HEAD COACH: Goldwin Monteverde (fourth season)
LAST SEASON: 12-2 (runner-up)
HOLDOVERS: JD Cagulangan, Francis Lopez, Harold Alarcon, Gerry Abadiano, Aldous Torculas, Terrence Fortea, Janjan Felicilda, Reyland Torres, Chicco Briones, Sean Alter, Mark Belmonte
SUBTRACTIONS: CJ Cansino, Malick Diouf, Cyril Gonzales, Luis Pablo
ADDITIONS: Jacob Bayla, Quentin Millora-Brown (Citadel SC), Gani Stevens (UE), Dikachi Ududo (Guang Ming)
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MANY may regard the University of the Philippines’ runner-up finishes in back-to-back seasons as setbacks, and to an extent, coach Goldwin Monteverde agrees.
But it’s not because those past campaigns were deemed as failures. To him, it’s proof that as strong as the Fighting Maroons are, there are still things they can improve on.
That mentality is what Monteverde is keeping in the lead-up to UAAP Season 87 where State U seeks to bring home the crown in a year where it serves as hosts.
“Siguro, it’s just sticking with the process that we know which is trying to improve every game,” he said.
“Nandoon pa rin lagi yung mindset ko from the very first game hanggang sa dulo ng season na whatever we could learn, we have to be consistent on what we’re doing which could help the team.”
READ: After 'Mother Lily's' passing, the show must go on for UP coach Goldwin Monteverde
Indeed, there remains no resentment on the part of the maroon and green after falling short in the Finals for the second time in a row.
Rather than mope around following bridesmaid finishes in its past two tries, UP is more motivated to chase the crown it last wore three seasons back – when the UAAP was still in a bubble setup – and do it in front of its ever-supportive community.
“Alam naman natin na dito sa UP, everybody loves the UP MBT (men's basketball team) very much. Sa amin naman, instead na ma-pressure kami, it inspires us to give our best, na gawin lahat nang makakaya namin, dedicating every game sa lahat ng sumusuporta sa UP,” stated the soft-spoken mentor.
Nowhere to go but up, still
But the road back to the top gets harder after losing leaders in Malick Diouf and CJ Cansino, forcing the Iskos to turn to veterans JD Cagulangan, Gerry Abadiano, Harold Alarcon, and last season’s Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez.
“We’re trying to fill that leadership role by helping each other. Alam natin 'di naman kaya ng isang tao lang yan, so (it's about) keeping ourselves together, working together para mapaayos ang team every day,” he said.
There’s also the intrigue that comes with the arrival of one-and-done big Quentin Millora-Brown who will join Sean Alter, Gani Stevens, and new foreign student-athlete Dikachi Ududo from Nigeria at the paint, as well as the addition of rookie Jacob Bayla into the fray.
The pieces may be different, but UP, once again, is bringing a stacked roster coming into the season.
That’s on paper, though, with Monteverde being the first to admit that the Fighting Maroons haven’t proven anything yet.
What determines the success of this season in his eyes isn’t solely on whether or not UP finally brings back the championship to Diliman. It’s the journey that the team is about to embark on as Monteverde repeatedly harps on the idea of being better every day.
“Tingin ko sa basketball, parang buhay lang. Sabi ko nga sa kanila, basketball is an imperfect game and ang buhay, ganoon din. Yung mga nangyayari sa'yo, it’s something you can learn from and definitely, you’ll come back stronger (and) at the same time, mas nag-improve ka,” Monteverde said.
“Ganoon lang naman talaga ang pananaw namin sa laro. Kung saan man kami dalhin this season, tatanggapin namin basta’t lahat nang makakaya namin, ilalabas namin.”
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The UP Fighting Maroons' first assignment in Season 87 is against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, September 7 at the Araneta Coliseum.
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