MANILA – Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles is the unanimous choice as the “team to beat” in the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball which kicks off today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Blue Eagles will be aiming for its third straight UAAP championship with an intact lineup led by Ilonggo Ferdinand “Thirdy” Ravena III, Angelo Kouame, Matt Nieto, Mike Nieto, and George Isaac Go.
Blue Eagles head coach Thomas “Tab” Baldwin, however, refuses to be drowned by compliments from other teams. He knows the seven other schools are determined to unseat them.
“I know expectations are high for our team and it’s our job to play the best basketball we can,” said the former Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team mentor.
Also tipped to make noise this season is Season 81 runner-ups University of the Philippines Maroons, which will have Ricci Rivero, Kobe Paras, Juan and Javi Gomez de Llano, Bright Akhuetie, and Jun Manzo.
“I think the expectations for our team are in place. Every team is going to be prepared and hopefully, we can live up to the expectations thrown at us,” said Maroons head coach Dolreich Perasol.
Also expected to make impression this season are De La Salle University Green Archers, Adamson University Falcons and Far Eastern University Tamaraws that all have kept their intact roster from last year.
Not to be outdone from the rest of the field are National University Bulldogs as well as rookie-laden teams University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers and University of the East Red Warriors.
The men’s basketball competitions begin with a triple-header today with the Growling Tigers and Red Warriors raising the curtain at 10:30 a.m., followed by Maroons and Tamaraws at 12:30 p.m., before the main game between Blue Eagles and Falcons at 4 p.m./PN
