AFTER securing their fourth straight championship, the UST Tiger Paddlers are poised to encounter a significant setback with the departures of Alvin Sevilla, the Season 85 MVP, and this year’s MVP, John Castro.
UST head coach Jackson Que said he anticipates a minor rebuild next season but is confident that the team will still be in good hands.
“Magkakaroon ng kaunting rebuilding tayo,” Que told the Varsitarian. “Actually, may mga graduating pero hindi pa natin alam kung anong mangyayari. Pero we are in good hands naman parati.”
Tiger Paddlers Manny de Leon, Ruiz Marcelino and Jericho Mumar will also be graduating this academic year, but it is not confirmed whether they will play next season.
“May bagong mga papasok at kailangan may mga bagong adjustment na naman tayong gagawin.”
Team captain Sevilla, who played in all four UST championships alongside Castro, said he accomplished his mission of helping the Tiger Paddlers in his final year.
“Sobrang saya ko dahil na-represent ko ulit ‘yung UST,” he told the Varsitarian. “I can say nagawa ko ang aking misyon and hindi ko magagawa ito at hindi namin matatapos itong season na ito kung hindi dahil sa team.”
For Castro, who started his UAAP stint as the Rookie of the Year in Season 81 and finished it with an MVP plum in his final season, the Tiger Paddlers’ success this season brought him the most joy.
“Para sakin, sobrang happy ko sa MVP pero mas happy ako dahil four-peat ang team,” he told the Varsitarian. “Mas happy ako sa naging resulta ng team na simula pagpasok ko hanggang pag-alis ko, naging buo pa ‘yung team.”
Que said that Sevilla and Castro proved themselves worthy of being called the team’s veterans throughout the season.
“Maganda ‘yung performance nila. Pinakita talaga nila na talagang worth it sila na tawagin na senior, na talagang lahat ng kailangan nilang gawin, ginawa nila,” he said.
Now, the Tiger Paddlers face a tall order of protecting the UST’s legacy in UAAP table tennis.
Sevilla said he trusts that the remaining Tiger Paddlers will keep believing in Que’s winning system.
“Remain grounded, remain humble. Sobra ‘yung tiwala ko sa mga teammates ko and sobra ‘yung tiwala ko sa system ni coach Jack,” he said. “Kung wala si coach Jack, hindi namin makakamit ‘to. Kaya na-i-improve namin ‘yung mga sarili namin every day.”
As for Que, he will instill the same humble “back-to-zero” mindset he’s been teaching ever since he started calling the shots in 2007.
“Ang mindset ng team, regardless kung malakas ‘yung ibang team, it all starts from zero. Bilog ang bola,” he said. “Kailangan pagsipagan natin and pag-igihan natin ‘yung training, and we’ll show them during the tournament.”
