Over the last three year, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws have always been touted as the strongest team man for man in the UAAP. They have good size and athleticism across the broad range of positions, and they were easily nine men deep, maybe even two legit players deep at every position. It therefore seems a little strange that they have yet to reclaim the mantle of UAAP champions. Their last title came in 2005, technically a grand slam dating back to 2003, because the UAAP forfeited the La Salle championship of 2004 due to supposed eligibility issues. Those FEU teams had current PBA superstar and UAAP MVP Arwind Santos, and a supporting cast that at various times included Dennis Miranda, Mark Isip, Jeff Chan, RJ Rizada, Rhagnee Sinco, Jonas Villanueva and Dom Yabut.

After that mighty team FEU wasn’t exactly left in the lurch, save perhaps for the “transitory” 2005 and 2006 teams. By 2007 the Tamaraws were very much among the elite of the league. From this time to the present this iteration included various combinations of Smart Gilas originals Mark Barroca, JR Cawaling, Aldrech Ramos, as well as Paul Sanga, Reil Cervantes, Pipo Nuondoo, Mac Baracael, RR Garcia, and Terrence Romeo. To underscore the talent on this team, apart from the three Gilas mainstays, Garcia was adjudged the MVP last season, while Romeo was named Rookie of the Year. Ramos led the league in rebounds and blocks. It therefore remains a mystery why this team has yet to win a title in the post-Arwind Santos era.

“Maybe it has something to do with non-basketball matters,” said a veteran coach from a smaller league rather mischievously. As good as this team has been the last few years neither can it be denied that it has been caught in a rather bad light with matters off the court and near the court. Center JR Gerilla was dismissed from the team a few years back supposedly because of a legal matter. Barroca also was separated from the team under mysterious circumstances not two years ago. Baracael nearly lost his life in a shooting incident at about that same time right in front of the FEU Gym along R Papa. The gunman remains at large today.

“If any team can dethrone Ateneo it should be FEU,” noted one long-time player agent. “The only question is if they can develop the mental toughness to do it, because that is where Ateneo beat them last year, they just played smarter,” he added. Ateneo’s conquest of FEU in the 2010 Finals will go down as a basketball clinic for the ages. On paper FEU looked unbeatable, and certainly they had an advantage at every position. Ateneo took all of that away in Game 1 by forcing Garcia and Romeo farther away from the basket than they liked, while at the same time busting out in transition at every opportunity. In Game 2, swingman Ryan Buenafe, the toughest man on the Ateneo roster took on FEU almost singlehandedly and nailed a career-defining three-pointer after playing out of position as a power forward throughout the do-or-die game. Garcia and Romeo and the rest of the Tamaraws simply collapsed under the weight of all the expectations while Ateneo played with the poise, intelligence and will of a champion. This year will be all about redemption or nothing for FEU.

As for FEU FERN, with new guard Jun Pingoy around, they will return to the Finals.