United in tagging the heavy favorite, coaches of the opposition have painted a big target on the back of La Salle as the UAAP LXXIX opens its basketball hostilities on Sept. 4.
“Obviously, talagang the team-to-beat is La Salle; everybody would agree.Parang (It’s like) it’s a two-group thing – La Salle and the rest,” National U coach Eric Altamirano said at the league’s presscon yesterday.
“If you make a survey, I think the runaway number 1 seed is La Salle. “The number 2, 3, 4 (teams), it depends on how you look at it. I think the first 2 to 3 playing dates, you’ll see the clear picture,” said coach Franz Pumaren, who is returning to collegiate basketball via Adamson.
Coach Nash Racela of holder Far Eastern, Boy Sablan of host Santo Tomas, Bo Perasol of University of the Philippines, Sandy Arespacochaga of Ateneo and University of the East skipper Paul Varilla were generally in agreement.
La Salle is making rivals green with envy with a full-strength lineup led by old reliables Jeron Teng, Jason Perkins and Thomas Torres, promising rookies Aljun Melecio and Ricci Rivero and Cameroonian big man Ben Mbala, who will finally be unleashed after sitting out an extra season last time.
La Salle’s new tactician Aldin Ayo welcomed the challenge of living up to the top billing.
“Lots of expectations sa team namin but for us, our goal is really to work really hard in practices and during games, and give it everything we have,” said Ayo, aiming to duplicate his Cinderella success with Letran in the NCAA with DLSU.
“Wherever you go, there’s pressure. For me, everytime we have pressure, it opens an opportunity, we just have to handle it well. Pressure also motivates us,” added Ayo.
The DLSU tactician pointed to the Tams as his team-to-beat.
Racela insisted the Tams aren’t exactly the same bunch as the triumphant crew last time, losing top guns Mac Belo, Mike Tolomia, and Roger Pogoy.
“We’re a very different team from last year. We just promise we’ll give our best and try to be competitive this year,’ said Racela.
He said the Tams are okay with not getting the favorite tag on their title defense.
“We at FEU really don’t talk about defending the championship. We just want to focus on our improvements, try to win ball games and hopefully we get to the playoffs. Kapag andun na, maybe we can start talking about it (title defense),” he said.
The UAAP will have its kick-off on Sept. 3 with a ballroom dancing competition, simple opening rites and concert party at the UST campus. Games will commence the following day at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with UP against Adamson and UST versus Ateneo while the remaining teams – NU against UE and DLSU versus FEU will debut on Sept. 7 at MOA Arena.
Notes: UAAP Season 79 president Fr. Ermito de Sagon of UST announced that the league decided to do away with the thrice-to-beat advantage for the team that sweeps the 14-game eliminations. He said the unbeaten team will still go straight to the finals but will instead play in a best-of-three series against the opponent that emerges from the stepladder semis….The league also switched the playing of the school anthem from the end of every game.
“Obviously, talagang the team-to-beat is La Salle; everybody would agree.Parang (It’s like) it’s a two-group thing – La Salle and the rest,” National U coach Eric Altamirano said at the league’s presscon yesterday.
“If you make a survey, I think the runaway number 1 seed is La Salle. “The number 2, 3, 4 (teams), it depends on how you look at it. I think the first 2 to 3 playing dates, you’ll see the clear picture,” said coach Franz Pumaren, who is returning to collegiate basketball via Adamson.
Coach Nash Racela of holder Far Eastern, Boy Sablan of host Santo Tomas, Bo Perasol of University of the Philippines, Sandy Arespacochaga of Ateneo and University of the East skipper Paul Varilla were generally in agreement.
La Salle is making rivals green with envy with a full-strength lineup led by old reliables Jeron Teng, Jason Perkins and Thomas Torres, promising rookies Aljun Melecio and Ricci Rivero and Cameroonian big man Ben Mbala, who will finally be unleashed after sitting out an extra season last time.
La Salle’s new tactician Aldin Ayo welcomed the challenge of living up to the top billing.
“Lots of expectations sa team namin but for us, our goal is really to work really hard in practices and during games, and give it everything we have,” said Ayo, aiming to duplicate his Cinderella success with Letran in the NCAA with DLSU.
“Wherever you go, there’s pressure. For me, everytime we have pressure, it opens an opportunity, we just have to handle it well. Pressure also motivates us,” added Ayo.
The DLSU tactician pointed to the Tams as his team-to-beat.
Racela insisted the Tams aren’t exactly the same bunch as the triumphant crew last time, losing top guns Mac Belo, Mike Tolomia, and Roger Pogoy.
“We’re a very different team from last year. We just promise we’ll give our best and try to be competitive this year,’ said Racela.
He said the Tams are okay with not getting the favorite tag on their title defense.
“We at FEU really don’t talk about defending the championship. We just want to focus on our improvements, try to win ball games and hopefully we get to the playoffs. Kapag andun na, maybe we can start talking about it (title defense),” he said.
The UAAP will have its kick-off on Sept. 3 with a ballroom dancing competition, simple opening rites and concert party at the UST campus. Games will commence the following day at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with UP against Adamson and UST versus Ateneo while the remaining teams – NU against UE and DLSU versus FEU will debut on Sept. 7 at MOA Arena.
Notes: UAAP Season 79 president Fr. Ermito de Sagon of UST announced that the league decided to do away with the thrice-to-beat advantage for the team that sweeps the 14-game eliminations. He said the unbeaten team will still go straight to the finals but will instead play in a best-of-three series against the opponent that emerges from the stepladder semis….The league also switched the playing of the school anthem from the end of every game.
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