FOR Far Eastern University coach Sean Chambers, it's the brotherhood that kept prized rookies Cabs Cabonilas and Marc Burgos right at home.
"When you see the environment that we see every day and every night with these players, these guys who have been living together since they were 14 years old, and just to be part of that is the most beautiful part of this transition," he told SPIN.ph.
The Tamaraws turned out to be one of the offseason's biggest winners, locking up the frontcourt combo of Cabonilas and Burgos fresh off their success in the UAAP Season 88 boys basketball and 3x3 tournaments.
READ: Home is where the heart is as Cabonilas commits to FEU
Cabonilas, of course, is the first-ever Season and Finals MVP - proving his place as the top-ranked under-19 player in the annual NBTC rankings.
Burgos would not be outdone, ranking No. 15 on the same list, while also emerging as MVP of the boys' 3x3 tournament.
These two are expected to be tailor-fit for Chambers' program where they are expected to be part of the rotation already featuring men's MVP Janrey Pasaol, Jorick Bautista, Kirby Mongcopa, and Mo Konateh.
"They're that talented that for sure, they'll be part of the rotation," said the American mentor of the two, who headline FEU's incoming rookie class which also includes Baby Tamaraws Sam Hall and Yosef Raneses and Fil-Am forward Elias Gish.
"It's been enjoyable to watch and their transition to the seniors team has been absolutely seamless."
FEU-ture is now
But as much of a coup the Tams have scored, Chambers also acknowledged that it puts him and the team in the pressure cooker, as results are now expected in his third year at the helm.
"The third year is when you see the impact on the program and buy in from the players and for us going into Year 3, the foundation is laid and the culture has been set," he noted.
"We know what we're capable of doing and we know the expectations, but we also tell the guys that we have to work hard for it double, even triple, to achieve the goals that we set. Nothing's gonna come easy in the UAAP, so we really have to work hard for it.
"But I know for a fact that what I said when I got here two years ago still rings true: that FEU is gonna be a real problem."
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