Head Coach:
Kenneth Duremdes (1st season)
Last Season:
Seventh Place (4-10 in the eliminations)
Key Losses: Coach
Leo Austria, Jericho Cruz, Rodney Brondial, Ingrid Sewa, Roider Cabrera, Gian Abrigo, Eric Cabigas, Michael Agustin, Matthew Bernabe
Holdovers: Ryan
Monteclaro, Don Trollano, Axel Iñigo, Jansen Rios, Dawn Ochea
Key Acquisitions:
Joseph Nalos (transferee), Alex Barrera, Matthew Aquino, Ivan Villanueva,
Christian Garcia, Francis Donahue, William Polican, JR Gumtang, Jess Pedrosa,
Harold Butron, Kevin Baytan
The Coach Says:
“Basically, more on rebuilding tayo. We’re trying our best so that we can develop players in a quicker way. Wala yung mga veterans natin, especially with the early departure of Jericho (Cruz) to the professional league, so malaking trabaho ang ginagawa natin ngayon hoping that these young players that we recruited to this team can adapt and learn at the quickest way.” – coach Kenneth Duremdes
The Players Say:
“More or less, magiging tough season ito for us. Pero we’re very optimistic with the new system, plus I think I speak for everyone, we don’t have stars. So basically, we’re relying on teamwork. No individual go-to guy, walang specific na pupuntahan yung bola, and everybody’s licensed to do each of their roles.” – Ryan Monteclaro, guard
“Mahirap kasi we have new coaches, pero right now, naa-adapt na namin yung system ni coach Kenneth. Undersized yung team, but we’re preparing to give our full effort.” – Jansen Rios, forward
“Kailangang mag-step up lahat kasi ang daming rookies at wala pa silang experience sa ganung laban. Yung UAAP, mabigat na competition yun. Pero ine-expect ko na makapasok kami ng Final Four.” – Don Trollano, forward
X-Factor: Ryan Monteclaro
Though Duremdes has been preaching about teamwork to this
young squad, he will still rely on his five holdovers from last year’s squad to
be the shining light for the Falcons.
Expect the 5-foot-7 Monteclaro to be at the forefront of
each of Adamson’s battles this season, as the team captain has been more than
just a vocal leader for his raw teammates.
Whether it may be barking instructions from the sidelines,
hollering when his teammates have executed a right play, or stabilizing
Adamson’s play when he is on the floor, Monteclaro has really been a big help
for Duremdes, and even Captain Marbel knows that the 22-year-old senior will be
a key cog in the Falcons’ future this year.
But in Monteclaro’s part, he doesn’t want to shy away from
the ideals his PBA legend coach is instilling to the squad.
“Our team, we’re undersized talaga. We lack individual
talent. But yung potential ng team given na maraming talented rookies, andoon
eh,” he said. “We’ll be there sa season ready for any battle. Even if we’re
undersized and too young, we still believe that we can make some noise sa
UAAP.”
He added, “We’ll be the underdogs of this season, and we
believe in coach Kenneth and coaching staff. We are very motivated and inspired
sa mga naririnig namin. The Adamsonians are going back to its rebuilding days,
pero maganda dito is we’re going to surprise everybody in the league.”
Prognosis:
We have to be frank. Not much is expected from this year’s
Soaring Falcons.
Losing their coach and basically the core players from last
season’s campaign, Duremdes has been tasked in forming a ragtag crew, and it
doesn’t help that the team has only been together for a month or so.
That isn’t going to be accepted as an excuse for a possibly
tough season for Adamson, but knowing Captain Marbel, he wouldn’t fold that
easy.
With only five holdovers from last year’s roster, the
Falcons need to step up their game, more that from the point guard position to
the center position, they will be thoroughly undersized.
How would Duremdes address that? Defense, he says.
Adamson will take their physical style of play from last
season in grinding out possible wins this year, and the team believes that with
the teamwork that they have, better things are ahead of them.
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