UNIVERSITY of the Philippines opens its redemption season as it plays Katipunan rival Ateneo today in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Fighting Maroons and the Blue Eagles meet for the first time since last season’s Final Four at 6:30 p.m. Both teams split the championships at stake in 2022, which all ended in three games.

La Salle sets on in motion its title-retention bid against National University at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Big Dome.

Other Sunday matches will have legendary PBA import Sean Chambers making his coaching debut for Far Eastern University against Adamson at 3 p.m. right after University of the East and University of Santo Tomas take the floor at 1 p.m.

After ending their 36-year championship drought in the 2022 bubble tournament, UP has settled for runner-up honors in the last two seasons.

The Fighting Maroons lost to the Kevin Quiambao-led Green Archers in the Finals that went into full route last year.

“Regardless of who we play, the first game sets the tone for our season and helps us start strong. Every team in the UAAP is led by experienced coaches who know how to maximize their respective teams,” said UP coach Goldwin Monteverde.

“That is why it is important for us not to take any team lightly, as anyone can be beaten in our league on any given day.”

Despite losing CJ Cansino and former MVP Malick Diouf to graduation, the Fighting Maroons still have the size and will count on to holdovers Gerry Abadiano, Harold Alarcon and JD Cagulangan on their backcourt strength.

“We are a bigger team this year with the additions of one-and-done Quentin Millora-Brown, Dikachi Ududo, and Gani Stevens. Along with Sean Alter, Francis Lopez, Mark Belmonte, and Jacob Bayla, this is definitely a taller team compared to last season,” said Monteverde.

Ateneo, meanwhile, placed fourth last year is has lost several key players – with their decision to turn pro like Kai Ballungay or transfer to another school as in the case of Mason Amos, as well as injury, where LeBron Nieto was ruled out due to ACL.

Coach Tab Baldwin, who steered the Blue Eagles to four UAAP championships since taking over the reins in 2016, hope that the leadership of Sean Quitevis and Chris Koon will be the key to remain as a championship contender.

“Sean is doing a great job. They were captains last year and I think that is a great learning experience despite last year not being a great year for us, there was a lot of adversity on the court and a lot of tough situations, losing a lot of close games,” Baldwin said.

“Those sort of situations provide a lot of lessons for all of us. I’m sure that Chris and Sean grew a lot and I’ve seen that this year, they’ve done a good job leading this very young team and it’s a very important role for them. I’m excited, I think the challenge is huge, and I’m just a guy who loves challenges,” he added.

The Blue Eagles, who defeated the Falcons in a playoff for No. 4 last year, have not missed the Final Four since placing fifth in 2013.

Living up to its season theme of ‘Stronger. Better. Together.,’ host school UP has put together a kaleidoscopic package of musical artists, groups, and ensembles together with kinetic dance acts that will make Season 87 one of the most memorable in history in the opening ceremony at 11 a.m.

The Eraserheads will be the highlight of the hour and a half-long show, but before the iconic Filipino rock band come on, independent musician-songwriter Johnoy Danao and musical soloists – cello, guitar and percussion – will set the stage for an interesting musical afternoon.

Amid a stunning, immersive light experience, the UP Symphony Orchestra will perform alongside Kontra Gapi, the resident Ethnic Music and Dance Ensemble of the UP College of Arts and Letters, in a richly textured contrapuntal number.

UP alumni from different rock bands – Lean Ansing of Slapshock, Dave Delfin of Franco, and Bon Sundiang and Maysh Baay of Moonstar 88 – will come together as one rock unit, while P-Pop group Kaia and world-renowned hip-hop dance crew UPeepz provide the pop element to the music-rich afternoon.

Representatives from each of the seven other UAAP member schools have been invited to join their UP counterparts and the UP Concert Chorus in singing the UAAP Hymn.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado