Defending UAAP Men’s Basketball Champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles are seen as the clear-cut favorites to repeat in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament.
And FEU Tamaraws head coach Olsen Racela said it best, as he declared that the rest of the league is chasing the Blue Eagles.
“Everyone has a fair chance, but the best chance, siyempre, is Ateneo.
“I think I’ll be surprised if they lost a game in the eliminations. After then, it’s a fair fight,” admitted the second-year Tamaraws mentor.
It’s hard to deny that the Blue Eagles had an off-season to remember.
For their overseas training, the Tab Baldwin-coached squad went to Greece for a series of games against the Greek youth team and some A2-level club teams. In addition, Ateneo represented the Philippines in the Jones Cup, placing fourth in the nine-team meet.
Besides this, Ateneo scored a trifecta of pre-season crowns, winning the Preseason Cup, the City Hoops 25-Under crown, and Breakdown Basketball Invitational U-25 championship.
“Ateneo, and then everybody else,” shared UE Red Warriors head coach Joe Silva.
“I have the same answer,” added UP Fighting Maroons head coach Bo Perasol.
Including Ateneo, third-year NU Bulldogs tactician Jamike Jarin sees the Adamson Soaring Falcons, the De La Salle University Green Archers, and the FEU Tamaraws as the teams that will make the Final Four.
“On my right, is the Final Four,” quipped Jarin. “On my left, we’re all trying to get to the right.”
Still, all the coaches vowed to give Ateneo and the league a good fight.
“The mantra this season is not Mayhem. It’s Hail Mary,” said UST assistant coach Nap Garcia, who was sitting in for Aldin Ayo.
“Our overall goal is to win a championship. But we have to do the little details in between to give us the opportunity to be in that place,” remarked Adamson assistant coach Don Allado.
“All the teams are very much competitive,” shared La Salle mentor Louie Gonzalez.
For Tab Baldwin, he did not make a prediction, saying that they can’t let the pressure get the best of them.
“We’re looking forward to [the season]. We’ve worked as hard as we have all year long. For our team, this is about what we talk about all the time: Respect the game, respect the opponents,” the third-year Blue Eagles head coach shared.
“God willing we stay healthy and continue to work hard. There’s no guarantees. We have to prove ourselves game by game.”
