UAAP: UST bags 39th overall general championship

University of Santo Tomas capped its dominating performance in the 74th UAAP season by a 14th straight—and 39th overall—general championship trophy. The 2011-2012 season of the country's premier collegiate league ends on Saturday. The Growling Tigers ruled eight sports, finished second in seven and third place in three other events for a 298-point total. The España-based squad defeated closest pursuer La Salle, which finished the season with a 4-7-7 (first-second-third) tally for 268 markers. Far Eastern University was third this season with 229 points, University of the Philippines finished fourth with 219 and season host Ateneo, the four-time men's basketball champions, came in fifth with 207. University of the East placed sixth with 140 points, Adamson University seventh with 105. A rejuvenated National University side remained in eighth with 81. The champion team in each event gets 15 points; the runner-up gets 12, while the third placer earns 10 points. Fourth to seventh placers receive eight, six, four and two markers. Eight placers get one point. UST ruled men's and women's judo, men's fencing and table tennis, and women's beach volleyball, football and tennis. La Salle topped in men's swimming and lawn tennis, and women's volleyball and chess. Ateneo has prepared an elaborate closing ceremony—at 1 p.m. this Saturday at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum 1 and 2—to complement its unique Olympic-style opening rites last July. — JVP/KG, GMA News