By: ROLAN RANDOLF I. GARCIA
A sea of gold and maroon on a rival’s court
The scoreboard went to the University of the Cordilleras (UC) Jaguars, [UC score]–[BCU score], but the loudest story of the night belonged to the stands. Teachers and students of Baguio Central University’s College of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts (CTELA) turned out in force on October 2, 2026, to back the BCU Eagles in their Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League (BBEAL) Season 37 opener at the UC gymnasium.
Playing on the Jaguars’ home floor, the Eagles could have felt outnumbered. Instead, a CTELA section dressed in gold and maroon gave them a home court of their own.
Faculty and students, side by side
CTELA’s support went beyond the student body. Faculty members took their seats alongside their students, clapping, chanting and rising with every Eagle basket. CTELA supporters filled their section, armed with hands and voices.
Cheers that never faded
The Eagles had a difficult start. Early shots rimmed out and UC’s pressure built a 15-point lead. Through it all, the CTELA section never went quiet.
After a BCU timeout, with Gotatos (No. 4), Ponce (No. 12) and their teammates huddled around their coach, the Eagles returned to the floor with new energy, and their supporters matched it. Every stop, rebound and basket drew a roar as BCU chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to just 4 points in the 2nd quarter.
UC steadied itself in the closing minutes to seal the win. When the final buzzer sounded, the CTELA crowd stayed on its feet to applaud the Eagles off the court.
More than a game: the SDGs on the hardcourt
Beyond the final score, supporting and staging the BBEAL advances several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Regular training and competition keep student-athletes fit and resilient, in line with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), while school sports round out a holistic education that builds discipline, teamwork and leadership under SDG 4 (Quality Education). For CTELA’s future teachers, showing up for their schoolmates is a lesson in the care they will one day show their own students. The league’s men’s and women’s divisions give female athletes an equal stage under SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and its open field lets schools of every size compete and whole communities rally behind their teams, advancing SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Fair officiating and the athletes’ pledge of sportsmanship promote respect and peaceful competition under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and the cooperation of member schools in Baguio and Benguet, which share venues, officials and resources each season, embodies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). When the final buzzer sounds, the scoreboard crowns one winner, but the students, the schools and the wider Cordillera community all come out ahead.