MANILA, Philippines- Last year’s heartbreak kids meet 2009’s giant-killers as host La Salle and University of the Philippines kick off hostilities in the UAAP Season 73 men’s basketball tournament today at the Araneta Coliseum.
La Salle missed the Final Four for the first time since the format was instituted in 1994, no thanks to a 59-80 rout at the hands of National U in their last game of the Season 72 eliminations.
With coach Dindo Pumaren now at the helm in place of multi-titled brother Franz, the Green Archers aim their arrows on their traditional spots in the semis.
But La Salle is as green as it can get for this mission. Only five veterans led by Simon Atkins, Ferdinand and Joshua Webb remain in the fold and the Taft-based quintet will have to hope the learning curve won’t take too long for their greenhorns.
“We’re probably the youngest team this season with seven rookies and four sophomores. But we have a promising team, my young guys have good chemistry with the veterans,” Dindo, who served as assistant to Franz last year, said. “Our primary goal is to enter the Final Four.”
Unlike DLSU, the Fighting Maroons will enter the wars with virtually the same core that, although it finished joint seventh and eighth, rocked the order in Season 72.
Who would forget the Maroon’s 68-58 drubbing of mighty Ateneo? This win consequently thwarted the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ sweep of the preliminaries and set the stage for the Final Four.
With Gilas mainstay Magi King Sison, Woody Co, Martin Reyes, Mark Lopez and Alvin Padilla back and promising rookies Michael Silungan and Joshua Saret in tow, coach Aboy Castro believes they have a better shot at the Last Four this year.
“When I first came in (two seasons ago), I had only one senior player. At least now I have four guys who are graduating so it’s an older team and hopefully, the experience and all the wars that we’ve been through the last two and a half years will now make us a more formidable team,” said Castro.
UP and La Salle hit the floor at 2 p.m., following the traditional opening ceremonies at 1 p.m.
Launching their campaigns at 4 p.m. are University of Santo Tomas and Season 72 runner-up University of the East, two teams orphaned by the departure of key players.MANILA, Philippines- Last year’s heartbreak kids meet 2009’s giant-killers as host La Salle and University of the Philippines kick off hostilities in the UAAP Season 73 men’s basketball tournament today at the Araneta Coliseum.
La Salle missed the Final Four for the first time since the format was instituted in 1994, no thanks to a 59-80 rout at the hands of National U in their last game of the Season 72 eliminations.
With coach Dindo Pumaren now at the helm in place of multi-titled brother Franz, the Green Archers aim their arrows on their traditional spots in the semis.
But La Salle is as green as it can get for this mission. Only five veterans led by Simon Atkins, Ferdinand and Joshua Webb remain in the fold and the Taft-based quintet will have to hope the learning curve won’t take too long for their greenhorns.
“We’re probably the youngest team this season with seven rookies and four sophomores. But we have a promising team, my young guys have good chemistry with the veterans,” Dindo, who served as assistant to Franz last year, said. “Our primary goal is to enter the Final Four.”
Unlike DLSU, the Fighting Maroons will enter the wars with virtually the same core that, although it finished joint seventh and eighth, rocked the order in Season 72.
Who would forget the Maroon’s 68-58 drubbing of mighty Ateneo? This win consequently thwarted the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ sweep of the preliminaries and set the stage for the Final Four.
With Gilas mainstay Magi King Sison, Woody Co, Martin Reyes, Mark Lopez and Alvin Padilla back and promising rookies Michael Silungan and Joshua Saret in tow, coach Aboy Castro believes they have a better shot at the Last Four this year.
“When I first came in (two seasons ago), I had only one senior player. At least now I have four guys who are graduating so it’s an older team and hopefully, the experience and all the wars that we’ve been through the last two and a half years will now make us a more formidable team,” said Castro.
UP and La Salle hit the floor at 2 p.m., following the traditional opening ceremonies at 1 p.m.
Launching their campaigns at 4 p.m. are University of Santo Tomas and Season 72 runner-up University of the East, two teams orphaned by the departure of key players.MANILA, Philippines- Last year’s heartbreak kids meet 2009’s giant-killers as host La Salle and University of the Philippines kick off hostilities in the UAAP Season 73 men’s basketball tournament today at the Araneta Coliseum.
La Salle missed the Final Four for the first time since the format was instituted in 1994, no thanks to a 59-80 rout at the hands of National U in their last game of the Season 72 eliminations.
With coach Dindo Pumaren now at the helm in place of multi-titled brother Franz, the Green Archers aim their arrows on their traditional spots in the semis.
But La Salle is as green as it can get for this mission. Only five veterans led by Simon Atkins, Ferdinand and Joshua Webb remain in the fold and the Taft-based quintet will have to hope the learning curve won’t take too long for their greenhorns.
“We’re probably the youngest team this season with seven rookies and four sophomores. But we have a promising team, my young guys have good chemistry with the veterans,” Dindo, who served as assistant to Franz last year, said. “Our primary goal is to enter the Final Four.”
Unlike DLSU, the Fighting Maroons will enter the wars with virtually the same core that, although it finished joint seventh and eighth, rocked the order in Season 72.
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