With new coach but same mission, Tigers ready to shed bridesmaid tag

MANILA, Philippines – They are the perennial bridesmaids in the UAAP, and they may be missing the services of their reliable scorers, but the UST Growling Tigers believe this circumstance will breathe new life into their winning culture in hopes of finally flipping the script.

Fielding some familiar faces, the Espana-based squad will look to tap five rookies — including their head coach, Boy Sablan.

The black-and-gold’s new tactician may be getting his feet wet at the helm, but he is no stranger to crucial games. Sablan’s outlook, too, is that of a veteran. Sablan served as a deputy for Pido Jarencio in the Tigers’ Cinderella finish in 2006, and has orchestrated tactics for Leo Isaac in PBA’s Blackwater Elite.

Sablan’s primary problem going into Season 79 is losing Kevin Ferrer and Karim Abdul to graduation. Or so most spectators think.

“Wala kaming superstar,” Sablan told Philstar.com. “‘Yun yung lahat, role players – lahat unselfishly willing to do their job [and] sacrifice for the team.”

He believes it was more an advantage than a problem for last season’s runner-up. He conceded that most of the players he has now were benchwarmers in 2015, but that still counts as experience.

“I’m giving [them] enough playing time o show what they’re [capable of],” he said.

The Tigers, though, will still be able to draw production from cogs of last year’s finals run. Louie Vigil and Jamil Sheriff were both ruled eligible to participate in this year’s tournament after the UAAP board decided to return to its original age rule.

Now the team captain, Vigil believes he’s more primed for a shot at the championship.

“I’ll be more of a scorer this year,” he said. “‘Yung leadership ko on-and-off the court, andun na. This time, Mas-vocal na ako.”

And the same could be said of his coach.

“Sabi palang ni coach noong unang meeting namin, ‘Bata, pumunta ako dito para magchampion.’ Hindi siya katulad ng ibang coaches.

“After niyang sabihin sakin yun, [it left an impression that] he’s here to win,” he said.

Sablan, who is picking up the cudgels after Bong dela Cruz’s controversy-marred leadership, also bared that he is actually not having a hard time reacquainting himself to the Tigers. After all, he learned from the best.

“Sa akin, hindi naman ako nahirapan. Matatalino nga – mga bright boys. Alam nila yung mga role nila. Kailangan ma-compensate yung mga wala, So well distributed ang efforts,” he said.

UST is this year’s UAAP hosts. A decorated general tournament and basketball champion, the Tigers will mount the opening ceremonies in their campus at Espana in Manila this Saturday.