In two of the last three UAAP seasons, Adamson University had to go through a do-or-die playoff to reach the Final Four — gatecrashing a competitive league landscape that includes defending champion UP, perennial contenders La Salle and UST, and dark horses NU and Ateneo.
This time, however, the Soaring Falcons feel determined to prove they’re no longer just sneaking into the party. They want to show they belong at the table.
And to boost that bid, the team collected five preseason titles (Pinoyliga Collegiate Cup, Mayor Kirk Asis Open Invitational Tournament, Asiabasket International Tournament, Pinoyliga Big Dance, and Cebu Inter-Collegiate Basketball Tournament).
Backed by a promising youth movement from their high school program, Adamson enters UAAP Season 88 with the goal of turning potential into consistency under head coach Nash Racela.
“We don’t want to really look back and balikan yung mga achievements na ‘yon — ang gusto lang namin ay yung mga bata, talagang mag-focus sa UAAP. Sana by joining those tournaments, talagang na-prepare namin yung mga bata namin,” Racela said during the Season 88 Collegiate Basketball Press Conference held Monday afternoon at Gloria Maris Shark’s Fin Restaurant in San Juan.
Adamson will have to fill the void left by Joshua Yerro, Jhon Calisay, Royce Mantua, Eli Ramos, and Mario Barasi — all pivotal pieces in last season’s Final Four run. To do so, Racela secured the commitments of Earl Medina, Allen Perez, Jireh Tumaneng, and Zahir Sajili.
The trust shown by these rookies offered relief for the 53-year-old coach, especially after seeing Baby Falcons standouts Tebol Garcia, Vince Reyes, JC Bonzalida, and Gene Carillo — core members of the Season 86 championship squad — depart from the program.
“Unang-una, natutuwa kami dahil umakyat sila sa college. We see a lot of potential in those players, that’s why tinanggap namin sila doon sa program sa itaas,” said Racela, a one-time UAAP champion coach.
“I think it will be our responsibility to guide them and give them the opportunities para mag-grow. Tignan natin kung saan sila makakarating.”
Still, Racela has been cautious about setting public goals, preferring not to dwell on Final Four discussions to avoid adding pressure on his young squad.
“Wala naman. To be honest, we really don’t talk about the Final Four. Hindi pinaguusapan ‘yon. But we all know that at the back of our minds, alam namin kung ano gusto namin mangyari. Hindi talaga ‘yan pinag-uusapan kasi I know it will add to the pressure and ayaw namin mabigyan yung mga players ng burden na ganon,” he said.
But with a solid youth core in Medina, Perez, Tumaneng, and Sajili, seniors Monty Montebon and Cedrick Manzano, and Racela steering the ship, the Soaring Falcons know their mission: to claim their rightful seat among the league’s elite.
