Out of this world.
National University (NU) Pep Squad left the packed 19,121-strong crowd marveling at an unforgettable performance worth the hassle of traveling to the Mall of Asia Arena on a rain-drizzled Sunday.
The squad stepped on the mat clad in space suits and morphed into extraterrestrials before leaving its home arena as champions of the University Athletic Association (UAAP) Season 87 Cheerdance Competition.
NU completed its redemption tour after losing the crown last year with a sweet revenge over the dethroned Far Eastern University (FEU) Cheering Squad as it joined the elite club of eight-time winners University of Santo Tomas (UST) Salinggawi Dance Troupe and University of the Philippines (UP) Varsity Pep Squad.
The NU Pep Squad won by a mile, collecting 713 points as it topped all the cheering and dance criteria.
The squad lorded it over in tumbling with 86.5 points, crushed it in stunts with 91.5 points, tosses (91 points), pyramids (85 points) and dance with a total of 368.
The NU Pep Squad incurred a nine-point deduction, but the penalties were negligible as they were still 33.5 points clear over their closest pursuer first runners-up Adamson Pep Squad.
“We owe everything to the support given to us by the management and the NU community. We always try to raise the level of our program,” NU second-year head coach Gabriel Bajacan said in the team’s first crown post-decorated tactician Ghicka Bernabe.
“We’re not settling. We don’t want to be stagnant. We always strive to achieve something new for the UAAP cheerdance competition,” Bajacan added.
The team, owner of eight of the last 11 editions of the highly-anticipated spectator sport, which serves as a respite before the explosive men’s basketball finals between La Salle and UP, also snatched all of the eight special awards.
Adamson with its karaoke medley-themed performance returned to the podium after three seasons, bagging silver with a total of 679.5 points.
The FEU Cheering Squad’s “Frozen”-themed run was only good for third after the former champions collected only 650 points as they let go of the throne.
Veering away from their signature Disney themes and an unsuccessful gamble on a rock and roll icon-inspired run last season, NU’s wow factor right from marking into the center stage caught the crowd’s attention and the delight of their neon-pink shirt-wearing faithful.
Then came NU’s showstopping performance.
NU upped the ante in difficulty with shocking stunts and incredible pyramids. The tosses were cleanly executed while the NU cheerdancers nailed their tumbling for a near-flawless routine.
But what made NU’s pyramid eye-catching was its pair of human windmills midway into the performance topping the many highlights of the run.
Forming a pyramid, NU executed a perfect catch on their pair of flyers who were then whirled around twice for a windmill effect before transitioning into a third layer of a completed pyramid.
The Sexbomb-themed University of the East Pep Squad finished fourth (641), followed by UST (634.5), UP (560), the De La Salle Animo Squad (525) and the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles (490).