UAAP SEASON 71

By Joel Orellana

Business Mirror (07/04/2008)

A SEASON of uncertainty is about
to unfold as coaches of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines
(UAAP) men’s basketball competitions all believe there’s no clear favorite
to clinch the crown of the 71st season.

At least six teams are tipped to
figure for the title of the UAAP’s centerpiece tournament, kicking off
Saturday (July 5) at the Araneta Coliseum.

As defending champion La Salle lost
a pair of veteran guards, archrival Ateneo has an almost-intact lineup,
plus a couple of solid recruits that will make the Loyola-based dribblers
a Final Four contender for years to come.

Also, the talent level at the University
of the East, the heartbreak kid of the 2007 season, has dipped a bit. Two
of its top-three scorers last season, Mark Borboran and Kelvin Gregorio,
graduated this year.

Far Eastern U, under second-year
coach Glen Capacio, is considered a “sleeper” for the crown, while a
banged-up University of Santo Tomas will rely mostly on its one-two punch
of Dylan Ababou and Jervy Cruz, both injured from previous playing commitments.

Coach Leo Austria is back at the
nest of the Falcons, and Adamson University’s solid showing in the preseason
tournaments gives hope to the team that last won the UAAP crown in 1977.

This season’s host, University of
the Philippines, is out to erase the 0-14 nightmare of the previous season,
while National University hopes to post more shockers akin to the Bulldogs’
late-season upset over Ateneo last year.

Seeking a sixth

La Salle’s Green Archers have been
regular fixtures in the Final Four since the format was introduced in 1994.
Despite losing TY Tang and Cholo Villanueva,
coach Franz Pumaren’s wards remain fearsome.

“They are huge losses mainly because
we will miss their leadership and experience, especially in the backcourt,”
said Pumaren. “In our preseason tournaments, I’ve seen a lot of areas
we need to work on. And were working on it and, hopefully, we’ll be ready
when the season begins.”

The playmaking burden now rests on
the shoulders of sophomore Simon Atkins, while senior JV
Casio has to carry the scoring cudgels along with James Mangahas,
Rico Maierhofer and Peejay Barua.

Rookies Hyram Bagatsing,
LA Revilla and Joshua David, grandson of former
pro great Freddie Webb, also showed glimpses of brilliance in the summer
leagues.

“More than half my players are rookies
and sophomores, that’s why it will be difficult for us to defend the title,”
said Pumaren, eyeing his sixth UAAP title.

“But the beauty of collegiate basketball
is that anything can happen. I guess at least five teams can make a serious
run for the title,” he added.

The contenders

THE only significant subtraction
in Ateneo’s deep lineup is center Ford Arao, but vastly improved six-foot-seven
Rabah Al-Hussaini and shotblock artist Nonoy Baclao are more
than willing to patrol the Blue Eagles’ frontline.

Cocaptain Chris Tiu, the five-foot-10
cold-blooded shooter, will be again the focal point of Ateneo’s offense,
while Norman Black and the coaching staff got an A-plus recruitment-wise,
bringing in four of the country’s most coveted high-school players.

National Collegiate Athletic Association
juniors Most Valuable Player Ryan Buenafe of San Sebastian College, hulking
six-foot-five center Justin Chua of Chiang Kai Shek, San Beda wingman Nic
Salva and Faith Academy center Vince Burke will be the faces of the blue
and white in future UAAP battles.

“Rookies are rookies. In the history
of the UAAP, a handful can only make an immediate impact. But we are really
happy with our recruits. We got the players we wanted,” said Black, a
multititled pro league coach who has yet to win a collegiate crown since
assuming the post in 2005.

If there’s one team that can match
the Eagles’ potent roster on paper, it’s FEU. The Tamaraws have an abundance
of snipers in Marlon Adolfo, Macmac Baracael, JR Cawaling, Benedict
Fernandez, Paul Sanga and John Ramos. Point guard
Andy Barroca emulating former King Tamaraw Johnny Abarrientos
in preseason tournaments makes them even scarier.

“Tingin ko maganda ang tsansa namin
ngayon kasi last year, maraming bago tapos rookie coach ako. Ngayon, medyo
kabisado ko na players ko at kaya kong mag-rotate ng 10 to 12 players each
game,” Capacio said.

“Pero malalakas din ‘yung ibang
teams. UE, La Salle, UST at Ateneo laging nariyan lang. Adamson lumakas
din. I think balanse ang competition ngayon,” the former pro guard added.

As Capacio ranked the Red Warriors
as the team to beat, UE head coach Dindo Pumaren disagreed, saying making
the Final Four is their modest goal this season.

“We lost two of our top scorers
[Gregorio and Borboran] kaya tingin ko we will rely more on our defensive
intensity and hustle,” said Pumaren, whose Warriors swept the 14-game
eliminations but lost to elder brother Franz and the Green Archers in the
best-of-three finals.

With last year as a motivation, Pumaren
hopes Marcy Arellano,
Elmer Espiritu, James
Martinez and Hans Thiele would
play well all throughout the season.

Fiery UST mentor Pido Jarencio
hopes to see more consistency from the Growling Tigers besides that from
Ababou and Cruz, who have hamstring and hand injuries, respectively.

“Malaking problema sa amin ‘yung
injury nila Jervy at Dylan dahil hindi kami makabuo sa ensayo,” said Jarencio.
“Sana may mag-step up na ibang players pero kumpiyansa naman ako sa team
ko na lalaban talaga ’yan bawat game.”

Francis Allera, Mark Canlas, Japs
Cuan, Khazim Mirza and Chester Taylor are other key returnees for UST,
which last won the UAAP title in 2006—Jarencio’s first year at the helm
of the Tigers.

When asked who the teams to beat
are, Jarencio said, “Halos lahat.”

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