Pumaren wants to erase culture of mediocrity for Falcons

MANILA, Philippines – For returning coach Franz Pumaren, the goal for his new Adamson Soaring Falcons crew is simple: To be the team to talk about.

"We're hoping to give energy to the community," Pumaren said during a presser in Novotel in Quezon City on Tuesday.

Asked what he specifically aims to accomplish this season for the Falcons, Pumaren quipped, "We have a modest goal – mag-champion lang!"

Even after taking a step back from the collegiate arena, Pumaren sounded the same, quick-witted personality that he was in De La Salle. He quickly shifted his tone and clarified that his plans for his the new club he's handling are indeed modest.

"[We want to] erase the idea of 'just competing' and 'almost winning and we're happy,'" he said.

Adamson has been regarded as the league's cellar-dwellers for the past three seasons. Their lone championship came in 1977-78. Season 74 was their best outing in the Final Four era, placing second behind the 13-1 and eventual champions Ateneo de Manila University.

Last year, the Falcons won only once.

Pumaren belongs to the renowned family of basketball players. Their patriarch, Pilo, played for the University of the East before serving as a deputy to Norman Black and the fabled San Miguel Beermen. Franz's brother, Dindo, once steered the Warriors to their best years in recent UAAP history, after which their older brother Derrick took over. 

Dindo also mentored the Green Archers just like Franz, but it was the latter who emerged to be the winningest coach of the Taft squad. Both of them played in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Also from that very repertoire is where the new Falcons coach will draw much of his playbook from.

"Even when I was playing, even in business, I'm a very competitive guy," he said.

But he's also managing expectations.

"Sa akin lang, I'm just here to make sure the program is going to work, that we're in the right direction.

"When I took over that time, La Salle has been consistent at No. 2. They basically had the materials but they didn't know probably how to make the right chemistry for a winning team. So that's just a minor adjustment. And I was just blessed with good players.