Racing Stripes: Fortune cookie

(Note: "Racing Stripes" is this space's UAAP column designed to have a slant, but not necessarily bias, towards that school in España. --Howard the Duck)

Pundits had said that the opening game of UAAP Season 72, the first program in high-definition in the country, would be a battle for fifth; the Falcons had been building up steadily but it'll take a minor miracle for them to reach the top four, and the Tigers don't have enough ceiling to contend.

Heck, who needs ceiling when you have guys like Chris Camus who'll block a ball at the apex, and refs calls it as a goal tend. And you though only ice hockey had goaltenders.

Then we have Khasim Mirza, with no more Jervy Cruz to consider passing the ball to the post, coach Pido must've taught him some old school tips and tricks during the summer, since UST will need all the points Mirza can muster.

And Clark Bautista, who has emerged as the reliable combo guard. Old reliable and former RP youth standout Dylan Ababou will now man the paint and it won't be easy.

But as a point guard, ball handling shouldn't be difficult, since you are the point guard -- the one distributing the points.

Something coach Pido should've spent time last summer on since apparently, Jeric Fortuna can't handle balls like an anorexic girl handles cookies in the cookie jar.

The game was full of excitement, turnovers here and there, and Fortuna would've almost won the game. For Adamson. Good thing that trey rattled in and out three-fourths of the day down.

That's how the cookie crumbles in the UAAP. A matter of inches is all the separates victory from defeat.

Chalk this up one for UST. Meanwhile, coach Pido will unleash his inner Coach Ansai and will drill Fortuna with the basic ball handling skills till the next game. Good luck on that, coach.

As for the second game, it was quite surprising that a different La Salle team appeared. Being the second program in HD, we'd expect something worth remembering. What we remembered is Boom Gonzalez correct himself every other possession. Like can you blame the stats guy?

UAAP on ABS-CBN HD. Because we want to hear Boom Gonzalez correct himself endlessly. Those who purchased those HDTV boxes must had been scratching their heads in dismay. They'd rather listen to Magic 89.9's 9:00 am weekday show if we'd have to endure that play-calling. Or Max FM's morning show for those in the other league.