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My wishes for Season 71:
I have said it before and I will say it again, I wish that the games are won and lost on the court and not in the boardroom.
I wish that no player eligibility scandal erupts during the season.
I wish that the Commissioner and his 2 assistants take control of the league.
I wish that there is consistency in officiating. The referees should not be intimidated by anyone, whether they be players, coaches or board members.

University of the Philippines
This is a team that needs to find an identity. Coach Joe Lipa tried but did not get it done. They have some good players but not at the level of that of other teams. Their weakest position is in the middle. With the size the other teams possess, they will be hard pressed to rebound and play an inside game.
Reyes and de Asis can shoot but they also get into really bad slumps. They have to play hard every game. They lack the killer instinct and the confidence that they can make their shots. I also think that Gamboa needs to pass more, but who does he pass to?
This year we will not see what all the fuss was about Soc Rivera. He was a bust last year and now he is not even on the roster.
Predicted record 1 – 13

National University
I like their unorthodox game. The problem is that you don’t know which NU team will be showing up in every game. Jahnke and Asoro will definitely be much better than they were last year and Aguilar will definitely show more impact this year.
What NU has always lacked is consistency and patience. They need to have a more focused outlook of their game. If there is one team that other teams are weary of playing, it is the Bulldogs. Ateneo will especially be one team who won’t take them for granted.
Predicted record: 5 – 9 (They will upset 2 of the major contenders)

Adamason University
If their performance in the summer leagues is any indication, then Adamson will not be a pushover. The return of Coach Leo Austria will make the Falcons a better team. Expect Cañada to rise to the challenge.
What Adamson needs is maturity and also patience. Last year was a disaster for the Falcons simply because they did not use set plays. It was more like street ball that they were playing.
What I saw during the summer leagues was a more consistent and cerebral game. They need to play the clock right and not hurry their shots. If they keep a low post presence, then they will be a team worth watching.
Predicted record: 6 – 8

University of Santo Tomas
I like Coach Pido Jarencio. I like his passion and his emotions. I am sure it is contagious to the rest of the team.
With Japs Cuan and Jervy Cruz returning, UST will not back down. Cruz is going to get his points and rebounds while Cuan will get the assists.
The key to the Tiger’s season will be the consistency of Ababou and Mirza. If these 2 can get to be effective in most games, then UST will fight it out for the Final Four. Allera and Taylor have also got to step it up a notch.
Because they did not play in any of the summer leagues, not much can be said about their rookies. But just having Jervy Cruz is more than enough to make Coach Pido’s team a contender.
Predicted record: 8 – 6

Far Eastern University
Even last year, I liked this team. They really overachieved in season 70. They had a chance to make it to the Final Four with a mostly rookie laden team. One year experience will definitely boost their confidence.
They showed what they could accomplish in the summer leagues. This is an almost intact line-up from last year’s 5th place team. Last year’s Rookis of the Year Ricardo Cawaling will be a star. Add to that, Fernandez, Baracael, Adolfo, Sanga and Barroca and what you have is a team that is strong in every position.
Predicted record: 8 – 6

Ateneo de Manila University
On paper they appear to have the most star-studded rookies in the league. But paper does not win ball games. The advantage of the Blue Eagles is that they have renewed confidence after winning the Nike Summer League. But among the rookies, it was only Buenafe who showed his worth.
I am not convinced that having 2 foreign players playing different positions is a good thing. This means that you can’t have them reinforcing a given position. This was a problem last year. Remember the Long – Laterre booboo? Oh I forgot, that doesn’t count as a booboo because it did not affect the outcome of the game.
Ateneo needs more than just a “Chris Tiu show� to win it all. They need production from all positions. They are a big team, but not a fast one. They need consistent defense to beat La Salle and UE.
Lastly, Ateneo has to win when it matters. They normally start strong and run out of gas in the end. They have to peak at the right time.
Predicted record: 8 – 6

De La Salle University
Things will be different for the Archers this year. They will rely heavily on Casion and Meirhofer to get their title defense on track. I like their rookies Bagatsing and LA Revilla. I also believe that Mangahas, Malabes and Barua will be a lot better.
It has been said that La Salle’s weak area is the middle. People tend to forget that they are bringing back the same big men they had last year when they won a championship.
The trademark La Salle defense will definitely be a big factor. Add to this their tremendous conditioning and what you get is a team that consistently peaks at the right time.
Of course, there is no better coach in UAAP right now than Franz Pumaren. It is apparent that his system works and that continuity of system is what has kept La Salle a contender all these years.
Predicted record: 9 – 5

University of the East
UE will definitely come out on top of the double round robin. They are coming back almost intact with key players Arellano, Espiritu, Martinez, Lee, Thiele, Lingganay and Llagas and especially Coach Dindo Pumaren hungry for a title.
Competition maybe too steep to pull off a sweep but they are the team to beat.
What UE needs is to have a set core of players. Having too many players in the rotation often backfires because the momentum is broken.
If there is a time that UE should win it all, it is this year.
Predicted record: 11 – 3

Finals – UE vs La Salle
Champion - UE
This above predicted win-loss records are properly computed. There should be a total of 56 wins and 56 losses after the 2 rounds (yes I did my homework)!
The Most Valuable Player this year will be a battle between Jervy Cruz and Rico Maierhofer. The Rookie of the Year will go to Ryan Buenafe.
Let’s get it on!

Tags: Adamson-Falcons, Ateneo-Blue-Eagles, De-La-Salle-Green-Archers, FEU-Tamaraws, NU-Bulldogs, Petron, The-Green-Mind, UAAP, UE-Red-Warriors, University-of-Sto.-Tomas-Growling-Tigers, UP-Fighting-Maroons

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