UAAP Season 77 Primer: UE Red Warriors

Originally posted on the Balls Channel website

Head Coach: Derrick Pumaren (1st season)

Last Season: Sixth Place (7-7 in the eliminations)

Key Losses: Coach Boycie Zamar, Lord Casajeros, Ralf Olivares, Adrian Santos, JM Noble, Jai Flores, JR Sumido

Holdovers: Roi Sumang, Charles Mammie, Chris Javier, Bong Galanza, Gino Jumao-as, Mark Olayon, Dan Alberto, Ivan Hernandez

Key Acquisitions: Moustapha Arafat, RR de Leon (returnee), Paul Varilla, Daryl Guiang, Junard Caparida, Renz Palma, Edgar Charcos

The Coach Says:

“I expect them to play hard every game. That’s the target right now. What we put in is what we harvest at the end. What we’re gonna do right now is step-by-step, one game at a time, quarter-by-quarter, things like that. Of course, we want to win. I didn’t come here and accept this job for the sake of coaching. I came here to win. Everybody knows that, the whole team knows that and it’s the attitude that we have. Hopefully the players will be able to know the system already by the time of the opening.” – coach Derrick Pumaren

The Players Say:

“Ayaw kong sabihin na target namin ang Final Four. Ita-try namin yung best namin para makapunta sa Finals.” – Roi Sumang, guard

“I improved a lot. I practice everyday, trying to be the best I can so I can improve myself for the team. I’ll still play with a lot of emotions, but I’m still gonna be me – Charles Mammie. I’m more matured now and more responsible. I’ll be good.” – Charles Mammie, center

“My role is to double my work more on defense. I can play for offense, but I need to play for the team. My goal is to bring the championship.” – Moustapha Arafat, forward

X-Factor: Bong Galanza

If you’re the unanimous choice of your coach and your teammates to be the impact player for this coming season, you have to have the guts to take the challenge head on, right?

Galanza is facing this quandary, but the 6-foot-3 swingman is looking to deliver the goods for UE, more that he’ll be playing his final season this year.

The 21-year-old will fill the void left by Lord Casajeros and Ralf Olivares in the wings, and Pumaren hopes that his outside sniping will space the floor more, giving the main bullets Sumang, Mammie, and Arafat room to operate in the perimeter.

“Big shoes yung kailangan kong punan. Ako yung naiwan na veteran na wing. Pressure din kasi di ako masyadong nagamit the last two years pero may tiwala naman sa akin yung mga kasama ko eh,” Galanza said.

Prognosis:

A lot of rival coaches think that UE will be a force to be reckoned with this season, as the Red Warriors are set to parade Arafat with Mammie in their rotation. But Pumaren said that this also works as a disadvantage in their part, as he cannot utilize his prized foreign players at the same time.

The bigger problem for Pumaren is how the squad would adapt to his patented press, more that UE has shone last year with the brilliance of Sumang setting his teammates up on the floor.

Pumaren, who has been an ardent believer of discipline, has infused his strict demeanor to the squad, and will be hoping to get huge minutes from his cast of team B players and rookies to support his stars’ production.

Aside from Galanza, veterans Gino Jumao-as, Dan Alberto, and Chris Javier will be pressed to support the trio of Sumang, Mammie, and Arafat as UE’s focal point on offense.

You don’t have to doubt Sumang if he can deliver the goods for the Red Warriors, as many are expecting a breakout season from the Tondo native.

But for Pumaren, their season will lie more on the concept of teamplay, on how successful will the other guys step up come Season 77, and not just on an individual’s performance.

*****

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