Basketball doesn’t seem to be the favorite subject at the University of the Philippines, the only state-backed UAAP team.
Just under three years ago, the UP Fighting Maroons made history when they became the second team to go 0-14 in the UAAP Basketball Tournament. Pep’s team seem to get the most cheers and UP is rarely mentioned in the same vein as Ateneo and La Salle in conversations, unless it comes to academic topics.
Fighting Maroons head coach Aboy Castro is about to change all that.
Since taking over in 2008, Castro has assembled one strong recruiting class after another, and by all indications, they are ready to give traditional basketball powerhouses UST, Ateneo and La Salle a shot.
It’s probably too early to predict a trip to the Final Four, but that’s what happens when a team beats a perennial champion team in a competitive preseason tournament.
There is more to him than meets the eye.
The Fighting Maroons’ 68-61 victory over the De La Salle Green Archers on Wednesday is more than just a victory on the basketball court. It’s a big leap for the UP’s efforts, led by Castro, to win the recruiting game.
“Like all programs, the head coach is really the top recruiter,” Castro said. “You have assistant coaches who do the scouting for you, but overall it’s your program and you have to sell it.”
Castro did well by earning a good piece of the recruiting pie last season when he brought in Mikee Reyes from La Salle Green Hills, building up UAAP Juniors MVP Mark Juruena from Adamson and Alvin Padilla from San Beda. This year, Castro is looking forward to playing Mike Silungan, who recently completed his two-year residency requirement and former high school standouts Jett Manuel of Xavier High School and Joshua Saret, the former JRU Light Bomber who made headlines last season. past his quadruple-double performance in the grueling NCAA Juniors Tournament.
Silungan is a dynamic scorer and is perhaps the main reason why the Fighting Maroons are quickly emerging as a team to watch for the upcoming UAAP season.
“I waited two years for this guy. My team was young in 2008 when I came in and we knew there were going to be growing pains,” Castro said, referring to Silungan. “Coaches always want to speed it up, but sometimes you just have to go through it.
Averaging 24.7 PPG in the preseason, Silungan showed he can dominate games when he scored 35 points against the EAC Generals on Friday, leading the Maroons to a 78-75 victory despite the absence of Woody Co and Maggie Sison.
Saret is a surprise addition to the Fighting Maroons.
“It was just a fluke. We were interested in it since last year”, Castro responded when asked how he attracted Saret, who made history after registering 89 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists and 13 steals against AUF Junior Danes. last season. “We’re still talking to him.”
The Maroons are also looking beyond 2010, recruiting Alinko Mbah, an imposing big man from Nigeria who has been seeing action in the Filoil pre-season tournament. He will be eligible to play for UAAP in 2011.
So what attracts these players to UP?
“The environment and the culture,” Castro replied. “We don’t have the assignments or the facilities that the top three programs have, but they enjoy playing here and want to be part of the team to turn UP around.”