UP makes debut in Pinoyliga Next Man cUP

Just two months after reclaiming the UAAP championship, University of the Philippines will start preparing for a title-retention bid with preseason meets starting with the Pinoyliga Next Man cUP as the Fighting Maroons debut Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Enderun Colleges Gym in Taguig City.

UP takes on College of St. Benilde – another debuting team – in the opening game of a quadruple header at 2 p.m.

San Sebastian College-Recoletos clashes against Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association champion St. Dominic College of Asia at 4 p.m., while NCAA champion Mapua tries to bounce back from its opening day loss when it collides with Ateneo at 6 p.m., before Enderun Colleges and Guang Ming College meet at 8 p.m.

UP won the men’s basketball title in the UAAP last December as it dethroned the Green Archers of De La Salle University in a grueling three-game series. It was the team’s first title in three years after winning it in 2021 but came up short in the finals the next two seasons.

The goal in the UAAP is to retain the championship, and preparation for that title campaign will be crucial, according to former Maroons mentor and current UP head of sports Bo Perasol.

“Itong mga tournaments na ito, kagaya nitong Pinoyliga Next Man cUP, hindi lang preparation and iniisip natin dito. Ito ang magiging gauge or evaluation ng coaching staff sa mga players na puwedeng isama sa roster (for the UAAP). Kasi magi-iba ang dynamics ng team dahil dalawa ang nawala,” said Perasol.

“Unang una nawalan kami kumbaga ng general in point guard JD Cagulangan, and nawala din yung poste ng team in Quentin Millora-Brown. Anong klaseng team ang bubuuin ng coaches and anong direction ng team when it comes sa complexion – very particular ang coaching staff dun,” he added.

Cagulangan, a savvy floor leader with high offensive skills, and 6-foot-10 center Millora-Brown played their final seasons with the Maroons this season, the latter being a ‘one-and-done’ after joining UP last season.

Perasol said that there are some 22 members of their training pool eager to showcase their talent and prove their worth to be included to the main team of UP for the coming season of the UAAP, including Seven Gagate, Josh Coronel, Noy Remogat and Fil-Am Miguel Yniguez.

CSB, on the other hand, will also try to improve its own roster for the coming basketball wars in the NCAA after falling short in Season 100 when it suffered a heartbreaking 0-2 sweep against the Mapua Cardinals in the best-of-three finals showdown also last December.

The said Next Man cUP tournament will provide an opportunity for players like Shawn Umali, Raffy Celis and high-flying SJ Moore – a transferee from UST – to show that they are ready to join and provide firepower to the main team of the Blazers in the NCAA.

Games Saturday (Enderun Colleges Gym, Taguig City)

2 p.m. – UP vs CSB

4 p.m. – St. Dominic vs San Sebastian

6 p.m. – Mapua vs Ateneo

8 p.m. – Enderun vs Guang Ming

— Betheena Unite