Contenders to the throne in hot pursuit of Eagles
MANILA, Philippines — Challengers painted a big target on the backs of intact holder Ateneo ahead of the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball’s opening salvo this weekend.
“I think everyone has a chance but the best chance of course is with Ateneo. With the way they played in the pre-season, I think I’ll be surprised if they lost a game in the eliminations,” said Far Eastern coach Olsen Racela during yesterday’s press launch at the MOA Arena lobby.
“Ateneo’s there (top of the team-to-beat list) and after Ateneo, I think it’s going to be a fair chance for all these teams making it to the Final Four. It’s going to be tough, losing one game can make the difference between making it to the Final Four or not,” he added.
Eagles coach Tab Baldwin, who has in his disposal the champion crew led by Thirdy Ravena, Isaac Go, Matt and Mike Nieto and newbies Angelo Kouame, Will Navarro and SJ Belangel, refused to engage in mind games.
“Those are other people’s thoughts, I don’t think about that,” said the former Gilas coach, whose wards fired warning shots to their challengers by topping the FilOil tourney and placing a fighting fourth while representing Phl in the William Jones Cup.
Baldwin said what’s on their minds right now is Adamson, the team’s first opponent on Sunday and nothing more.
“We don’t really think in terms of defending the championship. Our confidence is really on how we’re going to play. Going into the first game is the question mark because it’s the first game,” said Baldwin, refusing to make a list of who will pose the biggest threat to their reign.
“The only team we’re worried about is Adamson, we see them on Sunday. We can’t win any other game except that so it’s the only one we’re looking at. We don’t choose to look beyond that in terms of setting goals or what we hope might happen; we just play well on Sunday and keep it at that.”
The season actually starts Saturday at the MOA Arena with University of the Philippines unleashing prized recruit Bright Akhuetie against debuting coach Jose Silva and University of the East and host National U taking on University of Santo Tomas, which is on rebuild mode under one-time UAAP champion mentor Aldin Ayo.
Projected contenders FEU and La Salle, which is now handled by Louie Gonzalez, collide in the Sunday bill’s first game before Ateneo starts its title defense against the Falcons.
Meanwhile, UAAP Season 81 president Nilo Ocampo of NU announced that the league will hold its first arnis competition this year as a demonstration sport and continue the 3x3 and ballroom dancing programs it had staged the previous season.
UAAP Notes: The UAAP took the time to remember Olympian table tennis player Yanyan Lariba, the La Salle great who passed away Sunday of acute myeloid leukemia at age 23. “She was humble and unassuming and had a vibrant and happy disposition that rubbed off on those who were fortunate enough to be around her,” said executive director Rebo Saguiag. “Yanyan, you will be missed and while we mourn her passing, let us take the occasion to celebrate her life, a life that most of us can only dream of but most importantly, in her last days, Yanyan reminded us that sports is only a platform, a tool that can be used to do good as she spoke about her bout with cancer. As the Good Book says, Yanyan has fought the good fight. She has passed the torch to us and we must carry on.”