Tigers are intact and ready to growl
U niversity of Santo Tomas coach Pido Jarencio was in his usual jolly self when the coaches were asked to assess the competition and their respective teams’ chances for UAAP Season 76 during the league’s press launch.
Being the last to take the mike (schools were to speak in alphabetical order), he simply “seconded” what the others said before him, that this seems like a wide-open race, etc.
He also profusely thanked NU’s Eric Altamirano for tagging UST as the team to beat – a first time for him, according to Jarencio.
He then launched a statement that was both a joke and a stern warning to their rivals: ÒBasta ako, sigurado box office kami this season. U.S.T., Una Sa Takilya.”
The former King Goldie has good reasons to be optimistic. He has the core group Ð Jeric Teng, Karim Abdul, Aljon Mariano, Clark Bautista and Kevin Ferrer – back after their runner-up finish in Season 75 and conquest of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League, and toughened by their stints in the D-League, not to mention determined to finish the job this time.
ÒMaraming veteran players, experienced dahil naglaro sa D-League, so Ok lang tayo,” Jarencio said as he discussed the coming season in a video report by UST’s student publication, the Varsitarian.
He even gave a bold parting shot in that video: ÒItong team na binuo natin, pang- champion ito.Ó
That top pointguard Jeric Fortuna is gone didn’t dampen Jarencio’s confidence a bit. “Walang problema. Kami na mismo ang gumawa ng adjustment. Hindi namin kailangan ng talagang uno. Leadership lang naman ang kailangan sa point guard at kahit sino sa kanila, pwedeng magdala ng bola, kahit si Abdul,” he said.
The coach of the consensus top contender, Altamirano, clearly saw this potential threat from UST. “I personally believe UST is the team to beat; they have experienced players, they won the Champions League and they have a very good coach.”
Then there’s that drive to bounce back after a missed title campaign in 2012, losing to Ateneo in the finals, 0-2.
“Parang bumagsak ang mundo namin kasi andun na kami, bumigay lang sa huli,Ó Bautista said in the Varsitarian preview.
“Mas hungry kami, marami sa amin ang natira from last season na nasaktan sa pagkatalo sa finals. This time, gusto naming manalo,” said Teng.
A hungry tiger means bad news for the rest.