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Japeth Aguilar is RP’s New Basketball Player Sensation

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:52:40 +0000

Japeth Paul C. Aguilar is a Filipino amateur basketball player which was born on January 25, 1985. He is currently playing for the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers in the division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States. He is the first Filipino-born basketball player ever to be recruited by a Division I program. Japeth is a son of former Philippine Basketball Association player named Peter Aguilar.

In college, before he went to the United States, he played for the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in 2004. However, his first season stint was cut short due to appendicitis.

Japeth bounced back from a disappointing first season on his sophomore year as he averaged 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per contest to help lead the Blue Eagles to an 11-5 finish in 2005. He got a high 55.4 percent shot from the field for the season and he was credited with multiple blocks in 12 of the Blue Eagles’ 16 games that included a career high of seven as well as two other contest with five or more.

On his junior year, Japeth transferred to Western Kentucky University, where he is currently seeing action with the Hilltoppers in the NCAA. He was able to post eight points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and two steals in just 32 minutes of action in 2 games, before being sidelined by injury.

Recently, Aguilar is a member of the Philippine National Team, the Powerade Team Pilipinas campaigning for the FIBA Asia as it, the team attempts to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

La Salle-Ateneo encounters again for Collegiate Championship crown

admin — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 19:19:41 +0000

The top two squads in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) could very well be the best teams in the country right now.

La Salle followed rival Ateneo in the 2008 Philippine Collegiate Championship finals after whooping a 62-61 comeback win over reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association champion San Beda in their semifinal match on Saturday at the arena in San Juan City.

JV Casio scored seven of his crucial 11 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Green Archers recover from a horrendous first half.

Casio, La Salle’s top guard playing for Toyota Otis in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), went scoreless but scored the pivotal basket off a Peejay Barua steal near midcourt with 6.6 seconds left in the clock.

This win gives La Salle a second chance of getting back at Ateneo, who swept them in the UAAP finals this year.

Ateneo will defend its PCC title against La Salle in the national basketball tournament finals on Monday, December 8, at 4 p.m. held at the Araneta Coliseum after the battle for third place featuring NCAA rivals San Beda and Letran at 2 p.m.

The Blue Eagles Grabs the 2008 UAAP Championship Crown

admin — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 08:08:51 +0000

Manila, Philippines – Ateneo survived a determined La Salle team to win 62-51 and clinch the men’s basketball championship of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines at the Araneta Coliseum. According to the fans, the game was very exciting and intensifying that would be considered one of the best games in league’s history. The game was very intense especially when the La Salle Green Archers scored 15 point lead in half-time of the game. But the Star Player shooting guard Chris Tiu, came to the rescue and led the way for the Blue Eagles with 16 points. This is the second time for Ateneo Blue Eagles since 2002 and fourth time in the UAAP Championship.

The games between the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers are amongst the most anticipated matches in every UAAP season. During the 1988 season, Ateneo was the defending champion and they faced La Salle in the Finals. A deep Ateneo lineup ended up winning the crown and triggered the start of their UAAP rivalry that remains as hot as ever. Recently, the rivalry has picked up once more as both Ateneo and La Salle have become frequent UAAP Final Four participants, even clashing in the UAAP Finals in 2001 (won by La Salle), 2002 (won by Ateneo), and 2008 (won by Ateneo). The UAAP is often guaranteed high TV ratings and high ticket sales when Ateneo and La Salle clash on the hardcourt.

The blue and white combinations are the team’s notable colors. The team logo “Eagle” symbolizes power which is also a reference to the “high-flying” basketball team which would “sweep the fields away” as a dominating force. All in all, Ateneo currently has 45 combined UAAP and NCAA basketball titles, which includes titles in juniors and women’s basketball. In men’s basketball, they have won 14 NCAA titles, and 4 UAAP titles, for a total of 18. In juniors’ basketball, the Ateneo Blue Eagles have 9 NCAA titles and 16 UAAP titles and 2 UAAP titles for Ateneo Lady Eagles.