CHANGES will be aplenty for Far Eastern University after a promising renaissance in UAAP Season 85, which saw the Lady Tamaraws hit six wins for a top-five finish.
But this time around, a Morayta side bidding to build on last year's revival will be without former head coach and FEU legend Tina Salak as well as the pro-bound quartet of Jov Fernandez, Shiela Kiseo, Kiesha Bedonia, and Max Juangco.
A new era, however, awaits FEU with the high-profile arrival of 6-foot Congolese rookie and opposite spiker Faida Bakanke, who already racked up two preseason podiums in so short a time — silver in last year's V-League Collegiate Challenge and bronze in the Shakey's Super League Collegiate Pre-Season Championship.
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For the Lady Tamaraws' lead playmaker and key holdover Tin Ubaldo, Bakanke's addition to the squad has been nothing short of a game-changer and confidence-booster.
"If ever may nagtatanong kung anong bago sa'min this season, 'yung bago is 'yung addition ni Faida (Bakanke) talaga. Sobrang laki nu'ng pagbabago, 'di lang sa skills tsaka inside the court, pati na rin 'yung mentality, emotions," Ubaldo said.
"Meron siyang mga sinasabi sa'min na from Congo, tinuruan niya rin kami paano nila naha-handle yung things sa Congo kaya parang may mga times na nahahawaan niya kami ng vibes niya," she added.
That said, Ubaldo strongly believes that FEU has what it takes to make a deep run at championship No. 30.
"Lahat ng ginawa namin ng offseason pati nung nag-Thailand kami, lahat ng binaon namin from Thailand, gagamitin naman namin siya this coming UAAP kaya feeling ko naman ready kami this UAAP," said Ubaldo.
Incoming interim head coach Manolo Refugia echoed the sentiments on the squad's preparations.
"Ang challenge sa amin, kasi syempre kailangan naman namin higitan kung ano yung ginawa namin last year. So magiging challenge para sa'min is maging consistent, kung paano kami maging consistent sa ginagawa namin na preparation, kung sino 'yung mga makakalaban. So ayun, consistency," Refugia said.
"Adjustment-wise, siguro maliit na adjustment 'yung ginawa namin kasi lahat naman ng players nagagamit namin. Kumbaga, parang 'yung magiging factor lang siguro emotionally, 'yung pag-alis nung ilan sa'min. Pero siguro na-handle naman namin as group, as team 'yung ganung mga bagay," he added.
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