UAAP Season 74 (2011)

[idwyt]

IMO. Chris Tolomia did a good debut for his UAAP career (better compared to The Phenom). He started for his team. Nakalusot2x cya na ang magbantay kay si Atkins ug Webb. And diba mura cya to nilusot before mag end ang half? wa lang nashot. hahaha

but anyways, nindot unta ni duwa karon sabado. Dili unta tambak para lingaw. hehehe

[bb2]

his time has come na gyud diay...good things come to those who patiently waits.

If Oping did not go down with an ACL injury he would have been even a bigger part of the line up now.

He used the injury time to make good his studying. He posted a very good GPA/QPI last year. At least kung dili diya maka fully recover sa ACL niya good grades from a good school will help.

With his current physical regimen (gi pa training gyud siya ni Coach Norman to get stronger the past 2 years) he might eventually be a good off guard in the PBA.

Iyang shooting/scoring gikan HS dinhi Cebu plus the training to be a stronger player/better defender in the Ateneo system could be what makes the difference between another one of the dime a dozen scorers in HS/college who never make good pros.

Daghan players who probably would have never made the pros do so under Coach Norman's training, D league lang uban

[Queen Mojitos]

paminaw nako contender ang FEU karong seasona kay daghan silag tag-as unya si Aldrech Ramos daghan na kaayog improvement...

[k-bai]

tga asa d i n si oping sumalinog? dn asa cya nag high school?

[bb2]

An old article I saw on another forum, I think this was right before he suffered his ACL injury.



Boholano New Star of the Ateneo Blue Eagles; Led the Eagles to win the Philippine Collegiate Championships

* Posted by Julius Gregory Batausa Delgado on December 14, 2009 at 8:24am
* View Julius Gregory Batausa Delgado's blog

PHILIPPINE Collegiate Championship League (PCCL) semifinals game savior Christopher "Oping" Sumalinog is proud to have been discovered from the Queen City of the South.


Oping who started shooting hoops at the age of six in Don Bosco Technological School in Labangon, Cebu is now in his third playing year for back-to-back defending champion Ateneo de Manila University (Admu) Blue Eagles.

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He led his team in its semifinals win in the PCCL tournament against San Beda College chipping in 14 points and seven rebounds and played a crucial role in Game 3 of the Finals with 11 points and nine rebounds.


The Blue Eagles were crowned the new champions of the PCCL 2009 defeating UAAP rival Far Eastern University, 74-70.

This proud Cebuano shared to Sun.Star that it was his family who influenced his liking for the sport.

Oping's father, Hermes, used to play for the University of the Visayas while his older brothers, Michael Anthony and Hermes Jr., are alumni players of the University of Sto. Tomas Growling Tigers and the Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals, respectively.

"It was the first sport that was introduced to me by my dad. I eventually learned to love it in the process," said the fourth year AB Interdiscplinary Studies student.

Oping was discovered by the Ateneo team in his third year in high school when he was playing in the Milo Best and Cesafi tournaments.

It was his father who took care of his basketball career and eventually picked Ateneo for his son.

When asked if his dad's decision was fine with him, the Blue Eagle forward quickly said "yes".

"Ateneo does not even exist before in my life... I think of the schools in Manila as if its far away, like its from another planet," said the young Sumalinog.

He felt excited, trying out for the Katipunan-based team, at the same time scared of what is ahead of his collegiate career.

"There's a part of me that's confident at the same time I was also scared because when I got there, it felt like as if I was alone and the opponents are much bigger players."

Like his teammates Nonoy Baclao who came from Bacolod and Emman Monfort from Iloilo, Oping shared that he also felt "culture shocked" because he was not fluent with Tagalog.

But his home taught him to build a strong character - physically and emotionally - and this is what keeps him going.

He said bullies in basketball leagues cannot be avoided but he trusts that he can overcome them.

"Of course if you feel afraid, negative things come to your mind but as time pass by, you get close to your teammates and it (Ateneo) feels like your second home," Oping added.

After playing for Ateneo, Oping wishes to go pro in the Philippine Basketball League and the Philippine Basketball Association.

"(I will continue) while I can still play with my young legs and young body," he said.

He sees his former teammate Chris Tiu as his inspiration because of the former team captain's leadership.

"Nasa kanya na sa lahat eh," said Oping who admires his determination and Tiu's love for the country.

Outside the Blue Eagle squad, JV Casio is his idol. "He's so humble even if he plays really well. Quiet but deadly."

The humble Blue Eagle is armed by faith as he will continue to soar high in the tournaments of his squad.

He will be visiting his hometown this December to celebrate Christmas with his family.

To his fans in Cebu, Oping expressed his gratitude saying: "Ang ako rang masulti lang sa mga taga-Cebu, apilon lang pud nako ang mga taga-bohol, kai ang akong papa taga bohol man.so sa mga taga Cebu ug taga Bohol, thank you kayo sa pagsuporta sa mga inyong pag-ampo namo kai nakatabang intawon sa among pag-champion sa kuan (UAAP) back-to-back (To all those in Cebu and Bohol, thank you for all the support and to all the prayers because it helped us in reaching back-to-back UAAP championship)."

This religious Cebuano cager also advised aspiring players from the South to perform well in their field and leave it up to the Lord to do his part.

"It is normal experiencing failure but what is important is to show up, perform well if you have a tryout or if you have a game. The Lord will do His share; just do your part as well."

[KateDaGreatest]

I'm really happy for Oping. D mi kaila pero kita ko niya duwa pag hiskul. Finally his patience paid off.

[Jumperman]

They have a game today against UE at 1pm. Nakalimot ko when ang sa Ateneo basta next game nila. Si Kiefer Lim sa Ateneo is from Cebu baya. haha. Katawa kos picture2x da.

Wa kay full sched? Para ma-tanaw nako kung kanus-a ko pwede ba hehe. Yeah I think I heard that name before, tan-aw nya ko ug duwa nila.

[Jumperman]

tga asa d i n si oping sumalinog? dn asa cya nag high school?

Oping is from Don Bosco. (So is Adamson's Canada. They are one batch apart, Canada one year ahead). His dad Hermes Sr. was the DB Basketball coach.

Oping already made the DB Juniors team when he was a HS sophomore (this was 2003), and it's not just because he was the coach's kid. He was already really tall and he could practically play all five positions given his skills. As early as then he had already been scouted by Manila schools. Even back then, while all 3 Sumalinog brothers looked like they could make the PBA, it was clear that of the 3 it was Oping that had the best shot at a pro career.

In SY 2005-2006 Oping had already begun his Senior year but for reasons that cannot be disclosed a rift was opened between DB Admin and the Sumalinogs so Hermes Sr. decided to withdraw Oping from DB, a very unfortunate and sad falling out between the parties. Ateneo was already in the picture then, so they took Oping and enrolled him in Reedley to finish out the school year. He played a year in Team Glory Be, made the Hail Mary Squad in 2007, and languished in the bench and never saw solid minutes until the PCCL Tournament in 2009. Just when he was starting to showcase his skills, he suffered the ACL injury.

You can only imagine the DB community's frustration for Oping. Now that he's down to his final 2 playing years (I think he can still play next year, because this year is only his 4th in the UAAP) we hope that he can build up his stock enough to propel him to the PBA and be the 2nd Bosconian after Dondon Hontiveros. Hopefully Canada makes it to the PBA too.

(BTW re: studies, Oping and I think his other brother Mic-Mic (not sure about Kulot) were consistently among the Top 10 students in their respective blocks/sections. But apparently some Ateneo profs didn't think too much of Oping's intellect. I remember him telling me about this one time in class where they were asked by the prof to submit a written report of sorts at the end of the session. Before the next meeting, he was summoned by that prof who didn't believe that he was the one who had written that report, being that he was "bisaya" and that he was a jock. He said the prof wanted him to "admit" and divulge info on who was the actual guy who had made it for him.)

[Jumperman]

Here's the 1st Round Sched for Seniors basketball:

[KateDaGreatest]

Oping is from Don Bosco.

(BTW re: studies, Oping and I think his other brother Mic-Mic (not sure about Kulot) were consistently among the Top 10 students in their respective blocks/sections. But apparently some Ateneo profs didn't think too much of Oping's intellect. I remember him telling me about this one time in class where they were asked by the prof to submit a written report of sorts at the end of the session. Before the next meeting, he was summoned by that prof who didn't believe that he was the one who had written that report, being that he was "bisaya" and that he was a jock. He said the prof wanted him to "admit" and divulge info on who was the actual guy who had made it for him.)

Buang man ni nga teacher. Way bilib.