During the first two games of the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup presented by Chooks-to-Go, Joe Silva sat behind the bench of the University of the East Red Warriors. He carefully observed what needs to be done and what pieces the team needs for the UAAP Season 81 Men’s Basketball tournament and beyond.
In their third game of the tournament, he finally called the shots.
“I feel very at home, I feel very privileged to be part of the UE community. They welcomed me with open arms.”
The once-proud UE Men’s Basketball program has floundered for the better part of the 2000s. The Red Warriors last made the Final Four back in 2009, and last won the UAAP Men’s Basketball crown back in Season 48.
In need young blood to change the program, UE tapped former Ateneo Blue Eaglets head coach Joe Silva to try and steer the program to a new direction. But in order to introduce a new culture, Silva is starting from the ground.
“What we’re trying to do is change the culture.
“We haven’t really been putting our system yet. It’s all about individual skills – getting stronger, mindset, video viewing to make them smarter, yun pa lang nagagawa namin,” disclosed Silva, who was officially named as head coach back in May 1.
Slowly, the Red Warriors have been embracing the shift. It showed on Tuesday evening, as the rag-tag Red Warriors were able to lead by as much as 11 points late against the star-studded Gilas Cadets. However, they crumbled in the end-game, falling 61-63.
“I was satisfied because number one, they competed. I told them that nobody in this arena expects us to go toe-to-toe with Gilas,” beamed Silva.
“I always told them, just compete, let’s bring back UE Warriors basketball. Kung sino man yan, kahit saan mang venue, laban tayo, palag tayo. Gusto kong i-instill sa kanila yung winning attitude ulit, hindi yung pagpasok palang ng court, wala na, talo na.”
Besides changing the culture, Silva is planning to bring in several blue-chip recruits to the fold. Some of the names being brought up are Diliman College’s Adama Diakhite, former Ateneo Blue Eagle John Apacible, and UE’s prodigal son Jordan Sta. Ana. Other fresh from high school recruits include Jojo Antiporda from Chiang Kai Shek and Jan Sobrevega from De La Salle-Zobel.
Silva’s pitch to the new recruits is both simple and empowering: Be the one to bring UE’s old glory back.
“We started late. I started recruiting two, three weeks ago. But ‘di pa tapos recruiting namin. May mga darating pa kaming surprise recruits for this year and next.
“‘Di pa namin madi-disclose, but we’re working on recruitment pa rin. I just sold them on the idea of being the seeds of bringing back the glory days to UE. I just told them that you guys are going to be the pioneers that will bring back UE to where it was before. On board naman sila sa process,” Silva shared.
Though this challenge will be tough, Silva declared that he is up to it.
“The sun will rise in the east,” he declared.
