The Varsitarian

LAST UAAP season, the Thomasian community’s worst fears came true.

The UST Growling Tigers, undoubtedly one of the best teams in the history of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament, failed to enter the Final Four for the first time since the system started in 1994.

Not only that, but UST’s famed “four-peat”, a feat they accomplished from 1993 to 1996 under the tutelage of Januario “Aric” Del Rosario, was likewise duplicated by the De La Salle University Green Archers.

But if this is an indication that the Growling Tigers are no longer a threat in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament, think again.

Remember, UST missed the services of Cyrus Baguio, Melchor Latoreno, Gilbert Lao and Kenneth Co last year after Del Rosario removed them from the line-up due to one reason or another.

But all that is about to change this year.

After remarkable performances in the Fr. Martin’s Cup, the Ambrosio Padilla Cup, and the Asian University Basketball Championships (AUBC), the UST Growling Tigers are title-favorites once again.

On July 14 at the Araneta Coliseum, the Tigers are poised to strike anew and are ready to pour their frustrations on the hapless Adamson Falcons, who have yet to win their first game in two UAAP seasons under head coach Luigi Trillo.

Del Rosario, however, is not too keen on making an explosive comeback this season.

“Ang target ko muna ay makasama kami sa Final Four. If I will base it sa mga nangyari sa mga off-season tournaments na sinalihan namin, kung hindi magbabago iyong laro nila, malamang may chance tayo,” Del Rosario said.

Renewed vigor

Boosted by the return of Baguio, UST nearly took home the Ambrosio Padilla Cup championship but defensive lapses in the endgame against eventual champion San Sebastian relegated the Tigers to second place.

The Growling Tigers, however, exacted their revenge on the Stags at the AUBC. With UST’s dunking duo of Gelig and Baguio showing the way, the Tigers whipped the Stags in their battle for third place in the tournament.

Failing to advance to the semifinal round last year in the Fr. Martin’s Cup, the Growling Tigers grabbed third this time, missing out on the championship round once again.

According to Del Rosario, one reason for the team’s sudden turnaround was the players’ renewed aggressiveness on the court.

“Napansin ko sa mga players ko ngayon, hindi na sila kagaya nung dati na malambot. Kung matalo man kami, sa endgame na lang. Nagbago na iyong ugali nila dati na kapag nalamangan ng malaki, umaayaw na. Pero ngayon, kahit gaano kalaki iyong lamang, lumalaban pa din, at minsan nananalo pa.”

Del Rosario, however, sensed that some of the players’ individualistic tendencies, a weakness that did them in last UAAP season, tend to resurface from time to time.

The former UAAP Most Valuable Player said that the four Tigers who had stints in the Philippine Basketball League—Baguio, Gelig, Alwyn Espiritu and Christian Luanzon—had a habit of deviating from the play, hogging the ball and forcing impossible shots, even in crunch time.

Case in point was when the UST Growling Tigers faced the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) Cardinals at the UST gymnasium.

Del Rosario related that after leading by as much as 14 points in the second half, the Tigers’ penchant for individualistic plays kicked in.

With only 3:43 left in the game, UST led Mapua, 68-64. But the Cardinals started to apply full-court pressure on the home team, causing the Tigers to panic.

Mapua ended the game with a crippling 12-0 run to snatch a victory from UST, 76-68.

“Sa nakikita ko ngayon sa mga PBL players ko, parang ayaw nilang magpalamang. Tingin ko kasi, iba na ang iniisip ng mga iyan. It seems that they are already preparing for the big league. Iniisip siguro nila, kailangan na nilang magpakitang-gilas. Score lang nang score kahit hindi manalo,” Del Rosario said.

As a word of advice, Del Rosario kept telling his players that coaches in the professional league do not merely base their choices on statistics alone. He added that coaches also consider how much contribution a player would be in helping his team win games.

Big man burden

With only Mark Naninnga as the team’s legitimate center, Del Rosario is at a loss whenever the Growling Tigers are matched up against taller teams such as Ateneo, De La Salle, and Far Eastern University.

Other big men in UST’s line-up to rotate at the center and power forward positions are Espiritu, Rovie Baguio, and sometimes Warren De Guzman.

“Kulang talaga tayo sa big man. Kung ikukumpara sa ibang teams, wala tayong pantapat sa mga center nila,” Del Rosario said.

However, the original “four-peat” architect said that he plans to remedy this by designing certain plays where his wing players are the main offensive options.

Another concern for Del Rosario is the rebounding department. He explained that he gave additional emphasis on the box-out play so that the team would be able to get more rebounds, resulting into more second-chance points.

“Kailangan lahat maka-rebound. Hindi kagaya dati na dominado natin. Sa basketball kasi, ang key ay iyong big man at point guard. Kasi kung malakas ang mga big man, iyong mga shooters, lalakas ang loob na tumira sa labas kasi alam nila na may rebounder. Kapag iyong mga pointguard naman ay magaling, kapag walang maka-atake na mga wingmen, kaya nilang bigyan ng bola iyong mga big man para sila ang umatake,” Del Rosario explained.

And just like any other varsity coach in UST, Del Rosario is not spared of the so-called “recruitment woes.”

Del Rosario said that the main reason why UST lacks big men is that during recruitment, the tall players choose to go to whichever university has the juiciest offer.

“Pagdating sa recruitment ng mga players, talo na agad tayo. Kasi minsan may makikita akong player, kakausapin ko, sasabihin ko iyong mga pwede nating i-offer. Libreng tuition lang, saka hindi kalakihan na allowance. Hindi kagaya ng ibang schools, may apartment ka na, may maid ka na, pagkain at may pera ka pa. Siyempre mas pipiliin ng player na doon na lang pumunta. Minsan, nakukuha ko tuloy ay iyong mga tira-tira na lang,” Del Rosario said.

Man on a mision

Aside from the daunting task of bringing back UST to its rightful place, which is on top of the collegiate basketball ranks, Del Rosario disclosed that he still has a personal goal that he wants to achieve first before he decides to retire from coaching.

“Gusto ko sana, bago ako mag-retire, malamangan ko iyong UE sa bilang ng napanalunang basketball championships,” Del Rosario said.

UST and UE are tied with 18 championships in men’s basketball.

On a personal level, Del Rosario admits that UST’s failure to enter last year’s Final Four was a bitter pill to swallow.

“Nasira iyong streak ko na since nahawakan ko itong Tigers, kung hindi Final Four, lumalaban sa championship,” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario, however, was ready to admit that he did not expect much from the team last year, especially after his decision to bar Baguio, Latoreno, Lao, and Co from playing.

“Nagsakripisyo ako kasi gusto ko silang turuan ng leksiyon. Kung hindi ko ginawa iyon, hindi sila magigising at willing akong gawin uli iyon. Kung ayaw nilang mag-aral, wala silang business dito. Itong ginagawa ko, hindi para sa akin, para sa kanila. Ang daming tao na gustong maging player, gustong mag-aral pero sila, binalewala nila,” Del Rosario added.

As for his “four-peat” record, Del Rosario said he knew that it would be duplicated sooner or later.

“Puwede pa ngang ma-break iyon. Pero kung ma-break man ng La Salle iyon, hindi naman nila kayang ma-break iyong 14-0 record ko. At kung sakaling mangyari man iyon, at least alam ko na ako ang nauna,” smiled Del Rosario, referring to UST’s classy 1993 sweep of all its games.

With everything seemingly falling into place for Del Rosario, all that’s left to be seen is whether the Tigers have the drive to go all the way and win the championship.

“Basta mayroong willingness na manalo. Kailangan nilang magtulungan at dapat aggressive din sila. Kung gusto nilang manalo, hindi sila matatalo. Kung ayaw nilang manalo, hindi talaga mananalo. Kailangan talaga ng sipag at lahat gagawin para manalo,” Del Rosario said.