2006 will forever go down as perhaps one of the most improbable championship runs in the history of the UAAP, with the Santo Tomas Growling Tigers taking the UAAP title that year against a more fancied and heavily favored Ateneo side. Back then they had a plethora of battle-tested veterans, and a then-new head coach who was himself a UST and UAAP legend. No one gave them much of a chance after a so-so elimination round campaign. But then the wins started coming one after the other, and before long they kept on winning all the way to that title.

They are only some four years removed from that glorious campaign, and yet to the team and more so to its hundreds of thousands of fans and alumni, that seems like an altogether different era. Hardly anyone is left from that 2006 championship team. A few of them have gone on to the pros, notably center-forward Jervy Cruz and off-guard Jojo Duncil. Season 72 MVP Dylan Ababou is with the Smart Gilas national team of Rajko Toroman. A couple of other vital cogs from that title team like Anthony Espiritu and Kazhim Mirza are plying the commercial league circuit.

Arguably the most important holdover is the coach who guided the Growling Tigers to the championship: Alfredo “Pido” Jarencio. He remains at the helm and will try to once again get the most out of his Tigers in Season 73. “It promises to be a lot tougher for us because we do not really have much in terms of superstars unlike the other teams,” explained one major long-time team supporter. “Coach has to practically make do with what he has, but he’s always been a strong motivator, and the players respond well to him,” he added.

This is not to say UST has been bereft of quality players. Certainly there are a few remaining players who should step up and get their chance to shine this season. Leading the way is 6-foot-2 swingman Jeric Teng. Teng, son of PBA legend Alvin, has been consistent scoring from all over in the various semi-commercial tournaments that UST took part in over the offseason. UST is notorious for shunning the bigger-name summer tournaments in favor of more hardcore action where Jarencio feels his boys will learn to toughen up the hard way. Teng has been the most prominent Tiger in these hardcore tournaments. His driving game has improved, which has complemented his good shooting touch from mid-range. His defense is still on the side of matador, but at least he’s learning to fight over screens.

Hotshot guards 5-foot-7 Jeric Fortuna and 5-foot-9 Clark “Tata” Bautista also return. Neither is a pure pointguard nor a pure off-guard in the senior division sense of those positions. However, both have improved their handling and passing skills to the point where they can at least distribute and spread the floor. One thing that has never changed for both young men is their ability to hit the long bomb. Both Fortuna and Bautista can light it up from beyond the arc, heat up in a hurry, and get on a hot streak if left unchecked at the perimeter. Inside, things aren’t looking too rosy though. 6-foot-5 forward-center Chris Camus and 6-foot-6 newcomer Vince Tinte are about as good as it gets for the Tigers.

In the high school and women’s divisions, it could also be difficult years for the Tiger Cubs and Tigresses. A lot of their superstars have been lost to graduation.