Coming off their second winless season in four years, it is easy to be optimistic for the UP Fighting Maroons. After all, there is no other way to go but up for a program that has been moribund for so long. UP last tasted UAAP glory a quarter of a century ago with that legendary team that included current assistant coach Joey Mendoza. Mendoza’s teammates included PBA legends Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc. Time has not been that kind to the State U team for quite a spell.

New head coach Ricky Dandan might be the most important addition to the team. Dandan has previous coaching experience in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association, and is currently a PBA assistant coach. He should bring a much more organized approach to the game for the Maroons. “We have to put the past behind us and learn from it,” Dandan said in one interview during the summer tournaments. “We really just want to be in every game, be competitive,” he added.

A lot of casual basketball fans might say that UP doesn’t have much to work with in terms of talent. But the more trained basketball observer knows this is not really the case. Mike Silungan, a 6-foot-2 swingman, was once a hotly recruited Filipino-American. Silungan first tried out down the road for the Ateneo Blue Eagles over two years ago. After a stop in San Beda he finally hooked up with the Fighting Maroons. Silungan is one of the best shooters in college basketball. He has a quick trigger and incredible range. His handles seem suspect but he can drive by most defenders if he’s feeling it. He can also pass and play decoy at times. As far as primary scorers, teams can certainly do far worse.

Rejoining the team this season is diminutive 5-foot-5 pointguard Mike Gamboa. Gamboa had a reported falling out of sorts with the old coaching staff and is getting a second chance under Dandan. Gamboa will probably be more valuable than Silungan this season because UP does not have any other true pointguards on its roster. Gamboa is tough, strong and compact in spite of his short stature. He will bring intelligence and speed back to a backcourt that lacked it last year. Joining Gamboa in the backcourt is 6-foot-1 Mark Lopez. Lopez spent most of the last several months recovering from an ACL injury, and is still trying to regain his basketball legs.

Alinko Mba, the wiry 6-foot-7 African import, will finally see action in the UAAP. UP doesn’t really have much of a choice. Magi Sison and Woody Co are both gone, leaving their frontline thin. Mba has a long way to go in his overall game, but he does have height, length and leap, which will help in tending the boards and defending the lane. He will be joined by 6-foot-4 Chris Ball, a good athlete who has also yet to define his game. A newcomer to the frontline is yet another former Ateneo Blue Eaglet like Gamboa – hard working 6-foot-2 forward-center Paolo Romero. Romero is a former RP Youth Team player and is well-coached, but definitely will be overmatched size-wise in college ball.

UP Integrated School is also looking at yet another long season. Without a clear superstar-caliber player on the roster, the Junior Maroons will be hard pressed to make any noise in the junior division.