Final a done thing for elder Pumaren

For the Pumaren patriarch, the 2007 UAAP crown has been won when Franz Pumaren’s La Salle squad arranged a championship showdown with Dindo Pumaren’s UE team.

“For me, this season is over since my two sons are the ones who will battle for the championship. Whatever happens, a Pumaren will end up winner,” said Filomeno Pumaren Jr., father of Franz and Dindo who figure in a coaching duel in the UAAP best-of-three final beginning today at the Araneta Coliseum.

Known as “Mang Pilo” in the RP basketball circle, the old Pumaren said he’ll sit on the La Salle gallery but stressed he’ll cheer for his two sons.

“I’ll just be on the La Salle side since my wife Marietta will be on the UE side. We’ll take separate seats to show to our children we’re supporting both of them,” said Mang Pilo, considered a red- and green-blooded fellow since he played for UE and had called the shots for both the Warriors and the Archers.

Mang Pilo and his spouse won’t deny, though, that they’re more loyal to UE where both attended their college studies.

Franz himself has a direct UE affiliation as he played high school ball for the Pages before moving over to La Salle in college. Dindo, meanwhile, suited up with the San Beda Red Cubs in high school before joining the Archers in college.

Talk n Text coach Derrick, the second of the four Pumaren siblings, donned the UE Pages and Warriors jerseys before joining his father in moving over to La Salle. He’s a coaching consultant at UE but may miss the UAAP final opener since the TnT team is playing a series of games in Korea.

Mang Pilo thinks La Salle is the more experienced team but UE has the more talented lineup.

“I believe UE has the edge. Even in case both play up to their potentials, I believe UE will win,” said Mang Pilo who won UAAP titles as a player and as a coach for both UE and La Salle.

Mang Pilo said the Warriors have kept their competitive form despite their long break by holding tune-up games with the Spring Cooking Oil team of coach Boyzie Zamar, another former UE player.

“Their training was non-stop and gained valuable help from Boyzie and his team,” said Mang Pilo, a key member of the 1957 Warriors squad that gave UE its very first UAAP crown.

But the old Pumaren doesn’t rule out a La Salle victory. – Nelson Beltran