Baguio's day at UST

A few weeks ago, Red Bull’s Cyrus Baguio made a sentimental return to the UST campus where he blossomed into a UAAP basketball hero before turning pro as the Barakos’ second round draft pick in 2003.

Baguio was excused from Red Bull practice that day by coach Yeng Guiao and team manager Andy Jao. The high-flyer nicknamed Skyrus was the guest in a mock press conference staged for over 250 college writers from more than 35 schools all over the country by The Varsitarian at the 10th National Campus Journalism Fellowship called “Inkblots.”

The Varsitarian, founded in 1928, brings together some of the country’s most respected journalists in various fields to speak before the conferees every year.  It is a dedicated mission for “Inkblots” to be “an avenue for academic learning, sharing and fun” and the event’s 10th anniversary is a tribute to The Varsitarian for institutionalizing this annual activity.

“We in the Varsitarian like to believe that if ‘Inkblots’ has made it this far, it’s because of the continuing relevance of the fellowship, as well as the constant attempts of the organizers and speakers to innovate the seminars and conferences, making them current while never forgetting to address the basics,” said UST Varsitarian adviser Lito Zulueta. 

This year’s cast of speakers listed Ces Drilon, Nestor Cuartero, Felipe Salvosa, Vergel Santos, Arnold Clavio, Manuel Abrera, Alice Colet-Villadolid, Michael Coroza, Joseph Voltaire Contreras, Romeo Gacad, Ruel de Vera, Conrado de Quiros, John Nery, Sandra Aguinaldo, Eldric Paul Peredo and this writer for sports.

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A few years ago, I introduced an innovation in my slot at “Inkblots.” After lecturing on the fine points of sportswriting and relating stories from experience, I brought in a guest for a mock press conference. I acted as moderator and opened the floor for questions from the campus writers. Then, I gave the writers a 20-minute deadline to submit write-ups based on the press conference – in news story, features or column form, in English or Filipino with a specific word limit. Within an hour, I chose the five best pieces and gave out prizes to the authors. I also promised that excerpts of the winning write-ups would be published in this column.

Baguio was a big hit. He had quite a story to tell. From the questions fired by the school writers, he spoke about his boyhood in Iligan, how his uncle RicRic Marata brought him to Cebu to play his last year of high school basketball, how he turned to UST when La Salle offered him only a half-scholarship, how he played proudly for the Growling Tigers, how he thought of quitting when he hardly got playing time as a Red Bull rookie, how he persevered in Guiao’s system and how Guiao gave him confidence to become the PBA’s Most Improved Player last season.

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Here are excerpts from the five winning entries:

First prize – Roland Mirabueno, 19, Third Year, Economics with Computer Application, Letran Calamba.

“Necessity makes anything valuable. Scarcity also makes anything valuable. A country’s need for an icon like him makes him valuable. His rare qualities, often unseen in rising stars, make him valuable. Cyrus Baguio had his humble beginnings in Iligan City. With his two-digit scoring average inflation, immersed in a society with a great demand for inspiration, faced with a low supply of humbled stars, Skyrus has the economic advantage to dunk his way to success.”

Second prize – Czarina Ponseca, 13, Second Year, HS, St. Mary’s Academy of Caloocan City.

“At the press conference held at Albertus Magnus Auditorium in UST, PBA player Cyrus Baguio gives us a hint of what made him a player of the present and the hardships that led to his success. No one would’ve thought that his Iligan boy would be the amazing player he is now. And no one would’ve thought that behind the shine and glimmer of this Red Bull player is a man who became what he is now because of a wish, a dream, to be the best player there is.”

Third prize”– Rhose Anne David, 16, St. Mary’s Academy of Caloocan City.

“‘Skyrus’ yang ang bansag sa mahusay na manlalarong si Cyrus Baguio sapagkat mayroon siyang taglay na kakaibang bilis at talon na ‘sing taas ng langit. Si Cyrus ay isang mahusay na manlalaro na dapat pang subaybayan sa bawat taon na darating.”

Fourth prize”– Jeffrey Sarado, 21. Advertising Management, DLSU Manila.

“From his humble days in his hometown of Iligan, PBA player Cyrus Baguio has definitely come a long way. Now, he is regarded as the most promising player in the PBA. What is the moral lesson in Baguio’s story? It’s that despite the odds, you should keep fighting for what you’re passionate about.”

Fifth prize”– Jan Michael Arbolado, 19. BS Nursing. West Visayas State University, Iloilo City.

“Aside from the quantum leaps in his stats from 2003 to 2008, Cyrus Baguio still shows no signs of stopping from carrying Red Bull to where it stands. With a season ready for play, Baguio has many more reasons for playing hard. One would consider a girlfriend to be one but not Baguio. ‘Si Nanay talaga yung prime inspiration ko,’ Baguio confessed.”