Andre Paras in his UP debut against San Beda, where his dad is an assistant coach. (George Calvelo/NPPA Images)

In 1986, a towering rookie from San Beda High led the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons to their first and only UAAP men’s basketball title. Now, 27 years later, his son, a high school standout from La Salle Greenhills, hopes to win for UP its second crown.

Andre Paras decided to follow his father Benjie’s footsteps by joining the Maroons despite offers from other top college teams. “I tried out with other schools but felt most welcome and at home in UP,” said the 17-year old Paras who claimed that his decision was not influenced by his parents, who are both UP graduates. He previously joined the training sessions of La Salle, Ateneo and San Beda.

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But a key factor in this decision was Andre’s wish to take up film studies, which UP is undeniably the best in teaching. “I see my dad acting and it somehow got me interested in this field. I’ve also done some TV commercials. Someday, I’d like to be a director or even be in front of the

Chris Newsome wowed the crowd with his high-flying moves (Photo by George P. Calvelo/NPPA Images))

It’s no surprise that Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and Kiefer Ravena played a superb game for their respective squads in the opening of the 2013 FilOil Flying V Premiere Cup at the San Juan Arena yesterday. It’s just another day in the office for these two.

But there are some remarkable performances from the opening day games, mostly coming from new faces in college basketball, which should make 2013 an even more exciting season.

1. National U’s Alfred Aroga

The Bulldogs hardly missed Cameroonian workhorse Emmanuel Mbe as new recruit Alfred Aroga shone in a featured match-up against San Beda’s bull strong center Olaide Adeogun. The 6’7” Aroga was instrumental in NU’s amazing come-from-behind win over the Red Lions in overtime, 73-71, as he collected 16 points, 12 rebounds and 1 block in 28 minutes of play. He even scored over Adeogun in a one-on-one fast-break action with a crossover move and reverse lay-up. Adeogun finished with 14 markers and 10 boards. With Aroga, the Bulldogs have

The UAAP Board hastily passed an amendment to the Soc Rivera rule. (NPPA Images)

(Read Part 1 here)

When word came out that the UAAP Policy Board approved a recommendation to amend the infamous “Soc Rivera” rule, extending the residency period for UAAP high school players transferring to another member school for college from one year to two years, it sent shock waves across the college basketball world in the country.

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For high school players, having to sit out one year of their college basketball stint must feel like a dog being restrained from grabbing a bone that’s just inches away. And now the league requires them to sit out two years if they move to another UAAP team. What’s worse is that even if the player is released by his mother team unconditionally, he won’t escape the two-year residency requirement, unlike before.

A UAAP official also said that the rule is final and it will take effect immediately. This has raised speculations that the sudden change in the rule was hastened to prevent FEU junior

Solid recruitment has laid the foundation for Ateneo's five-peat. (NPPA Images)

Recruitment is everything in college basketball. It’s true all over the globe. Very rarely will you see a poor recruiting team finishing on top at the end of the season. This is why Ateneo has ruled the UAAP in the last five years, and San Beda has dominated the NCAA in six of the last seven seasons. If not for the 2009 defeat to San Sebastian, the Red Lions would have already set a league record seven straight titles by 2012. But the Golden Stags entered 2009 with new recruits Calvin Abueva, Ian Sanggalang and Ronald Pascual, a trio that instantly wreaked havoc across the league in their rookie season to help Baste spoil San Beda’s four-peat aspirations. So again, recruitment did the trick.

This is the reality in modern day college ball.

Almost two decades ago, a film called “Blue Chips” was made to tell the story about college recruitment in basketball in the United States. It starred no less than award-winning actor Nick Nolte, who portrayed a desperate NCAA Division 1 coach named

San Beda celebrates its fourth straight Fr. Martin Cup Collegiate Open title (photo by Ozzy Lavina)San Beda stepped on the gas in the second period and never slowed down since then to hack out an emphatic 64-36 triumph at the expense of the College of St. Benilde for its fourth Fr. Martin Cup Collegiate Open championship in a row yesterday at the Trinity University of Asia gym.

From a tight 9-7 edge at the end of the first quarter, the Red Lions went to their vaunted running game and pressure defense to slowly pull away in the second canto. By halftime, the Bedans were up 26-14.

In the third period, San Beda continued to apply the pressure, forcing the Blazers to commit three consecutive turnovers. The Lions entered the payoff period with a 44-23 advantage and still finished the game strong behind the heads up plays of sensational guard Baser Amer, Arthur Dela Cruz, Ryusei Koga and Rome Dela Rosa. It was then cruise control for the Red Lions in the last seven minutes of play, with the Blazers struggling to solve the unforgiving San Beda defense.

Baser Amer scores with a running jumper in the third quarter (photo by Ozzy Lavina)

With the game already clearly won by

Benjie is joined by San Beda alumni in Moreno Valley, CA including former teammates Macky De Joya and Herbert Wenceslao

During the San Beda Red Lions’ post game huddle yesterday following their semis victory over the Arellano Chiefs in the Fr. Martin Cup tournament at the Trinity University of Asia gym, a queue of Trinity students, mostly female, formed next to where the team was. I thought they wanted a photo with some of the more popular players in the team, like Baser Amer, Rome Dela Rosa, Ola Adeogun or the semi-showbiz Semerad twins Anthony and David. But about 80% of these co-eds wanted none of them. Instead, they waited in line for a photo shoot with the PBA great that retired 10 years ago, Benjie Paras.

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Now in his second year as assistant coach of the Red Lions, the former two-time PBA MVP is just as well loved now as he was in his professional playing days. Of course, when he retired in 2003, he immediately jumped to show business where he became an instant hit as a comedian. Since then, the PBA’s only rookie MVP to date has appeared in several

NCAA teams San Beda Red Lions and St. Benilde Blazers booked a finals encounter in the 9th Fr. Martin Cup Collegiate Open tournament after contrasting wins in the semis against fellow NCAA members Arellano University and Letran College on Saturday at the Trinity University of Asia gym. The Red Lions, who are seeking a fourth straight FMC Open title, used a solid running game to pull away in the third quarter and score a convincing 75-65 victory over the Chiefs. But the Blazers needed the end-game heroics of veteran point guard Luis Sinco to survive the Knights, 63-61.

Rome Dela Rosa, Ola Adeogun and Baser Amer combined for 36 markers for the Red Lions, while Arellano was led by John Pinto’s 19 points. The Chiefs missed the services of main man James Forrester as well as head coach Koy Banal, who had to join the San Mig Coffee Mixers in a PBA out-of-town game in Naga City. The Arellano Chiefs are thought by many to be the biggest threat to San Beda’s four-peat quest in the NCAA this

The “new look” Barako Bull Energy Cola finds itself in an unfamiliar situation in the current PBA Commissioner’s Cup, sharing the top spot with the Alaska Aces with a 2-0 win-loss card. Last conference, it only managed ninth place. Formerly tagged as the “manong” brigade team, having the most number of aging veterans in the PBA, Barako made a major facelift last year, trading long-time PBA household names like Willie Miller, Don-don Hontiveros and Dorian Pena to inject more young blood. Moreover, the team got Serbian coach Rajko Toroman as consultant, sharing the coaching chores with Bong Ramos.

Barako got off with a bullish start this conference, upending the San Mig Coffee Mixers, 79-75, last February 8, and Globalport Batang Pier, 98-88, two days later. Credit this strong start to a “starless” system, infused by Toroman, which thrives on team play and good ball movement. But also, it’s evident that the team is now a lot quicker with spitfire guards Jonas Villanueva and Josh