‘Manong’ eyes end of UE drought

A couple of weeks  before  the opening of  the 77th UAAP  season, the Inquirer called  Maynilad EVP Pato Gregorio to ask what he expected of the University of the Philippines Maroons, now that the Azkals’ Dan Palami will serve as team manager.

Pato, who used to be very active in raising funds for the Maroons, wasn’t ready to provide an answer and promised to call back once he touched base with the team.

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The phone call still hasn’t come. But last Sunday, we got our answer after the University of the East Red Warriors, now mentored by Derrick “Manong” Pumaren, crushed Rey Madrid’s Maroons, 87-59.

Was it only two seasons ago that UE, then coached by Jerry Codiñera, and the Maroons kept each other company at the bottom of the team standings?

Pato’s younger brother Allan said Tuesday that although Palami was making a difference to the team, the Maroons still need help from the UP alumni.

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For Derrick Pumaren, his return to collegiate basketball, where he first started his coaching career, was somewhat auspicious.

For starters, UE won its first game of the season, something which has not happened for years. Derrick also hopes to break a four-year absence from the Final Four.

From the games he has seen last weekend, the highly perceptive former PBA coach has made an assessment.

“So far, from what I’ve seen, the top five teams of last season are still the teams to reckon with this year,”  Derrick said.

“Even though last year’s champion La Salle lost to the FEU Tamaraws on opening day (77-82) you can see their strength and size.”

And UST, he pointed out, is not the UST that showed up last Sunday and lost to the NU Bulldogs.

“It is a better team than what it  showed,” Derrick said of the Tigers, now coached by Bong dela Cruz.

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In addition to last year’s finalists DLSU and UST, the three other teams to contend with, according to Manong Derrick’s assessment, are NU, FEU and Ateneo. “NU and FEU remain pretty solid even with their respective leading scorers gone. Ateneo will parade blue-chip rookies who blend well with the veterans.”

During the offseason, the Blue Eagles attended a three-week camp in the United States, the same camp they have been attending the last seven years, according to Ateneo head coach Bo Perasol.

Bo said that on the way back to Manila, they passed by Tokyo to play tune-up games, then Korea to compete in a Fiba-sanctioned tournament.

Derrick isn’t sure where to place his Warriors at this point, although his fondest wish is to break a 30-year title drought.

“It is a big challenge for me,” Derrick said, “but I’m willing to step up to this challenge.”