Head coach Sean Chambers acknowledged that the narrative surrounding Far Eastern University ahead of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament will inevitably focus on the shock transfer of homegrown star Veejay Pre to University of the Philippines.
However, with or without Pre in his lineup, Chambers and the rest of the Tamaraws — led by foreign student-athlete Mo Konateh, sharpshooting guard Jorick Bautista, and sophomore Janrey Pasaol — feel determined to show that Pre was just one piece of the youthful engine that powered FEU throughout Season 87.
Taking inspiration from Ateneo de Manila University’s ‘BEBOB’ mantra, the multi-time PBA champion emphasized that the true strength of the team lies in the bond within the locker room.
Every player in that room is someone they will fight for, and together, they will pursue FEU’s first UAAP basketball title in over a decade, since 2015.
“I don’t even think it’s a matter of proving people wrong, it’s a matter of we’re just going next man up. We haven’t really discussed Veejay since he left,” Chambers told reporters during the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Basketball Press Conference on Monday at the Gloria Maris Shark’s Fin Restaurant in San Juan.
“I guess I don’t want to steal the terminology of Band of Brothers like Ateneo, but it’s like the guys that are in the room, this is who we’re going to fight for and this is who we’re going to go with.”
Beyond Pre’s departure — the Season 87 Rookie of the Year — Chambers’ preparations for Season 88 took another setback with the unfortunate ACL injury suffered by senior forward Cholo Anonuevo during the offseason.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Timely relief came in the form of NCAA Division III guard Neil Owens, the continued emergence of Rojan Montemayor, and the return of UAAP high school boys’ champions Kirby Mongcopa and Luke Felipe.
“Cholo’s out, he tore his ACL in the last game against La Salle, so he won’t be playing his final season of the ball this year. So, Cholo is a big problem, but again, it’s next man up. So, Kirby, Luke, Rojan, Neil Owens will be there to fill the void,” the 60-year-old mentor said.
Among the young forwards, Chambers feels particularly excited about Owens, a one-and-done Fil-American guard who averaged 11.3 points on 40.1-percent shooting in his final NCAA season with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. He also looks forward to the long-awaited return of Mongcopa, making his comeback after a freak motorcycle accident two years ago.
“Neil’s a very talented graduate, a one-and-done guy, but he’ll remind you a lot of Jorick Bautista, his capability of making shots. He’s a tremendous three-point shooter with unbelievable quickness like Janrey,” Chambers said of Owens.
He also praised Mongcopa: “The guy has got great size, great instincts, can really shoot the ball, phenomenal passer. Kirby is a tremendous talent, so hopefully, as we go along, as the season goes along, we can get him up to about 100%. But he’s ready to go, he’s cleared to go, and Kirby is a tremendous talent.”
More than the offseason acquisitions, the true measure of how far the Tamaraws can go will be determined by the experience and resilience they gained from last year’s near Final Four miss.
“We’re more experienced than we were last year. And last year, I felt like we were really skinny kids. This year, we’re stronger, we’re bigger, and we’re equipped to go toe-to-toe with the league’s best of the best,” Chambers concluded.
FEU will open its Season 88 campaign against Ateneo on Saturday, September 21, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
#WATCH: Sean Chambers is out to prove FEU is more than just Veejay Pre! 🐃🏀
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason88 pic.twitter.com/ryxKXNw9h6
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) September 17, 2025
