After back-to-back seasons of heartbreak and defeat, Harold Alarcon fully believes that the time is now for University of the Philippines to return to top of collegiate basketball.
The Fighting Maroons ended a 36-year title drought in men’s basketball in UAAP Season 84 with JD Cagulangan’s three-pointer to win Game 3 against Ateneo de Manila University.
Expected to dominate afterwards, UP reached the Finals of each of the next two seasons but on both occasions, it fell short of capturing the ultimate goal.
It lost in three games against Ateneo in Season 85 and De La Salle University in 86.
This time, Alarcon has no doubt that their team can reclaim the throne.
“Confident ako sa lineup namin ngayon. Yan lang masasabi ko,” said Alarcon on Wednesday during the league press conference held at the Novotel.
UP may have lost Malick Diouf and CJ Cansino due to graduation after Season 86, but it got a plethora of new faces that are expected to make an impact right away.
Gilas Youth winger Jacob Bayla was one of the five recruits that the Fighting Maroons will parade in Season 87 along with familiar names.
Highly-touted one-and-done big man Quentin Millora-Brown will also play for UP, while Dikachi Ududo will fill in the foreign student-athlete slot left by Diouf.
Also debuting for the Fighting Maroons are transferee Gani Stevens and Denzil Walker.
Still bearing the pain of yesterdays, Alarcon admitted that it fuels them in their journey to the top.
“Nagbibigay lang siya sa amin ng reminder para yung dedication sa every game nandoon. Siguro yung team ngayon nakikita ko ready na ready kami,” said the fourth-year Alarcon.
