It’s been rocky in the Tigers’ lair the past two UAAP seasons. As the UST Growling Tigers’ co-captains, Nicael Cabañero and veteran Paul Manalang are determined to transform the struggling Tigers into a competitive force.
Manalang, the team captain in UAAP Season 84 and 85, during which UST finished with the league’s second-worst (3-11) and then the worst (1-13) records, respectively, said the losing seasons left a bitter aftertaste.
“Parang kaming binugbog,” Manalang told the Varsitarian. “Sobrang sama ng standing namin at may mga games na malaki ‘yung lamang ng kalaban.”
UST has undergone a series of coaching transitions. Jino Manansala took over from Aldin Ayo, who was banned by the UAAP due to the Sorsogon “bubble” incident. Manansala was then replaced by Bal David, who resigned from his position after commanding the Tigers to their worst season since the Boy Sablan era.
In February 2023, Pido Jarencio, who was UST’s head coach during its last championship in 2006, signed a three-year contract to return to the helm of the Tigers.
Manalang said the team is ready for redemption under Jarencio.
“Tinatawag namin ‘yung season na ito na ‘redemption’…para ma-redeem din namin ‘yung sarili namin at maipakita namin sa community, sa UAAP, kung ano ‘yung capabilities ng team namin,” he said.
Cabañero, who led the league in scoring in Season 85 with an average of 17.62 points per game, said his rapid progression from a rookie to a sophomore within the same calendar year played a significant role in his development.
As he embarks on his third year as a player, the 6-foot-2 guard expressed his readiness to embrace the challenges that come with his new responsibility as co-captain, indicating he won’t shy away from the pressure.
“Iba na kasi ‘yung role ko,” Cabañero told the Varsitarian. “May pressure talaga, pero I don’t mind the pressure rin kasi trabaho ko ito. Parang living up to the hype ‘yung ginagawa ko.”
UAAP Season 84 and Season 85’s men’s basketball tournaments were both held in 2022, with the former ending in May and the latter concluding in December.
Fresh start
Cabañero said the team needs to forget the past and make a fresh start to begin the road to redemption.
“We just think positive and kung ano ‘yung nangyari samin last season, we need to forget that and start anew,” he said. “Kasi even though nakakalimutan namin ‘yung last season, marami kaming learning experience from that. So, we need to absorb that para magamit namin for this upcoming season.”
When he assumed leadership of the team, Jarencio stressed that he did not want his players making negative comments about their previous coaches.
And the Tigers welcomed Jarencio’s system and welcomed the changes it brought.
“May ilang months na kaming preparation kay coach, sa sistema niya, so naka-adapt na rin kami,” Manalang said.
“Sa bagong sistema, lahat kami involved. Walang star player, lahat equal opportunities, maglalaro kami within the system…kung sino ‘yung open, pinapasa namin, binibigay namin, kung sino ‘yung maganda laro, binibigyan namin ng chance.”
Cabañero is expected to continue spearheading the offense, while UST’s towering presence in Adama Faye, who maintained averages of 11.38 points and 12.23 rebounds per game last season, will serve as the linchpin of the defense.
However, with Jarencio at the helm, Cabañero said he is “101 percent” confident that other players would be given the chance to step up.
“May mag-i-step up diyan. I’m 101 percent confident kasi even though na halos same lang ‘yung roster namin from last season, hindi namin isusukat ‘yung dati, isusukat namin ‘yung present talaga,” he said. “Lahat kami e. Meron kami standards of role na dapat i-accept ‘yon para mas mag-collide pa ‘yung team namin, so I think lahat kami mas magbu-boom pa with the guidance of coach Pido.”
Maturity and leadership
Manalang expressed his desire to cultivate greater maturity within the Tigers in Season 86, a quality he believed was lacking in the team during the previous season, particularly when it came to finishing games strong.
“Ngayon siguro, mas kailangan namin mag-mature kasi kulang kami sa finishing last season,” he said. “Sa end part ng game, diyan lumalabas ‘yung maturity ng players,” he said. “Last season, marami kaming games na lamang kami, tapos bigla kaming mahahabol at kapag nahahabol naman kami, hindi na kami nakaka-comeback.”
Manalang added that discipline both inside and outside the court is crucial to achieving this maturity and forming a tighter team bond.
“‘Yung totoong chemistry, outside the court mo mabi-build ‘yon kasi sa loob ng court, madali na ‘yon kasi lagi kami magkakasama doon, so ‘yung off-the-court matters namin siguro doon talaga nabubuo,” he said.
Cabañero aims to foster a “grit-and-grind” mentality within the team for this season.
“Ang masasabi ko lang kung bakit ‘grit-and-grind’ Tigers ay we will not think na maliliit kami, and we will continue to fight up until the end,” he said.
Manalang, who still has one more playing year left, said he looks to espouse the values and the “Puso, Pride, Palaban” mantra that propelled Jarencio to UST’s last UAAP crown in 2006.
“‘Yon ‘yung panghahawakan namin, ‘yung ‘Puso, Pride, Palaban’ na ini-instill sa’min ni Coach Pido, na kailangan every game nandiyan ‘yung puso namin, ‘yung pride namin, [at] kailangan syempre lumaban kami,” Manalang said.
“Kung ‘yung coach namin nakikipagpatayan, bakit kami hindi?” with reports from John Peter L. Cajayon and Ernest Martin G. Tuazon
