Coming into Season 88 as defending champions, the University of the Philippines (UP) Men’s Basketball Team (MBT) found itself staring down a daunting 0-2 start, an early setback that forced it into a position to play catch-up.
This time, the team is making sure history does not repeat itself.
Changing the playbook
What started with two opening losses last season now begins with a team determined to hit the ground running.
The Fighting Maroons entered Season 89 with back-to-back victories, claiming their second win with a 94-75 blowout over the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With the triumph, UP extended its winning streak against its Katipunan rivals to seven, dating back to Round 2 of Season 84.
Along with a new season comes a revamped group of Fighting Maroons, with fresh faces stepping up to shape the team’s new identity following the departure of the Maroon 5.
At the forefront of the retooled squad was James Payosing, who scored 16 points, followed by Veejay Pre, who delivered 14 markers and nine rebounds.
The UP MBT encountered an early problem in Blue Eagle rookie Kieffer Alas, who poured in six points in the first 10 minutes alone to keep Ateneo ahead by one point, 17-18.
State U crawled its way back in the second quarter, matching the blue jerseys’ pace to turn the tide in its favor.
In his UAAP debut donning the maroon jersey, Russell Ogana tied the game at 37-all with a layup before Rainer Maga followed with a jump shot to give State U a 39-37 edge, sparking the Maroon comeback as they battled their way to a 46-45 advantage by halftime.
Much like their season opener against the Growling Tigers, the Diliman-based squad once again found its rhythm after a conversation in the dugout at the halftime break.
“Pinag-usapan na namin ang mga lapses namin on the defensive end n’ong first half. Ano [‘yong] mga dapat naming i-adjust and [how to deal with] certain players of Ateneo,” UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde said in the post-game press conference.
The maroon jerseys came alive early in the second half, with Co-Captain Rey Remogat accounting for eight of UP’s 20 points in the third quarter while the Blue Eagles were limited to just 10 points, 66-55.
State U ultimately took control in the payoff period, with Pre and Payosing leading the offense as the maroon shirts led by as many as 25 points, 90-65.
Backing the offensive trio of Pre, Payosing and Remogat was big man Francis Nnoruka, who anchored the glass with 13 rebounds, while adding 12 markers to complete his second double-double performance of the season.
On the flip side, Jared Bahay led the Blue Eagles’ scoring efforts with 17 points, followed by Alas with 13 markers.
Strengthening the base
A perfect start comes with the price of commitment – and the UP MBT knows this all too well.
“Sa practices, binibigay naman [nila] lahat ng makakaya nila. [K]apag nakikita mo na ‘yong players really work hard during practices, talagang hindi ka magdadalawang-isip na bigyan sila ng confidence,” Monteverde said.
The head coach also praised the promising performances delivered by new recruits Pre and Payosing, emphasizing the trust the team has placed in them.
“‘Yon naman ang isa sa mga important sa isang team — na mabubuhay namin ‘yong best [namin] sa isang sitwasyon at makakapaglaro sila [sa paraang] gusto nila at malalabas nila ‘yong kumpiyansa nila,” said the tactician.
Beyond defensive and offensive strategies, Payosing added that the long season will give the Maroons plenty of opportunities to learn.
“Sabi ko ngayon sa team na mahaba ‘yong season na ‘to. Sabi ko sa kanila, each and every game, manalo [man o] matalo, kailangan natin buoin ‘yong lessons and learnings. […] We [will] continue to improve lang each and every game,” the former NCAA Finals MVP said.
The Fighting Maroons will look to maintain their unbeaten record as they face the National University Bulldogs on Sept. 26 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
