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    UAAP Season 82 Preview: Can anyone stop Ateneo's three-peat bid?

    Ateneo's still on top, but who will step up to the mighty Blue Eagles?
    Sep 3, 2019

    ATENEO didn't just set the bar, it is the bar.

    Trotting a virtually intact roster and a burning desire to complete a three-peat, the defending champions are, without a shadow of a doubt, still the standard this UAAP Season 82.

    In a span of three years, coach Tab Baldwin has transformed the Blue Eagles from a Goliath-slaying feel good of a story against the mighty Ben Mbala-led La Salle teams to a juggernaut in their own right.

    What makes Ateneo dangerous isn't solely because the presence of the imposing Ange Kouame, or the superb athleticism of Thirdy Ravena, or the steadying presence of an Isaac Go, or the tremendous heart of a Matt Nieto, or even the versatility of a Mike Nieto.

    The Blue Eagles' lethal edge has been their deep arsenal of interchangeable parts, ready to run through anyone who steps on their way.

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      With Ateneo's prowess undeniable, the race now turns to who will be the one across the Blue Eagles when the lights are at their brightest.

      And so far, five teams have a legitimate chance to be in the Finals, furthering the intrigue that comes of what coaches deemed as another unpredictable season.

      University of the Philippines easily comes to mind, with coach Bo Perasol swapping folk hero Paul Desiderio and last year's team captain Diego Dario for bluechip recruits Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero.

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      Add that to the core made up of last season's MVP Bright Akhuetie, brothers Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño, and point guard Jun Manzo and the results speak for itself, as seen with the preseason success the Fighting Maroons have garnered.

      But Perasol has never had that full lineup in tow even though UP has held trainings in Serbia, Taiwan, and Las Vegas, keeping the team's cohesiveness on the court still a mystery just days before the UAAP.

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      Adamson, on the other hand, has been impressive in the summer with coach Franz Pumaren giving Jerrick Ahanmisi the steering wheel.

      Seasoned holdovers Simon Camacho, Jerom Lastimosa, and Egie Boy Mojica are still there, but after that, it's all new faces for the Soaring Falcons giving the four-time UAAP champion coach easily the youngest team he's ever handled in his four-year tenure in San Marcelino.

      Congolese big man Lenda Douanga, Fil-Peruvian sniper Valandre Chauca, former Arellano Brave Aaron Fermin, and Baby Falcons standouts Joem Sabandal and AP Manlapaz form a deep core for Adamson. Yet as promising as this young roster is, it's still a question on how they will react to the UAAP game.

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      La Salle has been a revelation in the offseason, with coach Gian Nazario and active consultant Jermaine Byrd reaping the early rewards of their rebuild.

      Justine Baltazar continued to be a force in the paint, blending perfect music with guards Aljun Melecio and Andrei Caracut as they gave the Green Archers a killer inside-outside combo.

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      But those net positives were thrown in question with the arrival of three "one-and-done" players" in Keyshawn Evans-Meeker, Jamie Orme-Malonzo, and James Laput-Pado, adding intrigue to what kind of La Salle team will show up this year.

      University of Santo Tomas has also garnered believers in their preseason preparations, with the Growling Tigers showing no hesitation to light up those guns to the delight of coach Aldin Ayo.

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      Comebacking CJ Cansino, feisty rookie Mark Nonoy, high-flyer Renz Abando, and uber-athletic Beninese forward Soulemane Chabi Yo will be at the forefront of the youth revolution in UST.

      Yet as exciting as the Growling Tigers' "seven seconds-or-less" approach is, they have yet to show their fangs on the defensive end.

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      And lastly, Far Eastern University should not be underestimated with guards L-Jay Gonzales and Wendell Comboy, as well as forwards Ken Tuffin and Barkley Ebona still heading the pack.

      Tamaraws coach Olsen Racela, however, will have a largely young core bannered by Cameroonian center Patrick Tchuente as he'll have his work cut out for him to fasttrack his side's maturity and sustain the Morayta side's six-year Final Four streak.

      It doesn't mean, though, that University of the East and National University won't pack a punch.

      The Red Warriors are parading a fresh core after the Alvin Pasaol era, spearheaded by Senegalese behemoth Alex Diakhite, two-time CESAFI MVP Rey Suerte, former JRU Heavy Bomber Jed Mendoza, Hope Christian blueclip Harvey Pagsanjan, and team captain Philip Manalang.

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      Yet as loaded as UE is, its decision to shy away from preseason tourneys might also backfire with the team finding itself shell-shocked as the season progresses.

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      On the other hand, the Bulldogs have used the entire offseason to get the seasoning they need to finally get a good mix out of Dave Ildefonso, John Lloyd Clemente, and Issa Gaye.

      But is what coach Jamike Jarin did enough to finally get his NU boys through the hump?

      That's really the kind of a season it is in the UAAP, that as certain as everyone is with Ateneo, it's still a fair game for the remaining seven teams in the field.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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