Humblebola

By: Karl Batungbacal

UAAP Season 87 has begun with all the teams beginning to put their cards on the table. The hands have been dealt, all bets are off, now it’s time for first impressions and give our assessments based on these categories:

What’s obvious?

The UP Fighting Maroons might not have CJ Cansino and Malick Diouf entering Season 87, but the team’s core is still very much intact — everything the team needs to reclaim the crown.

On opening day, UP shook off an uncharacteristically slow start to go on their vaunted third-quarter run, which led to the 77-61 victory over Katipunan rival Ateneo.

What’s the expectation?

Considering everything, the Fighting Maroons should be able to ride their vaunted chemistry all the way to locking in a top-two finish.

JD Cagulangan and reigning Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez shouldered the burden of leading their side to victory by going for 17 and 14 points each, precisely what the UP faithful expect them to do throughout the elimination round.

Guard play remains the Fighting Maroons’ biggest strength, with Cagulangan and Lopez’s electric athleticism being supported by a plug-and-play corps of Terrence Fortea, Harold Alarcon, Janjan Felicilda, and team captain Gerry Abadiano.

The best-case scenario

The Fighting Maroons is a team poised to make a commanding climb to the top of the standings like they have done in recent years.

Their journey to the top will depend mightily on how new additions Jacob Bayla, Dikachi Udodo, Quentin Millora-Brown, and former UE Red Warriors big man Gani Stevens will be able to cover for Cansino and Diouf’s losses.

Projection

UP will not be exempt from the Finals this year. Many have projected their return to the final stage of the tournament and their first game showed that those projections are warranted.

Once there the question then becomes how coach Goldwyn Monteverde can get the most out of his new pieces while keeping his veterans and top contributors fresh for the late-season push.