Humblebola

The Adamson Soaring Falcons will need to find ways to win games with or without their superstar guard Jerom Lastimosa. This much has become evident even before the start of UAAP Season 86 as the arguably best point guard in the UAAP is set to miss a significant portion of the season due to a knee injury.

A running theme for the Falcons since Season 84 has been the question of what life after Jerom will be like for them. We got glimpses of this during their preseason tournaments wherein they played without him while he was busy donning the Gilas Pilipinas jersey. While their preseason stints did not yield as many trophies as they would have wanted, their consistent placing among the top teams is reason to be optimistic about their foundations of their system.

A major change will be to their center position with the abrupt departure of big man Lenda Douanga. Left to man the paint will be Moudiaga Ojarikre whose timetable for joining the team has been drastically accelerated. Initially set to join the lineup in Season 87, Ojarikre has had only months to pick up where Lenda left off and serve as the team’s primary rim protector. While he has a tall task ahead of him, his teammates believe that he will find his footing soon as they describe him as a fast learner with an athletic playstyle.

Aside from Lenda, the Falcons have also lost several key players in Aaron Flowers and AP Manlapaz who have opted not to return to the team. This opens the door for their new recruits to fill in their shoes and make an impact. NCAA juniors champion Emman Anabo is set to bring his championship pedigree to the team while Jhon Calisay will finally get to suit up in the 5×5 scene after honing his skills and helping the 3×3 team take home the silver in Season 85.

While Lastimosa is away the Falcons will look to their veterans to provide on court leadership. Expect Cedrick Manzano, Joshua Yerro and Vince Magbuhos to take turns leading the charge in his absence. These players have shown flashes of brilliance in seasons past and are familiar with handling the pressure of carrying the team.

The Soaring Falcons have built a system that allows them to play at a consistent level, however, the lingering question is if they’ll be able to elevate their game enough in order to compete against the teams that have re-tooled and reloaded during the offseason. Patience is key for the Falcons and this season will determine if their patience pays off.