IT has been over three years since juniors basketball titans Nazareth School of National University (NSNU) Bullpups completed a 16-game sweep for the UAAP Season 82 juniors crown, just before the onset of the pandemic.
Since then, most of its then-rising stars under now-UP Maroons coach Goldwin Monteverde are already making names for themselves in the seniors ranks.
And he couldn't be prouder to see his players, may they be donning maroon or another color, soar to greater heights.
READ: No 'first game jitters' for returning UP guard Terrence Fortea
"Kapag nag-coach ka ng high school, ang iisipin mo at that given time is gusto mo lahat ng player mo, maka-level up (sa college)," said Monteverde.
"Whether kalaban ko sila or kakampi ko, basta nakita ko naman na may napuntahan and at the same time tuloy-tuloy ‘yung improvement, siyempre as a former coach masaya ako para sa kanilang lahat," he added.
Among his champion Bullpups from Season 82 that are in the current Season 86 field are his own UP wards Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, Harold Alarcon, Reyland Torres, and Janjan Felicilda.
Away from the State U stable, also previously under Monteverde's wing were NU's Steve Nash Enriquez and La Salle's Kevin Quiambao, the league's leading MVP contender.
Arrows up versus La Salle
With an unrivalled 8-1 slate and a Final Four playoff spot at stake, Monteverde's current wards look to complete a sweep of Quiambao's surging La Salle side on Sunday, 6 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.
"Lahat naman ng team na nakakalaban namin, paghahandaan namin. ‘Yung break nandyan pero ‘di naman talaga siya ‘yung mahabang break so kailangan namin mag-ensayo, kailangan naming paghandaan.
“Kung paano naman namin ituring lahat ng team, ‘yun pa rin gagawin namin. Kung La Salle next game namin, du’n namin itutuon ‘yung focus namin," Monteverde said.
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