By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter
A NEW season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines unfurls this weekend with a double-header at the Mall of Asia Arena setting things off.
The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons take on the University of the East Red Warriors at 2 p.m. on opening day on Saturday, Sept. 8, while season hosts National University Bulldogs clash with the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.
The matches come after the opening ceremony at 12 noon which will be anchored on this year’s theme of “It all begins here.”
Finished fifth last season, the Maroons look to improve on it and barge into the Final Four of the tournament after some time with the help of transferee Bright Akhuetie, who is set to make his UAAP debut after completing his one-year residency.
A star with the Perpetual Help Altas in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Akhuetie is expected to provide inside muscle for UP and complement the play of the Maroons’ core, which includes graduating Paul Desiderio and Diego Dario, brothers Javi and Juan Gomez De Liano, Jun Manzo, and rookie Will Gozum.
“We have been in the cellar for how many decades and this season I believe is going to be a testament to the efforts that we have put into our program as far as our recruitment and preparation are concerned. And we will find a way to lift up the kind of program that we have and we are hoping that we will be able to compete with the best in the league and improve on our performance in the previous seasons,” said Bo Perasol, UP coach, at the press conference for Season 81 early this week.
UP has been absent in the Final Four for two decades now and last won the title in 1986.
Out to get their campaign to a good start as well are the Red Warriors, now coached by longtime Ateneo high school coach Joe Silva, who took over from Derrick Pumaren.
Wound up seventh in Season 80, UE will be led by veterans Alvin Pasaol and Philip Manalang in the tournament where they are bent on being “Warrior-like.”
“We prepared hard to have a good showing in UAAP 81. We’re just going to compete each time and give our best and show the Warrior qualities,” Mr. Silva said of his team.
STARTED EARLY
NU, meanwhile, prepared early for the tournament and it hopes that it would make a difference in its campaign.
“We started preparing very early after last season. We are young team but will be competing and give our all,” said Bulldogs coach Jamike Jarin.
The Bulldogs finished their campaign in sixth place with a 5-9 record. They return this season with a mix of young and veteran players which they hope could do the job as they try to make their way back to the top half of the heap.
UST, for its part, will be parading nine rookies and a new coach in Aldin Ayo, formerly of the De La Salle Green Archers.
The Tigers, however, are not letting their youth stand in the way and have vowed to give each team a run for its money every time it faces them.
“As a team we will have nine rookies, four holdovers and two returnees. Every game will just be there to compete. We are not making any promises. Our mantra under coach Aldin is no longer ‘mayhem’ but ‘Hail Mary’ with nine rookies, but we will compete,” said UST assistant coach Nap Garcia who represented Mr. Ayo in the press conference.
Completing the opening weekend for UAAP Season 81 are the games between Far Eastern University Tamaraws and La Salle at 12 noon on Sunday, Sept. 9, and Ateneo Blue Eagles versus Adamson Soaring Falcons at 4 p.m. Venue is also MOA Arena.
UAAP games are broadcast live over on S+A and S+A HD, and via livestream on sports.abs-cbn.com.

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