of its players from last year have already graduated. Will Kean Lee, Neil Ulep, Russel Tuazon among others have finished their five year stay at the Buyagan campus after missing out most of their playing years due to the Covid- 19 pandemic. “Wala na pong naiwan sa amin,” said Tuazon prior a
game in the Cong. Eric Go Yap where he and most of his former Admiral teammates are now seeing for the defending
champion La Trinidad.

Lee is the most accomplished of the three alums with his sting in the Metropolitan Professional Basketball League where he plays for the Abra Warriors. Lee is also back in the Yap Cup where he leads all players in average, an astonishing league high 36 points per game. Lee had back-to-back 40 points plus, a 48 against Mankayan and 43 versus another powerhouse, Tuba. The other Keane, Zachary Diaz, has won two best player of the game honors in the ongoing inter-municipality tournament backed by Rep. Yap.

But he has not donned the Admiral jersey this year as he is still deciding if he completes his varsity days in another school, reports say. “I still have to decide, maybe next year,” he said in the vernacular after winning his best player of the game last Nov. 19 when he and Lee combined for nearly 60 points to lead Trinidad past another contender, Itogon. CCDC last year made the biggest upset when it defeated perennial winner UB despite having two of the more
accomplished local coaches – Tony dela Cerna and Fernando Antonio.

Mentored by former Admiral Felix Manuel, CCDC upset UB in just two games when the latter, despite being the top seed, conceded hosting to the Buyagan squad. Dela Cerna, a former Cardinal, and Antonio, formerly a Tamaraw from the Far Eastern University, quit their jobs after the loss. UB is now mentored by former Cardinal Kevin Orduna.
Orduna eased past Willy Antonio’s Baguio College of Technology in the very shortened BBEAL season where they were bracketed with the Philippine MiIitary Academy, the Baguio Central University and the University of the Philippines – Baguio.

CCDC, meanwhile, eased past Saint Louis University in bracket A along with UC and the Benguet State University in
what could be yet the shortest BBEAL season and the first time that bracketing was used. The Lady Cardinals are
favorites to win their best of three finals, meanwhile, against perennial rival UC. Games are slated at CCDC on Nov. 30, UB as host on Dec. 1 and, if necessary, at UC gym for the rubber match on Dec. 2.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN