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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Collegiate devider Fighting Maroons optimistic despite losing 'Maroon Five'

Fighting Maroons optimistic despite losing 'Maroon Five'

Published Jun 23, 2026 09:09 am

At A Glance

  • Losing key pieces is never easy, and rebuilding a team from the ground up is an even tougher challenge.
UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde (UAAP Media)
UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde (UAAP Media)
Losing key pieces is never easy, and rebuilding a team from the ground up is an even tougher challenge.
University of the Philippines, minus the “Maroon Five”, is maximizing its effort to strengthen the team and improve the chemistry in the off-season when the State U seeks payback in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.
The Fighting Maroons, apart from their Preseason Cup run, join a pan-regional competition in the Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) slated Aug. 2 to 9 in Hangzhou, China, where the Diliman-based squad aims to find groove before the UAAP hostilities.
“With the AUBL, I think, it’s going to be a good process for us to even grow stronger as a team facing this type of competition, definitely with challenges. So, it's going to be a good experience for us,” said head coach Goldwin Monteverde during AUBL Media Day at the school's Varsity Training Center in Diliman, Quezon City Monday, June 22.
“It will be, siyempre, a different style of play. Being able to adjust at a short period of time, which is sometimes needed,” he added.
Representing the Philippines, UP eyes to impress in its maiden appearance in the AUBL where it was bracketed in the formidable Group B together with Hakuoh University (Japan) and Korea University (South Korea). There are three more groups where nine teams are also divided into three.
And the Maroons, this time competing without Gerry Abadiano, Reyland Torres, Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea, and Janjan Felicilda, are fully aware that they are facing an uphill climb.
“I guess the trip itself, pagkakasama kami ng another country, siyempre iba ‘yong ganda sa ibang lugar kayo. We'll be together every day, talk about things, anong mga dapat gawin,” said Monteverde. “And bukod doon, yung games pa natin… From what I saw, I think yung bracket namin, nasa malakas na bracket tayo. So, yung challenge is there. ‘Yong necessity to play as a team.”
Bannering the youthful UP side are Noy Remogat and Francis Nnoruka along with “residency boys” in Veejay Pre, James Payosing, Rainer Maga, and Dieonte Miles, a former NCAA Division I big man.
“Siyempre manalo, nandun naman kami para manalo eh, hindi lang kami nando’n para lang sa experience and opportunity para maglaro. Ando’n kami para manalo at kunin ang championship hangga’t sa makakaya namin,” said Remogat.
“Pero magi-start pa rin ‘yon sa practice namin, mag-training as a champion para pagpunta namin do’n, makikipaglaban kami as a champion,” he added.
From the last UAAP edition, UP fell short of defending its championship after yielding to the Jacob Cortez-led De La Salle.

Related Tags

UP Fighting Maroons UAAP Noy Remogat Veejay Pre AUBL Maroon Five Goldwin Monteverde
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