Thursday, August 12, 2004 Students mob pro players By Mike T. Limpag Sun.Star Correspondent
STARSTRUCK PBA fans from the Don Bosco Technology Center momentarily disrupted yesterday’s JR PBA Clinic awarding at DBTC after they began edging each other out to get the stars’ autographs.
Coca-Cola coach Chot Reyes headed the clinic joined by some 50 players, including members of four-time Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. champion University of the Visayas Green Lancers and the University of San Jose-Recoletos.
Shortly after the clinic as the autograph signing started, the students began breaking the lines in raucous effort to be the first to get autographs.
The scene continued for a few more minutes despite the efforts of the school’s Citizen’s Army Training (CAT) officers.
Seeing the commotion, San Miguel All-Star and Don Bosco alum Dondon Hontiveros appealed to the fans in Cebuano.
“Ipakita nato kung unsa ang mga Bosconian (Let’s show what the Bosconians are all about),” Hontiveros said.
An exasperated PBA staff took over the microphone and announced that no autograph will be signed if the students didn’t behave.
However, the appeal fell on deaf ears as the students continued hustling and became even more disorderly causing the organizers to forego the autograph signing.
After the clinic, the PBA players proceeded to the Mandaue City Sports Center for the PBA All-Star Wheelchair Classic. The stars later headed for a bar tour stating 7 p.m.
Today, the PBA All-Stars will drop by the University of the Philippines, University of San Carlos and the University of the Visayas before heading to Plantation Bay for a coastal cleanup. ML
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