Other teams’ coaches see UAAP title series going down the wire

FAR Eastern University (FEU) head coach Glen Capacio claims his Tamaraws are the underdogs but his counterpart at Ateneo, Norman Black, doesn’t think so.

But what about the other coaches in the league? What do they think about the series between a top-seeded squad looking to end four years of frustration and a second-seeded team eyeing a third-consecutive crown.

University of the Philippines’ Boyet Fernandez, whose squad went winless this season, said the odds are even. De La Salle tactician Dindo Pumaren, whose Green Archers lost in the semifinals to the Tamaraws, also thinks it would go the distance.

“The series can go either way. But I think FEU will win Game One,” said Pumaren.

The Tamaraws and the Blue Eagles begin their best-of-three series for the 73rd University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball crown at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

“I think it will go to three games. FEU has the experience and the materials to win this season but Ateneo is so disciplined in executing their game plans and they have the materials to match FEU,” said Fernandez.

“But for me, I think FEU in two games while Ateneo in three,” added Fernandez, whose Fighting Maroons finished dead last in the eight-team league with a 0-14 card.

National University head coach Eric Gonzales sees an FEU sweep because of its solid lineup, while University of the East’s Lawrence Chongson is giving the Blue Eagles a slight edge.

“Maybe Ateneo. They have the advantage and the machinery. I’ll be surprised if the crowd isn’t at least two-thirds or one-third in their favor,” said Chongson.

“But among the teams in the league, FEU should rank No. 3 in as far as machinery is concerned, plus the fact that both teams share the same benefactor. The series could be interesting, if not intriguing,” added Chongson, who admits his future at UE hangs in the balance because the Red Warriors failed to land in the Final Four this year.

Chongson was referring to Manny Pangilinan, a staunch supporter of the Ateneo basketball program but whose company, Metro Pacific, is one of the sponsors of the FEU team.

Interestingly, FEU’s board representative Anton Montinola and athletics director Mark Molina are Ateneo alumni. Capacio’s assistant Ritchie Ticzon is also a former Blue Eagle and team manager George Lacson is also from Ateneo.

Black’s deputy Jamike Jarin is an FEU graduate. Jarin is the head coach the Blue Eaglets, who copped their third-straight UAAP juniors title last week.

Joel Orellana, Business Mirror