After focusing on the clear-cut championship contenders, Cebu Daily News now takes a closer look at two teams aiming to make it back to respectability after missing out on the semifinal round in last year’s tournament—the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors and the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats.
And though these two teams contrast in the personnel that they will be fielding come the league’s opening this Saturday, the new season offers both a chance at making a name for themselves in their respective campaigns.
University of San Carlos Warriors
After making it to the finals in 2006 and 2007, the Warriors have steadily seen their stock fall, bringing back images of their dark days during the league’s early years when they were considered to be doormats to the league’s elite.
With a brand new head coach in local legend Julian Macoy—the man credited with scoring the most number of points in Cebuano basketball history (126)—along with a cast of unproven talent, the Warriors limped their way to the finish line last year and bowed out in the quarterfinals.
This season, with a full year under his belt and with a stellar recruitment class bannered by two foreign imports, Macoy has boldly declared, “We’re clearly a better team than we were last year.”
The esteemed basketball personality may not be far off the mark as the Warriors displayed their newfound vigor and fighting spirit during a preseason tournament in Bogo, where they went toe-to-toe with the mighty Southwestern University Cobras in the finals and led by 17 points at one point before eventually folding in the end.
And while Macoy’s strategic genius is evident in the team’s disposition this year, credit also goes to the maturity of the team’s leaders Nico Magat, Dominic Adlawan and Stephen Que.
USC has a bevy of guards at their disposal, but craftiness and savvy are virtues that Dave Guardiario, Anthony Romaguerra, Jerry Seno, Victor Rabat, Kevin Oleado, Ian Ortega and former Ateneo Team B member, Kiefer Lim are expected to gain with steady game experience this season.
The team’s frontcourt, a sore point for the Warriors in seasons past, has improved by leaps and bounds with the recruitment of two Cameroonians, the high-leaping Ahmed Salihou and the hulking Barry Amin.
The two figure to bolster USC’s interior presence along with incumbent center Charles Pepito, athletic Christian Laude, Miguel Plata and the aforementioned Magat, a former Mapua Cardinal.
Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats
Asked about his prognosis for his team this year, the Wildcats’ outspoken athletic director Alex dela Torre exclaimed that it was a case of “bad news, good news.”
Let’s start with the bad news: Out for this season is the team’s most potent offensive force Allan Dimco, who was declared ineligible by the screening committee because of academic issues.
Now the good news courtesy of dela Torre: “Dimco’s absence this season will give him another year with the team and by next year, his presence along with the maturity of our prospects, namely forwards Joshua dela Cerna and Vincent Menguito will certainly make us a team to be reckoned with.”
The focus is on this season and making the most of what remains.
That job belongs to former PBA great, Gilbert Demape, who has transformed this team into his likeness: scrappy, hard-nosed and no-nonsense.
With Dimco gone, the bulk of the scoring load is expected to be shouldered by veteran guard Floyd Taboada along with spot contributions from Menguito and dela Cerna, two players who proved their worth in the Partner’s Cup preseason tournament, wherein the Wildcats finished in second place behind eventual champions, UV.
The backcourt is expected to be manned by lefty shooter Franklin Batiquin and the untested pair of Marlo Pono and Marc Laguna.
Without a clear inside game to speak of, perimeter scoring will be at a premium for these Wildcats and they are looking to get that from John Graf and Bridrik Brigoli.
And while a lot of holes remain in this year’s composition, the Wildcats are hoping that they will be filled by the likes of Rene Arana, Francis Patino, Julius Tabalin, Steven Bucao and Wendyl Undaloc.