NIGHT OF NINJAS
They came, as promised, like ninjas.
And with choreographed stealth plus added twists to familiar winning stunts, the National University Pep Squad forged a runaway victory on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena that proved it was a cut above the rest in the UAAP Cheerdance Competition.
The group also proved it was a cut above the rest in UAAP Cheerdance Competition history.
It was a second straight victory for the NU Pep Squad, which leaned on a breathtaking performance that had throwbacks to last year’s golden feat.
“We wanted to create a variety of the Ferris wheel pyramid we did last year,” coach Gabriel Bajacan said. “Almost all of our pyramids had someone spinning and twisting like a washing machine.”
It certainly was rinse-and-repeat for Bajacan’s fearless ninjas, who turned to ancient Japan’s clandestine assassins as a theme.
“We knew the audience liked what we did last year and just to create a variety is so fulfilling despite these kids having a hard time practicing those pyramids,” Bajacan said.
NU finished with 695 points, 36 better than second-placer Adamson University.
The margin was befitting the main accomplishment NU created with the victory: The unassuming campus on Jhocson street in Sampaloc, Manila, annexed its ninth overall crown, leaving University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines—traditional cheerdance powers that finished way out of the podium on Saturday—tied for second at eight wins each.
UST finished fifth with 618.5 points while UP was a spot below with 558 points.
“I can’t even imagine, as someone who grew up with UAAP Cheerdance, that we got to this point,” Bajacan said. “We know the history of NU before and we can’t believe that we’d be the coaches to make history for NU. We’re very grateful.”
