Earlier than the UAAP Season 88 males’s basketball Closing 4 kicks off, look again at Nationwide College’s legendary 2019-20 highschool groups that affect high contenders to this very day
MANILA, Philippines – On the finish of the UAAP Season 88 males’s basketball elimination spherical, the NU Bulldogs completed as the highest seed for the primary time within the Closing 4 period — a outstanding, regular rise for a perennial contender nonetheless trying to find its first championship in 11 years.
Coming in second are the UP Combating Maroons, the reigning males’s basketball champions now on their seventh straight Closing 4 look and gunning for title No. 3 in 4 quick years after having just one since 1986.
A yr earlier than UP’s most up-to-date championship, the La Salle Inexperienced Archers dominated the roost as the perfect crew in UAAP males’s basketball and are again for redemption this Season 88 Closing 4 after dropping its back-to-back title bid towards the Combating Maroons.
What do all these groups have in frequent apart from being the requirements of UAAP excellence within the 2020s? They’ll all hint their roots again to the 2019-2020 iterations of the NU Bullpups — in hindsight, one of many best collections of highschool expertise in Philippine basketball historical past.
Earlier than the Season 88 Closing 4 kicks off, have a look again on the core members of that back-to-back champion crew in seasons 81 and 82 and the way they’ve continued to affect the rise of collegiate contenders to this very day.
Coach Goldwin Monteverde
Beginning with the architect and the proverbial head of the snake, head coach Goldwin Monteverde seamlessly carried his golden contact from highschool to the collegiate scene after masterminding UP’s Season 84 and Season 87 title-winning groups throughout 4 straight finals appearances.
Regardless of his laid-back and soft-spoken methods, Monteverde continues to spark fires matched by few different mentors since first discovering his mojo with the Bullpups in 2019.
Carl Tamayo
The place Monteverde goes, his boys observe. That’s how in 2022, UP had the singular pleasure of fielding Carl Tamayo, a clear-cut generational prospect who helped the Combating Maroons break their aforementioned 36-year UAAP title drought at the same time as a rookie.
After averaging 13.1 factors and seven.3 rebounds on the way in which to a UAAP championship and Rookie of the 12 months award, Tamayo led UP to a second straight finals berth in Season 85 earlier than shortly shifting on to greener pastures as an import within the Japan B. League, and finally, the Korean Basketball League (KBL).
Right now, Tamayo continues to be thriving within the KBL and stays one of many high up-and-coming stars of the booming Gilas Pilipinas program.
Kevin Quiambao
Now generally known as one of many best gamers in UAAP historical past, Kevin Quiambao took the street much less taken in Season 85 after becoming a member of La Salle below head coach Topex Robinson.
In simply his sophomore yr in Season 86, the triple-double machine averaged 16.9 factors, 10.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.9 steals, and gained his first of two straight MVP awards, marking the primary time a Filipino participant gained the highest UAAP particular person award since Kiefer Ravena in 2015.
After main La Salle to its first title since 2016 that yr and one other finals look the season after, Quiambao — like Tamayo — shortly flourished as an Asian quota import within the KBL and can also be firmly entrenched as certainly one of Gilas’ future stars.
Steve Nash Enriquez
In contrast to Tamayo and Quiambao who carved their place in UAAP lore with different groups, Steve Nash Enriquez stayed loyal to the NU trigger and caught with the Bulldogs by way of thick or skinny.
5 years faraway from his final UAAP championship, the artful flooring basic now stands on the precipice of arguably his greatest shot at a maiden collegiate title as he facilitates head coach Jeff Napa’s offense for the likes of Jake Figueroa, Omar John, and Paul Francisco.
The inseparable guard rotation
Harold Alarcon. Gerry Abadiano. Terrence Fortea.
For seven straight years, these standout guards have stayed on the identical roster and remained instrumental for his or her groups’ title runs each in highschool with NU and in school with UP.
Ever the streaky shot-makers, Alarcon, Abadiano, and Fortea have constantly taken turns catching fireplace on offense and having each other’s backs when some pictures aren’t falling their means.
Monteverde’s lieutenants by way of and thru, the trio now gears up for one final dance in Season 88 — one final shot at successful gold for Coach Gold.
Honorable mentions
Below various roles, different NU highschool champions have additionally made their mark with different groups, each within the UAAP and NCAA, proving that the 2019-20 Bullpups had been simply on a category of their very own when it comes to expertise.
Pao Javillonar was an integral a part of the NCAA’s Letran Knights that accomplished a uncommon title three-peat from 2019 to 2023. Right now, he continues to hone his craft and stengthen his body within the PBA with the Converge FiberXers.
Reyland Torres and Janjan Felicilda stayed with NU in Season 84 earlier than additionally rejoining Monteverde in UP in Seasons 86 and past, finally solidifying their spots as essential bench gamers with the Combating Maroons.
Cyril Gonzales cracked the UP roster in seasons 85 and 86 earlier than deciding to develop his recreation with Mapua within the NCAA. Redshirting with the Cardinals of their historic Season 100 title run in 2024, Gonzales shortly earned main minutes this Season 101 as Mapua settled for a quarterfinals end.
Aaron Buensalida and Nat Tulabut additionally donned the Letran colours after their time in NU highschool and proceed to be key rotation items at present because the Knights marked their Closing 4 return in Season 101 after a two-year lull. – Rappler.com
