It has been quite a while since UP fans had anything to really get excited about. A lot of the present generation of UP fans, students and even recent alumni probably weren’t even born the last time the Fighting Maroons won the UAAP championship, riding the backs of the “San Beda Recruiting Class” of Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc. Over the last decade or so, varsity basketball has not been too kind to State U; .500 ball has been difficult to come by in recent seasons, never mind talk of the Final 4, much less the Finals. It’s been so frustrating over at Diliman that last season’s first round elimination victory over reigning champion Ateneo may as well have been a UAAP title for UP.

Certainly the Maroons have been busy in the offseason. They carried the colors of Pharex in the last PBL conference, finishing a strong runner-up to eventual champion Excel Roof. Of course head coach Aboy Castro is probably wishing he could bring some of his PBL players over to the UP roster. One player in particular was a revelation, conference MVP Vic Manuel, a talented and athletic 6-foot-5 forward out of PSBA. “I wish we could bring him (Manuel) to UP,” one long-time team supporter mused after the PBL Finals.

Even without Manuel though, this UP team might surprise a lot of teams who will not take them seriously. They certainly had a very productive summer, beating a couple of teams they had not beaten in a while. Leading the charge is Filipino-American swingman Mike Silungan. Brandishing a quick trigger and range out to any parking lot, the 6-foot-3 balikbayan from Chicago had opposing fans dropping their jaws and flapping their arms in an equal mix of awe and frustration. “I heard he was a good scorer, but I didn’t think he could shoot like that,” said one assistant coach from a UAAP rival after one Fil Oil game. Silungan has been chomping at the bit the last two years while he served his residency, shooting the lights out of smaller tournaments.

Joining Silungan is a bunch of tried and tested veterans who have expanded their game. 6-foot-7 center-forward Magi Sison, a Smart Gilas national team veteran, also had a pretty good summer and was among the top players in the Fil Oil. He still turns his back on too many backdoor plays but he has improved offensively across the board, becoming more consistent with his perimeter shot and mixing in a drop step from the left box every now and then. 6-foot-3 forward Woody Co, who supposedly was not coming back for his fifth year this season, has apparently had a change of heart and will provide scoring and rebounding at the 4/3 positions. 6-foot-4 Aldrin Juruena will fill in as needed at the 3 and 4 spots as well.

At the perimeter UP will also have a solid if unspectacular rotation: 6-foot-1 Alvin Padilla can play the point and at his size can dominate but he needs to keep his head in the game and keep his elbows in check or the refs will nail him at every opportunity. 6-foot-1 guard Mark Lopez can handle both the 1 and 2 spots and provides much-needed athleticism in the back court. 6-foot-1 gunner Martin Reyes will provide valuable perimeter insurance. 5-foot-11 Jet Manuel is the newcomer of note out of Xavier School.

UPIS and the Lady Maroons do not figure to make too much noise in Season 73.