UAAP ’82: ateneo, team to beat!

MULING itinalaga at nananatiling “team to beat” para sa kanilang mga katunggali ang season host at defending champion Ateneo de Manila University sa UAAP Season 82 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Napili ang Blue Eagles ng kanilang mga kalabang koponan bilang paborito sa ginanap na preseason press conference kahapon sa MOA Arena sa Pasay. “It’s quite obvious - it’s gotta be Ateneo. From player 1 to player 16, their skills are the same,” pahayag ni Adamson University mentor Franz Pumaren. “It’s given that Ateneo will be on top,” wika naman ng kanilang tinalo noong 2018 finals na si UP coach Bo Perasol.

Ngunit, marami rin ang naniniwalang mas mahirap kumpara noong 2018 ang gagawing title defense ngayong Season 82 ng Blue Eagles dahil pinaghandaan din silang maigi ng ibang teams. “All the schools have done a wonderful job. Everyone’s gonna be a team-to-beat,” pahayag ng bagong coach ng De La Salle University na si Gian Nazario. “It’s gonna be a very unpredictable season,” pagsegunda naman ni University of Santo Tomas coach Aldin Ayo.

Kabilang naman sa mga napisil na magiging mahigpit na katunggali ng Ateneo at paboritong makasama nilang umabot ng Final Four round ang Adamson Falcons at UP Fighting Maroons. “It’s gonna be Ateneo and then Adamson and UP. Yung natitira, maglalaban-laban for the fourth spot,” wika ni FEU coach Olsen Racela. At gaya ng inaasahan, iba ang itinurong paborito ni Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin. “For us, it’s pretty simple - team-to-beat is Adamson because they’re the next team.” Nakatakdang magsimula ang men’s at women’s basketball tournament sa Miyerkules sa Araneta Coliseum. (VA)